Desperate To Disappear And Still Be Someone

Continuing with the A-Z of artist releases from 2025 that I haven't yet bought, but are on the shopping (long) list for this Bandcamp Friday.

Yesterday covered A to F; today, it's my picks of artists from G to M, specifically

Gwenno remixed by Cornelius

Horizontals aka Leo Zero

Ibibio Sound Machine

Jah Wobble

KLOUDs

Little Annie & Baby Dee ft. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

MAN2.0 remixed by Tronik Youth

Gwenno's fourth album Utopia came out in July, her first predominantly in English, with previous albums in Welsh or Cornish. What's not changed is Gwenno's way with a song and this carries through into the Utopia Remixes EP, released last week. Versions by QUINQUIS and Stone Club both recommended, but I've opted here for the unexpected and delightful remix from Japanese legend Cornelius. 

Leo Zero has been a busy man this year and it's been hard to keep up with everything he's put out there, including two excellent EPs as Junk System (there's a third to come), 20-track disco monster Nebulon Systems Vol. 1, plus a ton of edits, remixes and one-offs.

Wild Light by Horizontals is Leo's ambient/balearic project, 10 tracks of on-the-nose bliss, including this one. 

I was a bit slow on the uptake with Ibibio Sound Machine, but I'm now all in, so the arrival last week of a new EP, Anyone Like You, is very good news indeed. In addition to three versions of the title song is the "cosmic funk" of Jagaban, featured here. The title is from Hausa, a widely spoken language in Nigeria, and translates as "leader of warriors". 

When Jah Wobble drops an album called Dub Volume One, you know what you're going to get, and you know it's going to be great. And of course it is.

Written, performed, and recorded entirely solo by Jah Wobble, mastered by Anthony Chapman (Collapsed Lung) and issued on Dimple Discs, the indie label founded in 2018 by Damian O'Neill (The Undertones, That Petrol Emotion) and Brian O'Neill (not related).

I could have chosen any of the eight tracks, opting here for the wonderfully titled Tragic Slav Dub.

KLOUDs is a collaboration between Ukrainian-born Sam Levin aka Zullah, and Israel's Itay Menashe aka Fistuk. I can't say that I've heard of either of them, but I really like this 2-track single, pairing PALMS and Côte D'Ivoire. Released in August on the Stereo MC's label called - what else? - Connected, it's a welcome ray of sunshine and recollection of summer in this damp, dark English winter.

I have loved Little Annie, since I first discovered her music in the early 1990s, courtesy of Adrian Sherwood / ON-U Sound. As the title suggests, With is an 8-song collection of 21st century collaborations with like-minded artists. 

The album opens with a rousing 2008 live version of Yesterday When I Was Young with Marc Almond and ends with Some Things We Do, from Swans' 2014 album To Be Kind. Included in between are team ups with Coil, Kid Congo Powers, Paul Wallfisch and Larsen.

I've gone for State Of Grace, the title track of the 2012 album by Little Annie & Baby Dee, featuring Bonnie "Prince" Billy.

Last but not least is MAN2.0's latest, on the ever dependable NEIN Records label. I'm a big fan of MAN2.0's previous music and mixes and this 5-track EP from July offers up two versions of CTRL ALT DEL (with Precious Blood) and three of Nightmare Walking.

All five tracks mean business, including this stunning remix by NEIN label boss Tronik Youth.

More tomorrow.

After A Horrific Night Comes Bright Day

New music from Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. London May is song two of twelve on twenty second album, The Purple Bird, arriving January twenty twenty five.

I really like London May and I especially like the video directed by Sai Selvarajan. London May is named after the writer and musician, who also co-stars with Will in the video. I confess that I've not heard of London May before now, but they have a colourful and interesting history, to say the least.

I thought I had more of Will Oldham's music in my collection than I did. It turns out that I have a smattering of Bonnie 'Prince' Billy songs and collaborations from various periods (and mostly various artist compilations). Just the one album, in fact, and that being There Is No-One What Will Take Care Of You by Palace Brothers, from thirty one years ago.

Any recommendations for where to start and/or some essential listens are very welcome.

In writing this, I've also just discovered that Will and I were born four days and roughly four thousand miles apart. A shared love of music and star sign might turn out to be the only things we have in common, but maybe that's enough.

Happy birthday for 15th December, Will, hope it's full of love, hugs and melodies.

A Crawl Around The Clubs Getting High

Dusting off some sorely neglected (by me, at least) club cuts, ready for the Friday dancefloor, personally these days a patch of carpet between the sofa and the TV. I'd forgotten how much I love these songs: the Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and Cortney Tidwell tracks are particular delights; Fred Falke and Mark Pritchard are guaranteed to get me shaking (although there's now a simultaneous creaking and rattling); the brief detour to Japan via 5th Garden & Pizzicato Five brings a smile every time; Prins Thomas, James Zabiela & DJ Q bring some serious beats and, to cap it all off, one of my favourite ever remixes by The Orb. The original version of Home by PWEI supplies today's post title. Happy Friday, everyone!

1) Carambola (Mark Pritchard Remix): Azymuth (2000)

2) I Feel Bonnie (House Mix): Hot Chip ft. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (2010)

3) Kanal (Prins Thomas Sure Oppstøt): Telephones (2010)

4) Don't Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up (Ewan Pearson's Objects In Space Vocal Remix): Cortney Tidwell (2007)

5) Candy (James Zabiela Remix): Spooky (2008)

6) Animal (Fred Falke Remix): Miike Snow (2009)

7) Cooking (Arling & Cameron High Pressure Mix): 5th Garden (1998)

8) Love's Theme (Saint Etienne Mix): Pizzicato Five (1997)

9) R U Still In To It? (DJ Q Remix): Mogwai (1998)

10) Home (Orb Sweet Sin And Salvation Mix): Pop Will Eat Itself (1995) 

A Crawl Around The Clubs Getting High (1:16:17)

Songs For The Young At Heart

I discovered a second hand copy of Songs For The Young At Heart almost by accident, but it's become a much-loved album since. Recorded & compiled by Stuart A. Staples & David Boulter from Tindersticks, Songs For The Young At Heart is a children's music album, featuring classic children's songs, nursery rhymes & stories set to music, with vocals from a number of guest artists including Cerys Matthews, Jarvis Cocker, Martin Wallace, Red aka Olivier Lambin, Robert Forster, Stuart Murdoch, Suzanne Osborne & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy aka Will Oldham.

 

According to Wikipedia, David Boulter said that the inspiration for the album came following the birth of his son.

 

"I began thinking of songs and nursery rhymes from my own childhood to play to him", Boulter stated. "I realised there was a lot of interesting and almost forgotten music, from the school room, the radio, and the television, that maybe was the reason I'd begun to make my own music in the first place."

 

I have one of the initial copies of the CD, in hardback book format, containing stories, poems & artwork by Sexton Ming, founding member of The Medway Poets and the Stuckism art movement, as well as sometime member of Armitage Shanks, Television Personalities and Thee Headcoats.

 

Theme For The Young At Heart: Stuart A. Staples & David Boulter (You Tube) (2006) (2:36)