Sunday, August 2, 2009

In My Blood

Some news...

The compilation CD on Lumberton Trading Company, Autumn Blood (Constructions), will be ready for production this week. It, like all compilations, has taken an eternity to assemble and even hit a few last minute hitches before now finally being ready for the manufacturer. As with practically everything else in the present climate, the music industry has been hit quite hard by the recession, resulting in it being more difficult to secure the kind of deals I've been luckily afforded during the past two or three years. Whatever, a jolt or a hurdle of some kind right now will be reduced to the semblance of an already faded blemish over time. Very rare that I've pulled out of any commitments to anything. I beg and borrow if necessary, and that's that. Anyway, the artists on the compilation are: Lawrence English, Peter Christopherson, Birds Build Nests Underground, Steven Severin, Volga, Theme, Andrew Liles, Zenial/Banabila, Formication, Sion Orgon, Human Greed (with LeeDVD) and Colin Potter. Most of the contributions are exclusive and, if I say so myself (and as somebody who doesn't actually like compilations much, generally, if I'm honest), add up to a rather nice whole that flows perfectly, with just enough contours and elements of surprise to keep it positively charged. As an insight to some of the worlds LTCo is personally concerned with, I'm extremely pleased. The CD should appear in about two or three weeks time anyway and, meanwhile, the website itself should be given a long overdue overhaul and feature more information about this.

Otherwise, the third Theme album, Valentine (Lost) Forever, is also going to appear around the same time. Next to the collaborative album between my old group, Splintered, and RLW, released back in 1996, I would contend this as being the one I've felt the happiest about too. Not to slight anything else I've been involved with either, as it's only too easy to pull apart one's own work with the benefit of hindsight, but V(L)F has taken a considerable amount of time to put together and much attention has been paid to the details and overall feel of the album. Following two Theme albums that have seen us exploring different ideas, collaborating with other people, etc., it would appear we've finally found our foothold. Despite presently feeling somewhat over-exposed to the material on the album (which leads to an overwhelming sense of jadedness virtually impossible to untangle oneself from, unfortunately), I feel incredibly proud and, indeed, comfortable with everything on V(L)F. And my collaborator, Stuart Carter, has especially dedicated a lot of effort and man hours to the cause.

Outside of releases, the LTCo website, as already noted, is due to be given an overhaul soon enough, plus the existing Adverse Effect website should shortly be replaced by one focussed on my Fourth Dimension label. A space there for AE matters will operate, and I may then pull down the present blog for this and move everything there. At present, I feel like I'm spread a little too thinly over the internet. Too many profiles, too many pages. Whilst that in itself may serve a purpose, I think objectives can get lost. One of the downsides to the current internet age is the dilution of information, although I still see more advantages than negative points...

Listening round here lately has amounted to dusting off Sun Ra, Albert Ayler, Angels Of Light and Ralf Wehowsky albums mostly, but I've also been savouring Pauline Oliveros' The Wanderer, The Plastic Ono Band's first LP, some Tindersticks, a little Eric Cordier, SSAB, Can and an album by a rather sprightly and energetic band called 2L8, whose work makes me think of Radiohead's before they went into Warp Records territory. Am not averse to a little decent pop, if infused with some fucking intelligence.

More soon, I am sure...