Blog Post 4 - Isolation Playlist Special

22nd March 2020

Here we are lock'd down and witnessing an outpouring of support, musical sharing and general community in the past week or so that's been genuinely inspiring.  Being someone that quite enjoys regular sessions of self-imposed solitary confinement as a means of maintaining my own sanity.. here be a collection of tried and tested isolation anthems, heavily focused on inducing a DEEP sense of calm, that often provides the backbone to wholesome self-quarantine sessions, along with some words and recent pics.  ENJOY.. stay clean / safe / optimistic!  ANF.

Éliane Radigue - Kymea

Feel like no-one can hold a candle to Eliane's SLOW micro-tuned pieces that harness the power to fully enable the listener to cross-over into another dimension.  References to her own interests in Tibetan Buddhist underpin throughout, mirroring the transition of life into death.  

 

Keith Fullerton Whitman - Lisbon

Long-form and life-affirming from KFW.. tracing an arc of mellow placating tones before moving into an awe-inspiring wall of sound that fully possesses the power to reduce one to a quivering, fetal mess. 

Pandit Pran Nath - 21 VIII 76 NYC Raga Malkauns 

Pandit & La Monte Young recorded in 1976.  The only criticism of this recording I can think of is the fact that it doesn't go on forever.  Pran Nath's vocal range is unparalleled, the way he meander his way through the tambura drone, best described as 'like a river running over a rock'. 

 

Kawabata Makoto - Whenever Seeing You

Anyone that's bothered to read the accompanying blabber with records listed on here may be aware of the frequent referencing of the 'Private Tapes' series from Acid Mothers Temple man Kawabata Makoto.  This one's one of the best (and easiest to find online) - a heroic dose of lysergic guitar loops and droning tambura.

Celer - Motions That Vary Due To Height

Celer is the recording alias of Tokyo-based American artist Will Long.  His output is relentless, often producing long-form drone-based pieces.  This is one of his best, heavy sub-bass quivers and swirling tones deep enough to be fully submerged. 

Charlemagne Palestine - Four Manifestations On Six Elements

A perfect album, Charlemagne's 1974 debut squeezes sounds and feelings out of the piano that no-one else can.  The opener on this video 'Sliding Fifths' is one of the best pieces of minimal composition - long-sustained overtones and a torrential downpour of lingering ivory hits.  Incredible to imagine this being played by one person. 

Rimarimba - Sea, Shore, See, Sure?

More recent long-form piece from shop favourite Robert Cox aka Rimarimba.  A one hour improvised piece that focuses on light, sea-washed guitar loops and shimmering melodic swells.  Really beautiful.

Recent happens

Selected dump of recent photos from near and afar...

Robert & Vivianne Cox make their Stockport debut!

 

Rimarimba Scratch Orchestra live!  

 

Rimarimba live.

An early start with Tokyo's salary men.

Very quiet subways.

Ikebukuro bus stop.

Local zones.

Heavy digs with Yohei.

 

Old-school stores in deep suburbia.

Afternoon off at Jindaiji temple, Chofu.

Frog at soba restaurant.

Taxis waiting.

Neighbourhood graveyard, Chofu.

Local postie.