Clark talks us through his orchestral tour de force Playground In A Lake
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Leading electronic producer taught himself to read sheet music to create new orchestral fusion
Clark has announced details of his new album Playground In A Lake, scheduled to come out on Deutsche Grammophon on March 26.
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Richard D. James will make his long-awaited return with Syro next month.
The Glaswegian producer will release his second album on Warp in August.
Records from Mood Hut, PAN, Software, Diagonal and Houndstooth all feature in May’s selection.
The experimental producer will commence his recent signing to the long-running UK label with a new EP.
The second of three EPs leading up to Mark Pritchard’s forthcoming album on Warp has been announced.
Records from Diagonal, Dekmantel, Warp and Hivern Discs were amongst the most visually appealing releases from June.
Oneohtrix Point Never will release his next album R Plus Seven on the esteemed British label in September.
Warp have revealed details of the first in a series of three new EPs from Mark Pritchard ahead of a mooted new album.
Warp have announced details of the second album from French artist Jackson and his Computerband.
Warp Records will release Tomorrow’s Harvest, a new album from Scottish duo Boards Of Canada in June.
The glacial sounds of The Hundred In The Hands will be ringing out this summer with the news that Warp will release Red Light, the Brooklyn duo’s second album, in June.
DRC Music will mark the release of Kinshasa One Two – an album project which saw a group of producers selected by Damon Albarn collaborate with more than 50 Congolese musicians – with a pop-up event taking place in London today (November 7).
Warp Records have just announced details of the forthcoming album from producer Leila, due out in January 2012.
When Ambivalence Avenue came out in 2009, it was the birth of Bibio 2.0 – an artist finally stepping out of the BoC meets folktronica shadow that both propelled and pigeonholed his sound. Ambivalence was exciting, fresh, and a solid leap forward for UK producer Steven Wilkinson. Now, Wilkinson has returned, hot off the heels of his lauded breakthrough album on Warp, with Mind Bokeh. The new long player carries much the same tone as Ambivalence – combining playful vintage melodies and summer-fuelled beats – but it also sees him venturing even further out of his folky-comfort zone and pushing into new sonic territory. Wilkinson’s vocals are more prominent in the mix this time around, and with “Take Off Your Shirt” he even tries his hand at Phoenix-style pop, using a chunky riff and cheesy lyrics with the hopes of creating a summer banger. It’s jarring at first, but becomes more palatable after repeat listens. “K for Kelson”, on the other hand, is more of a winner, seeing Wilkinson try his ear at tropical robot pop, crafting an infectious poolside hit.
Other tracks see him revisiting the styles that became his trademark on Ambivalence Avenue. “Light Sleep” for example works the funk vibe in similar fashion to “Jealous of Roses”, and “More Excuses” sounds like an extension to “All the Flowers”. Album highlights are “Artists’ Valley”, which works a crunchy Fly Lo beat and a smooth bass line outro, that’s perfect for bobbing your head during more chilled out moments. The title track is a wandering blurry soundscape, reminiscent of BoC, and closer “Saint Christopher” may indeed be the album’s best track, featuring a light 4/4 beat and high-hat shuffle driving three interweaving guitar lines for six beautiful minutes. It’s a great outro to the album and perhaps a sign of even further sonic evolutions. The term ‘bokeh’ comes from the Japanese and has to do with staring at the out of focus areas in a photographic image; Wilkinson attempts to do this with your ears and mind, and for the most part, he succeeds. With Mind Bokeh we see Wilkinson reworking the best moments of Ambivalence Avenue and trying out a few new styles as well. It’s not a full leap forward – but it’s arresting nonetheless. Let’s call it Bibio 2.5.
Matt Leslie
Mysterious disco edits duo Tiger & Woods have lined their putters up for a remix of Brooklyn based duo Hundred In The Hands.
After the “next level jazz shit” of Cosmogramma, you’d forgive Flying Lotus for a taking some time out and maybe hit some clubs in LA to find his next Brainfeeder signee. Instead he’s spent the past few months scouring the inner workings of his clearly impressive musical brain to deliver Pattern & Grid World, seven tracks of expansive machine funk futurism. Commencing with the hazy mist of psychedelic soul synths flourishes and intricate beat patterns that is “Clay” Ellison demonstrate an ever increasing array of beat poetry. “Kill Your Co-Workers” marries tinny drum and bass programming with an ever expanding opulence of joyous melodies whilst “Pie Face” drops outer galactic grime syncopation over kaleidoscopic bass patterns. “Time Vampires” could soundtrack the astro travelling Lord Quas referred to on the classic Madlib album The Unseen whilst “Jurassic Notion/ M Theory” splays wonked out afro percussion over belly level schizoid bass lines. The final rhythmic jolt of “Physics For Everyone” replete with head first plunges into industrial bass makes this a bewitching complement to Ellison’s highly lauded album.
Tony Poland
