Morton Subotnick

Although this might be labelled Volume 1, this large collection of Morton Subotnick's work (featuring three of his pieces - Touch, A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur and Gestures) actually showcases some of his most recent compositions. The pioneering electronic composer shot into the public eye with his very well known album Silver Apples of the Moon, but his work didn't end there and here we get Touch which was composed just after The Wild Bull in 1969 set next to A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur from 1978 and Gestures which was composed in 1999-2001. Touch is classic sound Subotnick, with that tape hiss we've all become so accustomed to forming the base of the track as cascading synthesizer sounds dance on top. Much more rhythmic than his usual work this could almost be comparable to modern electronica in its strange choppy sounds and synthesized hyperactivity and is easily as accessible as his more well known pieces. Elsewhere A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur is interesting in the fact that it sounds so clean - those of you familiar with Subotnicks earlier work may be surprised by the relative coldness of these recordings, but they still retain the sounds that made Subotnick so important in the first place as bubbling synthesized sounds float from ear to ear subtly. The disc ends with the most recent piece Gestures which according to the sleeve was written for 5.1 surround sound, and shows that while many early electronic musicians have lost their way in their formative years, Subotnick has been able to stay on top of his experiments, and has carried on challenging both himself and the listener. Amazing and hugely important electronic music from start to finish - you know you need it.

Touch and A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur are remastered in 24-bit from the original analogue master tapes, with new dedicated stereo mixes by the composer. A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur is reissued for the first time since its original Nonesuch LP release, in the complete 28-minute version that now includes the previously unreleased first movement. Gestures features vocalist Joan La Barbara.