CD Review // Various Artists (1984-1990) Watching The Void: A Smattering of Panic Records & Tapes (NO PART OF IT)

https://nopartofit.bandcamp.com/album/watching-the-void-a-smattering-of-panic-records-tapes

When listening to compilations such as this, one thing which always sticks out most in my mind is how this is from the early 1980's into 1990.  At the time these pieces of music were actually released, I was between four and ten years old.   To think about that time and what music was like then, I didn't think anything like this existed back then.   This does fit in really well with modern music of a similar sound.

Unit 731 starts this off by speaking numbers in Spanish.  There is this ringing which slowly comes through with beats.  Doctor Who type whirrs.   The lines: "my house / my heart / my two time daily pills" repeated with the sound of bottles rattling on the second song, which is by Burden of Friendship.   Through cry-laughing we get this trumpet type sound with spoken word still.  Many sounds come out just within this one song.

Little Dougie has these sweet guitar riffs with spoken words about "revival in America" on the third song, but the sixth song is like straight out of a horror film.  Words say not to stand so close to the glass doors and then the sounds you hear- along with screaming- feels like someone has fallen through the glass doors.  

From intensity with laser synths to big pianos and industrial vibes, this CD seems to have something for everyone.   But I'm still amazed by the fact that this hasn't been created over the last five or ten years but rather over thirty years ago.   Panic Records will hopefully inspire you with this CD and also give you that reassurance in sound.