A Lost Electronic Artifact is Excavated with Syrinx.
One of my favorite electronic bands was a Canadian trio called Syrinx, headed up by electronic artist John Mills-Cockell. They released a pair of astounding albums, Syrinx in 1970 and Long Lost Relatives in 1971. Despite some of the worst vinyl pressings I’ve ever experienced, the transcendent sound of Syrinx emerged as Cockell wove sinewy synth melodies that dripped with atmosphere across the rhythms of Alan Well and reverb drenched saxophone of Doug Pringle. Now those albums are finally being reissued in a package called Tumblers from The Vault from RVNG International Records. There is also a documentary out. Syrinx were contemporaries Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, Cluster, but predated them and all the other German electronic artists in releasing their seminal work. 1970! Only Tonto’s Expanding Headband was working at the same level with Zero Time, released in 1971. Below is a track from Syrinx, but this isn’t even close to being among the best tracks on their albums. Watch for more about Syrinx in future days on Echoes.