Idea Fire Company (E51) : Entr’acte

Idea Fire Company
Postcard
7" (E51)

Idea Fire Company was founded by Scott Foust and Karla Borecky
in 1988. Although not nearly as prolific as most bands nowadays —
perhaps because of the care that goes into each release — IFCO
has released seven full-length albums (all on its Swill Radio imprint),
most notably Anti-Natural (1999), Stranded (2005), and The Island
of Taste (2008). In 2006, IFCO did a short European tour with Frans
de Waard joining the core duo. (Results of this tour can be heard on
the Vital CD [Swill Radio, 2006])

This single was recorded at Frans’ studio in Nijmegen during rehear-
sals for the tour, and marks IFCO’s first release on the 7" format.

First edition of 200 copies

Byron Coley in The Wire

Idea Fire Company: Scott Foust, Karla Borecky, Frans de Waard

Two slices of all-electronic music from the IFCO project, a memento
of their 2005 tour of Europe where for some of their gigs they were
joined by Frans de Waard. A live CD documenting parts of these
events has surfaced. Karla Borecky on synth, Scott Foust on radio
and treatments. Both these experimental droners were recorded
at Extrapool in Nijmegen and have a gorgeous, full-bodied sound,
a robustness that is not diminished through its transfer to a fine 45
rpm disc (quite the contrary). Maybe recording in a different studio
brought about this strengthening effect; maybe it was de Waard’s
arrangements; maybe their amps were turned up to 11.

Scott Foust’s own preference seems to be for a slightly more washed-
out sound on his own Swill Radio pressings. Since the band have
taken a turn towards incorporating acoustic instruments in their latest
recorded statement (the full-length Island of Taste), this may turn
out to be the last snapshot we’ll have of the all-electronic IFCO.
“Your compass must be built slowly,” [Foust] cautions on the cover
sticker, making the latest in a series of maritime metaphorical
utterances. “You can't get there from here.”

Ed Pinsent in The Sound Projector

Warning team, insectoid attack imminent! The trio of Karla Borecky,
Scott Foust and the ubiquitous Frans de Waard offer up two servings of
malevolent synthetic hum on this fine little slab. But it was only after
getting through the complex packaging I uncovered the pulsing hive
mind. The trip was worth it; Sunspots and, on the flip, Lost at Sea emit
hypnotic waves that should have you under in moments. This is their
plan, you see — they want to take you with them. Pack immediately.

Spencer Grady in Record Collector

Lost at Sea presents merely vocal treatments and analogue synths,
but in such a warm, buzzing, sonically enveloping fashion that its
best stretches sound like the modulations of a thousand machines
slowly switching on in a sunrise. Really sweet. Sunspots is just a
simple, hypnotic drone, totally works on its own merits. Deep, deep,
deep. Deep like Blackstreet. Very much worth hearing.

Doug Mosurock at Dusted