History & Back Issues (PDFs)

In print, Cyclic was published three times a year and was available free in selected record stores and other outlets across Australia.

Former editors-in-chief:
Alexandra Savvides (Issues 27-32)
Sebastian Chan (Issues 1-26)

Former editors:
Alexandra Savvides (Issues 21-32)
Shaun Prescott (Issues 21-30)
Luke Telford (Issues 30-32)
Matthew Levinson (Issues 15-26)
Dale Harrison (Issues 1-12)

Former art directors:
Thommy Tran (Issues 21-32)
Bim Ricketson (Issues 13-20)
Dale Harrison (Issues 1-12)

Former sub-editor:
Luke Telford

Founders:
Sebastian Chan & Dale Harrison
Version 1 founded in 1998. Version 2 founded in 2002.

The following stores once stocked Cyclic Defrost:

NSW – Black Wire, Emma Soup, FBi Radio, Goethe Institut, Mojo Music, Music NSW, Pigeon Ground, The Record Store, Red Eye Records, Repressed Records, Title Music, Utopia

VIC – Collectors Corner Curtin House, Licorice Pie, Polyester Records, Ritual Music and Books, Wooly Bully

QLD – The Outpost, Rocking Horse, Taste-y

SA – B Sharp Records, Big Star Records, Clarity Records, Mr V Music, Title Music

WA – 78 Records, Dadas, Fat Shan Records, Junction Records, Mills Records, Planet Music, The Record Finder, RTRFM

TAS – Fullers Bookshop, Ruffcut Records

NT – Happy Yess

ONLINE – Twice Removed Records, info[at]cyclicdefrost.com

Cyclic Defrost gratefully acknowledged the support of the Australia Council For The Arts for support of Issues 1-32 (2002-2013).

Printable Versions

Here are full printable PDF versions of each issue. These are identical to the hard copy Cyclic Defrost complete with advertising and all content. Obviously, there are benefits from the PDF version – notably you can search them, carry them on your mobile, or just read them if you live outside of Australia.

Issue 32

Features: interviews with The Necks, This Thing collective, Arbol, The Longest Day, a feature on the resurgence of the cassette and Cyclic Selects with Bob Baker Fish.

48 pages with cover by Jonathan Key

+ Download PDF (1.8mb, June 2013)

Issue 31

Features: interviews with Eve Klein, Mere Women, Anthony Pateras, Bedroom Community feat. Ben Frost, Chet Faker and Cyclic Selects with Andrew Khedoori who runs Preservation Records.

48 pages with cover by Kell Derrig-Hall

+ Download PDF (2mb, August 2012)

Issue 30

Features: interviews with Deerhoof, Flying Lizards, Michael Rother, Black Dice and Moon Wiring Club. Then Meem rounds out the issue with their favourite records whilst cover designer Alex Mustakov tells us about his favourite record covers.

48 pages with cover by Alex Mustakov

+ Download PDF (2mb, March 2012)

Issue 29

Features: interviews with Benedict Moleta, Part Timer, Ian Hawgood & Home Normal Records, Plaid, Maria Minerva, a run down of the Sydney DIY scene, and a photo essay by Tom Hall following AXXONN on tour. Then Donny Benet rounds out the issue with their favourite records whilst cover designer Cameron Baird tells us about his favourite record covers.

48 pages with cover by Cameron Baird

+ Download PDF (3mb, Sept 2011)

Issue 28

Features: interviews with Mental Powers, Catcall, Mystery Twin, Dro Carey and a photo essay by Lari Gadza. Then Seekae rounds out the issue with their favourite records whilst cover designer Kris Keogh tells us about his favourite record covers.

48 pages with cover by Kris Keogh

+ Download PDF (5mb, May 2011)

Issue 27

Features: interviews with Patrick O’Brien (Sunshine & Grease), Fabulous Diamonds, sanso-xtro, Markus Popp (Oval), Broadcast, and Ous Mal. The Alps rounds out the issue with their favourite records whilst Jessica Brennan tells us about her favourite record covers.

48 pages with cover by Jessica Brennan

+ Download PDF (3mb, December 2010)

Issue 26

Features: interviews with Gentleforce, Horrorshow & Spit Syndicate; retrospectives on Clan Analogue and Room 40, and exposes of the Brisbane experimental music scene and Sydney’s underground punk venues. Ozi Batla rounds out the issue with his favourite records whilst Gentleforce tells us about his favourite record covers.

48 pages with cover by Eli Murray/Gentleforce.

+ Download PDF (3mb, August 2010)

issue 25

Issue 25

Features: interviews with Dave Fernandes, Tom Ellard & Severed Heads, Chicago Underground Duo, Kieran Hebden & Four Tet, Icarus, Dam Funk, DJ Spooky and guest sleeve reviews by Dave Fernandes and Selects by Lucas Abela.

48 pages with cover by Dave Fernandes.

+ Download PDF (5.5mb, April 2010)

issue 24

Issue 24

Features: interviews with Heath Killen, Alps of NSW, Kito, Holy Balm, Ghoul, Clingtone, Editor, Seaworthy, Sunn O))), Stuart Baker (Soul Jazz), Guillaume Sorge & the Dirty Sound System and guest sleeve reviews by Heath Killen and Selects by Tim Richie.

48 pages with cover by Heath Killen.

+ Download PDF (5mb, December 2009)

issue 23

Issue 23

Features: interviews with Grant Hunter, Pimmon, Castings, Swoop Swoop, Joel Stern, Mata & Must, Tim Exile, Chihei Hatakeyama, Peaking Lights, an opinion piece on ‘wonky’ , and guest sleeve reviews by Grant Hunter and Selects by Tim Koch.

48 pages with cover by Grant Hunter.

+ Download PDF (5mb, August 2009)

issue 22

Issue 22

Features: interviews with We Buy Your Kids, Knitted Abyss, Anonymeye, Eugene Carchesio, Belbury Poly, Wavves, Fennesz, Mountains, VVM/The Caretaker, stories on the DIY Cassette scene and the emerging Sydney electronic underground, and guest sleeve reviews by We Buy Your Kids and Selects by Christos Tsiolkas.

48 pages with cover by We Buy Your Kids.

+ Download PDF (3mb, April 2009)

issue 21

Issue 21

Features: interviews with Children of the Wave, Qua, Mountains in the Sky, Shoeb Ahmad, Aeriae, Panoptique Electrical, Moonmilk, Fuck Buttons, Nostalgia77, Matthew Herbert, Adam Mills (Sound & Fury) and our regular sleeve design reviews.

48 pages with cover by Thommy Tran.

+ Download PDF (8mb, December 2008)

issue 20

Issue 20

Features: interviews with Tactics, Tim Catlin, Leila, Why?, Dave Newman, Lucky Dragons, Twine, Paradise Lost, plus features on the new DIY, Sydney club culture, and classical electronica and our regular sleeve design reviews.

48 pages with cover by Lyndon Pike.

+ Download PDF (8mb, August 2008)

issue 19

Issue 19

Features: interviews with Snawklor, Western Synthetics, Blank Realm, Oren Ambarchi, ii, Naked on the Vague, Aluf, Julian Knowles, Francois Tetaz, Yawning Man, Ghislain Poirier, Burnt Friedman, Beach House and our regular sleeve design reviews.

48 pages with cover by Snawklor.

+ Download PDF (5mb, March 2008)

issue 18

Issue 18

Features: interviews with Cailan Burns, Roger Richards/Extreme Records, Ivens, Francis Plagne, Clinton Green, Nam Shub of Enki, Mark Pritchard, Danny Jumpertz, Burial, Aaron Martin, Boy is Fiction, Odd Nosdam, Seaworthy and our regular sleeve design reviews.

48 pages with cover by Cailan Burns.

+ Download PDF (5mb, November 2007)

issue 17

Issue 17

Features: interviews with Jeremy Dower, Chris Smith, David Thrussell and Warren Burt; youngsters Aleks and the Ramps, Underlapper, Mira Calix, Panda Bear, Sam Amidon, Christopher Willits, Tony Dupe, Unkle Ho and our regular sleeve design reviews.

48 pages with cover by Jeremy Dower.

+ Download PDF (4mb, August 2007)

issue 16

Issue 16

Features: interviews with Michael C Place/Build, Because of Ghosts, Adrian Klumpes, Phillip Samartzis, Mister Speed, Mountains In The Sky, Kharkov, Mist & Sea, Max Richter, Pedro, Tim Hecker, DJ Gemma plus two different accounts of the Red Bull Music Academy in Melbourne and our regular sleeve design reviews.

48 pages with cover by Build.

+ Download PDF (9.8 MB March 2007)

issue 15

Issue 15

Features: interviews with Bim Ricketson, Deepchild, Nico Muhly, Rune Grammofon, Leafcutter John, Matt Warren, Rebel MP, Winduptoys, Post, Astronomy Class, Kid Koala, and coverage of The Big Chill 2006 plus new music reviews, and sleeve design reviews.

48 pages with cover by Bim Ricketson.

+ Download PDF (3.2 MB November 2006)

issue 13/14issue 13/14

Issue 13/14

Features: interviews with Traianos Pakioufakis, James Hancock, Toydeath, Steve Law/Zen Paradox, Scissors For Sparrow, Moving Ninja, Faux Pas, Jimmy Edgar, Battles, Tunng, Matmos, Mark N, and extensive coverage of the Now Now Festival and Soanr 2006 plus new music reviews, and sleeve design reviews.

80 pages with dual colour covers by Traianos Pakioufakis and James Hancock.

+ Download PDF (9.1 MB July 2006)

issue 12

Issue 12
Features: interviews with Umeric, Unkle Ho, dave Brown, Saddleback, Felix Laband, Josh Martinez, Bill Holt and Lawrence Pike plus new music reviews, and sleeve design reviews.

48 pages with colour cover by Umeric.

+ Download PDF (3.0 MB, October 2005)

issue 11

Issue 11
Features: interviews with Joe Scerri/Lake Lustre, Velure, Monkfly & the Frequency Lab, Jodi Rose, Architecture In Helsinki, Feral Media, Combat Wombat, Autechre, Keith Fullerton Whitman and Sir Robbo plus new music reviews, and sleeve design reviews.

56 pages with colour cover by Sober.

+ Download PDF (5.9 MB, May 2005)

issue 10

Issue 10
Features: interviews with Superlight, Ponyloaf, Inchtime, Chasm, Inga Lillejstrom, Winterville, Alan Lamb, Francisco Lopez, Lawrence English, Amon Tobin, Smaze, Bec Paton and dj/Rupture, new music reviews, sleeve design reviews, artist demo reviews, and 80s pop culture flashbacks.

44 pages with colour cover by Superlight.

+ Download PDF (4.6 MB, February 2005)

issue 9

Issue 9
Features: interviews with Twotone, Decoder Ring, Domu, Macross Matrix, exploration of VJing in Australia, event reviews, new music reviews, sleeve design reviews, artist demo reviews, and 80s pop culture flashbacks.

44 pages with colour cover by Macross Matrix.

+ Download PDF (3.7 MB, December 2004)

issue 8

Issue 8
Features: interviews with Kevin Purdy, Pablo Dali, City City City, Coldcut, Jeff Parker (Tortoise), Anthony Pateras, Lali Puna, 3rd Dek’s (Music vs Physics) pick of teenage rebellion , plus Vaughan Healey on iPod krumping and the aesthetics of MP3, new music reviews, sleeve design reviews, artist demo reviews, and 80s pop culture flashbacks.

44 pages with colour cover by Mark Gowing.

+ Download PDF (3.5 MB, June 2004)

issue 7

Issue 7
Features: interviews with Pimmon, Buck65, Animal Collective, Triosk, Steven Scott, Ray Diode & Given, Peter Pasqual from Creative Vibes, Lawrence English’s pick of teenage rebellion, plus new music reviews, sleeve design reviews, artist demo reviews, and 80s pop culture flashbacks.

36 pages with colour cover by Steven Scott.

+ Download PDF (3.4 MB, March 2004)

issue 6

Issue 6
Features: interviews with Qua, Robokoneko, John Chantler, 8-Bit & The Calculators, Techa Noble & The Kingpins, Hermitude’s pick of teenage rebellion ,plus new music reviews, sleeve design reviews, artist demo reviews, and 80s pop culture flashbacks.

36 pages with colour cover by Techa Noble.

+ Download PDF (2.7 MB, December 2003)

issue 5

Issue 5
Features: interviews with Delire, B(if)tek, Telemetry Orchestra, Darrin Verhagen; community activist John Jacobs, radio producer Andrew Khedoori, and the man responsible for mobile disco in Australia – Andrew Noble. Plus Mr Lif, Andrew Pekler’s pick of teenage record rebellion, Vaughan Healey’s dissection of South Asian influences in hip pop and dancehall, new music reviews, sleeve design reviews, artist demo reviews, and 80s pop culture flashbacks.

44 pages with colour cover by Alex Crowfoot.

+ Download PDF (5.1 MB, September 2003)

issue 4

Issue 4
Features: interviews with Curse Ov Dialect, Pasobionic, Frost, Dsico, Fiam, Upshot, The Herd, Rekindle, Barry’s Bootlegs & Cassette Boy, and Godspeed You Black Emperor; plus new music reviews, sleeve design reviews, artist demo reviews, and 80s pop culture flashbacks.

44 pages with colour cover by Shehab Tariq.

+ Download PDF (3.3 MB, June 2003)

issue 3

Issue 3
Features: interviews with Snawklor, Tim Ritchie, Tim Koch, Clue To Kalo, Domenico di Clario, Blatant Proaganda; articles on karaoke in Sydney, Sopp Collective and post-rave utopianism; plus new music reviews, sleeve design reviews, artist demo reviews, and 80s pop culture flashbacks.

36 pages with colour cover and faux record sleeve enclosure by the Sopp Collective & centrefold poster by the Ladiez Of The Jump Rope 4 Art Skipping League.

+ Download PDF (1.5 MB, March 2003)

issue 2

Issue 2
Features: interviews with Dave Miller, Puzhaki, Ollo, The New Pollutants, Susumu Yokota; articles on Rinzen, Crispydisc.com, Southern Outpost, Bollywood & Bhangra in Australia, Zed Bias & Hyperdub, a sleeve design primer on Jon Wozencroft; plus new music reviews, sleeve design reviews, artist demo reviews, 80s pop culture flashbacks and the judgement jukebox.

40 pages with colour cover & centrefold poster done by guest designer Steve Alexander of Rinzen.

+ Download PDF (2.8 MB, December 2002)

issue 1

Issue 1
Features: interviews with Quark Kent, Betaville Orchestra, Monotonik, Surgery Records, Couchblip, Aural Industries, Lucas Abela & Dual Plover, Ponyloaf, Pivot, Tom Phillipson & Dumphuck Records; articles on Bloody Fist Records, Akufen & the Montreal glitch-techno community, broken beat in London/Tokyo/Berlin, a sleeve design primer, 8-bit electro, and a profile on 6 years of Frigid; plus new music reviews, sleeve design reviews, artist demo reviews, 80s pop culture flashbacks and the judgement jukebox.

36 pages with colour cover done by guest designer Tom Phillipson.

+ Download PDF (2.4 MB, August 2002)

Cyclic Defrost Version One

The first incarnation of Cyclic Defrost was as a photocopy zine. We thought it would be a good way of promoting a club we ran (and still run) in Sydney called Frigid. That’s where the name Cyclic Defrost comes from, and in those early issues it was really about creating a community around the club night and giving people something more substantial than a flyer to promote the night. At the time I was working at a university and we would bring in the master copy then run it through the university photocopiers printing roughly 600-700 copies of each issue. Then we’d stuff them into envelopes and post most out to our readership. It was pretty labour intensive. Looking back I think this was a pretty exciting time in Sydney during this time and you will see a lot of similarities between the early version and the current ‘proper’ Cyclic Defrost.

Issue 15
Features: new look frigid, Dale discovers Canberra’s biggest vinyl sale, Organarchy’s MPFree project, buying music on the web update, degrassi recaps the imporatnt parts of the last millenium (part one), plus reviews of kit clayton "nek sanalet", dj cheb i sabbah "shri durga", papa m "live from a shark cage", postion normal "stop your nonsense", various "clicks & cuts", various "electric psychedelic sitar headswirlers vol 2", alice coltrane "astral meditations", funkstorung "post art", divine styler "word sound 2", roy budd "diamonds o.s.t", roy budd "the stone killer o.s.t", roy budd "the marseille contract o.s.t"

20 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (276kb, February 2000)

Issue 14
Features: Frigid’s music & drugs primer, Rose St r.i.p., "the train ride", Degrassi does drugs & Corey Feldman (although not both at the same time), plus new album reviews of size "actual size", various "voices in my lunchbox", various "freaky loops 2", squarepusher "selection sixteen", material "intonarumori", do make say think "besides", various "warp: influences classic and remixes", aphrodite "s,t", clinton "disco & halfway to discontent", various "spymania: welcome to celebrity fog donkey", dj spooky "subliminally minded", prozack "tan lejos", soul center "s,t", dj krust "coded language" and various "no lightweight stuff"

20 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (392kb, December 1999)

Issue 13
Features: movement at the station, jazz shortcuts, insiders speak on cable television porn, cheap movie pass, strange arcade games, degrassi does 21 jump street, classic reviews of mig 29 "mig 29", various "guerilla in dub", ultramarine "every man & woman is a star", new album reviews of instrumental "acoustek", tarwater "remix ep", the beta band "the beta band", various "rootdown 99", various "furture sound of jazz 5", and goblin "profundo rosso soundtrack"

20 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (404kb, September 1999)

Issue 12
Features: diy record distribution , ozi battla does amerikka and krs-one, degrassi presents the first cyclic ‘sealed sexion’, plus new album reviews of four tet "glasshead", tarwater featuring tikiman "like a miracle", qbert "wave twisters", flanger "templates", u-ziq "royal astronomy", various "microscopic sound", extended spirit "caprice"

20 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (372kb, August 1999)

Issue 11
Features: kodwo eshun, degrassi does knight rider , aum supreme truth, southpark supreme truth, tamarillos & zucchini, plus new album reviews of kid loco "jesus life for children under 12 inches", andy weatherall & richard fearless "live at the social volume 3", fridge "EPH", live human "monstereosis", various "fatcat – accross uneven terrain", various "trouble on vinyl – mission control"

20 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (332kb, July 1999)

Issue 10
Features: millenium tension, north sydney aliens, ways around plagiarism, ubin interview, oms not bombs update, j18, degrassi does dana plato memorial

20 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (344kb, June 1999)

Issue 9
Features: the shouting man, the dodgy prodigy, media manipulation, behind the middle men – record shops, record distributors & internet mail order, anti-chart propaganda, looking back to liquid sky, degrassi does prisoner, plus new album reviews of bogdan racyznyski "boku mo wakaran", to rococo rot "the amateur view", kalyanji & anandji "bombay the hard way", funki porcini "the ultimately empty million pounds", godspeed you black emperor "slow riot for zero kanada", agent blue "blueprints", .mils "s/t", turner "lurkin orgel", push button objects "skam 011", terra nine "paranormal"

20 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (360kb, May 1999)

Issue 8
Features: behind the kosovo crisis, food in bondi junction & chinatown, oms not bombs update, dear degrassi does miami vice, chocolate jesus does ice cube, decoding dvd, the ethics of software piracy, john molnar’s film picks of 1975-79, classic album reviews of spk "zammia lehmanni", new order "power, corruption & lies", einsturzende neubauten "haus der luge" / plus new album reviews of do make say think "s/t", badawi "heretic of ether", gas "konigsforst", squarepusher "buhakhan mindphone and much more

24 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (444kb, April 1999)

Issue 7
Features: activist media primer, reclaim the streets 5, professional wrestling, coldcut interview, dear degrassi does CHiPs, john molnar’s film picks of 1970-74, bat chat with miguel, plus new album reviews of love arms & toast girl, air 4 "elle a du shell", biosphere "biosystems", pitch black "futureproof", senking "s/t", godspeed you black emperor "f# a# infinity", pole "2"

20 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (280kb, March 1999)

Issue 6
Features: community radio, clown college, 5000 fingers of dr t’s guide to psychedelic sydney, epping & tracker music, vinyl care, the pilfernators interview, 33 or 45?, dear degrassi does the a-team, john molnar’s film picks of the 1960s, bat chat with miguel / plus new album reviews of bola "soup", coldcut "let us replay", v/a "subaudio.net", mice parade "the true meaning of boodleybaye"

24 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (328kb, February 1999)

Issue 5
Features: guide to back orifice, oms not bombs #2, the closing of the cricketer’s arms, patrick haf does detroit, bruce ruxton on drum’n’bass, bat chat with miguel, classic arcade game reviews – moon patrol, phoenix, alien syndrome, hyper sports, hyper olympics, r-type, dear degrassi does mr t,/ john molnar’s film picks of the 1950s, plus new album reviews of low key operations "architectronic", mike ink "studio 1 collection", east flatbush project "tried by twelve remixes", v/a "dub for the masses

24 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (360kb, January 1999)

Issue 4
Features: frigid leaves the dendy faq, reverend fred nile on electro, nutmeg experiences, vaughan’s guide to drum’n’bass 12"s, dear degrassi does gary coleman, bat chat with miguel, dodgy pasts #2, classic album reviews of v/a "keeping the faith", the smiths "the queen is dead", meat beat manifesto "radio babylon", the shamen "entact", krs-one "return of the boom bap", scientist "rids the world of the evil curse of the vampires", plus new album reviews of two lone swordsmen "stay down", dom & roland "industry", dj disk "ancient termites", witchman vs jammin unit "inferno", subtropic "compression point", thomas brinkmann "ernst ep series", mdk "open transport", decoder "dissection", tortoise vs autechre "adverse camber", v/a "2-800 thunk", telemetry orchestra "live better electrically", v/a "freaky loops"

20 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (328kb, December 1998)

Issue 3
Features: oms not bombs, frigid fudge recipe, homemade dreadlocks, restarurant picks, sir robbo’s guide to psychedelic rock, neural’s intro to post rock, sheila nursoo profile, dodgy pasts #1, plus new album reviews of v/a "highways over gardens", coil "time machines", v/a "deeper concentration"

20 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (296kb, November 1998)

Issue 2
Features: ed wood profile, websites to check, frigid faq, classic arcade game reviews – galaga, gauntlet, heavy barrel, star wars, bubble bobble, slap fight, classic album reviews – v/a "artificial intelligence", beaumont hannant "texturology", st ettienne "foxbase alpha", pete namlook "air 2", joy division "closer", pale saints "in ribbons", plus new album reviews of plastikman "consumed", v/a "sound in motion", rhythm & sound "showcase", pole "1", hans platzgummer "fingerfood", waiwan "distraction", v/a "musique tropique collection"

12 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (132kb, October 1998)

Issue 1
Features: frigid survey results

4 pages with b&w cover.

+ Download PDF (72kb, September 1998)