Edition S Press, S Press Tonbandverlag

About

Edition S Press, S Press Tonbandverlag occupied a space where sound and language intertwined, where the cassette and reel-to-reel became instruments of exploration in their own right. Founded in 1970 and active until the turn of the millennium, this German label emerged as a crucible of text-sound compositions and poetic audio narratives. Its catalog—a sprawling collection of 223 releases—was a testament to its dedication to the liminal spaces between spoken word and experimental sound. The key figures in this auditory odyssey were poets and sound artists like Otto Nebel, Oskar Pastior, and Gerhard Rühm, whose works explored the fringes of language through sound. Otto Nebel's "spricht UNFEIG" and Oskar Pastior's "Tango Emer Denn Porren" exemplify the intricate dance of voice and tape, a dialogue between the abstract and the concrete. These releases were not mere recordings; they were sculptural, each tape a vessel of evolving sonic interpretations. In the S Press Tonbandverlag's world, format was as much a creative decision as the content itself. The selection of cassette and reel was deliberate, prioritizing the intimacy and immediacy of magnetic tape. Releases like "The 8-Voice Stereo-Canon Realization 11/25/73 Of The Black Tarantula Crossword" by Jackson Mac Low challenged the listener to engage with sound as an active participant. The label's publications, including magazines, extended this philosophy, offering a tactile dimension to the auditory experience. Edition S Press was more than a label; it was an interdisciplinary platform for collaborative artistic projects. Figures like John Cage and Allen Ginsberg found a home here, their works contributing to the label's rich tapestry of experimental sound. "There is No Other Life. Selected Poems 1960 to 1974" by Gary Snyder brought thematic depth to the catalog, weaving poetic narratives into the fabric of sound. This was a realm uninterested in mainstream appeal, instead nurturing a niche audience with a thirst for the new and the unconventional. Edition S Press, S Press Tonbandverlag remains a significant presence in the history of experimental sound, its influence echoing through the years like a fractal pattern, always expanding, never static.