LTD Repress
Severed Heads are one of the longest standing bands to have emerged from the Australian post-punk and experimental scene. They began in Sydney in 1979, and were an early outfit to incorporate elements of 'industrial' noise-generation, tape cutting & looping and electronic sound synthesis. As the project developed, song-structures and vocals were employed in a more-or-less recognizable mutant electro pop style. After many line-up changes featuring Gary Bradbury and psychedelic guitarist Simon Knuckey, Severed Heads became the solo vehicle for composer Tom Ellard.

In 1983 they released a C-60 cassette called “Since The Accident” that grabbed the attention of Ink Records, a subsidiary of Virgin in the UK. Ellard added a throwaway track at the last minute to fill out the cassette, not wanting to leave an unseemly gap on a C60 tape. This track, “Dead Eyes Opened” was catchy enough to get a lot of airplay on the main non-commercial radio station in Sydney. The band was asked to make this song into a 12” single. For this extended version, Tom Ellard and producer Patrick Gibson went to M Squared studio and passed the multitracked recordings through various EQ's and delays. “Dead Eyes Opened” features samples from a radio program narrated by Edgar Lustgarten, a crime journalist from England, referencing a double murder case that occurred in 1924. The rhythms are made by a TR-808 drum machine and an SH-1 synthesizer. A KORG PolySix was used for strings and additional atmospheric elements. The lead solo was a Casiotone run through an Octaver foot pedal. On the B-side are two solo compositions “Bullet” and “Mount” that Ellard recorded at Terse Tapes in 1982.

All songs are remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Housed in the original jacket featuring the iconic photograph of a girl with a painted face wrapped in some cloth by Juilee Pryor. Each copy includes a fold-out newsprint poster with a large photo of the band wearing Art Unit skull shirts on one side and liner notes and press clippings on the other. 30 years later Severed Heads are still paving the way for powerful, imaginative, and challenging music. More

Dark Entries picks up Severed Heads yet again for Ear Bitten, a double LP reissue of some of the band’s earliest material. As originary Aussie industrial legends - although founder Tom Ellard would balk at being branded as such - Severed Heads shaped the continental subcultural sound with their kitchen electronics, chaotic tape loops, and quietly infectious nursery-rhyme-esque melodies. In 1979 Ellard, Richard Fielding, and Andrew Wright abandoned the moniker Mr. and Mrs. No Smoking Sign and adopted the edgier name Severed Heads “to pretend to be an industrial band such as Surgical Penis Klinik & Throbbing Gristle.” Noise-rockers Rhythmx Chymx had placed an advertisement in a local shop looking for a band to share the costs of pressing an LP. The Heads set about recording a Dadaist racket on a pair of open reel dictaphones and a cassette deck using a TRS-80 computer, Kawai Synthesizer 100F and Korg Mini Pops drum machine. Ear Bitten was released in 1980; original copies now fetch obscene sums, in part due to most of Severed Heads’ copies perishing in a fire at Richard’s home. The band’s next endeavor was a cassette titled Side 2, a collection of free-form experiments fashioned as Ear Bitten’s second side. For this reissue, Dark Entries has collected both Ear Bitten and Side 2 on the first disc, presenting the album in its full form. Disc two includes the original first version of Ear Bitten, which was only unreleased because it was recorded in a format not suitable for pressing. The album comes in a gatefold sleeve designed by Eloise Leigh and includes photos, liner notes, and reproductions of the original Xerox inserts from the 1980 issue. Ear Bitten delivers 22 tracks of pain you can dance to! More

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Medical continues it's exploration and admiration our beloved Severed Heads. Long overdue and much needed reissue of their1989 album "Rotund For Success". Special expanded 2LP version including alternate versions and remixes. "Rotund" is a treasure trove of hits including "All Saints Day", "Greater Reward" and "Big Car". Includes deluxe gatefold heavy duty full color jacket featuring the iconic pineapple and pine cone featured on the singles. Remastered by Mr. Ellard himself. Double 160gm black vinyl. Limited Edition. More

Repress of Medical's 2014 reissue of the long out of print and crucial LP Australia's Severed Heads (alongside "City Slab Horror" also being repressed by Medical). Released in 1983 and features some of the most important yet underrated electronic music of the genre. Characterized by a fusion of experimental tape loop manipulation perfectly integrated into synth-based and quite catchy pop stylized tunes. Features the hit "Dead Eyes Opened" as well as other standout tracks such as "A Million Angels" and "A Relic Of The Empire". For fans of innovative early industrial/wave crossovers such as Cabaret Voltaire, early Coil, and Chris & Cosey. Limited Edition. More

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Our first release of 2020 is a deluxe 2xLP reissue of Severed Heads’ debut 1981 album ‘Clean’. One of the longest surviving bands to emerge from the Australian post-punk independent music scene, they began in Sydney in 1979. Severed Heads is basically a nom- de-plum for Tom Ellard, who incorporates elements of ‘industrial’ noise-generation, tape cutting & looping and electronic sound synthesis. As the project developed song-structures and vocals were employed in a more-or-less recognizable mutant electro pop style.

‘Clean’ was amongst the first vinyl releases under the Dogfood Productions banner of Terse Tapes, previously a cassette-only label. For this records Tom used an array of synthesizers (Kawai 100F, Casiotone, Roland CR78+SH1+CSQ100), sequencers, tapes and occasional guitar and violin played by Garry Bradbury. Severed Heads have a language of their own, music that juxtaposes all sorts of noise, in all sorts of ways so that a structure evolves, (fragmented) melody and rhythm being almost a by-product. As one reviewer said in 1981, “It is an ugly album that you simply cannot ignore, it thuds and screeches and makes you stare just to wonder what kind of people would procure such an album.” For this deluxe reissue we’ve included a bonus disc featuring 13 songs, 5 of which have never been released before, culled from live performances, the ‘Side 3’ cassette and a ‘Clean’ demo tape that only surfaced last year, plus "Food City" missing from previous reissues.

All songs have been remastered by Tom Ellard, with vinyl EQ and lacquer cutting by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each copy is housed in a gatefold jacket featuring black and white xeroxed artwork from the first vinyl edition. Inside the gatefold are liner notes by Tom Ellard plus photos and press clippings from the period. “‘Clean’ is original and powerful and everybody should listen to it at least once, just so they know where the boundaries lie.” Ashley Crawford, Virgin Press 1981. 25% of proceeds will be donated to the Australian Fire Relief Fund for First Nations Communities, that offers specific direct support to some of those communities with critical costs to cover expenses.
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Dark Entries digs deeper in to the archives of Severed Heads, one of the longest surviving bands to emerge from the Australian post-punk independent music scene. They began in Sydney in 1979, incorporating elements of ‘industrial’ noise-generation, tape cutting & looping and electronic sound synthesis. As the project developed song-structures and vocals were employed in a more-or-less recognizable mutant electro pop style. In 1986 the band released the 12” single “Petrol” on Nettwerk Records. We’ve decided to shed light on the evolution of “Petrol” with this EP showcasing four earlier incarnations of what became an instant synth pop classic. “Petrol”, originally titled “Lamborghini”, was written by Garry Bradbury and Tom Ellard in 1981. The first version of the song featured vocals by Finoa Graham and music by Tom Ellard. “Lamborghini” was featured on a compilation of Experimental Australian bands titled “Entrave Et Étouffement, From Australia...” released by L'Invitation Au Suicide in April 1982. DJs in Chicago discovered the import compilation and “Lamborghini” became a proto-House secret weapon, traded on mix tapes. In July 1982, the band was invited to record several songs on Metro TV in Sydney to demonstrate the video synthesizer, a new piece of equipment played by Stephen Jones. The video synthesizer was installed into Metro's control room above the main studio to process the performance in real time on two cameras while recording to video. Tom Ellard and Garry Bradbury were using analog synths and tape recorders along with the screaming guitar work of Simon Knuckey, while Garry took over vocal duties. In 1984 Tom took another stab at the song, re-recording and singing “Petrol” for the compilation “Beyond The Southern Cross”, a double compilation album of Electronic and Post-Punk bands from Australia and New Zealand. Finally in 1985, the band went into the Terse Tapes studio with producer Robert Racic to record “Petrol” for a 7” single release on Volition Records. Featured here is the B-side of the 7”, a cut-up dub “version” remixed by Racic and packed full of intensity. All songs are remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Housed in a jacket featuring brightly colored, distorted, VHS graphics output by Stephen Jones' video synthesizer created by Tom Ellard video piece “Kato Gets The Girl” in 1985, designed by Eloise Leigh. Each copy includes a postcard with notes and original hand-written lyrics by Garry Bradbury. More than 30 years later Severed Heads are still paving the way for powerful imaginative challenging music far and wide.
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Medical Records is excited to re-press this out of print gem by LA's Geneva Jacuzzi. To say Jacuzzi is a multifaceted artist would be an understatement. She is well known for her uncompromisingly obtuse synth-driven pop and one-of-a-kind performance art that is comprised of one time only spectacles and installations. Her works have been presented in famous art institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, MOCA and numerous other venues across the globe. She has developed a very focused cult following in the art AND music scenes. She was originally well known for her multitude of self-released home recordings but also released a full length Lamaze in 2010 on Vinyl International to much acclaim. Not to mention her track The Sleep Room featured on The Minimal Wave Tapes Vol 2. Technophelia is the culmination of a hybrid of DIY and professional studio recordings (with the help of esteemed producer Chris Coady) that resulted in this exquisite album. Features the soon-to-be-hits I'm A TV and Cannibal Babies. Lovers of unique and left-field wave such as Gina X, Ronny, and the like will be transfixed by the raw, oozing newness of it all. All tracks recorded/performed by Geneva Jacuzzi with additional production by Chris Coady at Sunset Sound Studios. Mastered by Josh Bonati. Presented on high-quality 180gram heavyweight vinyl. More

Blending ambient, drone, krautrock, psychedelic, house music elements into a unique sonic universe... that's what Cloudland Canyon is known for! This American experimental music project led by Kip Uhlhorn comes with the release of their new self-titled LP on the always trustworthy Medical Records! The band continues to explore the boundaries of sound and space, taking the listener on a journey through lush soundscapes and immersive textures. Formed in 2002, Cloudland Canyon has released several critically acclaimed albums, including "Fin Eaves," "Lie In Light," and "An Arabesque." Their recent releases have been produced by Sonic Boom from Spacemen 3/Spectrum. With each release, Uhlhorn has pushed the envelope of experimental pop music, collaborating with various musicians and producers to create intricate and otherworldly compositions. This time around Uhlhorn collaborated primarily with AI to generate and create a compositions that sound like they are meant for an alternate realm where both beauty and suffering are both present, but not at odds with one another. AI has helped Uhlhorn take one step further into the transfigurative looking glass. The new lp, marks a new chapter in Cloudland Canyon's journey, expanding their sonic palette to include elements of techno and electronic music while still retaining their signature dreamy atmospheres. The album is a journey through a sonic landscape that is at once futuristic and nostalgic, evoking the feeling of driving down an endless highway into the sunset. Past musical collaborators have included some of the most exciting musicians working today, including Sonic Boom from Spacemen 3, Wayne Coyne & Kliph Scurlock of Flaming Lips, David Scott Stone of the Melvins, Unwound,& LCD Soundsystem, Dean & Britta from Galaxie 500 & Luna, and Jody Stephens from Big Star to name a few. "S/T" is a testament to Cloudland Canyon's ability to collaborate and create music that is both innovative and accessible. Whether you are a longtime fan or a newcomer to Cloudland Canyon's music, "S/T" is a must-listen for anyone interested in the possibilities of experimental music in the 21st century. With its combination of analog and digital textures, hypnotic rhythms, and expansive soundscapes, it is a journey you won't soon forget. More

Medical Records is honored to release the first full LP by Dutch cosmic explorers Staatseinde. Formed in 2006, Staatseinde have released a multitude of cassettes, singles as well as a CDR album in 2012. "Fehlerlinie" represents the culmination of a very productive couple of years including stellar performances at the streaming IFM Fest, the release of compelling collaboration tapes and other releases. Though impossible to confine to a single genre or style, their music can be described as a captivating fusion of electro-pop, electro-clash and robotic punk/wave. Each and every track carefully chosen for this LP is a dancefloor ripper. Plug in enjoy the journey. More

Repress!

Medical continues it's exploration and admiration our beloved Severed Heads. Long overdue and much needed reissue of their1989 album "Rotund For Success". Special expanded 2LP version including alternate versions and remixes. "Rotund" is a treasure trove of hits including "All Saints Day", "Greater Reward" and "Big Car". Includes deluxe gatefold heavy duty full color jacket featuring the iconic pineapple and pine cone featured on the singles. Remastered by Mr. Ellard himself. Double 160gm black vinyl. Limited Edition. More

Repress!
Medical Records presents the 4th pressing of their second release (MR-002)! This Mini-LP was originally released on Materiali Sonori in 1984 in Italy and is long out of print. The 1st pressing on Medical was released in 2010 and is also now long out of print. Alexander Robotnick (aka Maurizio Dami) is an Italian electronic musician. He made his debut on the Italian music scene as the founding member of Avida, a dance-cabaret band featuring Daniele Trambusti and Stefano Fuoch. in 1983 he attained international popularity with his track "Probl?mes d'amour", published first by the Italian label Materiali Sonori and then by Sire-Wea. "Probl?mes d'amour" went on to become a "cult track" of the disco scene. It became quite an import hit in America's underground club scene, and sparked the mini-LP "Ce N'est Qu'un D?but" that same year (originally released on Materiali Sonori in 1984 (Italy). It consists of 6 captivating tracks including the hit "Probl?mes d'amour" as well as the track "Dance boy dance" which has appeared on other cult disco compilations. "Ce N'est Qu'un D?but" will appeal to lovers of Italo disco, early new wave, and minimal pop. Presented on high-quality black vinyl. Minor upgrades to the artwork also present. Limited Edition. More

Repress of Medical's 2014 reissue of the long out of print and crucial LP Australia's Severed Heads (alongside "City Slab Horror" also being repressed by Medical). Released in 1983 and features some of the most important yet underrated electronic music of the genre. Characterized by a fusion of experimental tape loop manipulation perfectly integrated into synth-based and quite catchy pop stylized tunes. Features the hit "Dead Eyes Opened" as well as other standout tracks such as "A Million Angels" and "A Relic Of The Empire". For fans of innovative early industrial/wave crossovers such as Cabaret Voltaire, early Coil, and Chris & Cosey. Limited Edition. More

Medical return to Italy to present the newest full-length album by Filippo Diana (alter ego of Joe Drive). Where as Joe Drive's outpt is in the vein of techno, electro and house, Filippo Diana veers more in the direction of mutated library/soundtrack nu-disco. After just delivering a burner on Slow Motion, Joe is at it again. Consisting of eight tracks expertly mastered by Marco Spaventi, join us on a journey as equally suited for progressive dance floors or the soundtrack to the deep recesses of the mind. Presented on high-quality 180gm black vinyl. More

Repress of Medical's 2014 reissue of the long out of print and crucial LP Australia's Severed Heads (alongside "City Slab Horror" also being repressed by Medical). Released in 1983 and features some of the most important yet underrated electronic music of the genre. Characterized by a fusion of experimental tape loop manipulation perfectly integrated into synth-based and quite catchy pop stylized tunes. Features the hit "Dead Eyes Opened" as well as other standout tracks such as "A Million Angels" and "A Relic Of The Empire". For fans of innovative early industrial/wave crossovers such as Cabaret Voltaire, early Coil, and Chris & Cosey. Limited Edition. More