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Zeus B. Held \ Voice Versa [BOUCD 6622]

This compilation is drawn mainly from the three solo albums (Attack Time, Europium and Zeus' Amusement) cut by Zeus B. Held between 1978 and 1981.

The remastered set also features a reworking of signature Gina X Performance track Nice Mover, as well as a new edit of 1978 Eurodisco hit On the Road Again by The Rockets, on which Zeus provided the Vocoder-ed voice and percussion as well as harmonica and synth.

CD features 18 tracks with a running time of 74 minutes. Booklet features archive ZBH images together with an essay on his pioneering use of the Vocoder by Raphael Smarzoch, and artwork by Mickael Dard.

Zeus' Amusement (1978), Europium (1979) and Attack Time (1981) are also available as digital downloads.

Tracklist:

1. Held It
2. On the Road Again (VV edit)
3. Nice Mover (VV edit)
4. Music, Musik, Musique...
5. Why Can't I Be a Singer? (VV edit)
6. Fool On the Hill
7. Sagenhaft
8. Four Phases of an Imagist's Blue
9. Coloured Tan Go (VV edit)
10. Mechanical Choir
11. Sound City Song
12. Europium
13. Goodbye Europe
14. Drive My Car
15. Cowboy on the Beach
16. Sound Trigger
17. Enfant Terrible
18. Intermezzo Nepalese (VV edit)

Available on CD and digital (MP3 or FLAC). To order please first select correct shipping option (UK, Europe or Rest of World) and then click on Add To Cart button below cover image. Digital copies are delivered to customers via link sent by email.

Reviews:

"Held's name might resonate for those who bought Fashion's second LP in 1982. Not only an electro pioneer who helped turn Streetplayer (Mechanik) and Love Shadow into minor hits in the early 80s, Held was also a keyboard cog in the Krautrock wheel of Birth Control. This compilation is stitched together from solo LPs and work with other artists such as Gina X, confirming that, like Tomita and Kraftwerk, Held had his finger firmly on the developing electronic pulse between 1978 and 1981. These 18 tracks sound like a summit meeting between Bruce Haack and Air, with Nice Mover proving as good as anything the French duo ever produced. On the Road Again melds electronics with a glam stomp to make a hit for The Rockets in 1978, while Held does a great line in cover versions, adding vocoder valium to Fool On the Hill and Drive My Car. Five stars" (Record Collector, 07/2011)

"Songs with heavy rock bass and drums and vocodered choral vocals alternate with pure electronic interludes in a high gloss mix. A powerful and intriguing album" (Contemporary Keyboard, 04/1980)