JEFF CARNEY
"Imperfect Space Journeys”
(ISJ)
“Live Electronic
Music”
 "Immediately
engaging & all recorded live
without overdubs. An analogue e-music
roller-coaster ride. Hop on if you
dare!” —Eroc
Finally available on vinyl, this
underground masterwork of analog
electronic music pushed the envelope
of melodic synth freakouts to
unimaginable edges and undreamt of
realms of space. Recorded live on the
spot without overdubs, Jeff Carney’s
"Imperfect Space Journeys” (ISJ) has
become a highly prized collectible
amongst “Berlin School” fanatics still
soaking in the '70s sounds of Klaus
Schulze, Ashra and Tangerine Dream, as
well as fans of Terry Riley's organ
works (Riley is Carney's cousin), and
Heldon heads. Originally a
cassette-only release, the rare copy
appearing on the collector market can
exchange hands at three-figure sums
even on cassette, making it one of the
most sought after treasures of the
electronic underground.
With a keyboard arsenal more likely to
have been assembled in the late
seventies, West Coast space music
architect Jeff Carney rebelled against
prevailing digital trends with analog
electronic wizardry, unleashing this
statement of purpose on the New York
“Audiofile” label in 1988. Designed
around the possibilities of live
performance, Carney used simple,
captivating hooks with which to weave
tapestries of electronic texture. His
influences on this debut are apparent,
but his sounds absolutely unique.
Every lead seems to have a tone
outside the sounds already explored in
the genre. Sound effects give a sense
of deep space: perhaps owing their
space awareness to Gong and Hawkwind,
but pushing like a volcano into other
realms. "Imperfect Space Journeys" is
a study in minimalist rhythmic
structures that enable Carney to
decorate with cosmic colors and wild
effects collages, while also tending
to be highly melodic. "Noise" is used
as a means to create images of
spaceships passing in the deepest of
space skies. Tension and release are
used for maximum impact. But there is
also plenty of sonic ear candy.
Melodic lines that you'll find
yourself wanting to revisit again and
again!
Source for this reissue: 24bit/96kHz
transfers taken from the original
analog tapes. This deluxe reissue of
ISJ includes three bonus tracks not
included on the original cassette
release. Comes with an eight-page
color LP-sized insert booklet. Limited
to 500x copies worldwide.
Carney recorded "Imperfect Space
Journeys" at 20 years old. He would
soon produce works in which his skills
were further honed and his unique
sonic paintings took an even more
exploratory shape, but ISJ is the
beginning of the story. It is where
the “journey” begins.
•Recorded live at The Floating
Studio—no overdubs employed, no tapes
used, and no post-mix done: the sound
is exactly what happened on the spot.
•24bit/96kHz transfers taken from the
original analog tapes
•Mastered for vinyl by legendary
Krautrock musician and sound engineer
Eroc
•Includes three bonus tracks
•Comes with an eight-page color
LP-sized insert booklet
Track list:
Side A:
1. Cloud # 9 19:14
Side B:
1. Voyage Of The Filters 9:51
2. Safety Hazard 12:30
Side C:
1. Toys 5:47
2. Trip 10:20
Side D:
1. Quark 8:32
2. Wailing Wall 7:37
3. Earth Escape 2:15
a link to an
mp3 sampler,
which has a little taste of every
track on the record:
https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/yj2sW5gdC9
Catalog #: LION LP-179
UPC: 778578317911
definitive
reissue of this immensely
innovative electronic music album
 Jeff Carney's sophomore
effort for audioFile (1989) could not
have been criticized were it to have
remained in similar territory
as the electronic wall of sound
he had created on Imperfect Space
Journeys. Instead, he created a more
sparse, evolving tapestry of analog
timbres. Using an exclusively vintage
analog arsenal and recording live
without overdubbing, Carney pushed
forward with new ideas and uniquely
developing sweeps of filter madness.
The side-long 'Questions (Unanswered)’
is immensely innovative: the sounds
are at once organic and of the earth,
yet futuristic in their skyward drones
and hypnotic hooks. Additional layers
are gradually added, like a bubbling
alien swarm tone that comes in
successive falling
surges, followed by cosmic
whooshing and howling rushes of
wind. The effect is simultaneously
meditative and intense.
And live. As Carney said, "I
was quite proud because I managed
to essentially perform the entire
composition without error. Just
about every sound came in at the
right level. Every part was
performed without mistake. And
nothing was adjusted or corrected.
This was what happened on the
spot.” Carney explores different
territory on the two
B-side tracks: ‘ARP 2600
Improvisation’ is like a master
class of cosmic effects. It feels
like the soundtrack to
a 1950s sci-fi movie, recalling
Forbidden Planet’s
most electrifying moments, but
also at times sounding
like sci-fi flick meets
battle-in-space video game. ‘Pensive
Mood’ roars out of the starting gate
with a high octane electronic
arpeggiated pattern, creating a
somewhat white-knuckled brand
of “pensive” contemplation. This
is the most minimal piece of the
set, with the incessant, almost
imperceptibly
evolving arrangement having
a somewhat
edge-of-your-seat hypnotic
effect.
The album was completely uninfluenced
by the digital trends that were
dominating the era, and stands as a
landmark example of the uncompromising
ethos adopted by many artists of the
1980's underground. Featuring an all
new essay and interview with Jeff
Carney by Jerry Kranitz (author of the
"Cassette Culture" book and publisher
for nearly two decades of Aural
Innovations), this is the definitive
reissue of Live Electronic Music.
•24bit/96kHz transfers taken from the
original analog tapes
•Mastered for vinyl by legendary
Krautrock musician and sound engineer
Eroc
•Recorded live without overdubbing
using exclusively vintage analog
equipment
•Comes with an eight-page LP-sized
color insert booklet written by Jerry
Kranitz (author of Cassette
Culture and publisher for
nearly two decades of Aural
Innovations)
Track List:
Side A
01. Questions (Unanswered) (20:14)
Side B
01. ARP 2600 Improvisation (9:59)
02. Pensive Mood (10:20)
a link
to an mp3 sampler, which has a
little taste of every track on the
record:
https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/p3ZhsM7lC5
Catalogue number: LION LP-187
UPC: 778578318710
Format: LP on black vinyl
Expected arrival date: 30
December 2021
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