A musical act or collective that co-released a split tape with alphabets in 2012. The archive folder alphabets_ Crab Lab split tape contains one confirmed track: tienesquelavartelasmanos (Spanish: “you have to wash your hands”), dated October 23, 2012.
Whether the Spanish-language title was contributed by alphabets or Crab Lab is unknown. The split tape format (each act contributes tracks to a shared release) was common in the cassette/lo-fi DIY scene of the early 2010s.
Nothing further is known about Crab Lab — whether they were a Denver act, a touring band Colin connected with, or a short-lived project. The name suggests a creative/experimental aesthetic consistent with the alphabets scene.
Archive Notes
- Folder:
_Documentation/Music/alphabets/alphabets_ Crab Lab split tape - One MP3 confirmed: tienesquelavartelasmanos.mp3 (Oct 23, 2012)
- Confidence low: only the folder name and one track provide any information
Research Gaps
- Who is/was Crab Lab? Members, city, other releases?
- Was the split tape released physically (cassette) or digitally?
- Which tracks on the split are by alphabets and which by Crab Lab?
- What does tienesquelavartelasmanos refer to in this context?