Least Favorite/Weakest Fax Label Series or Albums

[drone on]

Lots of lists here over the years as to the best Fax/Namlook material, but what about the bad or weak ones.  The label was extremely prolific but there were quite a few that were v weak or even just plain bad.  Below I list my least favorite series and some exceptionally bad CDs whether in a series or not:

Series:

New Organic Life--Featured granular synthesis.  Whatever that is, I didn't like it.  Noisy experiments.
Silence--Just could never get into this kind of modern classical ambient.  There were five in the series. 
Move D/Namlook--Probably the most oversaturated series.  A few excellent ones but lots of weak or redundant installments.
Virtual Vices--Namlook and Spyra.  Most of it, six installments, was weak however Volume 3 was excellent.
Fires of Ork--Namlook and Biosphere.  Never understood what the hoopla was all about. 
Labyrinth--Bland music, oversaturated by five volumes.
Steve Stoll--His series of solo albums were awful, lo fi experimental affairs. 

Others:  A New Consciousness 2.  This album consisted of environmental sounds and no music.

[thirdsystem]

Of the series you mention....

NOL - I know of FAXheads who love it, I bought the first one and found it....erm....challenging to say the least. I was advised to try listening to it in a darkened room. That was one scary trip !! Might do it again some time when feeling brave 

SILENCE -  3 and 4 are okay, however imho Silence V is an absolute FAX ambient masterpiece. I have listened to that album hundreds of times.

MOVE D/ NAMLOOK. Have about  8 of these and like them all. XX Taygete , is probably my favourite. I previewed them all carefully on iTunes first though as I tended to do with all purchases.

VIRTUAL VICES - IV was my first ever FAX, I love it , will be in my top 5 , great mix of styles . The others are ok.

FIRES OF ORK - 1 is not really my thing but I play it occasionally . I still have to get 2 off bandcamp. When I previewed it though it was much more in my groove.

LABYRINTH - Have to say I like all of them.


As mentioned I tended to preview all FAX before purchasing so managed to avoid some of the few more techno/ beat orientated releases. Not really into that at all.

The one series I was a bit disappointed with was PEARL. Will have to give them another go sometime.

[drone on]

Thanks for the list.  I was just about to add Pearl and Music for Urban Meditation to my list.  Just couldn't get into those at all. 

[thirdsystem]

I listened to Pearl 3 yesterday in stereo and really enjoyed it  Almost like classical music had bonded with FAX ambient. It was actually beautiful. I know Pete was really proud of the Pearl series and loved doing it.  Will have to stick it on in DTS surround soon. Maybe should revisit the first two also.



Another two I avoided after checking the samples were The Putney stuff and the Hubertus Held, I daresay there might be good stuff thereon however the samples were more than enough for me.