Legendary Pink Dots
Traumstadt 2
The Legendary Pink Dots are an Anglo-Dutch experimental rock band formed in London in August 1980. In 1984 the band moved to Amsterdam, playing with rotating musicians and having, as core members, singer/songwriter/keyboardist Edward Ka-Spel and keyboardist Phil Knight aka The Silverman. The band was originally called "One Day..." but subsequently changed the name to The Legendary Pink Dots, apparently inspired by pink dots on certain keys of the band's main recording studio piano. In the 1980s the band released albums on Mirrodot and In Phaze; in 1985 they signed with Play It Again Sam for the release of The Lovers. Their music touches on elements of neo-psychedelia, ambient music, electronic music, tape music, industrial, psychedelic folk, synthpop, post-punk, progressive, jazz, noise, pop, and goth rock, with a distinctly experimental/avant-garde bent; their sound has evolved over time and remains distinctive, making it difficult to place the group into a concise style or genre. The group's overall sound combined with Ka-Spel's distinct lyrics and singing have earned comparisons to Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett; the group also has links to the sounds of krautrock bands such as Can, Faust, Brainticket, Magma or Neu! The first cassette "Only Dreaming" was an edition of 9 copies, two of which had beautiful three-dimensional handmade covers. "Only Dreaming" was abandoned rather than deleted as the recorded output by The Dots expanded massively within months of the bands inception. The Traumstadt series collects compilation appearances by the group, with Traumstadt 2 maybe being the best of these collections. It focuses on rare tracks from 1984 to 1988 and was originally released on cassette by the band's own Mirrordot label. For this CD re-issue, it has been remastered once again and this much loved album now sounds better than ever before.