Alga Marghen Record Label

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Image

—01. Eliane Radigue’s Jouet Electronique.

Words

If I had to single out one record label that could do with a little praise for being as deeply underground as it is important to documenting overlooked 20th century music, it would have to be Alga Marghen. Renowned for releasing a wide range of historical obscurities, outsider artists and new music compositions, the Italian label has issued important works by David Behrman, Max Neuhaus, Hermann Nitsch, Charlemagne Palestine and Eliane Radigue, among others. Though hard to find in most local record shops, there are a number of online stores that stock a variety of Alga Marghen LPs – of which one of my personal favourites is shown above.

—Forced Exposure

Weekend Viewing: A Portrait of Eliane Radigue (2009)

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Video

—01. Produced by the Austrian Institute for Media Archeology.

Words

Not a recent video, but one that stands as an excellent look at the process of one of electronic minimalism’s pioneering artists, Eliane Radigue. She may appear completely unassuming, but Radigue has been pushing the envelope of synthesized music, almost entirely with her highly covetable ARP 2500, since the late 1960s. Her compositions are both simple in their reduction of elements and complex in their breadth of unfolding sonic minutiae. This short documentary provides a welcome glimpse into Radigue's world as well as her approach to crafting superior works of tonal minimalism – something she's been doing for nearly 50 years.

—Vimeo: A Portrait of Eliane Radigue (2009)