I'm sure I read about Silver Apples before I ever heard them, likely in Wire magazine or some book about electronic music. The group formed in New York during the late 60s. They were a duo: Simeon, who played an instrument of his own creation of synthesizers and oscillators (called "The Simeon"), and Dan Taylor on drums. In 1997, Silver Apples toured the United States, and I saw them in Portland at EJ's Tavern. I bought their CD as well, which combined their two early albums, Silver Apples (1968) and Contact (1969).
Oscillations is their signature piece, a pulsating, ethereal brew of synth sounds and drums swirling all around. The lyrics are like an accompanying technical document that attempts to put the sprawling soundscape into words. The vocals are delivered with controlled precision, frequently rising to a tense duet as though struggling to keep the mechanical beast from stampeding off into space.
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