They became associated with industrial music with the 1980 release of their album White Souls in Black Suits on Industrial Records, although in reality the early material that predates this release is a blend of extreme electronics and frequencies that was heard only by a spartan few, including Jhon Balance and other notaries. (This early archive material, which includes the Sex Works Beyond Entanglement 12" EP (1979) originally planned for release by Cherry Red with the tracks Throbbing Sweeping Obscene/Coil/The Pop Hell, is due for release with a number of other extreme pure-electronic compositions and will readdress the morphology of DVA history.) The album Thirst followed in 1981, by which time Adi Newton and Steven Judd Turner had combined musique concrète techniques with guitar, bass, and drum instrumentation, fused with Newton's unique art direction and existential lyrics and writing.
After the tragic death of Steven Judd Turner, Adi Newton formed a new version of the band in 1983. First releasing the singles Passions Still Aflame and High Holy Disco Mass on the major label Polydor under the name DVA, the group then released the album Advantage (along with several singles). During a European tour a dispute amongst the musicians occurred resulting in Adi Newton disbanding the group. However the remaining musicians attempted an abortive continuation of the tour without him, which resulted in negative reaction from DVA fans appalled by Newton's absence.
After the 1983 breakup of Clock DVA, Adi Newton put in process his original concept of the multimedia arts project The Anti-Group aka T.A.G.C., which staged a number of performances directed and choreographed solely by Adi Newton. T.A.G.C. released a series of films and recordings, namely The Disscussion Anti-Theatre piece/Dual 16mm Film and Soundtrack, Ha/Zulu, ShT, Big Sex, The Ambisonic Album Digitaria, Meontological Recording Record 1, Meontological Recording Record 2 (Teste Tones), Burning Water Film/ Soundtrack, and Iso-Erotic Calibrations.
In 1987 Adi Newton, while still working within TAGC, allowed a reformation of DVA. He was at the time experimenting with computer sound sampling techniques and sequencing and had already created a blueprint for a track originally titled "Diamond Bullet," which later became "The Hacker." This reformed line-up consisted of creative director Adi Newton; vocalist, sound designer, Dean Dennis; and Paul Browse. From this line-up came the album Buried Dreams.
After the release of Buried Dreams and a series of singles taken from the album, a number of problems occurred. Paul Browse left to try to resolve issues with the record label in Berlin but remained in Germany and never returned. As a result, Robert Baker joined the line up, which then released the albums Man-Amplified and Digital Soundtracks. Dean Dennis left to start work on a new project. The album Sign followed during a transitional period in which Adi Newton relocated to Italy, taking Clock DVA/TAGC with him as sole director and reactivating the project in a new direction.
Adi Newton and creative partner Jane Radion Newton are currently working on the remastered release of their whole back catalog, which was set to be released in the autumn of 2008 by Mute records as a box set including a 120-page book. They are also working with invited guest artists on new Clock DVA/TAGC studio albums, which are scheduled for a 2009 release to coincide with a number of key European performances and installations.
Sites: YouTube and http://MySpace.com/ClockDVAauthorized (official)
Sound Mirror
Clock DVA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can you see
Can you see
Can you see
Can you see the echo
Can you hear
Can you hear
Can you hear
Glass embrace
Glass embrace
Glass embrace
Glass embrace
Emit refractions
I can see
I can see
I can see
Phonetized apparitions
Look in to
Look in to
Look in to
Absolute resonance/Sonant Spectre
Can you see
Can you see
Can you see
The imitation of noise
Can you feel
Can you feel
Can you feel
Can you feel image
In your face
In your face
In your face
Emit refractions
I can see
I can see
I can see
In the Sound Mirror
Clock DVA's "Sound Mirror" has cryptic lyrics that leaves listeners questioning what the creation is really about. The song refers to echoes and glass, which are made for a clear resonance. The opening lyrics question if one can see the echo and hear oneself. The glass embrace and phonetized apparitions describe how the sound moves and refracts. The apparitions are the result of the sound waves, which take the form of voice or something else that isn't seen. The following verses expand on the theme of sounds and images, with a particular focus on how they interact with our internal selves. The lyrics invite us to look into the "sonant specter" and the "absolute resonance" that commands "in the sound mirror." The latter phrase alludes to the phenomenon called the "mirror effect," which occurs when people tend to unconsciously mimic the behavior of others.
If people were fit with the right kinds of mirrors, they could experience Echo, a manifestation of their selves that they don't see otherwise. The Sound Mirror could be interpreted as the physical or mental space between person and echo or as a metaphor for identity. One could interpret it as the human perception of one's reflection, a mirror that not only reflects what's physically in front of it but also what is should not.
Line by Line Meaning
Can you see
Do you perceive?
Can you see
Do you perceive?
Can you see
Do you perceive?
Can you see
Do you perceive?
Can you see the echo
Can you see the reflection of sound waves?
Can you hear
Do you discern?
Can you hear
Do you discern?
Can you hear
Do you discern?
Can you hear yourself
Can you discern your own voice?
Glass embrace
The act of touching glass
Glass embrace
The act of touching glass
Glass embrace
The act of touching glass
Glass embrace
The act of touching glass
Emit refractions
Send out light waves that change direction when passing through a medium
I can see
I am able to witness
I can see
I am able to witness
I can see
I am able to witness
Phonetized apparitions
Sound-based illusions
Look in to
Examine
Look in to
Examine
Look in to
Examine
Absolute resonance/Sonant Spectre
A complete or ideal state of sound vibration
Can you see
Do you perceive?
Can you see
Do you perceive?
Can you see
Do you perceive?
The imitation of noise
Something that mimics sound
Can you feel
Are you aware of?
Can you feel
Are you aware of?
Can you feel
Are you aware of?
Can you feel image
Are you experiencing visual sensations?
In your face
Directly in front of you
In your face
Directly in front of you
In your face
Directly in front of you
Emit refractions
Send out light waves that change direction when passing through a medium
I can see
I am able to witness
I can see
I am able to witness
I can see
I am able to witness
In the Sound Mirror
Within the apparatus that records sound
Contributed by Jackson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@spiroskoufos4786
Timeless...
LYRICS :
Can you see
Can you see
Can you see
Can you see
Can you see the echo
Can you hear
Can you hear
Can you hear
Can you hear yourself
Glass embrace
Glass embrace
Glass embrace
Glass embrace
Emit refractions
I can see
I can see
I can see
Phonetized apparitions
Look in to
Look in to
Look in to
Absolute resonance/Sonant Spectre
Can you see
Can you see
Can you see
The imitation ofβ¦
@wedgeromewedgerome
Big Game
It's open season on the fallen.
Fallen is the definition of evil.
One needs only to buy a license
for hunting these human illegals.
The truth is hard, indeed
that evil is the weak.
That's probably because you crossed the line,
and still believe it matters what you think.
-V.B.
iosoiosoi
@eyeintheskypictures
Clock DVA has been one of my all time favorites since the 90s. Listening 30 years later still raises the hair off my neck. Timeless perfectionππ
@PolarRed
I never liked them originally, and then Buried Dreams happened!!!!
@robbaker1841
Thankyou! x
@depthchargebetty3813
90s beats had a visceral power. They shaped my taste in electro.
@djmonolithvideos
sublime beauty from a deeper realm
@rsdrsd5282
.?????REALLLLLLLLLY .............
@wilburfierce5312
My favorite Clock DVA tune and I have all their material. You can even dance to it if there were any DJs deep enough to play it. HA
@spiroskoufos4786
Timeless...
LYRICS :
Can you see
Can you see
Can you see
Can you see
Can you see the echo
Can you hear
Can you hear
Can you hear
Can you hear yourself
Glass embrace
Glass embrace
Glass embrace
Glass embrace
Emit refractions
I can see
I can see
I can see
Phonetized apparitions
Look in to
Look in to
Look in to
Absolute resonance/Sonant Spectre
Can you see
Can you see
Can you see
The imitation ofβ¦
@NEON80
I still remember walking in Gran Avenida (Santiago) and listening to this full release on a bad copied tape. Teenager memories... now 2018, it sounds amazing.
@finditfuckitforgetit
I remeber this whether from local radio broadcast whether from danceflor times, could be both. 90ies memories...