Friday 11 August 2017

Aaron Dilloway's Dementia


                                                      Aaron Dilloway in London. 2015.

Always filling gaps in my Dilloway collection. "Dementia" was released by Hanson Records back in 2006 as "Hiss Dementia". I found a copy of the Pure/RRRecords re-issue from a couple of years later.

"Dementia" is a 36 minute collage of sound puttied and duct taped together to play as one long masterpiece, sounds culled from studio jams and live performances. Trademark tape loops and manipulations, contact microphones rubbed over abrasive surfaces and rammed down the throat. Buttons are pressed and levers are pulled, creative feedback and walls of sound. A madness that never spills over ... it gets to the edge and then just sits there bringing the listener to the precipice of audial sanity.
Back when the late 1970's became the early 1980's (Lincolnshire's finest) Deleted Records, home of the mighty Instant Automatons, always used to have the tagline "Tape Hiss Is Essential" and "Sorry About The Tape Hiss ... You'll Get Used To It" typed on their sleeves. It's a maxim that should appear on this CDR ... tape hiss is very prevalent in the sound.

One of the reasons I became aware of this release is that the recordings have been re-issued again (for the first time as a cassette) by Easy Listening, an American based label. There was a thread on Dilloway's Facebook page. It's seems a strange re-issue as both other versions, the Hanson and Pure/RRRecords releases are easily available (and cheaper) to buy on the Internet. I seem to find this happening a lot recently, I find it strange and somewhat lazy.... It's understandable when the original is fetching a lot of money or is out of print (like the recent Psychic TV albums on Dais Records) but to re-issue as a limited edition when the originals and re-issues are available? My copy was £4.
It's essential for Dilloway "fans", but perhaps try and get the original release ...


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