Zoviet France
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Zoviet France (also known as Soviet France, and also written as :zoviet*france:) is a prolific ambient industrial music group from Newcastle upon Tyne in Northern England. While often dissonant and made of industrial textures, their music is also of a distinctly ambient music bent. Formed in 1982, the group has had a variety of members, but is presently down to one: Ben Ponton. Former members included Robin Storey, who now records as Rapoon, and Mark Spybey, who now records as Dead Voices on Air.
Their music, consisting often of droning textures set against tribal rhythms and fleeting dissonant melodies, was often made from neglected sound sources: obscure radio broadcasts, toy instruments, and other odds and ends, often heavily processed or looped. Over time their sound became increasingly electronic and computerised.
The packaging of their early works was extraordinary - records were released in burlap, roofing shingles, tin foil. Their CDs weren't as often so packaged, but were occasionally quite unusual, including felt, decorative pins, and wood veneer.
In 2005 Storey, Spybey and another former member, Andy Eardley, announced that they were forming a new group: Reformed Faction. Ponton is not involved with this project.
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[edit] Discography
Garista 1982 (cassette) Soviet France 1985 (cassette) Singing Ringing, UK 1990 (CD, LP, cassette) Charrm, UK
Untitled (generally known as 'hessian', 'the burlap album', or 'OK Boys') 1982 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK 1985 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK 1990 (CD, LP) Charrm, UK
Norsch 1983 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK 1990 (CD) Charrm, UK
Mohnomishe 1983 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK 1990 (CD) Charrm, UK
Eostre 1984 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK 1985 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK (re-mastered) 1990 (CD) Charrm, UK
Popular Soviet Songs and Youth Music 1985 (cassette) Singing Ringing/Red Rhino Records, UK 1994 (CD)Staalplaat, NE 1995 (CD)Staalplaat, NE 2004 (CD)Staalplaat, NE
Gris 1985 (LP) No Man's Land, West Germany
Misfits, Loony Tunes, and Squalid Criminals 1986 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK 1995 (CD) Charrm, UK
Gesture Signal Threat 1986 (cassette) Red Rhino Records, UK 1995 (CD) Charrm, UK
Loh Land 1987 (cassette) Staaltape, Netherlands 1992 (CD) Staaltape, Netherlands
A Flock of Rotations LP in specially designed paper and card sleeve 1987 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK 1995 (CD) Charrm, UK
Assault and Mirage Cassette in specially designed fluted card box with inserts 1987 (cassette) Red Rhino Records, UK 1995 (CD) Charrm, UK
Shouting at the Ground 1988 (CD, LP) Red Rhino Records, UK 1990 (CD, LP) Charrm, UK
Just an Illusion 1990 (CD) Staaplaat, NE 1995 (CD) Staaplaat, NE
Look into Me 1990 (CD, LP) Charrm, UK
Shadow, Thief of the Sun 1991 (CD) DOVentertainment, CA
Vienna 1990 1991 (CD) Charrm, UK
Collusion 1993 (CD) The Grey Area of Mute Records, UK/Soleilmoon Recordings, US
What is not True 1993 (CD) Charrm, UK
Digilouge 1996 (LP) Soleilmoon, US 1998 (CD) Soleilmoon, US
In.Version 1996 (CD) Charrm, UK
Feedback 1996 (CD) Staalplaat, Netherlands
The Decriminalisation of Country Music 2000 (CD) Tramway, UK
Music For A Spaghetti Western 2005 (CD) Klanggalerie, AU (previously unreleased recordings from 1985-6)
[edit] Compilations
Ram on 'Lands End' and subsequently released on Collusion 1985 (cassette) Touch, UK
Sprey on 'Bad Alchemy nr 4' and subsequently released on Collusion 1986 (cassette/magazine) Bad Alchemy, West Germany
Le mur mur nu on 'Fight!' (Cathexis Recordings), subsequently released on 'Absolute' (Parade Amoureuse and Soleilmoon Recordings), later released on Collusion 1986 (LP) Cathexis Recordings, UK 1989 (CD) Parade Amoureuse, West Germany 1989 (CD, cassette) Soleilmoon Recordings, USA
First Vigil on 'A Classic Guide To No Man's Land' and subsequently on Collusion 1988 (CD) No Man's Land, West Germany
White Dusk on 'A Bead To A Small Mouth' and subsequently on Collusion 1989 (LP) Barooni, Netherlands 1991 (CD) Soleilmoon Recordings, USA
Something this Beautiful on 'Mouvements' and subsequently on Collusion 1990 (CD) La Legende des Voix, France
Voice Print Identification on 'Objekt 4' 1990 (CD) Ladd-Frith, USA
Fugitive on 'Death of Vinyl' (first edition with poster insert) and subsequently (extended version) on Collusion 1990 (CD) DOVentertainment, Canada
Spike on 'Bad Alchemy nr XX 1992 (cassette/magazine) Bad Alchemy, Germany
I felt the breath of my Assassin on 'Sky Flowers & Horse Eggs' 1992 (CD) Hypnagogia, UK
Soft and Close by Me on 'Melt' (limited quantities in hand-painted hessian bags) 1993 (CD) Work In Progress, UK
False Witness on 'Total 2' 1993 (CD/book) Total, UK
Daisy Gun on 'Isolationism' 1994 (2CD) Virgin Ambient, UK
With Us Today on 'Earth' 1996 (CD) D.O.R., UK
Eleven Drops on "unentitled" 1996 These Records, UK
Untitled on 'Concept: A Compilation' 1997 (CD) Double Space, Netherlands
On the edge of a grain of sand on 'In Memoriam Gilles Deleuze' 1998 (2CD) Mille Plateaux
Untitled on 'RRR 500 - Various 500 Lock-Grooves By 500 Artists' 1998 (12") RRR Records, US
Temple Attic on 'Marconi Point' 1999 (CD) Iris Light, UK
Sifr on 'Absolute Zero' 2000 (CD) Charrm, UK
[edit] Soundtracks
Loud Visual Noises a film by Stan Brakhage (USA 1987) Including excerpt from 'Cair Camouflet' on 'Look into Me' Released on the video '4 Sounds Films by Stan Brakhage' (Joel Haertling, USA 1990)
Transients #1 a video by Mark Mushet (Suture Productions, Canada 1991) Excerpts from 'Shadow, Thief of the Sun'
(untitled) a video by :Zoviet*France: (UK 1991) Promotional video for 'Shadow, Thief of the Sun' for television broadcast only.
T-City a video by Karas (Japan 1993) excerpts from 'Shadow, Thief of the Sun'
Untitled a video by :Zoviet*France: (Nuit Et Brouillard, France, 2001) Featured on "Deadly Actions Live Retrospective 1994-1996" video compilation of all bands that performed at Deadly Actions festival in France.
