Hasta La Ideas

Long the domain of obscurists and NYC musicologists, Bob Blank’s Blank Tapes recording studio’s long overdue retrospective (due out 2 February 2010) comes thanks to Strut Records. “The Blank Generation: Blank Tapes NYC 1975-1985” looks at the cult producer’s work, which tapped into Gotham’s burgeoning underground music and art scene of the ’70s and ’80s, engineering some of disco’s most innovative classics.

The 13-track rarities collection includes everything from his studio’s first ever track (Milton Hamilton’s “Crystalized”) to deep cuts from the likes of Gladys Knight and Sun Ra. But Blank’s most enduring legacy likely lies with the late Arthur Russell, who recorded at Blank Tapes (often under the monikers Dinosaur L, Indian Ocean, Felix and Lola) and whose output is also currently seeing a revival.

Preorder “The Blank Generation” from Amazon and stream some of the tracks in the meantime on the dedicated site.