Algebra Suicide + Angela

OUT JULY 19th for our 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

DE-225 Angela – Fantasy EP
Fantasy
Painted Love
I Gotta Little Love
Kites

Angela was the studio project of husband/wife duo Angela and Ingo Werner formed in 1981 in Rüsselsheim, Germany. Ingo had classical training in bassoon and piano at the Akademie für Tonkunst in Darmstadt from 1966-70. He joined Krautrock band My Solid Ground in 1971 before going on to form his own project Baba Yaga in 1974.  In the late 70s he formed the ensemble AIR with Armin Stöwe and Reinhard Karwatky. The project debuted with a concert at ARS Electronica Competition in Linz, Austria 1980, which they won. Klaus Schulze was on the jury with Wendy Carlos and Robert Moog – but more importantly, Angela was in the audience. Two days later, Ingo told the band he needed a singer, so they asked Angela, and recorded two albums for RCA between 1981-82 before being dropped. Ingo wanted to work on a new project that involved dancers and live video. They recruited American performance artist Jyl Porch, who was living in Munich, to assist with choreography with her friend Kirsten McKenley. Jyl ended up recording her own album first, which gained interest from Klaus Schulze, who helped them secure a deal with EMI in 1983. Later that year, the trio recorded 4 songs that would be released on Angela ‘Fantasy’ single on 7” and 12” formats in 1984.
The music on ‘Fantasy’ was completely created with computer software of Ingo’s own design. The concept of a polyrhythmic, polyphonic, and polydynamic sequencer was realized by Ingo after a visit to Wolfgang Palm in Hamburg. He paired his sequencer with Palm’s legendary PPG Wave Computer System, allowing for more dynamic and nuanced programming. Angela programmed the music, sang, and wrote the lyrics to “Painted Love”, while Ingo arranged and played all electronics and keyboards. Jyl wrote the lyrics for “Fantasy” and the slow and sleazy, electronic disco B-side “I Gotta Little Love”, where she also sings background vocals and the “hot little flame” rap. The original B-side to the 7” version was a cover of the 1967 Hal Hackady and Lee Pockriss song “Kites”, made famous by Simon Dupree and the Big Sound.  All songs have been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The EP features the original 1984 cover artwork with a striking photo of Angela styled by Jyl in severe Neue Deutsche Welle fashion, and includes an insert with lyrics and and photos designed by Maycec.

OUT JULY 12TH

DE-252 Algebra Suicide – Still Life LP
After Charles
Seasonal Zombies
After Rilke
No War Bride
Tractor Pull
Horizon
Amusing One’s Self
Seven Song
Alphabet Song
Gist
Sinister
Heat Wave
Mantic Sway
Tales Of Brave Ulysses
Connoisseurs of Lightning
Brewing

Algebra Suicide was a Chicago poetry-music duo consisting of poet and visual artist Lydia Tomkiw and musician Don Hedeker. They formed in 1982 and self-released a 4-song EP that year. It featured a 60’s Vox Guitar Organ, a precursor to the synthesizer guitar, and a Multivox Rhythm Ace drum machine. In 1984 they released their 2nd EP ditching the guitar organ for a Casiotone MT-40. Their debut album ‘Big Skin’ was released in 1986 on cassette and featured 13 new compositions with more complex arrangements. A vinyl compilation album, “The Secret Like Crazy”, was released in 1988. It collected 20 tracks picked from ‘Big Skin’  and the first two EPs plus unreleased songs. In 2012 we released an 18-track compilation of their first 3 singles with bonus tracks. 
‘Still Life’ is a 16 track compilation that collects the 9 remaining songs from ‘Big Skin’, 3 songs from ‘The Secret Like Crazy’, and 4 songs from various compilations. Lydia and Don call their approach “Avant Garage” citing inspiration from Patti Smith, Frank O’Hara, Leonard Cohen and Lou Reed. Don plays guitar in a hauntingly stark style like Glenn Branca, Tom Verlaine, or Vini Reilly. He then adds Casio keyboards and minimal electronic percussion, creating a moody, atmospheric backdrop for Lydia’s poems. Lydia’s words span a broad range of twisted real-life observations, and are delivered in a deadpan fashion with her distinct Midwestern accent. All songs have been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each LP is housed in a jacket designed by Eloise Leigh and includes a 16-page booklet with lyrics, press clippings and photos. Though Lydia passed away in 2007, her genius lives on in these recordings. Please respect her decadence.