Introducing Mondo Hebden which is the name we are using for releasing archival music (as opposed to Was Ist Das? which is for new music). Our first release really is from the first lady of British electronic music and founder of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop – Daphne Oram.

It came about because I’ve spent the past 10 months working on a book about the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and ended up at Goldsmiths University going through Daphne’s papers. While I was there I was given the opportunity to listen to her archives and the contents of tape number 037, marked “Pop Tryouts” really struck me.

It seems to be various different arrangements and takes of the same track, a very melodic part of the “Birds Of Parralax” suite featured on the excellent “Oramics” compilation. Daphne tackles it in a variety of ways including acapella and proto-techno. It was probably made around 1972/1973 as it was for the ballet “Xallaraparallax” which Daphne which Daphne’s paperwork refers to as being worked on in that period.

It gives a fascinating glimpse into her working methods and gets the melody very firmly lodged into your memory. Its been gently remastered but the two acoustic tracks have some inevitable room hiss on them. Thank you to the Daphne Oram Trust for making this all possible.

The book, “An Electric Storm” will be out in Autumn via Obverse Books