So, Seattle was the birthplace of grunge music and is currently home to hip-hop sensation and unofficial undercut spokesperson, Macklemore. But regardless of the local enthusiasm surrounding those two aspects of Seattle culture, let’s not forget the obvious: there are some Seattleites who despise grunge music and who passive aggressively voice their disapproval with Macklemore by growing a fro and temporarily joining the WBC. They’re rare, but such people so exist!
Kerry Leimer isn’t quite one of them, considering the inception of his Palace of Lights label preceded the Sub Pop-pioneering by about eight years, but let’s take a moment to appreciate his historical, mildly nonconformist behavior nonetheless. When the underground clubs and record stores of the PNW were enjoying and anticipating developments in punk and new wave, Leimer, who moved to Seattle with his family in 1967, was instead corralling the necessary equipment to mimic the ambience of Cluster and Eno, who were/are notable influences. Palace of Lights served as the dedicated outlet by which the self-taught Leimer released his recorded work from 1979-1983, but diving even further into kosmische obscurity is the content contained within the upcoming release A Period of Review (Original Recordings: 1975 - 1983), to be released via RVNG Intl. on May 13.
That stuff’s even less well-known! And I might’ve revealed everything you really need to know about it. Unlike the hopeless Kafka protagonist for whom Leimer’s abbreviated name deliberately references, you’re in a relatively straightforward position here. If you’re into the latter end of early electronic and ambient music, this release’ll be worth your time. Check the track below:
A Period of Review (Original Recordings: 1975 - 1983) tracklisting:
01. Ceylon
02. My Timid Desires
03. From a Common Center
04. Explanation of Terms
05. From One to Ten
06. Entr’acte
07. Bump in the Night
08. (aka accident)
09. Facing East
10. At Daybreak
11. A Spiritual Life
12. Honey to Ashes
13. Stop It!
14. Two Voices
15. Lonely Boy
16. Practical Demonstration
17. Commercial
18. Gisella
19. Archie’s Dub
20. Ikumi
21. Reassurances
22. Assemble and Diffuse
23. Eno’s Aviary
24. Almost Chinese
25. Agfa / Lupa
26. The Phonic Chasm (feat. Dawn Seago) (Excerpt)
27. Acquiescence
28. Malaise
29. All Sad Days
30. Porcelain (feat. Nancy Estle)
• K. Leimer: http://www.palaceoflights.com
• RVNG Intl.: http://igetrvng.com
More about: K. Leimer
