HANS EDLER: ELEKTRON KUKÉSO (BoyWonder001) is released

[mosc]

PRESS-RELEASE (www.boywonderrecords.net)

February 2004

Pioneering Swedish psychedelic electronica from 1971 finally re-released on CD. One thing is certain - in spring 1971 Swedish pop-veteran Hans Edler released Sweden's first electronic pop album. It might even be the world's first computer-programmed pop-LP with a commercial release. At least, that was the way the album Elektron Kukéso was presented back in spring 1971. It was released in a small edition on Edler's own independent label Marilla. The music was recorded during many long late night sessions at the Electronic Music Studio (EMS) in the Swedish capital Stockholm. At the time, EMS was one of the world's most advanced studios for serious electronic composition. The facilities were even praised by no less a person than Pierre Schaeffer - the father of the concrete music. The fact that the studio also produced an experimental pop-album is still a secret to most.

"I must say I had forgot about it myself. When I first was asked about a re-release, I thought it was some kind of a joke", says Edler, who has now turned 57.

In 1970, EMS could present a freshly installed computer which had cost 7 million Swedish crowns. Unlike the moogs, the computer had no keyboard, but had to be operated by a control console which occupied a room by itself and was arranged as a rectangle with a total length of 10 yards (circa 9 meters). It should be noted that computers at this time were unusual and very expensive, making them accessibleonly to a small number of people. It was only after having taken lessons in mathematics and programming that Edler was allowed to work on the gigantic machine, which in spite of its steep price wasn't very reliable.

"This was a long time before the user-friendly interface, so everything had to be done from scratch - in millisecond steps - from frequency to duration of a tone. It was a very time-consuming process, especially since I discovered that the computer sometimes couldn't handle the amounts of data that were put into it. More than once, information was wiped out", says Hans Edler.

One-of-a-kind

Against all odds, Edler managed to finish the recordings. The result was a one-of-a-kind-album too original to be copied. Elektron Kukéso is hi-tech and low-fi at the same time. Try to imagine Stockhausen on acid going berserk on Carnaby Street. Old school electronic breakbeats team up with the sound of vintage tone and noise generators - all filtered through a psychedelic kaleidoscope by a frustrated mind on high speed.

Edler also added Swedish lyrics on top of his 100 percent electronic compositions. Even though Swedish media showed a lot of interest in the record at the time, the Swedish record-buyers proved unprepared for Edler's experimental computer-pop. Not even the ultra-kitschy sleeve - showing Edler leaning against what seems to be a left-over control console from some old episode of Star Trek - helped.

Also, the distribution didn't work too well, according to Edler. The record didn't sell and simply disappeared. A promotion tour to England was cancelled and the planned translation of the lyrics into English never went further than to an initial phase. Over the years, the few surviving copies have become treasured collector items in the psychedelic/electronic collector circles.

Unreleased tracks

33 years after its original release, this pioneering album now makes its comeback to the record bins. The recently started Swedish record label Boywonder Records (www.boywonderrecords.net) in Gothenburg has searched through old archives and dusty tapes, interviewed people involved and come up with a deluxe-edition of Elektron Kukéso with lots of bonus-material. The whole story of the recording is presented (in English) in a 24-page colour-booklet that comes with the CD, along with lots of rare and private pictures. Also enclosed is a reprint of the original promotion-poster from 1971.

"I am very proud that we have been able to track down some previously unknown and unreleased tracks from the sessions, which we have included on the CD. This record certainly has a historical value, but also a unique sound. It definitely deserves a greater audience", says Tommy Apelqvist of Sweden's Boywonder Records. We promise - you have never heard anything like this!

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Press-photos for free publishing can be found at: www.boywonderrecords.net (go to PRESS)

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FACTS CONCERNING THE RELEASE

The CD-edition of HANS EDLER: ELEKTRON KUKÉSO (BoyWonder001) is released in January/February 2004 and is the first release by Boywonder Records/Sweden. The record comes with digipack-sleeve, OBI, a 24-page colour booklet with full story and pictures, plus a reprint of the original promotion-poster from 1971.

Elektron Kukéso is distributed in the Nordic countries by BONNIER AMIGO MUSIC DISTRIBUTION,
telephone +46 8-55 69 69 80.

The record can also be bought from our website, www.boywonderrecords.net

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CONTACT

HANS EDLER is a Swedish pop-veteran who started playing at school-dances in the late 1950's. During the 1960's he hit the Swedish charts with his bands Mike Doughan & the Ghostriders and the mod-combo We Four, whose sole LP In Action from 1966 is considered to be one of the most-wanted and rarest from the Swedish 1960's pop-era. Hans Edler is still active in the music-business. Among other things, he arranges nostalgic events/mini-festivals featuring 50's and 60's artists.

Hans Edler can be contacted at +46 8 647 51 04 , (mobile 070-555 75 85), or via mail: hans.edler.music@telia.com

TOMMY APELQVIST is a journalist and graphic designer and a collector of rare and unusual records. Started the label BoyWonder for releasing obscure and forgotten music in high quality-editions. In 1991, he was one of the founding members of Swedish hardcore-act Mary Beats Jane. He is also one of Sweden's leading authorities on the 1960's French-American audio-visual jukebox Scopitone.

Tommy Apelqvist can be contacted at +46 31 20 32 84 or via mail: info@boywonderrecords.net

[elektro80]

THX! Excellent post! Very interesting.

I guess David Vorhaus qualifies as one of the pop/electronic/synth pioneers too.

White Noise - An Electric Storm"
Originally released by Island Records in 1969, the debut White Noise album featured Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson, who had worked for the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, and David Vorhaus, who had studied classical orchestral bass playing and electronics.

Tne instrumentation consisted of early electronic instruments and a huge amount of tape manipulation, the standard techniques of the Workshop in those days. The album only emerged on CD - in a "matrix mixed" format - as late as 1996, again on Island, but was rapidly deleted.


The music is very much in the spirit of the late 60s and also slightly pop, rock and avant garde. I heard it first in 1973 and loved it. Great fun.

More info here:
http://www.ampmusic.demon.co.uk/whitenoise.html[/quote]

[mosc]

I bet you have even heard my original electronic music from the 60s and 70s. Stuff that had never been released.

[elektro80]

Nope. I have not. But I have told you I am first to hear the lot!