ZGA - Zgamoniums
SKU
RERZGA1
“File under early Russian industrial rock/art; Harry Partch, incorporating primitive analogue electronics. A legend in art and industrial music circles, ZGA was formed under the old regime in Riga, Lavia, in 1984, by Nick Sudnik and Valery Dudkhin.
Unable to rehearse acoustically because of the neighbours, they invented their own instruments from scrap and springs and shaped metal fitted with contact microphones; these were not just noise instruments, but ways of accessing complex pitches, strange colours and articulating rhythm.
Their music on record was released as part of ReR's POINTS EAST label in 1989. In 1990, the first year in which it was possible for them to travel, they were invited to the New Music America and the Vienna Festivals, taking their quasi sculpture/quasi instruments with them, and soon after, they relocated to St Petersburg.
Founder Nick Sudnik now runs an experimental cultural gallery there and still records and runs installations under the ZGA name. Zgamoniums was their first CD (released in 1991) and collected materials from various sources. So it's a good introduction.“-Chris Cutler