BANDCAMP SPECIAL - THE LEAF LIBRARY, MUSIC OVER DISTANCE, INFECTED SENSES, MOGWAI, ROEDELIUS, ULTRAMARINE and more
Following online marketplace's recent last waiver of revenue share during this seemingly never-ending lockdown, Bandcamp have announced the same initiative again for Friday 1st May (and may continue to do so for as long as Covid-19 continues to threaten the creative cultural and, ultimately, financial roots across the music community).
Regardless of the welcome revenue share directive, here are some excellent recently discovered acts using their lockdown time wisely, producing beautiful music that might not be accessible elsewhere but deserves to be heard nonetheless. To buy any of the below, click on each review title to head straight to the Bandcamp page.
Mogwai - ZeroZeroZero
Available as a pay-what-you-can download for just one week (until 7th May 2020), this collection of atmospheric post-rock anthems is as essential as anything Mogwai have delivered before. Even more importantly, proceeds from each sale will go towards the NHS and Help Musicians, both obviously very worthy causes. Like the band's other soundtracks - Les Revenants, Atomic etc - ZeroZeroZero is as beautiful and punishing in equal measures and immediately conjures up some forboding insights into what the forthcoming Sky TV series is about. Gabriel Byrne stars in it which is a just reason for giving it a whirl.
Hans-Joachim Roedelius - Wahre Liebe / Tap Archive Essence 1973-1978
Two recent releases representing opposite chronological ends of electronica composer Roedelius' musical spectrum. Wahre Liebe belatedly follows up his first Self Portrait recording issued on the Sky Records label some 40 years ago, originally entitled Sanfte Musik. With every HJR album, there will always be diversity in sound - on opener Spiel im Wind, one is reminded of some of Seefeel's more cyclical work had they met Steve Reich in the studio. Head to the title-track and we're immersed in reflective ambient tones, while Geruhsam is a playful little ditty that recalls his recent collabs with Lloyd Cole. For Tap Archive Essence, we head back in time to almost half a century ago when archives were rarely ever discussed. To be fair, unless your knowledge of analogue synths and rhythm-boxes is extensive, you'd be forgiven for having difficulty in guessing which of these two records is the oldest. Much of TAE sounds like it flowed out of Roedelius' pores just a week ago. The almost jaunty Rokkoko and plaintive Lied am Morgen wouldn't sound out of place on a Bureau B collection in five, ten, fifteen years time.
The Leaf Library - The Quiet House
With proceeds dedicated to funding masks for the NHS, this 100 minute assemblage of nu-folk, ambient and experimental acts gathered together by Shipley's adventurous Signal Records. Suggested by one Gareth S. Brown, whose recent album Sector Norm on the same imprint is well worth a gander, Music Over Distance is precisely what the title suggests - sounds and music created in isolation with one common theme. Experimentalism. It isn't all weirded out musique-concrete though - Transient Visitor's Nowhere Dark erupts from the bowels of trip-hop while NIGHTRAX's glistening Trace recalls the DIY lo-fi noodlings of Yo La Tengo. There is also the very pretty and restful Sleep Absently by Basic Design and Daniel Fordham, a track that encapuslates the detached spirit of ambient.
Ultramarine - Interiors
Already mentioned elsewhere on this site, Interiors comprises a quartet of 'lost' recordings from the vaults, Interiors (8/10) is good enough to stamp up on vinyl for a wider audience. Each piece dates back to 2011 when the duo were assembling ideas for the acclaimed 2013 album This Time Last Year and are a little more explorative than last year's triumphant Signals Into Space set. Standouts are By Return which is all woozy and druggy, replete with echo and busy rhythms and the cyclical freestyle version of Decoy Point which could easily be the duo's homage to Talk Talk's Laughing Stock. Other Ultramarine titles, including the superb longform ambient epic Meditations, are also available via the link above
Infected Senses - The New Normal EP
From the sublime to the occasionally ridiculous, Exeter's DJ Louie Louie has been throwing all manner of found-sounds, sampled speeches, cut 'n' shut and pasted 'n' basted beats into the proverbial blender for some time now. This lockdown has seen him at his most prolific with a few predictably Covid-style 'bangers' lobbed in for good measure, this being perhaps the most straightforward offering. There's a '90s stoner-rave cum '80s EBM vibe going on with some sage advice on Remain In Doors and Frequently (clean your hands). I'd rather see a mashed-up video advert with this as the soundtrack than the dull government idents being broadcast. Also on offer is a 'covers' EP entitled Post Punk Kitchen which features a hands-to-the-lazers wonky-acid XTC cover and a prog-jazz reworking of a Talking Heads classic. If you've ever heard and appreciated Severed Heads, early Cabaret Voltaire or early Warp tracks, then marvel at this man's fucked-up mind and fund his beans on toast habit.
Dutch Uncles - Live at Old Granada Studios
Recorded some three years ago in front of an invited audience, this short but sweet mini-album includes a handful of songs from the Marple band's studio album of the time, Big Balloon, as well as their respectful cover of The Blue Nile's Stay and a few earlier tracks such as Flexxin' and the frenetic Dressage from the acclaimed LP Cadenza. It's been three years since that last album and this release doesn't make the wait for new material any easier, save for Stay. One thing that's obvious - Dutch Uncles are an interesting live act. Vocally somewhere between Bryan Ferry and Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor, singer Duncan Wallis's falsetto is suited to everything here, although the standout for me is the mid-paced poppy Streetlight.
In Order To Care - Various Artists
Finally in this round-up, the most extensive compilation of the lot. Courtesy of R&S Records appropriated from the label's placeholder In Order To Dance and just £10, In Order To Care includes 43 tracks performed by a few R&S regulars (Lone, Space Dimension Controller, DjRum) and a swathe of breaking electronic artists. Of the many standouts, neck-snapping opener Shapen1 by 96 Back, back-in-the-day breakbeat bouncer Cheer Up Love by Antz, acid-house banger Laser Quartz from Bamz and the spacey Model 500-esque Positive Valence by Barker lead the charge for your tenner. The variety on offer means you'll like at least a few nuggets and your money will help a consortium dedicated to helping NHS logistics.
Regardless of the welcome revenue share directive, here are some excellent recently discovered acts using their lockdown time wisely, producing beautiful music that might not be accessible elsewhere but deserves to be heard nonetheless. To buy any of the below, click on each review title to head straight to the Bandcamp page.
Available as a pay-what-you-can download for just one week (until 7th May 2020), this collection of atmospheric post-rock anthems is as essential as anything Mogwai have delivered before. Even more importantly, proceeds from each sale will go towards the NHS and Help Musicians, both obviously very worthy causes. Like the band's other soundtracks - Les Revenants, Atomic etc - ZeroZeroZero is as beautiful and punishing in equal measures and immediately conjures up some forboding insights into what the forthcoming Sky TV series is about. Gabriel Byrne stars in it which is a just reason for giving it a whirl.
Two recent releases representing opposite chronological ends of electronica composer Roedelius' musical spectrum. Wahre Liebe belatedly follows up his first Self Portrait recording issued on the Sky Records label some 40 years ago, originally entitled Sanfte Musik. With every HJR album, there will always be diversity in sound - on opener Spiel im Wind, one is reminded of some of Seefeel's more cyclical work had they met Steve Reich in the studio. Head to the title-track and we're immersed in reflective ambient tones, while Geruhsam is a playful little ditty that recalls his recent collabs with Lloyd Cole. For Tap Archive Essence, we head back in time to almost half a century ago when archives were rarely ever discussed. To be fair, unless your knowledge of analogue synths and rhythm-boxes is extensive, you'd be forgiven for having difficulty in guessing which of these two records is the oldest. Much of TAE sounds like it flowed out of Roedelius' pores just a week ago. The almost jaunty Rokkoko and plaintive Lied am Morgen wouldn't sound out of place on a Bureau B collection in five, ten, fifteen years time.
The Leaf Library - The Quiet House
While many musicians across the world are turning to instruments to make music, London's The Leaf Library have not so much practised a down-tools lockdown as picked them up. The Quiet House has been composed with the use of (deep breath) bed slats, bike sprockets, cats(!), porridge spoons, curtains, e-mail notifications and probably the kitchen sink (although it's not been mentioned so maybe not). Billed as 'concrete music for quiet isolation, The Quiet House really is just that. Looped, stretched, dubbed and electronically twisted household objects recorded over the top of more household objects. It's been beautifully put together and recalls The Hafler Trio or Boards of Canada without the keyboards. There's no standout although the gentle knocking rhythm on Descriptive System is somewhat hypnotic and soporific. Limited cassettes available.
Ultramarine - Interiors
Already mentioned elsewhere on this site, Interiors comprises a quartet of 'lost' recordings from the vaults, Interiors (8/10) is good enough to stamp up on vinyl for a wider audience. Each piece dates back to 2011 when the duo were assembling ideas for the acclaimed 2013 album This Time Last Year and are a little more explorative than last year's triumphant Signals Into Space set. Standouts are By Return which is all woozy and druggy, replete with echo and busy rhythms and the cyclical freestyle version of Decoy Point which could easily be the duo's homage to Talk Talk's Laughing Stock. Other Ultramarine titles, including the superb longform ambient epic Meditations, are also available via the link above
From the sublime to the occasionally ridiculous, Exeter's DJ Louie Louie has been throwing all manner of found-sounds, sampled speeches, cut 'n' shut and pasted 'n' basted beats into the proverbial blender for some time now. This lockdown has seen him at his most prolific with a few predictably Covid-style 'bangers' lobbed in for good measure, this being perhaps the most straightforward offering. There's a '90s stoner-rave cum '80s EBM vibe going on with some sage advice on Remain In Doors and Frequently (clean your hands). I'd rather see a mashed-up video advert with this as the soundtrack than the dull government idents being broadcast. Also on offer is a 'covers' EP entitled Post Punk Kitchen which features a hands-to-the-lazers wonky-acid XTC cover and a prog-jazz reworking of a Talking Heads classic. If you've ever heard and appreciated Severed Heads, early Cabaret Voltaire or early Warp tracks, then marvel at this man's fucked-up mind and fund his beans on toast habit.
Dutch Uncles - Live at Old Granada Studios
Recorded some three years ago in front of an invited audience, this short but sweet mini-album includes a handful of songs from the Marple band's studio album of the time, Big Balloon, as well as their respectful cover of The Blue Nile's Stay and a few earlier tracks such as Flexxin' and the frenetic Dressage from the acclaimed LP Cadenza. It's been three years since that last album and this release doesn't make the wait for new material any easier, save for Stay. One thing that's obvious - Dutch Uncles are an interesting live act. Vocally somewhere between Bryan Ferry and Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor, singer Duncan Wallis's falsetto is suited to everything here, although the standout for me is the mid-paced poppy Streetlight.
Finally in this round-up, the most extensive compilation of the lot. Courtesy of R&S Records appropriated from the label's placeholder In Order To Dance and just £10, In Order To Care includes 43 tracks performed by a few R&S regulars (Lone, Space Dimension Controller, DjRum) and a swathe of breaking electronic artists. Of the many standouts, neck-snapping opener Shapen1 by 96 Back, back-in-the-day breakbeat bouncer Cheer Up Love by Antz, acid-house banger Laser Quartz from Bamz and the spacey Model 500-esque Positive Valence by Barker lead the charge for your tenner. The variety on offer means you'll like at least a few nuggets and your money will help a consortium dedicated to helping NHS logistics.