UK label Above Board is putting out a two-part compilation of rare early-to-mid-’90s electronic music produced by a number of British acts.
Happy Land: A Compendium Of Alternative Electronic Music From The British Isles 1992-1996 collects tracks by the likes of Cabaret Voltaire, The Black Dog, Matthew Herbert, Richard H. Kirk (under his Sandoz alias) and Richard D. James (under his little-used Strider. B. moniker).
The compilation takes its name from Ultramarine’s 1993 track ‘Happy Land’, which appears on the release. The music featured across the collection, Above Board said in the release notes, was produced during "a particularly turbulent time in the UK, not only politically and economically, but also culturally too." Referencing authoritarian government policies of the time such as a continued crackdown on rave culture, Above Board said Happy Land aims to celebrate the uniquely British music that emerged against that backdrop.
The first volume of Happy Land is out now on vinyl, while the second instalment’s vinyl edition will follow next month, alongside a full digital release of both parts.
Above Board will release Happy Land: A Compendium Of Alternative Electronic Music From The British Isles 1992-1996 on April 14, 2023.
