Crammed Discs celebrate 42 years with digital reissue of 250 rare tracks

Music

To mark their 42nd anniversary, cult Belgian label Crammed Discs will digitally reissue 250 rarities from their back catalogue.

‘From The Crammed Archives’ will be drip fed as a string of releases over the next 18 months and will dig deep into areas of the label’s catalogue that have been somewhat forgotten and have never been released digitally before.

They’ll explore the electronic music they were putting out during the ’80s and ‘90s, starting with the ‘Rare Early SSR Electronica’ EP: five tracks from the inception of their sister label SSR electronic music, in the late ‘80s.

Born at a time when the sounds of Detroit techno were feeding into Europe and a sample-heavy strain of UK dance music was emerging, SSR was launched as a space to blend these sounds. Also around this time, a lot of Norwegian producers and musicians were coming over to Brussels, leading to them making links with central Crammed Discs figures – these meetings spawned a series of EPs that fused early techno with influences from around the world.

This new reissue EP charts some of these early outings and features music from some Gruesome Twosome, Bleep, Mr Big Mouse AKA label boss Marc Hollander and his musical associate Vincent Kenis, Alegria – the debut release from Bjorn Torske – and Farida International, another Mr Big Mouse alias.

SSR (and sister sub-labels Language and Selector) released over sixty albums and dozens of EPs in a variety of genres, from including Carl Craig, DJ Spinna, 4hero and Tek 9, Telex and many more.

Visit Crammed Discs website to buy it.