Originally posted in Trollheart Listens to Every Album on Wiki's List for 2017, February 24 2018
Album title: Burials in Several Earths
Artist: BBC Radiophonic Workshop
Genre: Electronic/Ambient
Nationality: English
Release date: May 19
Position in Discography: Twenty-fourth
Estimated Rating:
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Have I heard anything by this artist? n/a
Average RYM Score: 3.27
When I read the artist here I assumed it was just an artsy-fartsy name for some ambient producer or band, but no: this is THE BBC workshop that brought you such amazing sound effects as those you hear on
Doctor Who, Blake's Seven, The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Quatermass and other well-loved and some obscure programmes (mostly sci-fi) transmitted on the BBC – some on the radio - since about the 1950s. I'm not quite sure what the point is in releasing this though, but it certainly gives an insight into the massive amount of work that went into making all those spooky, eerie and occasionally disturbing sound effects that populated the shows I used to watch as a kid. Oh, I see the workshop was forced to close in 1998 and this is one of many efforts to catalogue and release music and sounds created by them in their heyday. So, a kind of retrospective, of sorts. Well this is certainly interesting. It's hard, almost impossible to review though. There are some nice piano runs, synthy soundscapes, but mostly weird sound effects that those of us who grew up in the seventies on this side of the water will remember fondly. I imagine OH and Frownland will find a lot to like here, but this could likely be listened to and enjoyed by just about anyone. It's hardly an essential album, but definitely worth a listen.
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Actual Rating: 10/10 (For historical reasons, and as a mark of respect)