Various – LA Mantra II

Barry Craig (1952-2011), also known as ambient music composer A Produce, launched Trance Port Tapes in 1983 when he was still a member of Afterimage, a new wave band from Los Angeles. During its 4 years of activity, the nine volumes of the Trance Port cassette series documented the growing ambient, avantgarde, synth-based music projects of L.A. in the distinctive fold-out packaging designed for the series by Independent Project Press, aka Bruce Licher of Savage Republic. The monumental LA Mantra II compilation was actually Trance Port Tapes’ swan song, as it ceased activities soon after its release. But Craig actually succeeded helping what he called the “trance music” scene emerge at a time when Los Angeles was burgeoning with as many “scenes” as suburbs – to name a few: the synth-punk movement (Nervous Gender, If Then Else, Screamers) ; the “art punk” scene of Wall of Voodoo, Oingo Boingo or the Fibbonacis ; the Urinals and the Happy Squid Records stable ;  the Anticlub venue ; Al’s Bar live venue ; the LAFMS compilations ;  or the Savage Republic stable.

♫ Along its 4 sides, the compilation covers different music genres, with each side devoted to a particular style. A fine collection of cold- and new-wave bands, the first side features powerful songs by the likes of Psi-Com, with  Rich Evac and Perry Farrel, the latter of Jane’s Addiction, or Abecedarians, who will release a 12in on Factory Records in 1985. Starting with a neo-classical, post-punk instrumental by 17 Pygmies, the mood changes on side 2, tuning into guitar-based, sumptuous, atmospheric tracks that tend to carry your mind away. The third side indulges into more ambient experimentalism with radical sound artists like Chas Smith, Carl Stone (who contributes a plunderphonic track of 1960s radio hits), Tom Recchion, of LAFMS fame, or pure mavericks like John Trubee. Sound effects and repetition take over on side 4, a series of surreal, rhythm-less sound experiments. While guitars were still recognizable on side 3, they are now channeled through sound filters, studio manipulation and unconventional playing technique, like in Brent Wilcox‘s mystical Secret of Cargo, for prepared guitar sounding like a psalterion, backward-running guitar and tape manipulation – Wilcox released a 7in single on Happy Squid Records in 1981.

I find it hard to listen to this compilation in one run, because when I’m in the mood for side 1, I’m usually not in the mood to appreciate side 4 and vice versa. Otherwise, this is an exceptionally solid collection of musics.

Side 1:

01 Marina La Palma – Mi Ni Parolas (2:51)
02 Randall Kennedy – Never Ending Night (2:58)
03 John J. Lafia – Queen of the Nile (3:49)
04 Abecedarians – They Said Tomorrow (5:14)
05 Psi-Com – Psi-Com (Theme) (5:38)

Side 2:
06 17 Pygmies – Moment In Ceylon (3:19)
07 Rick Cox – S P (3:54)
08 Anthony Teti – Winter Arriving (4:22)
09 Bay Of Pigs – Child’s Lament (2:02)
10 Repetition Repetition – Over & Over, Pt. 8 (8:16)

Side 3:
11 Chas Smith – Beatrix (4:17)
12 Scott Fraser – An Act of Control (3:23)
13 Apes Of God – The Discovery of Fire (4:35)
14 John Trubee – Crawling Down The Corridor (3:49)
15 Carl Stone – Wave Heat (3:29)
16 A Produce – Dorian Imagination (5:19)
17 Tom Recchion – Metallic Bowl (5:26)

Side 4:
18 Brad Laner – N-Counter (3:29)
19 Brent Wilcox – Secret of Cargo (3:54)
20 Points Of Friction – Midnight Globe (5:25)
21 Peter Catham – Not a Congo Line (2:05)
22 An Bene – March to Miramol (4:35)
23 D.D. Dobson – Agua Y Tia (4:55)
24 Fluxus Appliance – Accidents in the Home (4:00)
25 Bruce Licher/Chez Voz – Bridge (2:21)

Total time 1h 43mn
2xk7 set released by Trance Port Tapes, ref. trance 8, Los Angeles, CA, 1984

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Trance Port Tapes cassetography:
1983 Various “L.A. Mantra”, trance 1 >
1983 Randall Kennedy “Scenes From Redemption (Pts. 1 & 2)”, trance 2
1983 An Bene / Pierre Lambow “Sustained Space”, trance 3 >
1984 John J. Lafia “Prayers”, trance 4 >
1984 Various “Live At The Trance Port”, trance 5 >
1984 Afterimage “Anthology”, trance 6
1984 Timothy Leary “The Final Taboo”, trance 7  >
1984 Various “L.A. Mantra II”, trance 8
1984 Various “Phantom Takes”

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