“I don’t like country & western, I don’t like rock music… I don’t like rockabilly! I don’t like much really do I? But what I do like, I love passionately!!”: CHRIS LOWE
Patricia Wolf is one of the emerging talents in electronic ambient music having begun her career in the acclaimed synth duo SOFT METALS.
Based in Portland, in early 2022 she released her debut album ‘I’ll Look For You In Others’, a bittersweet work documenting a period of bereavement, heartbreak and disconnect. The swift follow-up ‘See-Through’ was one of the best records in the genre that year and offered a more hopeful and joyous approach which led her to a place of life embracing lightness.
Combining modern and natural worlds, one key aspect in the music of Patricia Wolf is her use of field recordings and this shapes her new album ‘The Secret Lives of Birds’ more than previously. Having recorded various bird songs and calls, curiosity led her to become a bird watcher and conservationist; this record reflects this passion. While the music is very beautiful at times, there are darker moments of angst and sadness driven by concern. The end result is like a soundtrack for an as-yet-unmade wildlife documentary,
Photo by Edward Pack Davee
Self-explanatory and with synthetic droplets simulating contact calls, ‘The Secret Lives of Birds’ title piece sets the scene for the album. A range of gentle and sharper arpeggios represent ‘The American Dipper’ as windy sweeps glide into the backdrop while ‘Rufous Hummingbird Dive Display’ swoops and hovers as the influence of the late Ryuichi Sakamoto pays a visit.
Inspired by the wonder of its title, ‘Starling Murmuration’ captures these swirls and patterns in the sky through a cleverly constructed pattern of seemingly randomised textures and passages. Over a backdrop of delightful quacks, ‘Greylag Geese Through the Listening Sculpture at Tjörnin’ offers tonal reflection alongside metallic creaking in its aerial movement before ‘Bewick’s Wren’ presents a sound sculpture of minimal synth passages
Photo by Gina Roberti
‘Golden-Crowned Sparrow’ has something of a serene quality along with ‘The Ptarmigan and the Gyrfalcon’ although the latter is shaped by deeper ominous tones of loss in the web of life and the fable of these two birds in Icelandic folklore. ‘Mourning the Varied Thrush That Struck a Window and Died’ documents Patricia Wolf’s own personal experience of a bird hitting a window at her house and dying shortly after; embroiled in heartbreak, this is a haunting emotive piece.
‘Nocturnal Migration’ comes swathed in an airborne wash while reminiscent of CLUSTER & ENO’s ‘One’, Wolf utilises the Nuetone AI plugin tool on one of her field recordings to illustrate the depressing spectre of a future world where wildlife has gone extinct in its natural habit. Then rising high in the air, ‘Soaring’ has density as natural wave upon synthetic wave glistens and builds to conclude.
Patricia Wolf’s creative mission is to use music to “make people more sensitive to the world and maybe a little more careful with it”. An album to savour, ‘The Secret Lives of Birds’ is a fabulous thought provoking work with a variety of emotions that has a sense of purpose.
After nearly achieving mainstream success as a member of rock band LITTLE FISH, Anglo-French singer-songwriter Julia-Sophie Walker became disillusioned and retreated into DIY music making as a solo artist.
The end result was three excellent EPs ‘y?’, ‘</3’ and ‘it feels like thunder’ which captured her anguish and pain. But despite the emotional anguish of her vocal expression, Julia-Sophie always has hope on the horizon in her style of absorbing electronic avant pop.
Now she takes the plunge into the long form with her debut album ‘forgive too slow’. Providing a deeply personal reflection on past relationships, these gently emotive songs combine traditional composition and experimental sound synthesis. One moment these songs can be ambient, then rhythmically skippy, then airy pop while sung in English and then spoken in French, each presents its own world weary character connected by Julia-Sophie’s fraught narrative.
With the release of the heartbreaking second single ‘telephone’ from ‘forgive too slow’, Julia-Sophie kindly took time out to speak to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK about her creative process.
You opened your solo account with three EPs, did you regard these as an apprenticeship before you took the plunge with a full-length album?
Yes, the first three EPs I made were all about exploring sounds, seeing where my creativity would take me, who I was and wanted to be as a solo artist. This experimentation was crucial in developing my sound and style.
How do you look back on those EPs, particularly the first two which had the symbol coded titles ‘y?’ and ‘</3’ ?
Looking back on those EPs, I see them as pivotal moments in my artistic journey. They were experimental and raw, capturing my willingness to explore uncharted territories and express complex emotions through sound. ‘y?’ represented a phase of questioning and curiosity, while ‘</3’ delved into themes of heartbreak and vulnerability. These early works laid the foundation for my sound and continue to influence my music today.
What were the various pros and cons in the solo creative and production process at first?
Initially, navigating the solo creative and production process was both exhilarating and challenging. On the plus side, I had complete creative freedom to experiment with different sounds and ideas, allowing my unique style to emerge organically. The ability to make decisions independently and work at my own pace was incredibly liberating.
However, the process also came with its challenges. Without a collaborative sounding board, I sometimes struggled with self-doubt and second-guessing my choices. It was easy to get lost in the technical aspects of production, which occasionally pulled me away from the pure joy of creating music. Balancing creativity with the technical demands of production required a steep learning curve, but ultimately, it was a rewarding journey that made me a more versatile and resilient artist.
In terms of tech, what are your favourite tools and why? Are you quite software oriented or is hardware the best most tactile way to make music?
Although I do use software, my go-to tools are analog synths and analog drum machines. I believe they offer more depth and a richer, more organic sound. For me, there’s an unparalleled warmth and complexity that comes from working with analog equipment, and the hands-on experience of tweaking and playing with these instruments often leads to unexpected and exciting creative outcomes.
Which artists and producers have shaped your approach to electronic music?
Several artists and producers have significantly shaped my approach to electronic music. Pioneers like APHEX TWIN and KRAFTWERK have influenced my appreciation for innovative sound design and pushing the boundaries of electronic music.
Contemporary producers like Four Tet, Bonobo, Thom Yorke and James Blake have inspired me with their ability to blend organic and electronic elements seamlessly. Additionally, the intricate production techniques of artists like Jon Hopkins and the emotive, textured soundscapes of Nicolas Jaar have deeply impacted my approach to creating immersive and emotionally resonant music.
‘forgive too slow’ is about relationships and you have dug deeper than before, how do you feel now you have finished it?
Finishing and releasing ‘forgive too slow’ feels quite exposing. This album delves deeper into the complexities of relationships than anything I’ve done before, exploring themes of self-destruction, tenderness, love, and emotional struggles. The process was challenging, raw, and cathartic, but now that it’s complete, I feel a little empty and vulnerable. Sharing such honest emotions with listeners is both daunting and powerful, but I have done it in the hope that it resonates with people on a deeper level and because I don’t want people who have felt or feel similarly to feel alone.
What was most different in your approach when doing an album compared with the EPs?
The most significant difference in my approach when working on an album compared to the EPs was the level of depth and cohesion I aimed for. With the EPs, I was more focused on exploring sounds and taking creative risks on individual tracks.
However, for the album, I wanted to create a more unified and immersive experience. The album format allowed me to delve deeper into storytelling and develop my song and production arrangements. This required a more disciplined and sustained effort.
‘numb’ is a striking statement and observers have commented on the intense bassline, how did the track develop, especially with its distinct sections and changes?
‘numb’ is indeed a track that evolved significantly during its development. The intense bassline was one of the first elements I created, serving as the foundation around which the rest of the track was built. I wanted it to convey the feeling of underlying, incessant tension. As the track progressed, I experimented with distinct sections and changes to mirror my experience of fluctuating emotional states, from numbness to overwhelm, back to numbness.
The introduction starts with a minimalist approach, gradually building up layers and shifting the intensity to more complex rhythms and textures, creating a feeling of escalating pressure and reflecting my inner chaos and loss of control. My hope was that this contrast would help capture the dynamic nature of human emotion, how it can oscillate.
In the outro, the track strips back down, almost to its initial minimalism, but with a deeper, more resonant sound. This return to simplicity after the intense middle section is meant to illustrate the cyclical nature of life and emotion, the different ways we navigate or experience emotional storms.
Another intense one is ‘lose my mind’ which has these buzzy rumbles and skippy rhythms, was doing this one quite cathartic for you?
Yes, creating ‘lose my mind’ was incredibly cathartic. The buzzy rumbles and skippy rhythms were designed to capture the chaotic energy and disorientation I was feeling at the time. Working on this track allowed me to channel those intense emotions into something tangible. The process of layering these sounds and experimenting with rhythms was both a release and a form of self-expression, helping me process and make sense of my inner turmoil.
‘comfort you’ has contrasting moods with frantic beats and heavy drones sitting next to parts that are almost acapella, what was going on in your head to inspire that?
‘comfort you’ reflects my experience of feeling contrasting emotions. The frantic beats and heavy drones represent the inner franticness and stress I often feel, whilst the almost a cappella vocals symbolising how I might openly communicate myself. They are very different. I wanted to capture these opposing states and illustrate how they coexist in my music – I guess it is a statement about how easy it is for us to be to missed.
There appears to be comparative relief with ‘wishful thinking’ which is more like a conventional electronic pop song, was this a deliberate gesture?
Yes, ‘wishful thinking’ was a deliberate gesture towards a more conventional electronic pop sound. After exploring intense and complex emotions in my other tracks, I wanted to create something that felt lighter and more hopeful. This track serves as a moment of relief and optimism within the album, reflecting a desire for simpler, more straightforward emotions. It’s meant to provide a contrast and a sense of balance, offering a break from the intensity and a glimpse of positivity.
Are there any pivotal or favourite tracks for you on ‘forgive too slow’ and why?
‘just us’ and ‘telephone’ are special to me. For whatever reason, they touch me profoundly and have an emotional impact that resonates deeply within me. Every time I hear them, I feel the intensity and vulnerability that went into their creation, often bringing me to the brink of tears. These songs are not just tracks on an album; they are emotional experiences that hold significant personal meaning for me.
Who do you hope ‘forgive too slow’ might appeal to?
I hope ‘forgive too slow’ resonates with anyone who has ever struggled with complex emotions and the intricacies of relationships. I believe it will appeal to those who seek depth and authenticity in music. I want it to reach listeners who feel misunderstood or alone in their experiences, offering them a sense of connection and understanding. Whether they are navigating the highs and lows of love, dealing with inner turmoil, or striving for personal authenticity, I hope this album provides solace and a feeling of solidarity.
What are you own hopes and fears both personally and artistically as the state of the world continues to be less certain?
As the state of the world continues to be less certain, my personal and artistic hopes and fears are intertwined. The broader global issues—climate change, social unrest, and economic instability—pose existential threats that impact everyone, and I worry about how these challenges will affect our ability to live as kind and loving humans, let alone create space in our lives that enable us to continue to create. I am committed to my journey of personal and artistic growth, I work hard to contribute positively by working to keep human connections with people authentic. This I hope, although not huge, will play its small part in creating ripples of positive energy in the world, that I believe is more important than ever.
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to Julia-Sophie Walker
Special thanks to Jamie Halliday at Audio Antihero
One of the new generation of ambient composers, Patricia Wolf releases her third album ‘The Secret Lives of Birds’ on Nite Hive, the experimental cassette imprint established by Penelope Trappes of THE GOLDEN FILTER for women and gender-expansive artists.
Patricia Wolf first became known as a member of acclaimed synth duo SOFT METALS. After the contrasting moods of her first two albums ‘I’ll Look For You In Others’ and ‘See-Through’, for ‘The Secret Lives of Birds’, she delves into her new found avian fascination which came from her nature field recordings which included the songs and calls of birds.
Patricia dives deep into her personal library of field recordings and birding experiences, writing songs that show the variety of emotions and wonders that birds bring. Using these field recordings and carefully crafted electronics, Wolf’s emotive instrumental compositions celebrate the avian world and the challenges these beautiful creatures face in the Anthropocene.
Presently an artist in residence at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Colorado to learn about the interplay among species and how climate change is impacting those species, Patricia Wolf kindly answered a number of questions from ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK about ‘The Secret Lives of Birds’ and her wider conservation concerns.
‘The Secret Lives of Birds’ is like the soundtrack for an as-yet-unmade wildlife documentary, what inspired the concept?
It’s great that you picked up on the idea of an imaginary wildlife documentary. I did have that sort of mindset when the concept started taking shape. Over the past few years I’ve become increasingly interested in learning about birds (and all wildlife), ecology, conservation, and ecological restoration. It all started when I began my field recording practice. I love listening to and recording the sounds of wildlife in their natural habitats, but at first I wasn’t able to identify most of what I was hearing.
I started to analyse my recordings with Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s BirdNET and Merlin Bird ID apps. Once I was able to match the songs and calls to specific bird species I began studying their identifying features, behaviours, and habitat needs. My partner noticed that I was getting more and more interested in birds so he gave me a nice pair of binoculars. It was one of the best gifts that I’ve ever received! It opened up a whole new world to me. Once I could see birds in more detail and began to recognize specific species by their calls and songs I became a daily birdwatcher.
I’ve been collecting recordings of the birds that I hear on my walks and from my windows and thought it would be nice to do something with them. When Penelope invited me to make an album for Nite Hive, I saw it as a great opportunity to work on a project that expressed my love of birds. I also had recently finished working on my first soundtrack project for my friend Edward Pack Davee’s new film, ‘Hrafnamynd’ so I think being in the soundtracking mindset also influenced how this album came out. I really hope that I can evoke images of birds and nature when people listen to this work.
Photo by Gina Roberti
The album features field recordings of the birds but did you also film any to assist with your compositional process or did you rely on memory and passion?
I don’t have a telephoto lens for my camera which would enable me to get clear and crisp photos or videos of birds. Because they are often frightened of people, it’s difficult to get close enough to film them in detail without specialised equipment. Becoming a birder makes you a more detail oriented person because there can be subtle differences that you have to notice about a bird in order to identify them properly. You tend to remember brief observations well, too, after doing it for a while because sometimes a quick glimpse is all that you get. You learn what to look for so you can better confirm or deny a sighting. I’m sure that it’s great for one’s brain in terms of focus and memory. I guess you could say I rely on keen observation, memory, passion, books and field guides to make sure that I am correct about an observation. Those observations and learning experiences are what inspired the music on this album.
Compared with your most recent album ‘See-Through’ which was a soothing relaxed ambient work, ‘The Secret Lives of Birds’ captures a wider range of emotions and feelings including some quite dark ones?
I think that this album is not too much of a departure from my first two albums in terms of how the music feels and sounds. The concept is referenced in the album and song titles and that surely influences what the listener is thinking about as they listen, but I wonder what the listener would imagine if the titles were referencing something more related to the human experience? Would they still think about birds or would they think about their relationships with humans and society or their internal thoughts and feelings?
With this album I wanted it to make something that is enjoyable and interesting to listen to from a musical standpoint, but nudge people into the world of birds and other animal species. Another aspect to this is that I strongly believe, as do many scientists (see: The New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness), that animals are conscious and emotional beings. Knowing this, I feel so much sorrow with how they are treated by many humans. My hope is that through my music I might open people’s minds and hearts to be kinder and more compassionate towards other species and the habitats that they need to live the lives that they evolved to live. I hope that we can blur the lines that separate us and focus more on the connections. We are animals, too and we have common ancestors. We are all relatives.
Photo by Michael Yun
A case in point would be ‘Mourning the Varied Thrush That Struck a Window and Died’ which was about an incident which you discussed on your social media?
That song is about a personal experience that I had with a Varied Thrush, hitting a window at my house and dying shortly after. It was heartbreaking for me and the bird’s mate who called for him for a long time afterwards. I’d regularly see them together in my yard before that incident. Once I was able to compose myself after his death, I recorded his mate calling for him and used it in this track. Their song is a simple one note whistle. It’s pure and a bit haunting to me. Both males and females make a variety of sounds. It was heartbreaking to hear her call for him and get no response. It went on for quite some time and I know that the bird was anxious, sad, and worried about its partner and its future as single bird. They rely on one another and a lot goes into a pair deciding to be together.
I felt so ashamed that this happened and immediately purchased the Acopian Bird Savers Zen Curtains to make all of my windows visible to birds. Birds are intelligent beings, but they have different adaptations to us. They can see ultraviolet light, colours that we cannot see, but they cannot see glass. They see what is reflected in it – the plants, the sky, or they see a room in a building that looks like an interesting place to visit. They often fly full force into windows thinking that they are flying to a safe place, but instead strike the hard surface and suffer a serious or life ending injury.
I wanted to share this experience in my music as a way to bring attention to this serious problem. It’s estimated that about 1 billion birds die each year from window strikes in the United States alone. There’s been a 90% decrease in bird populations in the US since 1970 which is shocking and disturbing. We as a species need to do something to make our buildings safer for birds. I hope with this song I can bring some awareness to this problem and inspire more people to apply one of the many often simple solutions to this problem on the buildings that they have some control over.
Photo by Edward Pack Davee
‘I Don’t Want to Live in a World Without Birds’ is quite haunting, a strong message using music?
That song is one of my field recordings processed through the Nuetone AI plugin tool that can transform an input sound source into a violin expression. The motivation behind this was borne out of the depressing thought of a world in the future where most or all wildlife has gone extinct in the wild and all the human world is left with are archives and maybe some remaining species kept in zoos or private collections. The idea of birdsong and wildlife disappearing in the wild makes me incredibly sad. I think of people trying to fill in the gaps with artificial bird sounds or something else artificially designed to fill in the sonic space.
I don’t think this song quite demonstrates what that might sound like, but the idea of field recordings or AI renderings of imaginary birdsongs, or artists trying to make birdsong-like music to relax too in an artificial nature was on my mind when I experimented with this AI tool. I think this song sounds interesting and I enjoy listening to it, but I still live in a world where I can hear and see birds. If I were left with only recordings of birds or artificial versions of them how sad that would be, especially having the memory as a child of birdsong waking me up in the morning and noticing them around me at all times of the day.
‘The Secret Lives Of Birds’ title piece sets the scene for the album, was that the pivotal track in the process which allowed the other tracks to emerge or had you already sketched ideas based on each of the different birds species you wanted to feature?
I had already sketched out a few ideas for this album before that song was written. ‘Rufous Hummingbird Dive Display’ and ‘Golden-Crowned Sparrow’ were the first songs that I wrote for this album and the concept unfolded from there. ‘The Secret Lives of Birds’ was a playful exercise to try to write a birdsong-like phrase on my synthesizer. I like how it came out and it also serves as a sort of theme song for my imaginary bird documentary.
Photo by Max Wolf
‘Golden-Crowned Sparrow’ and ‘The Ptarmigan and the Gyrfalcon’ both have this serene quality, how would these have developed when recording and what particular instruments did you use?
‘Golden-Crowned Sparrow’ is centered around a field recording of that bird that I took just outside my kitchen window. I adore their song. There’s something so tender and sweet about it. I wanted to write a piece of music that reflected what that I feel when I hear them. They walk and fly upon the earth in a gentle and kind way. They are social birds usually seen in a flock of their species as well as other sparrow and finch species. They get along harmoniously with others. The synth I used for this song is the UDO Super 6. I was improvising on it while listening to the recording of the ‘Golden- Crowned Sparrow’ song.
‘The Ptarmigan and the Gyrfalcon’ was inspired by a bit of Icelandic folklore that I was told about while in Reykjavik last fall. According to the tale, the Ptarmigan (a bird in the grouse family) and the Gyrfalcon (a bird of prey) were siblings, but one day Odin’s wife Frigg summoned all the birds to meet and she demanded that they all show their fealty to her by walking through fire. All of the birds did this except the Ptarmigan which is the folk explanation to why they have feathers on their legs and feet and the other birds do not.
As a punishment to the Ptarmigan for not proving its loyalty, Frigg cursed her to be the most defenseless of birds and to be hunted for eternity. Even her brother the Gyrfalcon now hunted her and after he kills her and realizes that she is his sister and cries out in sorrow and regret. It’s a tragic story, but it really stuck with me. It illustrates the painful aspects of the web of life in a mystical kind of way. This song was made with the Super 6, Pro-800, and Peak. I wanted to create an atmosphere to set the stage for this tragedy to play out.
Do you have a favourite bird and therefore a favourite track on the collection?
I don’t have a favourite bird. I love them all! They are all so fascinating and unique in their own ways which is why it’s so interesting to learn about them. I don’t have a favorite track. I see the album as a unit and I think it makes the most sense when experienced that way.
‘The Secret Lives Of Birds’ is being released by Nite Hive which is the label of Penelope Trappes, your career progressions have followed similar paths having both first become known in synthpop duos, how did you come to connect with her?
Yes, we both used to be in synthpop type duos at around the same time. I was a fan of THE GOLDEN FILTER back then when I was in SOFT METALS. It’s really cool that we are now doing solo projects and have become friends. I first connected with her in 2022 when my first solo album came out. I remember she played one of my songs on a BBC radio show that she made a mix for. I was honored! I thanked her and we began to talk and I got more acquainted with her music and was blown away by it. We’ve been keeping in touch and cheering each other on as we go about our creative lives. This past fall while on tour in Europe, I got a chance to meet her in person. We spent a few days together in Brighton and we immediately felt like we’d known each other for such a long time. When she and Steph created Nite Hive, they invited me to be a part of it and I gladly said yes.
It’s interesting the connection between music and birds, Robert Dean who was best known for being in the band JAPAN and has more recently been occasionally producing ambient music, is now a leading ornithologist and illustrator in Costa Rica, is this something you would like to venture into in the future?
Yes, definitely! I am very much interested in biology and ecology and have been interested in getting involved in projects that restore areas to their natural state to support biodiversity. I think I will eventually go back to school to get proper credentials to do this work and will begin volunteering on projects where I can lend a hand in this area. I really hope that my music can draw people in to the secret lives of birds and inspire them to be more sensitive to their needs.
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK give its warmest thanks to Patricia Wolf
After the resigned acceptance of the “post-truth world” that loomed over his second album ‘Memory Box’, Rodney Cromwell is back with a lighter humorous commentary on midlife with his new single ‘Exercise Class’.
A recent edition of the podcast ‘The Heritage Chart Show Show’ podcast presented by journalists Siân Pattenden and Peter Paphides referred to the music of Tony Hadley as “Peloton MOR”.
This amusing quip accurately described the current phenomenon of the nostalgia live circuit and its ‘Let’s Rock’ Festivals. Generally full of middle aged attendees lamenting the days of Thatcherism while wearing deeley boppers or mullet wigs, they are often fighting the flab guided by online Peloton home fitness classes while harbouring late aspirations of becoming a rock groupie or pop star…
All pumped up with this blast of disco indietronica influenced by NEW ORDER and LCD SOUNDSYSTEM, Rodney Cromwell chatted to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK about ‘Exercise Class’, its accompanying video and more…
‘Exercise Class’, is this an example of “Peloton synthpop”?
Ha. I’ve never used a Peloton but perhaps that’s a good description. Even I’m not sure what sort of song this is; sometimes I think it’s a tongue-in-cheek homage to workout video music, but other times I see it as a straight send-up of the spoken-word alternative music you hear constantly on Radio 6 Music. I guess it is whatever you want it to be.
Are the lyrics to ‘Exercise Class’ a sardonic metaphor for life or autobiographical?
I can’t pretend there is any deep level of meaning or metaphor to it. It’s a knowingly stupid song. If it’s anything it is my comment on workout culture, or at least those cringe blokes you see at the gym coming onto women who are just minding their business trying to stay in shape. Rodney Cromwell could never sing from the perspective of a ripped gym-bro though, so obviously the narrator is a pathetic loser. And the story is pure fiction, I have other ways of channelling my mid-life crisis.
You said the video is a bit of a horror splatter fest, how does this relate to the song?
I just didn’t want to do a video with me in gym-gear so I gave my designer Martin, who also plays in the Rodney Cromwell band, carte-blanche to go crazy and do whatever he liked with it. I said of the video that if you’re a fan of Julian House, Terry Gilliam and / or Joe Wicks splatter movies, you’re going to love it. That description probably broke the trade description act, but it’s not a million miles off.
The B-side ‘Madeline Trip’ is a rather short instrumental, are you learning tricks from your label mate Roman Angelos?
Not at all. I’ve been putting out ‘micro-instrumentals’ as B-sides throughout the ‘Memory Box’ campaign. Most of them I don’t really think as songs, just moods. The first one ‘Memory Stop’ was just 51 seconds, so in comparison ‘Madeline Trip’ at 54 seconds is a prog-rock epic.
Is ‘Exercise Class’ a one-off or part of a new larger work in the offing?
It’s a one-off end of the ‘Memory Box’ era, I’ve entirely exhausted everything that I wrote in 2020-2021 which was probably the most fruitful period of my too long musical career. I needed one more uplifting song for side two so I wrote ‘Exercise Class’ and ‘Wristwatch Television’ back-to-back. ‘Wristwatch Television’ just fitted the mood of the album better, because it was a bit less stupid.
What else is on the horizon for you, musically or politically?
Politically, I’ll be out campaigning for Labour again over the next few weeks. I stick to doing that IRL rather than online though as it’s a lot more pleasant.
Musically, if you like folktronica and the sound of vintage Moogs, finally my very old band SALOON from the early noughties will have our Peel Sessions released on LP in October. Very excited about that. Also I’m writing again, this time with Martin and another friend so it’s a lot more collaborative. Despite the odd Moog moment, the new stuff is not all that synthy (I describe it as gothgaze) so this might well be my last ever appearance on ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK! Who knows! *laughs*
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to Adam Cresswell
‘Directions Out Of Town’ is being touted as possibly the last album by Finlay Shakespeare.
The Bristolian synth builder and producer already has several long playing releases to his name, the best of which so far have been ‘Solemnities’ from 2020 and 2023’s ‘Illusion + Memory’. With his overwrought vocal delivery and fierce electronic backing like THROBBING GRISTLE and THE NORMAL meeting Warp Records, Finlay Shakespeare has an engaging post-punk energy to his DIY sensibilities.
Neil Arthur is a Finlay Shakespeare fan and has not only invited him to open for BLANCMANGE but be part of the live set-up and join in the collaborative project THE REMAINDER who released their debut album ‘Evensong’ last year. But this creative journey does appear to have taken its emotional toll and ‘Directions Out Of Town’ reflects turbulent times. Embroiled in anguish, it sees our hero dealing with personal, geographical, political and cultural loss.
At over 8 minutes, opener ‘Away’ sees the frantic rhythmic tension of past creations transferred into embittered vocals over a sparse anxious backdrop. But that archetypal Finlay Shakespeare template returns on ‘Get’; a boisterous barrage of blipping synths, snappy drum machine and fraught story telling that is “hoping for a future now!”, as it turns out, it’s something of an album outlier.
Returning to the minimalism set by ‘Away’, ‘Direction’ adopts reversed textures before a sequence drops in halfway through. Using industrialised rhythms and distortion at a funereal pace, ‘I Go For A Walk’ is full-on distress and not a comfortable listen. More abstract and drone-laden, ‘Face Value (Trio Mandala)’ sits over a cacophony of seemingly random bleeps.
The sharp ‘International’ picks up the pace but retains an intensity with ominous bass tones that continue on the elegiac ‘Go Back’; this though takes the minimalism to its zenith, capturing a solemn mood where a steady build towards a delightful music box ring adds contrast and makes proceedings even more haunting. With sirens calling, there’s a fatalistic aura about ‘Poli’ where “I’m ready to fall” and “tired of running in circles”. And as a sea of noise signals the end, Shakespeare declares he’s “lucky to be on my feet and still alive…”
A more challenging listen as “a deeply effective journey through machines of the human experience” than his two previous works, ‘Directions Out Of Town’ brings out the complex character of Finlay Shakespeare. “I essentially don’t know where I belong any more” he said, “This record is the precursor to that.”
With other domestic acts continually being overrated and testing the patience of the more discerning music enthusiast who wants intelligent musicality and not just a voice, it shows once again what a strange place the UK is and has been for quite a while. As he considers relocating personally, geographically, politically and culturally, it is a shame he is not a more widely acknowledged artist when he is one of the few younger British synthesists offering something musically, melodically and lyrically compelling in modern electronic pop.
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