8 Time assembles material that Bruce Gilbert and Graham Lewis released on 4AD in 1980 and 1981: the album 3R4 and the singles Like This for Ages and Ends With the Sea. After Wire suspended operations in 1980, the pair collaborated on various projects under such names as Dome, Cupol, Duet Emmo, and P'o. Despite these nominal changes in identity, they rarely strayed far from experimental, minimalist territory, largely shunning conventional song formats in favor of abstract patterns and textures. Although Gilbert and Lewis' projects were never the most tuneful affairs, on most of the recordings collected here melody was even less a priority, as rhythm became the focus of their experimentation. This is particularly striking on the 20-minute Kluba Cupol. While a metronomic beat marks time, slight ambient layers and additional rhythmic components (including bodhran and even a table, played by artist Russell Mills) weave in and out, inscribing subtly changing patterns and moments of rising intensity within the repetitive structure. Mills also contributed percussion to the two epic tracks on 3R4: the pulsing 3.4 and the hypnotic R, both of which pass the quarter-hour mark. Starting off sounding like creaking machinery, R incorporates a vocal loop and steadily builds into an occasionally menacing soundscape. The shorter tracks provide more accessible interludes. Most successful in that regard are the off-kilter, fairground-y Ends With the Sea, on which Lewis shares distorted vocals with Angela Conway, and Cupol's Like This for Ages, which sets Lewis' vaguely fraught vocals to a lurching mechanical rhythm. Like most Gilbert and Lewis fare, the material on 8 Time isn't exactly easy listening. Still, it does show that, as well as lengthy instrumental experimentation, the duo was capable of compressed numbers that could be called songs -- although they could never be confused with pop music. ~ Wilson Neate, Rovi

1		Like This for Ages
2		Kluba Cupol
3		Barge Calm 4 3
4		....
5		Barge Clam
6		R
7		Ends with the Sea
8		Hung Up to Dry Whilst Bui