Name: Invasion / Murder One
Brand: Alan Vega

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

SBR289

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Colour

Colour details

Transparent Red

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Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music US

Limited edition

Release date

2022-02-25

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier US

Secre­tly

Tax rate US

Sales:8.875

UPC / Barcode

843563147245

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Total Cap

1 / 12" / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / red

Artist

Alan Vega

Genre US

Label US

Sacred Bones Records

Alan Vega (1938-2016) was an American musician, vocalist, and sculptor. He gained recognition as a visual artist for his "light sculptures" before venturing into music. Alongside Martin Rev, he formed the influential electronic duo Suicide, known for their minimalist and aggressive sound. After disbanding in 1980, Vega pursued a solo career, exploring his rockabilly identity. He released several albums with Suicide and as a solo artist, incorporating drum machines and effects with free-form prose. Despite health issues later in life, Vega continued to create music until his passing.

In addition to his musical endeavors, Vega was also an accomplished painter and exhibited his artwork in various shows throughout New York City. His final studio album 'IT' was released posthumously in 2021 and featured original artwork by Vega himself. Sacred Bones Records has since released 'Mutator', the first of many unreleased materials from the Vega Vault.

Alan Vega's contributions to electronic music continue to inspire artists today, solidifying his legacy as a pioneering figure in the genre.

New Wave / Post Punk

One of Alan Vega’s greatest talents was his ability to bring the past and the future together into a suspended place of timelessness. His groundbreaking duo Suicide was often seen as future primitivism and most of his musical output has exemplified this blending of the primordial human condition and visionary thinking. With Invasion b/w Murder One, the next release from the now infamous Vega Vault following 2021’s Mutator, we see this innate power in full effect.

The two tracks “Invasion” and “Murder One” were recorded two decades apart from one another in New York City. “Invasion” was recorded toward the end of the 2012-2015 studio sessions for the posthumous album IT and was one of his last recordings, while “Murder One” was recorded in 1997-1998, (after the Mutator sessions) and is part of a cluster of material that was recorded but never mixed prior to the sessions for his album 2007, released in 1999. Pairing these two songs together as a release illustrates the timelessness of the 30 plus years of unreleased material that he deemed the Vega Vault.

This release continues the collaboration of Mutator’s mixing and producing team, Liz Lamere and Jared Artaud. Liz provides a bridge to the past, having performed throughout the recording process of “Murder One” and “Invasion” while Jared opens a bridge to the future having been chosen by Alan himself to carry the torch and ensure the vision stays intact. Alan trusted no one more than Liz and Jared, and gave his blessing and encouragement to continue releasing material from the Vault. As Alan stated in the song “Vision” from IT, “If you destroy the vision, you will suffer the whirlwind.”

Listening to the various tracks during these mixing sessions brought up vivid recollections of how the sounds (such as the haunting voices in “Murder One”) were created and the constant experimentation that was involved, memories that informed Liz’s approach in the mixing process. Together with Jared’s technical skills, intuition, and deep understanding of the feeling these sounds were intended to evoke, the two were able to preserve the authenticity of the recordings while enhancing the quality of sound so the listener can fully experience the nuances of these unique auditory creations. 

Invasion / Murder One

Music US