Idea Fire Company (E51)

Idea Fire Company
Postcard
7" (E51)

Edition of 200 copies

Idea Fire Company was founded by

Scott Foust andKarla 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]). Postcard was recorded

at Frans’ studio in Nijmegen during rehearsals for the tour, and marks IFCO’s
first release on the 7" format.

See also
Shifts (E43)

Out of print

Reviews

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