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Terre Thaemlitz: A/VM 8 | Microcassette | Released 1999/5/4 | Spain: Alku, A/VM8

A lost rarity uncovered while attempting to re-organize my book shelves: my anonymous contribution to the 1999 Alku microcassette series "AV/M." This microcassette contains a single, exclusive, untitled track made in an ambient/collage/plunderphonic style, with a duration of 4'14" (four minutes, fourteen seconds). I believe it was an edition of 20 - of which I have 10! In terms of quantity produced, this is beyond a doubt the rarest of all my releases - hence the stupid price. Limit one per customer. Available here & now at the Comatonse Shop.

Alku's process for this release was very peculiar. Here are the old emails they sent me in 1999, which is basically everything I know about this project:

Message 1 (99/04/21): a/vm

hi, terre
1.you don't know us
we don't know you>>except for yr music
two barcelona kids>small home anti-profit label (stuff is not sold, just
given away) called alku.

2.new alku project: a/vm unsual format, unsual way of working, unsual
unsualness. wanna be a part of it?
just send a/some track/s. unfinished stuff is wellcome.
in exchange we give you no control of the artwork, no publicity of yr name,
no money, no time enough to work, no info about what's it about, and no
nothing in general. like it? hope so.

3.let us know if you are interested, then.

a+r

Message 2 (99/04/22): a/vm instructions

in exchange we give you no control of the artwork, NO PUBLICITY OF YR NAME,
no money, no time enough to work, no info about what's it about, and no
nothing in general. like it? hope so.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
............................................................................
.....................................

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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the game has started then. follow the instructions.

1.you've got number 8

2.delivery deadline: 4th may.... that means that packages posted after this
date won't be used. not a joke.

3.formats allowed: cd/md

4.you should post it to:
[details deleted]
barcelona 08041
spain

tht's all by now

beware of murphy
alku

    :--)

Message 3 (99/05/07): alku, dpto. de comunicación

Alku se enorgullece de presentar A/VM, una nueva serie de ediciones que
serán enviadas puntualmente cada miércoles durante un tiempo
pre-establecido. Evidentemente, si Murphy nos lo permite, cosa que no
podemos asegurar. Esperamos disfruten de su mala suerte tanto como nosotros.
Encarecidamente suyo,
alku, departamento de comunicación

Alku s'enorgulleix de presentar A/VM, una nova sèrie d'edicions que seran
enviades puntualment cada dimecres durant un temps pre-establert.
Evidentment, si Murphy ens ho permet, cosa que no podem assegurar. Esperem
que gaudiu de la seva mala sort tant com nosaltres.
Atentament,
alku, departament de comunicació

Alku is proud to present A/VM, a new series of releases which will be post
punctually every wednesday during some preestablished time. Of course, that
will happen if Murphy allows us to do so, which is quite unsure. We hope you
enjoy your bad luck as much as we do.
Yrs sincerely,
alku, comunication department

Alku praesentiert A/VM, eine neue Reihe von Veroeffentlichungen, die
rechtzeitig jeden Mittwoch, innerhalb eines noch festzulegenden Zeitpunktes,
erscheinen. Natuerlich wird das nur geschehen solang das Murphy's Gesetz
zulaesst, was sich noch zeigen wird. Wir hoffen Sie lieben Ihr Pech genauso
sehr wie wir.
MfG,
alku, Kommunikations Abteilung

Message 4 (99/06/11): a/vm is back

hi there terre. a/vm is pleased to announce you that alku has got an
installation in sonar. the installation is called "sitio", which means
"place" and some a/vms will be played there (no credits of course). it's a
small room where the listener is kept locked while a track is being played.
they can not choose the track and they can not go outside of the room until
its finished.
hope you like the idea---- somehowit's close to the a/vm thing----NO
CONTROL----TAKE RISKS_____.
this is yr first sonar, then.
regards
a+r

The black-on-black cover is almost illegible. The image below has been digitally enhanced to show the "a/vm" stamp and number 8 printed in black ink on black paper: