The Griffin

Back in June when looking for inspiration in my downloads folders I rediscovered Spacebound Tapes, a four track EP of remixes of tracks by Neil Cowley. I can't remember where I first heard Neil Cowley (or the Neil Cowley Trio as was then) but there's a good chance Andrew Weatherall was involved, probably via his Music's Not For Everyone show at NTS, a monthly two hour gateway into unheard music, both old and new. Neil Cowley is a pianist, composer and electronic artist from London. During the 90s he played keyboards for Brand New Heavies and Zero 7 and has played as a session musician. Between 2006 and 2018 the Neil Cowley Trio released seven albums. Of the four remixes on the Spacebound Tapes EP these two really stand out.

Weightless (Rival Consoles Remix)

Rival Consoles makes gorgeous electronic, ambient, shoegaze, minimal techno music, analogue synths and pattering drum machines with chiming melodies and sudden changes of direction, not too far from the place Jon Hopkins operates in. I bought the 2018 Rival Consoles album Persona when it came out and played it a lot but haven't got any of the three he's released since then which I'm sure is my loss and something to rectify. His remix of Weightless is aptly titled, the notes and rhythms dancing in  weightless fashion, with echoes of piano and the sound of  a thousand insects chirruping. 

Echo Nebula (Vessels Remix)

Vessels are from Leeds, post rock and techno, electronics in a band with synths and FX alongside guitar and drums. Their remix of Echo Nebula sets out with a distorted drum and echo. A wonderfully wobbly synthline rides in on top with a another, less audible sitting underneath. The various drum patterns and sequences start to pile up in layers, gathering heat and light. Again, very well titled, the track suggesting sound waves echoing their way down a long narrow chasm or splattering their way across the inky black expanse of space. 

The abandoned pub at the top is one of a series of photos I've taken this year of derelict pubs. The Griffin is in Frizington in the western Lake District. This is not the world of Wordsworth, national parks and tourist honeypots such as Ambleside- the western Lakes is the working part of the area, industrial (or post- industrial). It's some time since anyone pulled a pint at The Griffin. 

Articulations

Rival Consoles (known as Ryan Lee West in real life) has a new album out, Articulations, a follow up to 2018's Persona. The same manipulation of sound and layers of synths, intricate rhythms and ebb and flow of the music, melodies and emotion pushing through. It's all really good stuff and shows that electronic music can be as warm and deep as anything created by people with guitars. The album can be bought both physically and unphysically at Bandcamp.

Persona

This comes recommended by Drew (of sadly recently defunct blog Across The Kitchen Table). Rival Consoles featured here a little while ago remixing The Neil Cowley Trio. Rival Consoles own album came out back in April, an introspective feast of electronic sounds, synths, drum machines, computers creating music you could dance to, and music for sitting in dim light and listening to- ambient, drones, melodies. All infused with very human emotions. You can buy it here.

Weightless

In his most recent Music's Not For Everyone radio show Weatherall played this track, released back in February. Neil Cowley made an album called Spacebound Apes, a sci fi exploration based loosely around Arthur C Clarke's 1956 novel The City And The Stars. This remix by Rival Consoles is a joy, a beautiful, lighter than air piece of music that sounds like music made by human machines.