Chromosome

Chromosome were a brief but vital flash in Tel Aviv’s early-’80s underground. Formed in 1981 by provocateur Rami Fortis alongside Doron “Shultz” Eyal, the group channelled punk abrasion, new wave structure and avant-garde dissonance through a distinctly local lens, threading in Middle Eastern rhythmic and melodic ideas. Joined by David Gervai and Rona Vered, the project existed on the fringes, operating outside established scenes and commercial expectations.

Originally issued as a lone 12" on their own TOV Production imprint, Chromosome EP stands as a rare and uncompromising document. Its sound is raw and percussive, moving between English, Arabic and fractured, near-phonetic vocal fragments that feel closer to transmission interference than conventional songcraft. The result is music that feels unstable and urgent, balancing control and collapse in equal measure.

This release restores a long-overlooked work that maps a borderless lineage for Israeli underground music, connecting local tension to broader post-punk and experimental movements of the era. A crucial listen for anyone tracing international post-punk beyond its usual centres.