EYELESS IN GAZA - 'Summer Salt & Subway Sun' CD (Ambivalent Scale)
Originally, the intention was to put together a double album, centering around an escalated excitement with the idea of cities as new, blank texts – contrasted with the kind of sense of alienation and loss evoked in such works as J.G. Ballard’s Concrete Island. "Summer Salt & Subway Sun" works as a kind of survival or synthesis of these ideas. It neatly encapsulates two key aspects of the music Eyeless in Gaza (Martyn Bates & Peter Becker) are presently creating - a balance of atmospheric / acoustic material and sprawling, rhythmic / semi-improvised spidery electric pieces. This has resulted in a blend of song based material juxtaposed with a distinctive brand of kaleidoscopic, “cityscaping” filmic music. Eyeless In Gaza continue to display a characteristic fierce independence of style and attitude. Ltd x 1000 copies.
UK 11£
Europe 12£
World 13£
QUANTITY
MARTYN BATES & TROUM - 'To A Child Dancing In The Wind' CD (Transgredient)
Profound songs inspired by the poems of Irish poet Yeats. The acoustic transformation of the deepest yearning. German duo Troum teamed up with the legendary british singer / songwriter Martyn Bates of Eyeless In Gaza. Beginning with sound structures, drones and minimal loops by Troum, Bates sung and played over this basic material - which was subsequently added to and mastered by Troum. Sensitive, sublime and harmonic. Presented in a beautiful 6-panel digipak with images by Bates.
UK 11£
Europe 12£
World 13£
QUANTITY
MARTYN BATES - 'Mystery Seas (Letters Written #2)' CD (Shayo)
"Mystery Seas" (originaly released in 1995 on A-Scale Recordings and now entirely remastered) is the second of Martyn Bates' (Eyeless In Gaza) "Letters Written" series. On this album he sets his songs into organ based backings, going right back to the drones of traditional song and more than this, to church music. It's an intensive sound which would appeal to fans of traditional folk and electronic music fans all at once. There is a dream state built up from these songs of drifting minimal chords and layers of vocals. What could sound sparse, sounds full and balanced. Digipak.
VA - 'John Barleycorn Reborn' 2 x CD (Cold Spring CSR84CD)
A discovery of folk music from dark Britannica. 'John Barleycorn Reborn' explores seasonal birth, death and rebirth on this double CD. This compilation explores the darker side of British folk music, evoking the mystery of our ancient past and peoples, the strangeness of their beliefs, arcane traditions and the remnants of this carried down the centuries as folklore. The set has an extended booklet with articles, essays and explorations of the album's concept. Curated by Mark Coyle (Woven Wheat Whispers). Features 33 artists:
CD1: Alphane Moon, Andrew King, Charlotte Greig & Johan Asherton, Damh The Bard, English Heretic, Far Black Furlong, Mary Jane, Pumajaw, Peter Ulrich (Dead Can Dance), Sharron Kraus, Sieben, Sol Invictus, The Horses Of The Gods, The Owl Service, The Story (Tom & Martin Welham / Forest), The Triple Tree (Tony Wakeford / Andrew King).
CD2: Clive Powell, Doug Peters, Drohne, Electronic Voice Phenomena, Martyn Bates (Eyeless In Gaza), Quickthorn, Sand Snowman, Stormcrow, The A Lords, The Anvil, The Kitchen Cynics, The Purple Minds Of Lazeron, The Straw Bear Band, Tinkerscuss, Venereum Arvum, While Angels Watch, Xenis Emputae Travelling Band.
