Minimalist composer Terry Riley has delivered more than his share of legendary recordings over his long and prolific career. Now, Beacon Sound has seen fit to pay tribute to that legacy by reissuing two wildly dissimilar and yet quintessentially-Riley albums on the 21st century music connoisseur’s format of choice: vinyl.
Descending Moonshine Dervishes (1982) and Songs for the Ten Voices of the Two Prophets (1983) are available now in special edition two-album bundles —you know, in case you want to give one to your sweetheart and keep one for yourself — and as individual LPs. The deluxe package with both records includes a lovely Risograph sleeve and liner notes from lecturer and author Keith Potter, but it’s only available in a limited, one-time run of 200. The keen minds at Beacon Sound predicted there would be a fiercer demand for the individually wrapped reissues, so they’re both available in a much more maximalist-minded edition of 300.
If you’re curious what these albums are all about (what does “avant-garde” mean anyway?), let me break it down for you. Descending Moonshine Dervishes is culled from an improvised 1975 performance in Berlin in which Riley plays and manipulates the sound of a modified organ; Songs for the Ten Voices of the Two Prophets, in contrast, was recorded in Munich in 1982 on two Prophet synthesizers and features Riley’s droning vocalizations. See? They’re completely different.
If you have maximum interest in minimalist classics, grab the reissues now over at the Beacon Sound web shop—oh wait, goddammit, Descending Moonshine Dervishes is already sold out (but hey, nothing says “minimalism” like scarcity)! Not to worry; if they’re all gone by the time you’re reading this, you can still listen to “Eastern Man” from Songs for the Ten Voices of the Two Prophets below as consolation, because, duh: THE INTERNET. You’re welcome.
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