Clock DVA
White Souls In Black Suits

THE REVIEW

The Lord certainly didn't send down geniuses dedicated to jazz or the most sophisticated prog. Industrial and smoky-factory England doesn't shrink in the face of the supremacy of the Canterbury sound or the Fripp scales of "Larks'...". A new conception of making music is conceived, exploiting the advances of synths, VCS3, Moog, and electronics in general. The song concept is extreme, a new despair, depression, and tormented life emerge. "Sister Ray" and the declamation of "We Will Fall" become the Bible, influencing Swans' "Cop". In the mid-seventies, there's a subversive contestation of social and artistic norms. The prolix prog "post-1974" scheme is broken with "Metal Box" by PIL in 1979, still anchored to a post-punk scheme though enriched by Jah Wobble's throbbing dub bass. Even before this work, there were high-level episodes with the Afro/post-punk funk mix of "Y" by Pop Group, the jazz united with the new wave of Tuxedomoon, and the Cabaret Voltaire of "Mix Up" and the early Throbbing Gristle records. Seminal to say the least. The live performances of these groups were war machines, especially the eclectic Throbbing with the crazy Orridge...

In 1980, in Sheffield, Clock DVA was formed with Adi Newton and Steven Turner, influenced by the aforementioned sounds and the union of rock with visual arts. The atmosphere of that period is exciting, futurism is revered to the utmost in live lighting, artistic dada impressionist projections merge with the music, and innovations emerge from every corner. Chameleonic to say the least, Clock, with the addition of Paul Widger (guitar), Charlie Collins (sax), and Roger Quail (drums), establish themselves as a real band. They aim to revive piercing and sharp jazz mixed with a dark mood. The sound is made minimal, rarefied yet simultaneously neurotic and gruff. The tracks exceed five minutes and extend into dialogues between sax, drums, and acid guitar, without descending into excessive mannerisms. Engaging, to say the least.

"Consent", "Discontentment", "Relentless", and "Non" are characterized by these features. The main riff is shattered, and focus is put on blending jazz improvisations with near-industrial structures, which in this first work are still raw and opposing. More than anything, there's a desire to create a disorienting melody to then slowly enrich it with the sax squeals and guitar saturation. It's as if the sound is split into minute particles that gradually, as the jam progresses, manage to shape the track's identity. It is, therefore, a container that holds the "old" and the "new". An excellent update of the rock concept, in short.

After this first work, which playfully intoxicates the most disjointed Beefheart and mocks the sacred steps of psychedelia, we shall have the second album "Thirst", which tests continuous inspiration, the bassist Turner's overdose, and the consecration with "Advantage", featuring a significantly more direct sound.