Croiners

“Music To Listen To Other Tapes By” is the essential work of clip art noise and american xerox prodigy Croiners AKA James Levine, originally self-distributed as part of the 1980s cassette culture underground and often regarded as a highlight of that era.

Muzak and industrial assemblages are processed via tape loops, samplers, and an adoption of now-archaic MIDI hardware, being one of the originating noise acts to utilize the digital technology in their live performances. Said gigs were riotous, equal parts laughs and confusion at the onslaught of public-access cacophony and flyers with slogans strewn around the space. The visual component of the Croiners project is equally as important as the noise itself and several clippings have been incorporated into the CD design.

Croiners gained infamy in the tape trading heyday through the associated label Jim Tapes, early efforts providing source material for Controlled Bleeding, and countless compilation appearances including the likes of Broken Flag and Dry Lungs, only to call it quits after a concise 5 or 6 years of bewildering tapes and live performances.