Black Dog Productions "Otaku"

nothing to say here, i just think this track needs it's own thread since it's one of the best tracks of all time. thank

It's an amazing EP, and it's a shame that it - and Balil's Parasight - were cut from Trainer, they were to be on the fourth vinyl and third CD, but only test pressings of them exist. As far as I know Rising High keeps a very, VERY tight leash on their IP, so abandon all hope ye who wish for an official digital release. Balil's Parasight is available on CD, but this EP's digital version is practically nonexistant - yet: Otaku and Flux (Balil & Arno) can be found here, Pillars & Mirrors here, Flux here - so you can compile your own.

I’d say Parasight ep was the high water mark of that era. I proudly own a cd

  On 7/5/2021 at 10:20 PM, Extralife said:

I’d say Parasight ep was the high water mark of that era. I proudly own a cd

I would add Cost II (as a track) to that apogee.

Edit:  actually listening to this, it's rubbish, some kind of mastering mistake?  just repeats the last half twice with a silent gap in between

Here's the 12 min 39 version, from Further Self Evident Truths 1

Mislabelled on the video (and the CD!) as Pillars and Mirrors..

one of my favourite tracks from any genre or era. basically a perfect experienc, even moreso for how simple it all is. it's like being on acid for the very first time, staring at some grass or a concrete sidewalk or a patch of old fence. kinda track that you listen to it & after you feel like you can appreciate the hidden symmetry in everything

Absolutely stunning

there's a whole minute of chirping intermission in the middle. what do you think about it @Alcofribas?

I never really got into Black Dog, where do I start?

  On 7/6/2021 at 1:31 AM, chronical said:

I never really got into Black Dog, where do I start?

Either Bytes or Spanners, that's how you get a feel for their weirder, more experimental ventures. They also happen to be my personal favorite BD albums, they just stand out so much. Just go in chornological order from there, you can hear their progression into more minimal techno that way.

  On 7/6/2021 at 1:31 AM, chronical said:

I never really got into Black Dog, where do I start?

I'd recommend the albums Bytes and Spanners like @thumbass has said.  Two of the best albums of all time.  Anything they did after the Plaid split just isn't the same, although I really like Silenced (the tone reminds me of Spanners).

Oh ... and can we get some big love for 3/4 Heart pls -- the very best they've done I think (except for Psycosyin).

The predecessor album to Bytes and Spanners, Temple Of Transparent Balls, (GPR, remastered and re-released on Soma) is essential listening; The Book of Dogma (Soma) is a great compilation of their early 12" tracks on GPR, giving a completist view to most of their pre-Plaid split material.

BTW, how bad is the mastering on Bytes?  I'd really love to see Warp release a remastered version of this.

  On 8/19/2021 at 1:29 PM, NewSchoolScience said:

BTW, how bad is the mastering on Bytes?  I'd really love to see Warp release a remastered version of this.

Not sure if I want a remastered version, but I'll gladly take it if it comes with the never released Balil album. Or, should I say the supposedly Balil album that never saw light of day.

  On 8/19/2021 at 2:12 PM, Satans Little Helper said:

Or, should I say the supposedly Balil album that never saw light of day.

Never heard of a Balil album before, supposed or otherwise - please elaborate.

  On 8/19/2021 at 3:46 PM, dcom said:

Never heard of a Balil album before, supposed or otherwise - please elaborate.

  On 8/19/2021 at 3:46 PM, dcom said:

Never heard of a Balil album before, supposed or otherwise - please elaborate.

some talk about it here ^^^ (possibly a balil LP should have been released on rising high)

and below a thread about an upload with unreleased stuff. roughly 10 years ago.

in short: as far as i can tell only rumours and some unreleased stuff suggesting there might be more

I've definitely heard of this fabled Balil album.  IIRC it was something to do with Rising High Records dropping the ball and getting into licencing issues with Warp?

I have the tBd live jam sessions volume 1.  Ken wasn't happy about that making it into the public domain.  Volume 2 never seemed to see the light of day

Yeah. Listening to it now. Hadn't heard it in ages. Sounds really rough and clearly sourced from a cassette. Would still love to have these properly mastered and all that. Even if some tracks were lesser demo's for released tracks. Love that old tbd sound.

Yeah, I believe the cassette was given away at a really early tBd live gig.

  On 8/19/2021 at 9:07 PM, NewSchoolScience said:

Yeah, I believe the cassette was given away at a really early tBd live gig.

I always thought that was from ‘97 (post Ed and Andy exit)?

It's from 1992 I believe.  It's got some rough cut / demo versions of tracks from Bytes (Caz etc.) and Spanners (Psil-cosyin etc.) on it.

  On 8/19/2021 at 9:08 PM, Extralife said:

I always thought that was from ‘97 (post Ed and Andy exit)?

That's a different one! You mean this:

https://www.discogs.com/The-Black-Dog-Live-Demo-1997/master/866338

That's not the tape discussed in the 5.3.11 thread.

Nobody has mentioned it, so I'll throw it out there: the Black Dog Peel Sessions. 

Shadehead - a belter.

Seem to remember Peel really enjoyed the session as well.

Forgot about Shadehead...used to carry that ep around so i could listen to it wherever i ended up.