Textura Returns

After a short period on the sidelines, the wonderful Textura monthly webzine has returned with a fanatastic issue featuring in-depth label profiles of the wonderful Dynamophone and the equally superb, Hidden Shoal. Furthermore, there are a number of reveiws that have featured here. As well as an extensive look at the latest Dynamophone releases, reviews of Explosions In The Sky, Tobias Lilja, Arc Lab, SubtractiveLAD and Ölvis can be found there.

But of particualr interest here, is the colourful descriptions and mp3's of Wes Willenbring, Slow Dancing Society and Sankt Otten from the Hidden Shoal catalogue. All three albums are strong contenders for my end of year list and are most definitely worth checking out. The following paragraphs and mp3's can be found at the excellent Textura, along with some samples from the likes of A Lily, Pornopop, Stars of the Lid and Pole:

Sankt Otten (Textura Review)

Sankt Otten's "Wir koennen ja Freunde bleiben" emerges from its dark opening moments, casts its gaze upon the open plains and ponders the surrounding expanse as guitars both sing a soft lullaby and build into slow-burning swells.

Sankt Otten: "Wir koennen ja Freunde bleiben"


Slow Dancing Society (Textura Review)

In "The Delicate Sound of Silence," Drew Sullivan coaxes a fragile and stately beauty from a modest collection of whistling tones, voice samples, and guitar flutter. Sullivan masterfully shapes the material into a captivating ambient setting that comes as close as possible to translating a most peaceful sleep state into aural form.

Slow Dancing Society: "The Delicate Sound of Silence"


Wes Willenbring (Textura Reveiw)

The San Francisco-based Willenbring generates alluring vignettes from a base palette of piano and guitars, blurring the lines between them until the reverberant product of their union drifts like a slow-motion plume of smoke through the quietude of an empty cathedral

Wes Willenbring: "Sometimes"

Points of Interest...

1. Thom Yorke has posted sporadic lyrics from a new song
entitled "Burn The Witch".

2. Brainwashed has details of three very, very anticipated albums. Fridge (featuring Four Tet; Adem etc) will return with their 5th LP "The Sun" out through Temporary Residence on May 15th(Details). Another TR band, Grails, will unleash "Burning Off Impurities" on May 1st(Details). While, Yellow6 will release his first recording with Resonant, "The Painted Sky" on March 19th (Details)

3. According to The Silent Ballet, the entire ranks of Romance of Young Tigers have joined forces with Kenoma. No official word from ROYT as of yet.

4. It seems Massive Attack have been gone for a long time. Well they are set to return, here's an interview with The Guardian.

5. Tobias Lilja's "Time Is On My Side" has created quite a stir across the web. n5md has collected all of the reviews together. Also read Brett Spaceman's thoughts on this album.

6. The Vanessa Van Basten review I wrote has been selected for Italian webzine, Rockit's, The Foreign Legion column. Check the site out there are a few other reviews too, they are printed in both English and Italian. It would also be great if any Italian speaking readers could translate what they have said about me in my profile.

7. Arcade Fire's forthcoming album, "Neon Bible", is shaping up to be equally as good as "Funeral", if this live performance of "Intervention" is anything to go by.

8. Herb Recordings has revealed details of two new signees, who will release material later this year, they are Scotland's Engine7 and USA-based Skytree.

9. Pitchfork has an mp3 and details from Calla's forthcoming "Strength in Numbers" album, out February 20th. Go here.

Tobias Lilja : "Time Is On My Side" (n5md)

n5md base the concept of their label around the mantra "emotional experiements in music". Last year saw the release of their most emotional recording yet, Last Days' epic "Sea" album. That collection of affecting compositions contained all of the hallmarks of n5md's individuality. Fast forward to 2007, and "Time Is On My Side" by Swedish electronic composer Tobias Lilja reinforces n5's commitment to music that is just that step ahead in terms of emotional intensity and creativity.

Lilja has created a sprawling album based around the concepts of time, choices and longing. Having spent two years studying sound engineering, Lilja was disillusioned with the boundaries of technical sound perfection. "Time Is On My Side" is his response to those barriers, a deeply emotive album that evokes images of decay and degeneration. Most importanly, though, this album is upfront and extremely intimate.

The most startling aspect of "Time Is.." is the way Lilja has incorporated his voice into the compositions, giving a feeling similar to "Bachelorette" period Bjork. His hypnotic voice is backed by a soundtrack of crumbling beats, static-soaked sounds and desolate melodies. Opening number, "A Ruthless Beast" sounds expansive, yet there's a real feeling of isolation an claustrpohobia, with Lilja remarking "Am I tied up or am I clinging on?.." over and over. In fact, this album is a mass of contradictions, it's dark yet shards of light seem to break their way through all the gothic gloom. It's bleak yet incredibly beautiful in parts. "Blood Tracer" is a prime example of this, intially enevloping the listener with a sense of remotelessness. Deadend beats collide with one another, almost like an almighty storm, as Lilja's multi-tracked voice, once again, becomes the focal point. This near nine-minute mini-opera explodes beautifully towards the end, though, culminating in a stunning mix of ethereal female vocals with despairing synths.

"Beginner's Optimisim", is another stand-out with a repeating cycle of strained orchestral sounds and supressed electronics. The beats seem to escalate euphorically, before subsiding into a mass of drones and filtered vocals, with Lilja again uttering "Am I tied up or am I clingling on..."

Lyrical themes are important to "Time Is On My Side", while the titles of some tracks ("A Settlement Of Dust, "Gas of Forgiveness") reinforce the sense of controlled despair. The latter allows desolate sounds to assemble ominously, while Lilja hypnotically informs us that he "slept like a king". Tracks like this bear some resemblence to some of the darker moments on Thom Yorke's "The Eraser" opus.

"Time Is On My Side" is the first important album of 2007. It is constantly interesting, grabbing you with a vice-like grip, suffocating the listener with each of the 11 apocalyptic compositions. At times it's bleakness seems relentless, but a subtle melody or a dim string passage breaks its way through now and again, conveying a sense of hope. It is not until the last static-drenched strains of "To Be Thought Of" that you can pause for thought. Lilja's brooding vocals ensures that this album is thoroughly captivating throughout. A constantly evocative and deeply personal recorded document, "Time Is On My Side" is an outstanding achievement for Tobias Lilja and an excellent find for the ever-impressive n5md.

Order "Time Is On My Side" here.


Rating = 90%

Points of Interest...

1. If there any aspiring writers or anyone with some opinions on musical, political or artistic issues. Ask for a inivite to the Hidden Shoal Recordings project FluxusTV. There is an ever-growing band of like-minded individuals posting their thoughs and sharing their interests at this intriguing venture. I've joined up and it looks very good fun.

2. Arclight Communications have confirmed that they will release Romance of Young Tigers self-titled ep via 10" vinyl this year and it will feature a bonus track. It will be limited to just 400 copies.

3. Mark 6/02/07 in your diaries, because n5md will issue their latest batch of "emotional experiments in music". Albums by Sweden's Tobias Lilja and Canadians SubtractiveLAD and Arc Lab will be released on this day.

4. Two of my tips for 2007 will be releasing new material very soon. iLiKETRAiNS will have a new single, "Spencer Perceval" out on 26/03/07. While, Slow Dancing Society officially releases "The Sound of Lights When Turned Dim" this coming Monday. Order it here

5. Keser will return to Glasgow on 23/01/07 to play a free gig at everyone's favourite late night bar, Bloc. ÅsA are also due to play at what should be an excellent night for contemporary Scottish music.