THe NIGHTCRAWLeRS The Biophonic Boombox Recordings

8/10 bewitching antique synthtronica from a pre-techno america

Cultish outliers in the analogue annals of American electronica, The Nightcrawlers were founded in Philadelphia in 1979 by brothers Peter and Tom Gulch, with Dave Lunt joining soon afterwards. During 12 years together they released three official albums plus dozens of cassette tapes of primitive, experimental, semi-improvised synthtronic soundscapes. Much of their home-recorded work remains hard to find, which makes this career-spanning retrospective particularly welcome. The science-nerd trio looked to the Berlin school of German electronic pioneers for inspiration, specifically Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze, an influence which certainly informs mellifluously undulating pieces like “Luv-Li” and the fizzing motorik Moog-isms of “Spring Torsion”. But there are deeper and stranger moods here too, from the gothic doom-synth shadowplay of “Beckoning Beacon”, to the symphonic “Zeitgeber”, 24 minutes of synthetic birdsong and Radiophonic spooktronica. The crumbling postindustrial Philadelphia that inspired David Lynch’s Eraserhead also seems to haunt ambient sound paintings like “Reprieve”, a crepuscular urban requiem that prefigures Aphex Twin and Burial. The only jarring note on this generally excellent anthology is “Awakening”, a sloppy piano sketch which sounds like Les Dawson playing Erik Satie, but which turns out to be a young child goofing around in Dad’s home studio. Cute.

extras: None.