FLOOR ET SATIE by SABOTEN

Formed in 1981 in Tokyo, Saboten must now be considered one of the great lost post-punk bands. Check!Rejecting the traditional rock group hierarchy of lead guitar and/or preening vocalist supported by a rhythm section, Saboten were true masters of band-as-unit, with the trio meshing and melding in a non-grandstanding manner that wonderfully emphasises their individual contributions to the group sound. One of the original impulses that led to the formation of the group was a desire to hear the results of an electric rock combo playing Erik Satie, and the French composer's sense of whimsy and feeling of openness are well represented. There are even a number of Satie "covers" here, but far from being pastel homage, they are imaginative reconstructions, aided by the late Lol Coxhill on several pieces. The band, despite the Satie influence, are most definitely a rock unit of the post-punk variety, that will appeal to fans of Kleenex/Liliput, the Raincoats and the Slits, but with a unique element that is all their own. Floor et Satie is a vinyl only overview of the band's work. Disc one is a newly re-mastered version of their first album, Saboten (meaning cactus) issued as the first release on Eiichi Tsutaki's Floor Records in 1981. Disc two ranges from charmingly lo-fi Satie to some selections from a D.I.Y. self-released seven-inch, two songs from their second album, Awake, and a piece produced by Fred Frith. Saboten, like their namesake, they are spiky, yet oddly beautiful. Double LP, housed in two printed inner sleeves including many scarce photos, with liner notes written by band members.