Electronic Sound

Electronic Sound
Studio album by George Harrison
Released	9 May 1969 (UK) 26 May 1969 (US)
Recorded	November 1968 & February 1969
Genre	Musique concrète electronic
Length	43:50
Label	Zapple ZAPPLE 2 (UK) ST-3358 (US)
Producer	George Harrison
George Harrison chronology
Wonderwall Music (1968) Electronic Sound (1969) All Things Must Pass (1970)

Electronic Sound is the second studio album by George Harrison. Released in May 1969, it was the second and final record released on the Beatles' short-lived Zapple Records label, a subsidiary of Apple Records. The album features two lengthy pieces performed on the Moog synthesizer.

History

Zapple was intended as a creative outlet for avant-garde musical works. Not long after the release of this album, the label was folded at the insistence of the Beatles' then-manager Allen Klein. Because of its experimental and highly non-commercial nature, Electronic Sound failed to chart in the United Kingdom, and barely made the United States Billboard 200 album chart, peaking at number 191.

Synthesist Bernie Krause later pursued legal action against Harrison, claiming that "No Time Or Space" (LP side two) was essentially a recording of him demonstrating the Moog III to Harrison (this is detailed in Krause's book Into a Wild Sanctuary). Krause also claimed that the demonstration was recorded without his knowledge or consent. Krause's name was originally credited on the front cover under Harrison's cover credit, but it was painted over at Krause's insistence.^[1] Despite this, the words "Assisted by Bernie Krause" can still be read from under the silver ink on the original LP pressings.

Original US LP label for Side Two of Electronic Sound.

Release

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
MusicHound	[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[4]

The album was released on Zapple Records in the UK on 9 May 1969.^[5]

When the LP was first released in the US, the order of the recordings was accidentally switched, though the titles were not. When the album was issued on CD for the first time in late 1996, the correct original UK running order was used. Other editions, such as those from Japan, also use the UK running order. This error has caused many listeners to confuse the two titles.

LP side one "Under the Mersey Wall" (18 minutes) uses the sound of two Moog instruments playing at the same time, an effect made possible through the use of overdubbing.

LP side two "No Time or Space" (25 minutes) begins with a series of gunshot-like sounds and appears to be a performance of a single Moog instrument, though often making use of tape delay and echo effects. Portions of white noise from this track are used throughout "I Remember Jeep", one of several jams included on Harrison's third solo album, All Things Must Pass, released in 1970.

The cover of Electronic Sound was painted by Harrison himself. The inside sleeve included minimal notes on the album and a quotation attributed to Arthur Wax: "There are a lot of people around, making a lot of noise; here's some more."

The words "Produced by George Harrison" appear on front cover of the original LP pressings printed in light blue ink, but were recolored in dark blue and red on later re-issues.

The album was reissued in remastered form on 22 September 2014, as part of the Apple Years 1968–75 Harrison box set.^[6]

In its 2004 album guide, Rolling Stone rated the release 2½ stars (out of five) and called the album and its predecessor, Wonderwall Music, "interesting, though only for established fans".^[4] Writing for MusicHound, Roger Catlin suggested that Electronic Sound "may interest students of early synthesizer experiments, but nobody else".^[3]

Track listing

All pieces credited to George Harrison.

Side one

1. "Under the Mersey Wall" – 18:41
   • Recorded in Esher, England, in February 1969 with the assistance of Rupert and Jostick, the Siamese Twins^[6]

Side two

2. "No Time or Space" – 25:10
   • Recorded in California in November 1968 with the assistance of Bernie Krause^[6]

Note: This is how the titles appear on the original UK LP pressings and the CD edition. US LP pressings incorrectly switched the actual order of the recordings and the timings but failed to switch the titles.

References