Friday Triplet

A bunch of new releases for Friday, the start of a Bank Holiday weekend and a half term holiday too for me, all reasons enough to celebrate.

First up, a new single from Number. Released back in January Number's album Pollinate is a blast of post- punk/ punk- funk/ wonky disco made by Red Snapper's Ali Friend and Rich Thair, a state of the nation/ world album you can dance to. Discoid came out as a single in early May and was followed this week by a remix by Tranquil Elephantizer, a six minute chugged up, hugely infectious dancefloor monster that doesn't let up. Over at Bandcamp you can get the remix, a radio edit version and a dub. More fun than you can shake a drum stick at, a critique of late stage capitalism clad in disco clothing. 

Next, Manchester label Sprechen are on a roll, one hit after another. The recent album by Lines Of Silence and EPs by Viper Patrol and The Thief Of Time are all part of the story as is the new four track EP from Matt Gunn- Complicata. Woozy, off kilter psychedelic cosmic disco, very much in the vein of  the much loved ALFOS nights, pioneered by Andrew Weatherall and Sean Johnston and now under Sean's solo stewardship. Be Born is a slo mo, star lit nine minute journey; synth arpeggios, pianos and pads, all aimed squarely at the sweet spot near the speakers. It shifts gear after two minutes forty, guitars and kick drum taking over. Sterndale Moonstomp follows, wide eyed and a little sweaty with a thumping bass drum. Quid Significat is a disco- funk odyssey, the 9 O' Clock Drop kicking in, ACR and 23 Skidoo taken over by synths. Complicata ends with Not A Hymn, another long one at nine and a half minutes that slows the rhythms but keeps the heat- squelchy, thumpy psychedelic dancefloor joy. Find the EP at Sprechen's Bandcamp.

There are further new releases coming from Sprechen this summer, including one by Birds Of Pandaemonium with some Richard Norris remixes that are typically great and Brighton's Higher Love label returns to action next month with an EP by Mass Density Human that is a woozy joy. More to follow nearer the time. 

Jim Baron is one of Crazy P and has a solo Balearic/ folk/ Laurel Canyon trip under the name JIM. His 2023 album Loves Make Magic was a Bagging Area favourite and the slew of remixes that followed it all added new dimensions. JIM's just put out a new single, Love Over Gold (not a cover of the Dire Straits song) with his daughter Edie sharing vocals, slow jam, off centre Balearic pop that grows a little more with each play.