| Maybe it's going to take a little bit of time to understand what
this elusive, strange, wonderful 'group' is all about. Emerging,
quietly of course, at a particularly barren time for English
music (the early 90s), Dave Pearce and cohorts (most of
whom are now in groups like Movietone and The Third Eye
Foundation) sought to re-introduce a sense of exploration and
mystery into music that previous generations had been able to
enjoy in groups like Popol Vuh and My Bloody Valentine.
FSA's own psychedelia was of course English rural and
anti-bombast; a frail wildness. By the time Pearce came to
Domino, he and his group were already semi-legendary,
selling out pressings and putting on chaotic, ramshackle live
improvisations. In a way this phase seems almost like the
peak of FSA reaching out (check Distance collection), and
Pearce, like a true minimalist, has since been developing his
music by reducing peripheral distractions (live performance,
studios, group members) to the point where his best music
now seems to have a weird twilight isolation. Pearce has so
far released three wonderful (home) studio LPs through
Domino, a collaboration with Tele:funken and the
afore-mentioned collection. His newest LP, Mirror, is available
on his own label and Drag City. |
