Ssaliva invites listeners to Be Me on Ekster
The prolific Belgian artist will release a new album on the Antwerp-based label next month.
François Boulanger has certainly been busy since he first emerged back in the mid ‘00s as Kingfisherg. In those past ten years he has turned out no less than nine albums as well as a swathe of singles, most notably through his Cupp Cave and Ssaliva aliases. The former hit a productive streak with Ramp, resulting in 2012’s Retina Waves LP as well as other scattered singles, but it’s the latter that has been yielding the most intriguing fare in recent times. Last year Stones Throw subsidiary Leaving Records put out the Pantani cassette LP, while this year one Ssaliva album already dropped called Sextape Hiss. That appeared on Bepotel’s self-titled label, and it’s already left a contingent of avid tape heads pining after the limited stocks. Ekster has been a little more slow and steady in its operations, having put out five records previously from the likes of Hiele, Hantrax and Jack N. Riot, with the most recent, audacious release coming from TCF who wished to pay tribute to his love of tea by packing copies of the record with a strain of Oolong.
Now Ssaliva is back with more essential jams from the outer reaches, starting Be Me off in a wondrous cascade of charming ambience and proceeding to explore all kinds of expressive, emotive moods through the power of uniquely shaped synths and melodies. Comprised of thirteen tracks, it’s a complete listen that will be coming to light on a single vinyl housed in a sleeve featuring Boulanger’s own photography, in some ways making it a step on from the many cassette releases and digital-only albums that have preceded it. Whatever the case the existing supporters of the Ssaliva sound will be satisfied, while it may be an opportunity for those not plugged in to the tape scene to get better acquainted with the truly charming world that Boulanger creates.
Ekster will release Be Me by Ssaliva on September 6.
Tracklisting:
1. Sampo
2. Overland
3. Extra Space
4. Dream Dive
5. Staves
6. Vntitled
7. Haptics
8. Who Then Now
9. Guilt
10. Hexspeak
11. Lingam
12. Fugue
13. Geo
Ekster on Juno