THERE IS NOTHING

1986's There Is Nothing is the fourth of the band's early cassette releases (now reissued several times in various formats), and the third studio one (Live Ethereal Cereal being a live album). As well as the band's grasp on their chosen musical direction being tighter, the production values this time around are also markedly sharper than on their previous two studio releases, Erpsongs and Tantric Obstacles; this is particularly the case on the most recent round of remasters.

It still sounds a little rough around the edges - still like the product of an underground festival band, and without the pristine polish that their LPs from Pungent Effulgent would enjoy. However, this does give the release a lot of its charm; the production values are distinct enough from their "proper" albums, and the equipment just slightly older, so it all sounds just a little different from what would come later, but the production values are good enough that the album's origins as a cassette release don't overshadow the music. If you're going to explore this era of the group, this would be an excellent place to start.