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SINGULAR is a compilation album of vinyl only singles recorded and released by Ectogram between 1994 and 1997 on indie Atol,Ankst.Ochre,100 Guitar Mania Records.

Mae SINGULAR yn albym sydd yn casglu at ei gilydd traciau senglau egsliwsif gan Ectogram a rhyddhawyd rhwng 1994 a 1997 ar labeli Atol,Ankst,Ochre a 100 Guitar Mania



Ectogram EP (Atol)

About the only description I could give to the most mesmerising Welsh language pop of Ectogram is to point you somewhere in Stereolab's direction, if they'd grown up listening to the f***ed-up country of Germany's FSK, strummed to a few Greek bazoukis, got progressively wierder and wilder in their remote Bangor flat, let the dream/avant garde sound of Gilbert Grape go to their heads, laid back, relaxed, mellowed out on some good old fashioned grass which almost certainly had some hallucinogenics mixed in with it, started writing songs backwards, used an accordian instead of a Hammond for their main musical accompaniment and...oh f*** it. I'm gonna play this all over again and get even more deliciously f***ed up.
From the same neck of the woods as the truly wonderful Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, and equally as ravishing. What are they putting in the water over there?

(Everett True, Melody Maker - 17.12.94)

Ectogram - Spio Trwy Tylla
Every week you hear a new band obviously inspired by the Velvets. (Well, this week at least - Ed).Evidence to Suggest that there's much more to the new wave of welsh bands than shouty punk. Ectogram give you a mash of guitars, strings and harmonica and put a blissfully happy Welsh language vocal over the top. I think it's something to do with "Blue Sky"

Ectogram - 3 track 7"

Blessed with a charmingly faulty centrifugal force, Ectogram tunes stray into dreamily fuddled territory whilst the drummer steadily patters away during "Spio trwy tylla" in a forlorn attempt to maintain order amidst a shimmering mice choir. "Pussy Bane" is akin to being flooded by chrysanthemums. From a crystalline chorus "No,Soar" scoots along snowy, bare branch lanes before descending into traffic congestion chaos.
(The Plane Truth)

'Mary' (Ankst)

I can't get enough of this band. The vocals are delicious, the guitars are strummed in a simple tuneful manner, the song plods along and then a synth jumps in and we're suddenly in the middle of a prog rock epic, but sung in Welsh. I'm a fan of a band that who can let half their instruments (in this case the vocal) carry the song when everything else belts out musical chaos. Ectogram are good at this. If you can't get it in your local...
(Sun Zoom Spark - May 1995)

Ectogram. Extract From The Faust Tapes.

"J'ai mal au dent, j'ai mal au pieds aussi"; a blank male voice (Alan Holmes) begins the chant that will continue, without a break, over the next sixteen minutes. At the same time, a single guitar picks out THOSE notes - Julian Cope: the "most defining Krautrock riff of all" - just before the other guitar and drums (Maeyc Hewitt) kick into the pattern that will continue, without a break, over the next sixteen minutes. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the trip, as, stimulated by frequent sonic explosions, singer Ann Matthews runs through a dizzying variety of voices and languages - sometimes an intimate croon, sometimes a full-blown Krautrock shriek. Perfect for travelling at 90mph down the A55, Extract From The Faust Tapes cuts dead at 15.57, when the tape runs out: but the riff never ends.
(What Goes On, Tracking)


Ectogram: "Svalbard." Cassette. (Ankst 079)
'Svalbard'. Previews and Sea Views from the forthcoming release 'Spitsbergen'. the tape made available whern Ectogram recently supported Faust. Housed within are a selection of recordings that capture Ectogram in their full beauty. Locked within a swirling groove the title track is so infectious that it could go on for hours. After listening to this cassette several times we can only wait with baited breath for the forthcoming 'Spitsbergen' release. Excellent!
(Wig Out, Sept 1998)

(Sun Zoom Spark)

Ectogram: "Eliot's Violet Hour" (Ankst)
Ubiquitously described as 'noiseniks' with songs that go on for ten hours or so, the Ectos by their own admission are having a go at "pandering to the dictates of commerce" by putting out a single. The end result is a beautiful, wilfully obtuse thing: a bit like Virginia Astley fronting the residents... 7
(Buzz, July 1997)

Ectogram: "Eliot's Violet Hour" (Ankst cd079)
The recent reissue of the early Pram recordings made me realize that Ectogram and Pram really are evolved from a common ancestor. But like humans and the chimpanzee the current models share less and less in common the further they cruise on up the food chain. Pram go for that authentic German cuisine while Ectogram on this new ep have treaded into the world of the pop song.
With spoonbending guitars, Ann Matthews' fantastically spooky voice and that special Welsh intangible 'Eliot's Violet Hour' is a fabulous example of the hybridization of the avant garde and pop. On the ep you get two mixes plus one other song called 'In Gerallt's Mouth.' The I can't believe it's not disco mix clocks in at 5.57 and is especially thrilling.
(Keith McLachlan, Twee Kitten)

Ectogram: "Eliot's Violet Hour" (Ankst)
is an extremely unlikely 2 minute "radio edit" from the band who didn't stop once to draw breath in their entire set at King Tut's recently! This is really catchy, with sweet vocals interspersed with instrumental wig-outs.
(Botramaid, July 1997)

Ectogram: "Eliot's Violet Hour" (7"/CDS)
You might think this is St Etienne--for a minute at least--the sugar sweet girl vocals and lush, yet funky full-fat pop pull you in, then a noisy blast coshes you on the bridge of the nose and pokes you in the eye before salving your injuries with more savlon-pop. Sounds like Pram or Broadcast at their best.
(Jimmy's Riddle, July 1997)