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Zoviet france (also known as Soviet France, and also written as :zoviet*france:) is a fairly prolific industrial music group from Newcastle upon Tyne in Northern England. While often dissonant and made of industrial textures, their music is also of a distinctly ambient music bend. Formed in 1982, the group has had a variety of members, but is presently down to one: Ben Ponton. Former members included Robin Storey, who now records as Rapoon.
Their music, consisting often of droning textures set against tribal rhythms and fleeting dissonant melodies, was often made from neglected sound sources: obscure radio broadcasts, toy instruments, and other odds and ends, often heavily processed or looped. Over time their sound became increasingly electronic and computerised.
The packaging of their early works was extra-ordinary - records were released in burlap, roofing shingles, tin foil. Their CD packaging wasn't as often so packaged, but occasionally quite extra-ordinary, including felt, decorative pins, and wood veneer.
Discography
Garista
1982 (cassette) Soviet France
1985 (cassette) Singing Ringing, UK
1990 (CD, LP, cassette) Charrm, UK
Untitled (generally known as 'hessian', 'the burlap album', or 'OK Boys')
1982 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK
1990 (CD, LP) Charrm, UK
Norsch
1983 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK
1990 (CD) Charrm, UK
Mohnomishe
1983 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK
1990 (CD) Charrm, UK
Eostre
1984 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK
1985 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK (re-mastered)
1990 (CD) Charrm, UK
Popular Soviet Songs and Youth Music
1985 (cassette) Singing Ringing/Red Rhino Records, UK
Gris
1985 (LP) No Man's Land, West Germany
Misfits, Loony Tunes, and Squalid Criminals
1986 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK
Gesture Signal Threat
1986 (cassette) Red Rhino Records, UK
Loh Land
1987 (cassette) Staaltape, Netherlands
1992 (CD) Staaltape, Netherlands
A Flock of Rotations
LP in specially designed paper and card sleeve
1987 (LP) Red Rhino Records, UK
Assault and Mirage
Cassette in specially designed fluted card box with inserts
1987 (cassette) Red Rhino Records, UK
Shouting at the Ground
1988 (CD, LP) Red Rhino Records, UK
1990 (CD, LP) Charrm, UK
Just an Illusion
1990 (CD) Staaltape, Netherlands
Look into Me
1990 (CD, LP) Charrm, UK
Shadow, Thief of the Sun
1991 (CD) DOVentertainment, Canada
Vienna 1990
1991 (CD) Charrm, UK
Collusion
1993 (CD) The Grey Area of Mute Records, UK/Soleilmoon Recordings, USA
What is not True
1993 (CD) Charrm, UK
Digilouge
1995 (CD) Soleilmoon, Netherlands
In.Version
1996 (CD) Charrm, UK
Feedback
1996 (CD) Staalplaat, Netherlands
The Decriminalisation of Country Music
2000 (CD) Tramway, UK
Compilations
Ram on 'Lands End' and subsequently release on Collusion
1985 (cassette) Touch, UK
Sprey on 'Bad Alchemy nr 4' and subsequently released on Collusion
1986 (cassette/magazine) Bad Alchemy, West Germany
Le mur mur nu on 'Fight!' (Cathexis Recordings), subsequently released on 'Absolute' (Parade Amoureuse and
Soleilmoon Recordings), later released on Collusion
1986 (LP) Cathexis Recordings, UK
1989 (CD) Parade Amoureuse, West Germany
1989 (CD, cassette) Soleilmoon Recordings, USA
First Vigil on 'A Classic Guide To No Man's Land' and subsequently on Collusion
1988 (CD) No Man's Land, West Germany
White Dusk on 'A Bead To A Small Mouth' and subsequently on Collusion
1989 (LP) Barooni, Netherlands
1991 (CD) Soleilmoon Recordings, USA
Something this Beautiful on 'Mouvements' and subsequently on Collusion
1990 (CD) La Legende des Voix, France
Voice Print Identification on 'Objekt 4'
1990 (CD) Ladd-Frith, USA
Fugitive on 'Death of Vinyl' (first edition with poster insert) and subsequently (extended version) on Collusion
1990 (CD) DOVentertainment, Canada
Spike on 'Bad Alchemy nr XX
1992 (cassette/magazine) Bad Alchemy, Germany
I felt the breath of my Assassin on 'Sky Flowers & Horse Eggs'
1992 (CD) Hypnagogia, UK
Soft and Close by Me on 'Melt' (limited quantities in hand-painted hessian bags)
1993 (CD) Work In Progress, UK
False Witness on 'Total 2'
1993 (CD/book) Total, UK
Daisy Gun on 'Isolationism'
1994 (2CD) Virgin Ambient, UK
With Us Today on 'Earth'
1996 (CD) D.O.R., UK
Untitled on 'Concept: A Compilation'
1997 (CD) Double Space, Netherlands
On the edge of a grain of sand on 'In Memoriam Gilles Deleuze'
1998 (2CD) Mille Plateaux
Untitled on 'RRR 500 - Various 500 Lock-Grooves By 500 Artists'
1998 (12") RRR Records, US
Temple Attic on 'Marconi Point'
1999 (CD) Iris Light, UK
Sifr on 'Absolute Zero'
2000 (CD) Charrm, UK
Sountracks
Loud Visual Noises a film by Stan Brakhage (USA 1987)
Including excerpt from 'Cair Camouflet' on 'Look into Me'
Released on the video '4 Sounds Films by Stan Brakhage' (Joel Haertling, USA 1990)
Transients #1 a video by Mark Mushet (Suture Productions, Canada 1991)
Excerpts from 'Shadow, Thief of the Sun'
(untitled) a video by :Zoviet*France: (UK 1991)
Promotional video for 'Shadow, Thief of the Sun' for television broadcast only.
T-City a video by Karas (Japan 1993)
excerpts from 'Shadow, Thief of the Sun'
Untitled a video by :Zoviet*France: (Nuit Et Brouillard, France, 2001)
Featured on "Deadly Actions Live Retrospective 1994-1996" video compilation of all bands that performed at Deadly Actions festival in France.
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