CONTACT

This NY duet's second album, released in 69, is much in the artistic continuity of their s/t debut, but there is a notable difference, with leader Simeon also adding some banjo to their soundscapes, even if the said-instrument was often played separately from the rest of the instruments.

Opening on an electronically-simulated jet-airplane take-off, Contact presents a slightly different and more varied nature than its predecessor, including some two or three tracks that feature solo or mostly the banjo, which stick out like a sore thumb. The vocals can take on a Robert Wyatt-like feel, some other soundscapes reminiscent of the early Soft Machine, but for the most part, it remains much life their debut album.

Almost as groundbreaking s its predecessor, Contact doesn't hold the same surprise, and cannot have the groundbreaking aura of ts older brother, but the more-varied soundscapes mke it somewhat more accessible

The second album of Simeon's and Danny's archaic electronic experimentations contain the similar tonal characteristics from their debut album, relying more deeply on sound effect tapes and rhythmic reciting, sounding like some sort of proto-rap music. The rustic atonal shades are quite interesting, but still staying quite powerfully on the straits of their first record. Scarce banjo licks expand the sonic palette from their first album, but as a listening experience, I cannot escape the feeling of getting slightly bored. Those digging deeply into the soil for the roots of electronicks might want to listen this one though. In my opinion song "I Have Known Love" rises from the compositions as most working variation from the monotonic themes.

Most people claim Silver Apples' 1968 debut album to be their finest hour, but I disagree. While their debut album is an absolute pinnacle of electronic music and one of the most groundbreaking albums ever created, I personally feel "Contact" is the better album. Simeon at this point had mastered playing his homemade synthesizer, with the oscillators themselves having a more distorted sound to them - he had also added on to his instrument at this point, with a total of 13 oscillators at his disposal (he only had 9 to play with when the first album was recorded). Songs like "You and I" and "You're Not Foolin' Me" have a wonderful discordant sound to them and a great driving beat to go along with it, "Water" deeply explores atonal droning that is more widely experimented with today in electronic music, "Ruby" adds an intriguing bluegrass element to the mix (with Simeon picking the banjo while playing bass notes on his oscillators with his feet!), and tracks like "Gypsy Love" and "A Pox On You" foreshadow the (dare I say it) disco-esque sounds Giorgio Moroder would create in the following decade. Alas, poorly-planned album artwork (with the back of the sleeve showing them playing banjos amongst airplane wreckage) spelled a quick end to Kapp Records and the Silver Apples themselves, sending them to the dustbins of obscurity for many years until the rediscovery of their music and subsequent revival in the '90s. Sadly, the Silver Apples are no longer with us - Danny Taylor died in 2006, and Simeon Coxe died in 2020 - but their cosmic sounds will forever live on!