Delia Derbyshire really does remain the unknown genius of early analog music (unknown outside of Doctor Who geeks and, erm, this site, anyway). And she could beat match on reel-to-reel tape decks — several at a time. This is apparently the year 1968, when such things weren’t exactly commonplace (thanks, Stabilizer; I had to get this one out of comments and onto the main site):
The piece in question is Pot Au Feu, an incredible piece of early electronica that’s, surprisingly, not nearly as far lesser works. To dig into the Delia back catalog, head here:
Delia Derbyshire: An audiological chronology
Or visit the major site with information on her:
There’s a real chance for the Web to create a Derbyshire-mania phenomenon. What we need now is electronic re-releases of the albums, documentary materials, and so on. Word on the street is that BBC is teaming up with YouTube; maybe this could be the first step.
Now I’m going to sheepishly get back to Reaktor programming. It’s inspiring to see the mastery of an early pioneer like her; you begin to see all your tools in a completely fresh light, and wonder what really could be possible with them.