OK, a rant. How much longer am I going to read in the credits for new music, “Recorded during lockdown”? Can we all agree this shitty Covid plague has caused enough misery already? Now there is yet another variant. Experts are predicting there could be another, then another. Will the future mean always living with a deadly never-ending mutating virus? Why can’t scientists come up with some sort of cure? Oh, they have, you say. But, it will only work if everyone gets vaccinated. In a world that is already nuts, where a fourth-rate, despicable huckster became president of the United States, there are people, a lot of people who adamantly refuse to get vaccinated. They spew all kinds of absurd garbage as they angrily demonstrate their idiocy – and then die. But, others die too. Even vaccinated people. Because until everyone gets the jab the fucking virus will continue on its merry way causing untold pain and suffering and – death. In the supposedly civilized western world, there are more than enough vaccines being made for everyone. While in the poorest of countries huge populations are crying out for the vaccines, unable to comprehend the irrational behavior of peoples who believe in demagogues. Alright, enough of my ranting. I don’t want to keep reading that artists worked in isolation or lockdown. I want to be able to go and see musicals play live. Tell anyone you know who has not got the jab to fucking not waste any more fucking time. People are dying of this bastard virus!
And onto the music, Inner City Basement is out of Paris and came to our attention via Shoredive Records, a label that you can depend on for sourcing quality music. Colour & Sound from their debut EP shows a competent combo who promise a further investigation. Be sure to check out the video for Colour & Sound | Rock and roll photographer, musician and songwriter, Ammo says she spent her youth ditching school to delve through record store bins and scour the LA music and art scene in hopes of running into like-minds. We have every reason to believe Ammo achieved her goal. Her single, A Cold War City suggests she is rather intense, yet we’re quite confident that Ammo has a lighter side which perhaps she will share on future releases | The Bondi Beach office of Mammal Sounds is a consistent hive of hit-making activity as illustrated by producer and mixer, Sam Litchfield AKA Litche from Newcastle, New South Wales who teamed up with Sydney hip-hop/rap artist Yibby for Bad Connection. Impressive | Nancy Kells of Grimalkin Records posted on the Twitter machine the other day pointing out that Domestika by Quinton Barnes is two years old. Well, that was enough of a prompt for me, and it should be a good enough reason for you to check out the Grimalkin Records catalog | Following the October release of his Mockingbird Love EP and the November release of his full-length album Pearldiving (his first album in nine years) comes another unique release by legendary Scottish musician, Robin Guthrie. About his latest 4-track Riviera EP, a collection completed earlier this year, Robin says, “I found a common thread among several unfinished tunes, that curiously, they had all been written on the southern shore of some landmass or other in the northern hemisphere. I was pleasantly surprised when they all fell into place together and retained this atmosphere in my head,” We selected, The Empress, a haunting, atmospheric instrumental – don’t be surprised when you realize there are no words | All Lost Eyes & Glitter is an album I keep coming back to. After featuring Fleeting Joys in an earlier volume, it was obvious, John Loring and Rorika Loring needed more airplay, Sing To The Sea should convince you this talented California-based duo have made a special album | Bridge Dog is a curious name, I’m interested to know if there is a story behind it. The duo’s 4 track EP, Going South suggests we should keep a watchful eye on them. Listen carefully to the title cut, smart writing, and playing going on here. | Peter Bogolub has been making excellent music for quite a few years, he kindly sent us a compliment about LEM and the sound file for a new song. We then took a search through his other recent recordings and discovered, Doesn’t Matter. Oh, you should note that Mr. Bogolub goes by Loops & Loops | In November 2020 Melbourne-based project, Hachiku led by German ex-pat Anika Ostendorf released their debut LP I’ll Probably Be Asleep. One year later, Milk! Records / Remote Control Records have issued Hachiku Remixed, a double single with a pair of beloved Australian musicians: Stella Mozgawa and Georgia Maq remixing the original tracks. You’ll hear the Stella Mozgawa Remix of Bridging Visa B. Absolutely brilliant. Do make sure you check out the other side, You’ll Probably Think This Song Is About You remixed by Georgia Maq | Seyu + Ground is based in LA from what I understand. Their LP, Dance Sunny is on Chill Records out of Japan. Vocal, lyrics, composition, and production are by Seyu, while Ground also handled the production and mix. All the tracks are fun, especially Down, which I love. You must check out this link to the arts collective Chill Mountain | And now to a cut from an LP I have not stopped playing since it arrived about a week or so ago. There is so much to say about Interpolate by producer, Grouse out of Ireland. So many wonderful ideas going on here. If I had more time, I’d probably play the whole album from start to finish. Listen to Unend featuring the vocals of newcomer, Jessie Roche, I guarantee you’ll love it. Well done, Grouse! | There is always a place for excellent minimalist dub on the show and Frank Dublin proves he is at the top of the game. Send & Return from Frank’s Dub Swinger EP on Moonshine Recordings is a record of musical beauty | To take us up to the closing credits, a cut from Echo Sound, a new label out of Lativa created by Nicolas Barnes who says he wants to spread dub and minimal sound to the world. Nicolas is off to a good start with Unexplored by Vault from the What Universe? EP. I promise to play you more from Echo Sound upcoming volumes of LEM. Meanwhile, let’s take a little tangent here, I’m not suggesting Vault was influenced by the late Bryn Jones, but I do advise you to check out the extraordinary music the Manchester native made specifically under the name, Muslimgauze. Jones, who died at age 37 in 1999. He was a prolific producer of what could be described as ethnic electronica and experimental music. Bryn Jones’ political beliefs were integral to his later musical output. There is a number of well-written pieces on Muslimgauze, beginning with the Wikipedia page. It should be noted that the name Muslimgauze is a play on the word muslin (a type of gauze) combined with Muslim, referring to Bryn Jones’ preoccupation with conflicts throughout the Muslim world.
Be well, be safe and you know it’s the right thing to do, be nice!
- Inner City Basement – Colour & Sound
- Ammo – A Cold War City
- Litche – Bad Connection (feat. Yibby)
- Quinton Barnes – Domestika
- Robin Guthrie – The Empress
- Fleeting Joys – Sing To The Sea
- Bridge Dog – Going South
- Loops & Loops – Doesn’t Matter
- Hachiku – Bridging Visa B (Stella Mozgawa Remix)
- Seyu + Ground – Down
- Grouse – Unend
- Frank Dublin – Send & Return
- Vault – Unexplored
Artwork by Angela Waddington “The clouds have fallen” 2019 giclée print on archival paper 30” x 30” Courtesy of Norman B’s collection
Life Elsewhere 