qu 1

Aphex Twin resurfaced again this month. There were six new uploads to the user18081971 SoundCloud account, which has been confirmed as that of Richard D. James. But there was also mourning.

James' father, Derek, passed away recently, as shared in user18081971's bio. It wasn't related to COVID-19, which made the accompanying comments relating to house arrests and a police state all the more puzzling. Yet grief affects people in many ways. The comments have since been deleted.

For an artist that so often shuns the limelight, his family has cropped up throughout his output. There are the vocal snippets of his parents ("You've got so many machines, Richard.", "Richard? Yep", Lornaderek) and the immensely sad (if true) reason behind the Girl/Boy EP cover.

The EP is purportedly the gravestone of his brother, also called Richard and stillborn three years before him. He may even be the Twin in Aphex Twin.

Yet as with everything to do with Richard D. James, it can be hard to figure out what is true and what is not. Sadly, however, it does appear that his father's passing happened.

As Resident Advisor reports, the mp3 file of qu 1, one of the six new uploads, includes a note that says "See you on the other side, dad." Fans have since gathered in the comments of qu 1 to express their condolences.



One for fans of SAW2 and as I write this you can still download the mp3.

Thanks to RA and FACT.

Related post: More Selected Ambient Works

8 in 1 (3.0)

How are you? How's your lockdown? Here's some music I've enjoyed recently. A lot of it will be from BBC Radio 6 Music, as we've tended to keep it on all day. Community spirit and all that. And Steve Lamacq and Shaun Keaveny haven't been on which helps. Though if they keep playing that sodding Sports Team song that'll soon change...

Anna Meredith - Paramour

Gonna get into Lego train sets.

James Holden & The Animal Spirits - Each Moment Like The First

I've posted about this track before, but it appears the SoundCloud link is kaput, so there's a double reason to post about this spooky wibbler from James Holden & The Animal Spirits.

Todd Surge - Inspector Coarse (DJ Space Heater's HMT VIP)

Anyone for an acid/gabber take on Inspector Norse by Todd Terje? I can't find it on YouTube or SoundCloud, perhaps because DJ Space Heater got impeached for making it. But Spinee drops it around 46 minutes in here.

Bickle - Naked

I know 2009 was really bad with the financial crash and all that but compared to now? It wasn't that bad really was it? The pubs were still open at the very least. So here's Bickle in 2020 with something that sounds like it's for the blogs of 2009.

Nicolas Jaar - Mud

Nicolas Jaar is one of those names that I always see around but I can't tell you much about him. He's played by DJs I like, features in mags I read, but I've never really listened to him. Kinda like Maribou State till recently. Anyway, I don't know if Mud is typical of his output, but there's something in this track's brooding oddness, its funereal march, that worms it's way into my head. Stick with it.

Paul Woolford - Erotic Discourse

Always thought this was Daniel Avery. There you go. Judging by the YouTube comments it was equally popular with the ket and nitrous crowds. There's nice.

Boys Noize - Midnight (Boys Noize & Mr. Oizo Handbraekes Remix)

Can't remember exactly which version they use in Giri/Haji, but we'll go with the Mr Oizo remix because he's always a fun choice for a remix. As I write this you've got 11 days left to catch the first episode of Giri/Haji on iPlayer, and I recommend you do so. It's the second best thing I've watched on lockdown, after...

Joe Exotic - I Saw a Tiger

All hail the Tiger King.

Related posts:

• 8 in 1 Again
• 8 in 1

Es Buzz

As promised here's the second of my reviews for Buzz Magazine this month (after yesterday's Maribou State post) and it's one of my fave albums of the year so far.

ES
Less of Everything (Upset The Rhythm)
*****

Brutal and direct, Es’s debut album is a gothy synth-punk triumph. It ticks every box. Maria Cecilia Tedemalm’s vocals are stark and detached like Kim Gordon’s, spouting absurdist lyrics that still kick. Katy Cotterell’s bass explodes like shrapnel, forcing the melody under your skin. Flora Watters’ synth is set to ice blast, covering the album with a gothic sheen. Tamsin M. Leach’s drums are relentless. Less of Everything is short, sharp, and stripped, minimalist yet raging. It’s good. Es are good.



Less of Everything by Es comes out on Friday 3rd April 2020. They are/were due to play Cardiff Psych & Noise Fest 2020 on Friday 22nd May, so we'll see.

Related post: Urgh!

Maribou Buzz

Not one but two reviews for Buzz Magazine this month. I'll post the Es review tomorrow but for now, it's Maribou State.

MARIBOU STATE
Fabric presents… (Fabric Records)
***
While the world falls apart around us, there’s a certain comfort that venerable London club Fabric is still chucking out mix albums. Rebooted in 2019 as Fabric presents, Maribou State is number 205. And it’s the classic DJ mix journey, starting all sultry and slow before getting harder and faster towards the end (much like making love to a beautiful woman). We take in dusty disco and house shufflers, going global in the mid-section with Kiki Gyan’s Ghanian funk and the German 80s electro of Supersempffts. Rinse and repeat.

Fabric Presents Maribou State came out on Friday 27 March 2020.

Related post: Locked Down (post from 2011 on Four Tet's FabricLive 59 but with a spooky title) 

8 in 1 Again

Here we go again! Been a minute, so here are a few things I've been enjoying recently in no particular order.

Discwoman 87 x Fauzia

As featured on Resident Advisor's Mix of the Day (my new go-to for work music), Fauzia drops a short, sharp and fun 40 minutes for Discwoman.

Deux - Game And Performance

Ah, remember minimal wave? Only 10 more years till nu-cold wave.

Special Request - Elysian Fields

Still really enjoying Zero Fucks. Still free so no excuses, even if you only have a passing interest in drum 'n' bass. 

Real Estate - Paper Cup

Missed out on the latest Real Estate album in last month's Buzz reviews (picked up Islet instead). Sounds like they're still doing their chillwave/Aztec Camera thing. Good for them.

Throbbing Gristle - United (Two Lone Swordsmen Remix - Vocal Version)

RIP Andrew Weatherall. RIP Genesis P-Orridge. 

Octo Octa - Bodies Meld Together

Simple, effective house rumbler from one of the new Radio 1 Residency DJs.

GFOTY & Spinee - Huge Spinee

As featured on Oli XL's new NTS show. Get it down yerr.

Four Tet - Mama Teaches Sankrit

Only had a quick dive into Four Tet's new album Sixteen Oceans, but the closer, Mama Teaches Sankrit stood out straight away. Pretty, shimmering, yearning electronic music.

Related post: 8 in 1

Original Image: The original uploader was Tomruen at English Wikipedia. / CC BY-SA