Phew, Phew

Here for your enjoyment is Phew's debut LP, originally released in 1981 on Pass Records. This album caught my eye primarily because it featured the talent of Can's Holger Czukay, though in what capacity I am still uncertain. There's kraut-like rock throughout the record ("Closed" and the awkwardly nightmarish "Doze") as well as some relatively abstract songs reminiscent of the better material from Stolen and Contaminated Songs (check out "Dream" and compare it to Coil's "Who'll Fall"). At times I was reminded of OOIOO's rhythmic fixations and even Cabaret Voltaire's minimal approach to dance music. Still, there's a logic to Phew's odd dynamics that holds the record together and prevents it from being a random collection of material.

Phew got her start with the Japanese punk band Aunt Sally and has also recorded with Novo Tono and Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Ensemble. I'll be trying to locate more of her work; in the meantime you can download the self-titled album below. It will be available for a limited time only.

Enjoy.










Phew, Phew
1981, Pass Records, LP

01. Closed (3:15)
02. Signal (4:28)
03. Doze (5:14)
04. Dream (3:15)
05. Mapping (3:41)
06. Aqua (3:48)
07. P-Adic (3:32)
08. Fragment (3:52)
09. Circuit (1:37)

Played and produced by Phew, Jaki Liebezeit, Holger Czukay, Conny Plank, and Yoshitaka Goto

Recorded and mixed at Conny's Studio and Czukay's Editing Laboratory
Recording engineer: Conny Plank
Mastered by Hiroshi Shiota at Tokyo Recording Co., Ltd.

download, .zip