Hula formed in November 1980 and hailed from Sheffield, home of such electronic luminaries as The Human League, Cabaret Voltaire and Chakk to name but a few. Hula members Ron Wright, Alan Fish, and Mark Albrow allegedly lived with Cabaret Voltaire in an apartment aptly names the 'Hula Kula', though if this is true or not I couldn't say.
Hula's debut album 'Murmur' was released in 1984, and what a tour de force it is. Taking in elements of found sounds, cut up, primitive sampling and industrial paranoia they sculpted an unsettling but rhythmic 'melange' of sound. In part, industrial funk, elsewhere, an atmospheric stew of dissonance and rhythm. It's sad that the annals of underground music have seen fit to all but forget Hula.
You can hear this proto industrial electronic masterpiece Here
A classic.
ReplyDeleteFirst heard 'Tear Up' on the John Peel show back in the early 80's and was hooked from the off. Sandwiched between early electro like 'Baronee' and bands like Microdisney, it really sounded different. I miss Peelie.
ReplyDeleteI'll try and record/rip 'Threshold' from my old vinyl when i get a moment. It's a great introduction to Hula, with a few 'versions' thrown in for good measure. My copy of Audacity is being a little temperamental at he minute though, so may take me a while.