Up-to-date ectogram information can be found at the group's own website:
ECTOGRAM
Ann Matthews - Guitar, Vocals
Alan Holmes - Guitar
Maeyc Hewitt - Drums
Discography
Atol 1 - ECTOGRAM E.P. 7"
1. Spio trwy tylla 2. Pussy Bane 3. No, Soar
no copies left
Atol 2 - S4C Makes Me Want To Smoke Crack Vol 2 - 7"
Includes a version of ‘Gwagle’
no copies left
Atol 3 - MARY/CLADDING THE FISCAL DRAG 7"
copies available
Ankst 063 - SPOONICON E.P. - 7"/C.D.
1. Adennydd a sylltau 2. Syd 3. Cennin 4.Torn in a teacup
CD Version inlcudes the 16 minute FAUST TAPES track
instead of SYD
copies available
Ankst 069 - I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S NOT REGGAE - 2x12" / CD
1. Ebargofiant 2. This is how it is 3. Adennydd a sylltau
4. Her swings 5. Rapier 6. Syd 7. I set it far from wrong
8. Gwagle 9. Meindlos 10. Byth yn bwrw fel hyn 11. Stellar
12. Dainty Chord 13. Eirian 14. Indented.
Copies available
Ankst 079 - ELIOT’S VIOLET HOUR 7"/CD
1. Eliot’s Violet Hour 2. Tu mewn ceg Gerallt
CD also includes 12” "discomix" of title track.
Copies available
Ankst 091 - ALL BEHIND THE WITCHTOWER - CD
1. Herald Speke 2. All Behind The Witchtower 3. Cubeful
4. Cyfan Gwbl 5. Scratch 6. Salted Blow 7. Siglo
8. Rose 9. Caught On By 10. Seven Ugly Men 11. In Shadow
12. Spitsbergen 5
Copies available
Ankst 100 - TALL THINGS FALLING - CD
1. Sycamore Rash 2. To Dream Of Acorns 3. Kindling
4. The Horse Behind The Flower 5. Mismatter And Match
6. My Owl 7. Apparatus On My Mind
8. Glove Soup 9. Prime Plant Locks 10. Photos Of Toast 11. Black Lime Tree
12. Meddling Hour 13. Spring Without Green
Copies available
The group has also released records through the ever wonderful OCHRE RECORDS information about these is held at the OCHRE site : www.ochre.co.uk
BRIEF HISTORY
Ectogram sort of grew out of the 80’s Bangor (North Wales) scene where the three members played in a variety of pivotal groups such as Third Spain, The Lungs, Nixon & Jarvis, Radio 23, Alternative Destinations and the seminal Welsh language band Fflaps. Alan and Ann were members of the Fflaps alongside the late drummer Jonny Evans and were responsible for 3 full length albums (2 on Probe Plus Records AMHERSAIN (1988), MALLTOD (1990) and one on Central Slate Records FFLAPS(1992)) and toured extensively in Europe to critical acclaim (described as sounding like ‘Sonic Youth in a nuclear oven’.) During a Fflaps tour of France and Germany in 1993, Maeyc was standing in as replacement drummer with Ann and Alan when Alan’s bass amp broke. Unable to fix it, they dispensed with the bass altogether and Alan took to playing guitar instead. The new sound and line up took on a life of its own and seemed to demand a new identity - and so ECTOGRAM was born. They then released 3 7” singles with matching covers and clashing songs before recording a sprawling double album for Ankst Records - I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S NOT REGGAE !. Touring then occupied the band as further releases included a single in memory of Derek Jarman called ELIOT’S VIOLET HOUR was released in 1997 and in early 1998 the group released the SPITSBERGEN 10” on OCHRE Records. They also managed to play support slots with Beck, The Raincoats, Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, Pavement and the mighty Faust.
In 1999 the group recorded their second album for Ankstmusik Records. The resulting release, ALL BEHIND THE WITCHTOWER was released in early 2000 to more acclaim, The Wire claiming that it "Captures the genuine essence of psychedelia without getting mired in its surface trappings" and Melody Maker calling it a "cauldron of druggy krautrock and sleepy psychedelia". A split mini-CD with Americans Füxa followed on Ochre Records early in 2001.
2002 kicked
off with a third album, TALL THINGS FALLING which took a stripped down approach
to the instrumentation, using only guitars and drums, whilst remaining as sonically
adventurous as ever.
Mojo magazine said:
"While Branston recently saw fit to develpo a smooth version of their
celebrated pickle, Wales' Ankst label continues to promote records admirably
full of crunchy bits. Hence Ectogram's third LP - and Ankst's 100th release
- makes your speakers squeal and rattle, treated vocals and all manner of sonic
bolshieness driving Krautrock and psychedelia-influenced numbers with odd titles
like My Owl, Apparatus On My Mind - imagine Sonic Youth and Altered Images jamming
- is probably something of an aquired taste, but more melodic album-closer Spring
Without Green should sit nicely with fans of fellow Welsh psychonauts Super
Furry Animals. If you're looking for something more leftfield, this druggy experiment-fest
should float your boat; those in more conservative social circles can use it
to clear party stragglers."
The group are recognised as one of the few truly unique groups from the Welsh scene and famed for their powerful live shows where they regularly mount an assault on the senses.