Herb News

Here's a couple of points from Herb Recordings latest mailing list update:








Rubens

The U.S release date for the Rubens CD is the 13th April 2007. Fans in the U.S can pre-order the CD now for $14.96 from

www.ear-rational.com

As from next week the Rubens (Review) CD will also be available from Norman Records for £7.95

www.normanrecords.com

~ism from Rubens has also released his "Surface Life" Ep which you can get for free here.


Engine7

The fantastic debut album release by Glasgow's Engine7 is imminent. This album will be released in digital format first and then on CD shortly afterwards. We'll keep you updated with the progress on both formats.



Solipsism "Free Ep" & "No Entry Ep"

Both of these are free downloads that Solipsism have kindly made available. The Free EP is a collection of 4 ambient tracks that were recorded during the "Electricity Flows In Squares" (Review) sessions and the No Entry EP is basically just a collection of 7 tracks that they've recorded over the past two years and not used in any other projects. Please feel free to download and share these out. You can download both eps including artwork here.


Kingbastard

Kingbastard has released a free ep under his "myheadisaballoon" alias. The ep is titled "Hello-Fi" and can be downloaded for free from his artist page at the herb site.

An Abundance of Herbs

Quite a lot of Herb Recordings news to digest here, but I'll give it a bash. Firstly, the innovative Scottish label has released full details of their two latest signees, Engine 7 and Skytree. Meanwhile, Solipsism have made 4 unreleased ambient tracks available for download and Kingbastard has uploaded some older material.


Skytree

Skytree is the work of Evan Snyder, an Afro-wielding Minnesota-based musician who mixes folk with IDM in his own experimental way. Having released some music via Benbecula and Eaststroke Records, a full length debut for Herb Recordings is expected in the no too distant future. "Windings Of The Dragon Track" will be available via digital download and CD. Listen to the sample track below, it comes across like a less evil Boards of Canada performing in some weird and wonderful forest. This is the real "Campfire Headphase"

"Horizon Rock" mp3 - Skytree


Engine7

Engine7 is a stalwart of the netlabel scene having released records on 12rec and a few others. It was only a matter of time before someone else took notice. At the tail end of last year, Herb Recordings certainly took notice snapping up Engine7 in time to release his forthcoming "Me, But Perfect" album. His most polished work to date, it retains the heartfelt emotion and those uplifiting melodies. Each track is carefully constructed, with painstaking attention to detail. It is a triumph for organic instrumentation and digital innovation. A must for fans of Sigur Ros, The Album Leaf and Helios.

"Sunrise, Catalonia (7.14 am)" mp3 - Engine7

You can also stream the absolutely tremendous and live favourite "Tempertantrum 11.36 am" here


Solipsism

"Electricty Flows In Squares" (review) is certainly one of the freshest electronica releases I have heard this year. It mixes swirling, ethereal melodies with precise and mechanistic programming, a wonderful contrast. Solipsism have since uploaded some unreleased ambient tracks, recorded during "The Electricity Flows..." sessions get them here.



Kingbastard

Kingbastard unleashed the sinister "Bastradize Ep" (review) earlier this year, I described it as "quick-fix of frenzied beats, effervescent melodies and a lo-fi style production". He has now gone into his back catalogue, re-mastering and reloading some of it. You can obtain "Sad Machines & Things That Go Bump In The Night", free for a limted time only, here.

Solipsism : "Electricity Flows In Squares" (Herb Recordings)

Herb Recordings is a label that is all about innovation, cutting edge programming, deft production and the exploration of fresh sounds in and around the electronica genre. It is important, therefore, that (Herb Owner) Craig Murphy, using his Solipsism guise, sets the standards and provides the benchmark for the rest of his stable to adhere to.

Starting of as a solo project, Solipsism has since evolved into a collaboration with multi-instrumentalist Ed Drury, to the point that he is now a full-time member. Murphy, himself, counts Frank Zappa as his main influence and in collaborating with Drury, a man with unlimited musical knowledge, Solipsism can tap into the diverse and other-worldly nature of the prolific experimental genius.

"Electricity Flows In Squares" is the 3rd Solipsism release and is an experiment of dance music that gets your brain thinking, rather than your feet moving. In other words, don't expect dumbed down beats and half-hearted synths, this one is for the purists. Right from the outset, on "Bad Circuit" it's apparent that there is something different about "Electricity Flows..". The melodies are light and float in the mix, while they are contrasted by precise beat work. "Bending Light" reinforces these sentiments and sees the duo create a mixture of a euphoric melody, overlapped with twinkling textures, with robotic drum patterns

However, it is on tracks such as "Glass Rod" and "Electricty Flows In Squares" that this combination strikes the perfect balance. The former uses 3 or 4 psychedelic melodies that float, overlap and merge together, evoking images of space. This is contrasted with a series of harsh, mechanistic programming. These conflicting styles shouldn't work, but Solipsism pull it off and it's impeccable. The title track, meanwhile, employs the crisp production techniques of Bola, but are equally as innovative in their own right. The machine-like precision is intact as the etheral synths swell around it.

It's not all accuracy and precision, though, "Flying" (first previewed on this site a few months ago), is a hovering ambient passage, that shimmers with a warm, analogue soul, while "Plug Me In" comes across like an updated version of the "A Clockwork Orange" main theme.

"Electricity Flows In Squares" has an nostaligic feel to it, advancing on the themes explored by artists such as Bola, Autechre and Bochum Welt. The pristine melodies posses a real other-worldly quality and are perfectly contrasted by the accomplished, mechanistcic programming. It is an engaging listen that begs for an emotional response. In a word : Tremendous.


Rating = 88%

Solipsism @ Myspace
Solipsism @ Last.FM
Order the Album from March 1st

Points Of Interest

1. Thom Yorke has an exclusive mix of his current favourites at Itunes. Yorke mixes as part of the Celebrity Playlist series, which in the past has featured Brian Wilson. The likes of Modeselektor, Liars ans Stephen Malkmus (ex-Pavement) are included in his selection. For full tracklisting and explanations, go here

2. Epic45 have a brand new track, "The Balloonist", available to stream. The album appears to have changed his title to, "May Your Heart Be The Map" and is penciled in for a June 2007 release.

3. Romance of Young Tigers have earned a UK release of this fantastic Ep, through Unlabel. There is also another very excellent review of their self-titled debut here.

4. Those serene Swedes, immanu el have completed the recording of their debut album, which will be a mixture of old and new material. No release date as of yet, but some promotional songs will be posted on myspace soon.

5. Herb Recordings are, are preparing to release the new album by Solipsism, "Electricity Flows In Squares" on March 1st. This is not to be confused with the shoosh collaboration (Vedette & Solipsism), which will be available later this year.

6. Site News... I am about give the links section a much needed overhaul. So if you would like your site included please leave a comment

Points of Interest...

1. Engine7 will be performing at Glasgow's Rio Cafe tomorrow night from 8pm. Those excellent visuals will be on show, courtesy of These Are Ideals, while a live bassist will also be added to add extra weight to the overall sound. I have heard the forthcoming album, "Me, But Perfect" and it is a scorcher. More info and a map of how to get to the venue, for those who are unfamiliar with Glasgow's West End, can be found here.


2. Rubens' forthcoming album, "Carnivalesque" (review) has a release date (Feb 10th). It will be available via digital download and CD via Herb Recordings. Pre-order it here. Furthermore, Kingbastard has a limited edition Ep available on CD form Herb too. Get the "Bastardize" Ep here now.

3. Hot on the heels of Sigur Ros' latest album new, My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields has declared that he "still intends to record" another MBV album, according to Magnet.


4. Mogwai have been asked to play at this ATP festival, with a decision expected very soon (source), while Slint will be once again dusting down those vintage guitars to play the influential "Spiderland" in its entirity at the Primavera Sound Festival.


5. The collaboration between Solipsism and Neil Carlill of Vedette, will now be going under the name shoosh. There are more new tracks for you to digest here.


6 My Formica Table, the project run by Strap The Button's Jack Hunter has posted a few of the upcoming ventures. This project is partcularly interested in the "swapping of music". Get in contact with him, if you would like to do this here

7 Some interesting news(to say the least) coming from Radiohead fansite At Ease. Korn are expected to release a cover of "Creep" on their forthcoming Unplugged album. The album will also feature The Cure's Robert Smith. Jonny Greenwood, meanwhile, will oversee his own Reggae compilation in conjunction with Trojan Records. Tracklisiting and details here.

Another New Solipsism Track and Keser Live In Glasgow

Some information on some Scottish-based artists here....

Solipsism have put another track up for preview on myspace and continues the collaboration with Lyricist and vocalist Neil Carlill of Vedette. "Come In From The Cold" continues the experimentation with ambient and folk music.

Keser, meanwhile, will be performing at Glasgow's (in)famous Nice n'Sleazy's venue on Tuesday 9th of January, details can be read here

Solipsism

Solipsism have posted three brand new tracks from their forthcoming album, which is due to be released later in 2007, on myspace. They kindly sent me the tracks for preview when they were 'works in progress' and this collaboration with vocalist Neil Carill of Vedette (and formerly of Delicatessen) is thoroughly enjoyable. The last time I posted on Solipsism, the duo claimed that they were leaving behind their electronic roots to "venture into the murky fusion of ambient and folk music" and they have stayed true to their word with this collaboration.

The tracks could be loosely labelled as Post-Folk or Ambient Folk. But my favourite track, "Pestilence" is highly infectious and features some real other-worldly vocals, courtesy of Carill. This has led me to label Solipsism's direction as Space-Folk. Regardless of genres, one thing you can be certain of is, you have never heard anything like this before . I am certainly looking forward to it, the tracks can be streamed here.

Solipsism (Herb Recordings) - Ambient Sound Design

Solipsism is the work of Herb Recordings owner Craig Murphy and multi-instrumentalist Ed Drury. The duo's sound continues yesterday's themes (Mosca) of experimental ambient passgaes, with Solipsism's aiming to explore the fusion of electro-acoustic instrumentation with ambient and world music.

"Electricty Flows In Squares" will not see light of day until Spring 2007, ensuring that the mp3 below of "Flying", is ultra-exclusive. Having a multi-instrumentalist in their ranks in Ed Drury, who can play over 60 instruments, has enabled Solipsism to explore a variety of themes. This release, in fact, will be their last in the electronic field for a while, as they strive to venture into the world of ambient and folk music.

Solipsism's sound has been described as "warm and solid blend of intricately layered ambient soundscapes...". You can find out about Solipsism's other experiments in ambient sound design here.

"Flying" mp3 - Solipsism