This Heat

1979年にリリースされたロック史における異端の名盤にして長らく入手不可能が続いていた幻の逸品“ブルー＆イエロー”が待望のリマスター再発！パンクの精神とダブの手法により、飽くなき“音響”の追究の果てに到達した、前人未到の領域。彼らの音楽は今なおその輝きを失わない。

Uncut - "As an album, it's an unremitting, scorched-earth experience..."

This British group could neither be called post-punk nor progressive rock, yet This Heat was one of the most influential groups of the late '70s. They created uncanny experimental rock music that has many similarities in approach to German pioneers such as Can and Faust. Other groundbreaking independent groups such as Henry Cow and Wire may be their only peers, and much later This Heat also became profoundly influential on the '90s genre known as post-rock. Their angular juxtapositions of abrasive guitar, driving rhythms, and noise loops on the opening cut, "Horizontal Hold," preempt much later activity in the electronica and drum'n'bass scenes. The outstanding "24 Track Loop" is based around a circular drum pattern that could have been a late-'90s jungle cut were it not recorded in late-'70s London, long before such strategies were even dreamed of in breakbeat music. This album is a great example of ahead-of-time genius, work that draws on elements of progressive rock, notably "Larks Tongues in Aspic"-era King Crimson for all its abrasive, warped rhythm, as well as Can, Neu!, and Faust's pioneering work -- though there is little else that comes close to the unique and distinctive avant rock sound, an entirely new take on the rock format. Their self-titled debut is a radical conglomeration of progressive rock, musique concrete, free improvisation, and even -- in a bizarre distillation -- aspects of British folk can be heard in Charles Hayward's singing. There are very few records that can be considered truly important, landmark works of art that produce blueprints for an entire genre. In the case of this album, it's clear that this seminal work was integral in shaping the genres of post-punk, avant rock, and post-rock and like all great influential albums it seemed it had to wait two decades before its contents could truly be fathomed. In short, This Heat is essential. ~ Skip Jansen

この熱、この衝撃、この音響構築!　ニューウェイヴ／プログレ／アヴァンギャルド派から音響派まで、迷いなしの開拓心と神憑かりな存在感で絶大な影響力を誇るディス・ヒートのファースト・アルバムがめでたく復刻。みずからの演奏を記録した膨大なテープを下地に即興演奏／再構築した超実験的手法もさることながら、チャールズ・ヘイワードの強靱なドラムに鬼気迫る歌声が全身をビリッと震わす意識革命。いまだ最前衛!
bounce (C)久保 正樹