Anna Domino’s 1984 mini-album East And West was a quiet record from a Tokyo-born artist living in downtown New York. It arrived on Les Disques du Crépuscule, the Belgian indie label that often worked with Tony Wilson’s Factory Records. Now, the album is being reissued, and it brings seven previously unheard demos into the light.
The reissue pairs the original five tracks with key singles from the period, plus those seven demos, newly digitized from Domino’s original four-track tapes. One of those demos, “Happy To Go,” is out today with a video featuring rare archival photographs of late ’70s and early ’80s New York City taken by Domino herself.
The Original Five Tracks
East And West was a five-track record, and it carried the weight of a neighborhood. Domino communicated the aura of downtown New York through swimmy avant-pop daydreams, songs that floated rather than marched.
The tracklist runs:
- “With The Day Comes The Dawn”
- “Land Of My Dreams”
- “Review”
- “Everyday, I Don’t”
- “Trust, In Love”
That sequence is the spine of the reissue. The new edition adds the demos underneath, but the originals remain the core.
The Seven Demos
The demos are the real addition here. They come from Domino’s original four-track tapes, newly digitized for this release. Seven tracks of material that has never been heard before.
The demo tracklist runs:
- “Dreamback (Demo)”
- “With The Day Comes The Dawn (Demo)”
- “Land Of My Dreams (Demo)”
- “Review (Demo)”
- “Trust, In Love (Demo)”
- “Happy To Go (Demo)”
- “Repeating (Demo)”
- “Caught (Demo)”
“Happy To Go” is out today, and it comes with a video featuring rare archival photographs of late ’70s and early ’80s New York City taken by Domino herself.
The demos offer a peek at the creative process. They are sketches, ideas in progress, and hearing them side by side with the final versions tells a story about how the songs took shape.
The Influence List
Domino’s influence runs deep. Acts like Clairo, James K, HTRK, Carla Del Forno, Astrid Sonne, Horsegirl, and Smerz have cited her as an influence. That list covers pop, punk, and experimental music.
The reissue arrives with that weight attached. It is not just a curiosity for collectors. It is a document of an artist who shaped a generation of musicians.
The Video
The video is worth noting. It features rare archival photographs of late ’70s and early ’80s New York City taken by Domino herself. The photographs are archival material, and they add texture to the audio.
Together, the demo and the images create a complete picture of the moment.
The Release Date
East And West is out 12/4 on Domino. Pre-orders are open now.
The reissue is a reminder of what Domino brought to music. Her influence is visible in the work of the artists who cite her, and this release gives listeners a clearer sense of where that influence came from.
The demos are the stars of the package. They are the new material, the unheard tracks that expand the story of the album. Hearing them alongside the originals shows the distance between first idea and final product.
This is a small release with a large reach. It honors an artist whose work shaped a generation of musicians, and it gives fans something new to hold onto.
See the video the story is built around at Stereogum.
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