Based in Brussels, Belgium, the Belgian cult label Crammed was founded in 1980 by Marc Hollander of Aksak Maboul and has since released around 375 albums and 275 singles. Some of the bands that have seen releases via Crammed are Minimal Compact, Hector Zazou, Tuxedomoon, Bel Canto, Bleep by Geir Jenssen who is also active with the ambient project Biosphere, The Gruesome Twosome, Telex.
Crammed Discs is now reactivating its legendary composers series in 2021. You can expect the release of new albums, and remastered vinyl reissues of several classics including “Made To Measure Vol.1” featuring Minimal Compact, Benjamin Lew, Aksak Maboul and Tuxedomoon. Originally released in 1984, the first volume of the series included works commissioned as soundtracks for dance and theatre performances, films, and a fashion show.
Here’s a rundown of the tracks. Tracks 1 to 4 were made to measure for a ballet by Pierre Droulers. Track 5 was an aural backdrop made to measure for a fashion exhibition called “Huit Jeunes Stylistes Limbourgeois”. Track 6 was made to measure for The Honeymoon Killers’ “Pan! Dans Les Vacances” private movie with all of the sounds being generated with a turntable. Tracks 7 to 12 were made to measure for a play by Michel Gheude based on the life of Maïakovsky. And finally, tracks 13 to 15 were made to measure for “Het Veld Van Eer”, a film by Bob Visser.
It will be exciting to see what the label’s owners Marc Hollander, Hanna Gorjaczkowska and Vincent Kenis will come up with in the next few months.
Below is a preview of “Made To Measure Vol.1”
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