SQUARE 9 – Tsunami .2↑ LP (black vinyl) (UnrockLP022)

Early, yet mysterious collaboration between Sun City Girls and Life Garden reissued on Unrock.

Unrock, 2021. Recorded live on Sept. 22, 1991 and originally released by visionary operator Nick Schultz on Majora Records, Tsunami .2↑ was, still is, and will remain a mysterious album. Because the music didn’t represent or sound like either of the bands involved, they decided to call the group Square 9 and chose to leave everybody’s names off of it. No further information was given, only “Recorded at Grand Theater, Buenos Aires, Argentina”. Until today, nobody knows exactly who was behind the record. Rumors came up that is was part of the Sun City Girls legacy, but the “truth” lingered in the dark.

So unusual and experimental the approach to record this album was, so remarkable it finally turned out. By the time it was released back in 1992 only a few dedicated core followers were aware of its existence.

Everybody played anything and everything on this recording, no specific instruments are assigned to players. Different instruments, various percussion instruments, a piano and other sound sources. Insiders maybe recognize the voices of Su Ling and Alan Bishop or a piano sounding like Richard Bishop playing it. Some of the live sounds have been treated and processed live by W. David Oliphant.It was an impromptu series of improvisations by Sun City Girls and members of Life Garden (W. David Oliphant‘s main working group after Maybe Mental) and probably the last recordings made by members of Sun City Girls before the band fully re-located to Seattle. In retrospect it is a belonging and relevant part of the history of both bands, which needs to be broadcasted to a wider audience.

30 years after the recordings were made, a remastered version of the album is made available through Unrock. While the original release was two side-long tracks, the remastered version is split into 6 separate tracks, remixed and mastered by W. David Oliphant. Vinyl cut by Peter Koerfer at Ivory Tower. The album will be released in an edition of 400 copies. 300 thereof in black vinyl.

Square 9 were (in alphabetic order)

– Alan Bishop – Richard Bishop – Charles Gocher – Su Ling – W. David Oliphant – Peter Ragan –