We purchased an insane collection of electronic, experimental, avant-garde and 20th century “classical” records a few weeks ago. In and amongst the goldmine of Stockhausen, Schoenberg, Cage, Partch, Xenakis, Henry, and Takemitsu was a complete run of the Italian Cramps Records label’s “Nova Musicha” series, including works by Cage, Juan Hidalgo, Walter Marchetti, Gruppo Improvvisazione (featuring Ennio Morricone), Alvin Lucier, Robert Ashley and others. There was also a huge assortment of titles on Limelight. Pierre Henry, Micki Mark Men, Deben Bhattacharya, the Electronic Concept Orchestra, Lateef Ahmed Khan, and — of course — Ruth White.
White recorded two records for Limelight, Flowers of Evil and Seven Trumps From the Tarot Cards/Pinions. We were lucky that there were two copies of each in there. Kind of insane, right? I wound up digging into all the Limelight records (the electronic ones over the avant-classical) and the two by White just blew me away.
Not only was she a self-taught musician, but she was a well-read one! Flowers of Evil contains readings of the poetry of Charles Baudelaire combined with heavily-effected vocals, tape manipulation and ridiculous drones. The result is one of the most fascinating, engaging, and far-out electronic records you may ever encounter. Turn out the lights, take whatever substance is required to help you slip into a trance-like state, and lose yourself in Flowers of Evil.
Ruth White
Flowers Of Evil
(Limelight, 1969)
MediaFire DL Link
01. The Clock [MP3]
02. Evening Harmony
03. Lover’s Wine
04. Owls
05. Mists And Rains
06. The Irremediable
07. The Cat
08. Spleen
09. The Litanies Of Satan
