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Tuesday 21 April 2020

Pounding System


Not far to the north of where we live lies the River Mersey. The riverbanks on both sides are walkable and when you cross by the footbridge up near Ashton- on- Mersey golf club there are a maze of paths that wind their way through floodplains and fields, either east to the water park and then Chorlton or west through to Urmston. Much of this land is known as an Ees- Stretford Ees, Chorlton Ees and Sale Ees. Ees is an archaic word meaning a piece of land liable to flood or water meadow. The footpaths cut their way through the Ees, surrounded by trees, hedges and meadows. The M60 and its link roads are all interwoven but are very quiet at the moment. Usually from our back garden you can hear the M60. At the moment you can hear the birds and the occasional rattle of the tramline, a mile in the other direction. Our daily bout of exercise sometimes takes us along the riverbank, especially in the evening when it's much quieter and social distancing is easier and less fraught, and through these lanes and pathways. As the sun dips out west beyond Irlam and Warrington you can sometimes get to witness a spectacular sunset. This is one of the positive things lockdown is giving us- finding local moments of beauty, even in our fairly unromantic and ordinary parts of south west Manchester, and this is now life in 2020- taking the time under these restrictions to appreciate what's on your doorstep.

Here is some dub splendour to match the sunset above from Dub Syndicate, a key part of the On U Sound stable. I was going to post the majestic, far out sounds of Ravi Shankar (Pt 1) but it turns out I've posted that before, back in 2017. Pounding System was the opening track on their 1982 album The Pounding System. The bass and drums/percussion are so precise but so loose in Sherwood's hands. The horns seem to rise up from the mixing desk, levitating. Skanking guitar parts pop in and out. Every element in it's own space and with room to breathe.

Pounding System


6 comments:

The Swede said...

It sounds like you have some good walking routes nearby SA. That's a great shot and, needless to say, a fantastic tune.

C said...

Love that word 'ees', being a soft Southerner it's completely new to me. As you say, one good thing to come out of this is a better chance for so many to get out and appreciate local surroundings more. Such a great time of year for that too with nature absolutely thriving.
As TS says too, great pic and tune.

Jake Sniper said...

Nice photo and nice tune,I love Dub Syndicate. We are quite lucky where we are in Glagow, a handful of parks and quiet areas. Your description did make me miss where I grew up (Lancaster) on the edge of the countryside, so many great places to walk around there.

Nick L said...

"This is now life in 2020- taking the time under these restrictions to appreciate what's on your doorstep." What a great statement, and it's exactly what I've been doing in my Greater London town on the Thames. I grew up around here too and it's brought back many happy teenage memories of just getting around with mates while the sun lingered just a bit longer in the evenings. Your statement could also be used in other contexts too...family, shelter and small pleasures are the things I'm most thankful for in April 2020.
Great tune by the way!

Swiss Adam said...

Thanks all. Glad these things are striking a chord.

Batfish said...

Lived in Sale until 3 years ago and I think about it every day.