Review: Emerging from the legendary orc-filled lands of New Zealand, With Throats as Fine as Needles is the project of Anthony Milton (boss of the very excellent Pseudoarcana label), Campbell Kneale of Wire darlings Birchville Cat Motel, which has recently been expanded to take on James Kirk (of the Sandoz Lab Technicians) and Richard Francis. Quite a lineup then, and utilising the fact that they're in such a beautiful country, the band performed this self titled record outdoors using only battery powered instruments! Rather a nice concept I think, and it certainly works wonders for the band, instead of your inward bedroom drones, we've got air, space and life added into the mix which gives the album a sound all of its own. A perfect companion piece to the Uton album also released this week on Digitalis, this shows another side of experimental drone music, and while many of the influences stay the same (especially the Jewelled Antler connection) there are huge differences in the sound which give the albums their own distinct personalities. Blessed as usual with a lovely homemade cover, this is another corker of a record on Digitalis.
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