[CP 030-031 CD] Jean-Claude Éloy; Shanti

what we have here is a massive, four side-long drone-epic from jean-claude eloy, as composed in the wdr studios in köln from 1972 to 1973. while this piece is widely dissed as a stockhausen “rip-off” (eloy’s use of pan-cultural textures and spoken fragments is purely textural, not any sort of commentary on nationalism as, purportedly, “hymnen” is...) i’ve always found it completely successful in its ability to transport the listener to a distant, frozen-crystal wasteland... another one of my all-time favorite long-form pieces of music; a more perfect soundtrack for that lost afternoon i’d be hard-pressed to spell-out...

again thank (our various) god(s) for mr. p.c.’s aktion(s) here, esp. as the original of this set is, of course, rare as hen’s teeth (if you’re interested i know a seller that has one for sale: $400) beautifully rendered with the gatefold and libretto intact