Extra Savage – In The Hands Of The Makoh’lenga

2009

These five post-2000 tracks were first released as additional tracks on Enormous Savages Enlarged (Klanggalerie, 2009), the expanded CD version of the 1980s compilation LP Enormous Savages (Anna Logue Records, 2007). 

Of the five tracks, only “syst.admin” has been made previously available on Bandcamp (Little Savage EP). 

The subtitle of Extra Savage is a chapter title from the novel Sinclair’s Luck: A Story of Adventure in East Africa (1923), by Percy F. Westerman, published in The Boys’ Empire Series. The cover of the book features on the covers of the Enormous Savages LP and CD, and the cover of Extra Savage features the book’s frontispiece. The novel’s connection with CA is that a number of cut-up lyrics were sourced from it in the early 1980s, such as Khana Kloof and Sinclair’s Luck, both included on the double LP Press My Hungry Button (VOD Records, 2007). Some will know that Sinclair's Luck is the title of one of the two cassette albums CA released in 1983 (on John Balance's Hearsay and Heresy label, with artwork by Balance assisted by Peter Christopherson). 

The voice featured on Theme From Cultural Amnesia is that of DJ Rolando Ramos of Chile’s Radio Futuro. 28 February 2006, Rolando broadcast an hour-long special on CA.(With thanks to Stella Villarmea for the translation.) 

Both I Heard It On The Radio and Theme From Cultural Amnesia incorporate material recorded in the 1980s by the band. I Heard On The Radio is built on a 1980s loop made using the WEM Copicat. Theme From Cultural Amnesia features the "oscillator" (a metal detector) and CA's original synthesiser, the Korg MS10. 

REVIEWS

As originally released as additional tracks on the CD Enormous Savages Enlarged (Klanggalerie, 2009)

“The band reformed in 2000, and offer five new tracks, which actually seem to pick up right where they left off, moving more towards the Pop Group's muscular grooves and fidgety funk... A very welcome document from Britain's cassette culture.” – Aquarius Records, “Highlights of the Week”, 8 May 2009

“[T]he collection is here extended with five tracks recorded 2004–7: with Balance gone in 2004, CA lives on – and not on leftovers.” – Bad Alchemy magazine, 2009

“Five further tracks have been added to the CD release, products of the reformation in the last decade of the English ensemble, now with more sophisticated means. The acid attack of ‘It's Coming!’ gets things off to a good start, and the impetus is sustained with ‘syst.admin’ and the very up-to-date cold wave of ‘I Heard It On The Radio’." – Blow Up magazine #136, 2009

“These folks aren't hack throwbacks. I usually fear reunions put to tape, but the five tunes from this decade, though different animals, still hold their own. Less synth here and there and upped production quality. The rock moments even feel like The Ex or early Mekons, only less political and more of a snide hit against consumerism... Repetitive Fall stabs of UK art-rock by older guys who are allowed to do it...” – Terminal Boredom, 2009

“This Enlarged edition includes five tracks from Cultural Amnesia recorded since 2000. And guess what? They're pretty cool. The electronics slightly cleaner, the guitars slightly less rough but they're as oblique and as clever as ever. ‘It's Coming!’ is delivered in reams of smart descriptions and waves of distorted guitars hinting at a punk-funk thing. ‘Contains’ is a clever-clever list of marketing spin, ingredients and common phrases over electro squelch and guitars. With its stark guitar chords over primitive electro rhythm, ‘I Heard It On The Radio’ is almost a transitionary piece bridging the gap between the old and new Cultural Amnesia. The hollered vocals and Albiniesque guitar playing over organ chime on ‘syst.admin’ is reminiscent of the solo work of Thighpaulsandra. Blurt and a honking crackle box make this a total winner. [The set] closes with 'Theme From Cultural Amnesia' which appropriates a [Chilean] radio broadcast over some loose guitar playing and theremin-like wail [in fact a theremin], dissolving into experimental electronic improvisation. ... Cultural Amnesia were never short of ideas and these new tracks show they still have a lot to offer. It's rare we review an album twice but this is great stuff. Limited to a mere 500 copies on CD and been out for a while. Go and buy this.” – Compulsion online, News, September 2009

“What I'd like to examine here are the five songs of the second period of the band. ... [T]he tracks composed after 2000 find a band still full of ideas and able to use new sounds. ‘It's Coming!’ mixes driving distorted guitars, piano, synths and drums with semi-spoken lyrics, it sounds like a roller-coaster ride, with stops and goes and that sensation of having your chest pushed. ‘Contains’ is a beautiful electro experimental tune where the voice is again semi-spoken. The sound is rich and the catchy acoustic guitar lines sound perfect with all the electronic sounds that come and go. ‘I heard It On The Radio’ recalls a little the ’80s atmosphere, a sort of electronic ballad with guitars that sound like razors. In this way the sound is in opposition to the melancholy vocals. ‘syst.admin’ starts with a dissonant guitar that reminded me of The Fall or A Witness while the vocals sound like the sermon of a possessed priest. Everything is sustained by a syncopated drum. The Birthday Party on acid? ‘Theme From Cultural Amnesia’ starts like a dissonant post-rock track filtered by a broken radio only to lose the filter after a minute and develop into a mysterious instrumental track with a theremin-like synth [in fact a theremin]. The track slowly fades into a creepy noise/synth experimental tune. This album proves that this band has so much to tell and we need that so badly.” – Chain-DLK, 2009

This is an Iron Banana product. IB29 

released August 10, 2026

Ben Norland – electronics, programming, voice, production

John Peacock – guitar, keys, programming, production

Gerard Greenway – voice, keys, wind synthesiser, theremin, SW radio (sampled), 1980s oscillator (sampled)