Helium

Description

* Presented on high-quality 180gram heavyweight colored vinyl featuring original reproduction artwork and insert with part two of an extensive interview of the band by Dave Segal.

Medical Records celebration of 1990s seminal works on the famous Too Pure label continues with the long overdue reissue of 1994s Helium by Birmingham, Englands very own Pram. This is the 2nd of two simultaneous Pram reissues by Medical Records (the 1st being 1993s The Stars Are So Big).

Originally hailing from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, some of the members (who went to school together) moved to Birmingham where they began playing music together. Forming with a more primitive aesthetic with typical keyboards, guitar, drums, and bass guitar, the band eventually began exploring playing multiple instruments including unique and unusual toy instruments and other gear such as theremin, glockenspiel, glass hammer, etc.

Their first LP on Too Pure (The Stars Are So Big) leaned towards a slightly heavier, murkier aesthetic compared to Helium. The tracks on this record seem to expand a bit with the likely increased use of the sampler as well as the backbone of unusual toy instruments and unconventional percussion. Pram was strongly influenced by krautrock such as Can and Faust as well as jazz elements and the Raincoats which can be vaguely seen in the brilliantly and elegantly cluttered sound palette at times.

Gravity starts the record with a brisk rhythm that seems to degenerate into a monotonous drone-like finale which really sets the tone for the rest of the album. The mood quickly rises again for Dancing On A Star through a quick beat and twisting/ bending theremin sounds and other spacey unidentifiable noises. The 2nd side starts with the amazing jazzy and catchy Blue which leads into one of the most peculiar and mesmerizing tracks we have ever heard Little Angel, Little Monkey. The closing track Shadows is a chilling and mellow track that tucks the listener in for the night.

These two albums were only the beginning of a very prolific and diverse career for Pram as their output continued until 2008. For fans of the legendary Too Pure Sound and the bands that forged that scene (Stereolab, Laika, Long Fin Killie, etc), this is crucial material. Long out of print from its original release.