It happens. I’d just finished a long read for a client who has a particular penchant for words with about a trillion syllables. My voice was shot. On top of that, I could feel that irksome scratching in the back of my throat as I reached the last few sentences. Then, as I’m just about to record the voice-over for LEM Vol 283 I knew my voice was nothing more than a croak. Desperate times require desperate measures. This volume will not be graced with my commentary, instead read all the details right here. And, what a lot we have for you. First up, is a cut from an absolutely marvelous album Kilumi from Coco Em, a DJ, music producer, and filmmaker based in Nairobi Kenya. Land (Black) First (feat Sisian & Kasiva) is a brilliant example of why you need to search this one out. Emma Nzioka is Coco Em who composed produced & mixed all the tracks. Sensational! | Remote Town Records is an Irish Record label based in the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains which has to be splendid if not an unusual place to find producer, t-woc conjuring up damn fine cuts like Bum Nuites. The album is Limbs and essential listening. Listen at number 11 | Echoboy’s Dub Teachings is a much needed explanation of Dub. No matter how many times I have tried to explain the history and mystery of Dub, it’s still worth hearing again. The EP Johovah is on Moonshine Recordings out of Jamaica. | Before you start criticizing treated vocals, give UK vocalist and producer, Symrun a chance. The album is What Do You Do? This one will surprise you. A lot going on here. | Based in Merseyside, is an electronic music project with members Mike Guy and sisters Carys & Keeley Hughes who present as 22 Oceans. Their new 5-track Home EP features remixes including Marc Joy & LTC’s version. Looking forward to hearing more from these people. | There’s an air of mystery around SPC ECO. Rose Berlin is on voice and words, with Dean Garcia on bass, drums, keys, and, programming. Check their pedigree and you’ll understand. Rose and Dean wrote Just This from May Singles 2022 Series. Sublime. | Ger Eaton’s PR page says, he’s “Irish, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, hairstylist and, retro-vintage aficionado, iconic and a stylish gentleman”. Nothing to argue with there, in fact, he sounds like a rather fine chap who makes listenable music – which he does. Phoenix (Reborn) is on Dimple Discs, a label to keep your eye on. | When the news came of the untimely passing of Richard H. Kirk, I’m sure I wasn’t alone in rushing to listen to Cabaret Voltaire’s Nag Nag Nag, again – and again. In fact, I mentioned on this show how the first time I played Nag on the radio in America was after returning from a vast to Rough Trade in London, loaded with a box of new music no one in the colonies had heard yet. At that time, my show was going out at KAOS in Olympia, Washington, and an earnest, young lad by the name of Bruce Pavitt was hanging around the studio at the time. I introduced, Nag, then Pavitt abruptly burst into the studio, “What the fuck is that?” He demanded. A few years later, Bruce went on to found SubPop. The rest, for that part is musical history. And, over the years, Bruce has often reminded me that hearing Cabaret Voltaire changed his whole attitude to what music could and should be. OK, so that’s a long way of getting around to telling you that the Cab’s other founding member, Stephen Mallinder is, thankfully still making important music. I, for one, have continued to follow his work and I’m delighted to share with you, Hush a cut from Stephen’s latest LP, Tick, Tick, Tick. This is certainly evocative of time past, yet here is an album that is beautifully contemporary. Mallinder’s use of manipulation of sounds and deft production skills cannot be undervalued. Gigantic! | Revolution Above Disorder is the solo moniker of Vancouver-based Dubliner Stephen Nicholas White, Annihilator is from his new 3-track EP. Recorded during the height of the paranoid and chaotic days of the Covid-19 pandemic, Annihilator explores the themes of dissatisfaction, disillusion, nihilism, and self-destruction – quite fitting for the times. | Caitlin Finn is on bass, vocals, and synths, and Joel Glazebrook is on guitar, drum machines, synths, and vocals, together they are Darling. Isolating is from their 2 track EP on 4000 Records out of Brisbane. “Isolating explores a decaying relationship caused by a disintegrating individual who isolates themself from reality and the people who love them”, they say. | Out of Bristol comes the solo project of Muncie Girls’ singer-songwriter, Lande Hekt with a 2 track EP. Romantic shows Lande in fine form on Get Better Records. | From Groningen, Netherlands, Romanian-native, Ioana Iorgu gives us The Wife. Ioana is an independent music producer, a self-taught guitarist, and drummer. She performs live shows as a duo with J. Boerma on drums. | The final cut for this volume is Three by Bdrmm. These lads from Hull say they are “a collection of northern idiots”, clearly they jest. Without going on and on about how much I love this cut, I’ll simply say this is a gem. I want more from Bdrmm. Much more. Hopefully, my voice will be back for the next volume. Thanks for listening.
Playlist
- Coco Em – Land (Black) First (feat Sisian & Kasiva)
- t-woc – Bum Nuites
- Echoboy – Dub Teachings
- Symrun – Once
- 22 Oceans – Home (Marc Joy – LTC Remix)
- SPC ECO – Just This
- Ger Eaton – Phoenix (Reborn)
- Stephen Mallinder – Hush
- Revolution Above Disorder – Annihilator
- Darling – Isolating
- Lande Hekt – Romantic
- Ioana Iorgu – The Wife
- Bdrmm – Three
Artwork by Cassie Vanderviel “Strange sky – McDil Air Force Base, Tampa, FL May 21, 2012” 2012 giclée print on archival paper. Courtesy of Norman B’s collection
LEM Vol 283
Life Elsewhere 