The japanese experimental band Ground-Zero harbours many of the greatest "avant-garde" musicians of the time. And their 1995 release "革命京劇 (Revolutionary Pekinese Opera) Ver.1.28" is their magnum opus in my eyes.
The album appears random at first. Minimal jazz-rock instrumentation with little bloops and bleeps of sampled recordings. Often tracks are short, a few instruments are used as well as an array of samples, screams, noises, whatever. Even if you aren't a fan of the frantic noisey bits, I think this album is worth it for the occasional moments of genuinely the most incredible and cathartic jazz-rock I've ever heard. You might like the samples too. It can feel random, if you see it that way (all sound collage probably does tbf), but I have yet to hear any sound collage album that sounds anything like this. It's so random, loud, chaotic... but it all works?
Other sample focused album's I've heard still follow the original traditions of music. Since I Left You by The Avalanches is a beautiful masterclass in sampling, but in the complete opposite way this album does it. Other sound collage albums often fail to combine together as one big bundled up piece of music like a song/album should. Which is why this album, and lots of the other work of Ground-Zero, is so impressive to me.
My first introduction to the band was Consume Red, an album usually regarded as their best. It carries some of the similarities of this album but if it was far too slow and one dimensional. It definitely intruiged me enough to give the band another shot, and I'm glad I did. I was not prepared for my first listen of this album, being thrown about for 50 minutes straight with only a handfull of gentler parts mixed in. It was the opposite of Consume Red. But I enjoyed it a lot! And every subsequent relisten has given me more of an insight into this album. And also made me like it more, this album is great!
Since I'm talking about this album, I ABSOLUTELY have to talk about the live recording "Revolutionary Pekinese Opera, Tokyo 1995" (pictured above). We get a video with this one and it is truly a treat to watch. There's a bit where they're playing "Red Mao Book By Sony" as Sachiko M (I believe it's her, might be wrong, can't really find info) is literally just reading a book out loud. And somehow, it goes incredibly hard. Also a moment shortly after when a person on the left of the stage (unsure who) directs everyone to suddenly stop playing, before immediately breaking out into "Crossing Frankfurt Four Times". Every instrument comes together, there's a guy going nuts on his guitar, and this is the best thing the band has made. Arrgh I just love this recording so much! This album is probably not for the average listener (I'm just sooo different and cool, you'd never get it) but if you wanna try something experimental and/or largely sample based, try this!! It's truly one of a kind.
