There are records that just exist. Then there are records that *happen*. Raphael Saylem's "Dream Love Too Hot" 12" vinyl EP, unleashed on the unsuspecting world in 1983 by the aptly named Too Hot Records, is the latter. From the moment you lay eyes on the cover, featuring a suggestive image that left little to the imagination, you know you're in for a ride. But what kind of ride? Let's strap in and find out.
Setting the Stage: The Wild West of Early 80s Electronic Music
The early 1980s was a fertile, yet chaotic, period for electronic music. Synthesizers, once the domain of prog-rock pioneers, were now affordable and accessible. Bedroom producers were sprouting up everywhere, experimenting with sounds and rhythms that had never been heard before. It was the Wild West, with no rules, no boundaries, and plenty of room for both brilliance and utter nonsense. Raphael Saylem, a name that seemed to appear out of nowhere, landed squarely in the middle of this sonic free-for-all.
"Dream Love Too Hot": A Musical Exploration of Eroticism and the Unconscious
The mini-LP itself is a curious beast. It's not quite dance music, not quite ambient, and definitely not easy listening. Saylem described it as an exploration of "erotic dreams and the unconscious," and the music reflects this. Pulsating rhythms, hypnotic synth lines, and breathy vocals intertwine to create a soundscape that's both alluring and unsettling.
The production, rumored to have been handled by Saylem himself in a makeshift studio in his Berlin apartment, is raw and unpolished. This is not the slick, polished sound of mainstream electronic music. It's rough around the edges, but that's part of its charm. It feels like you're eavesdropping on someone's private fantasies, and that's both thrilling and a little bit disturbing.
Controversy and Censorship: Too Hot to Handle?
Unsurprisingly, "Dream Love Too Hot" didn't exactly fly under the radar. The combination of sexually explicit lyrics, suggestive artwork, and the overall atmosphere of the music made it a target for moral crusaders and censors. Some record stores refused to stock it, and radio stations wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole. But this only added to its mystique. It became a cult classic, passed around in underground clubs and whispered about in hushed tones.
The Legacy of "Dream Love Too Hot"
Raphael Saylem disappeared from the music scene as quickly as he arrived, leaving behind this one enigmatic record. "Dream Love Too Hot" remains a testament to a time when electronic music was still in its infancy, a time of experimentation and pushing boundaries. It's a record that's not afraid to explore the darker corners of the human psyche, and it's all the more powerful for it.
So, is it a masterpiece? That's up for debate. But it's undeniably a unique and fascinating artifact from a pivotal moment in music history. It's a reminder that music can be more than just entertainment; it can be a journey into the unknown, a confrontation with our deepest desires and fears. And that's something worth celebrating, even if it makes some people uncomfortable.
