‘Initially only gently mental, Triangulation Station almost resembles Cardiff screwballs Islet calming down, Emma Daman delivering a retro warble atop pliable, slightly calypso psych. Of course it’s not though it perhaps would, were Mark Thomas’ dry vocal interventions not as thirstily maniacal as ever as he drones of “talking with the fire in the dark dark dark” midway through the longstanding live fave. Its bass restive and bulbous; its harmonies perfectly batshit, there’s even a bit toward the alas, inevitable denouement that gingerly recalls Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ which, y’know, is never a bad thing…’



Triangulation Station is anticipated June 10th via Thomas’ very own Shape Records label.

‘Minnesota baroque-pop ensemble Dark Dark Dark long ago installed themselves in the warmest chambers of my vital organs, and I couldn’t spurt praise effusive enough of either their latest, Who Needs Who, or indeed their carnivalesque live show to do the infatuation justice. Theirs is a singular, and sporadically esoteric hex and one I’ve yet to shake so this one – their contribution to next month’s Record Store Day – is nothing if not a timely reminder of my dedication to that unerring devotion. I’ve always found Record Store Day to be something of a disorientating experience, not least as there’s so much stuff to lust after and so little time to snap it up before it ends up, somewhat inevitably, on eBay. But a longstanding live fave, this one heads up my list of essential acquisitions and is to be backed up by a further couple things in Love Lies and I Collect Things. They’re as yet inaudible though this, a dizzying whizz back through widely recognised musical histories – honky-tonk, doo-wop, off-kilter jazz pitter-patter, etcetera – is one to waltz with right through April 20th. And though Nona Marie Invie may chime, “And if I knew then/ What I know now/ I would never have asked/ Anything like that” it would appear that she’s only too aware of this elaborate plundering of the past though when they’re so capable of reproducing in the present, that’s really of little concern. And only in knowing that which she does now can she and they continue to produce these quietly affecting sorts of things…’



Dark Dark Dark play TV On The Radio’s ATP curation May 10th–12th.

‘There was a grim irony to the demise of The Stool Pigeon earlier on in the year, such was the hyperbolic doom mongering assumed to speak of the then lingering uncertainties over the future of All Tomorrow’s Parties – a once in a lifetime kinda festival held in dilapidated holiday camps across Southern England, if you’ve not yet been. That is to say that mercifully, though the ‘Pigeon may have croaked it, organisers Barry Hogan and Deborah Kee Higgins live on to call upon variegated curators once more, thus making ATP so much more than an in every respect one-time jamboree. You’re doubtless already aware of May’s I’ll Be Your Mirror – a two-day shindig at the height of Alexandra Park, London which is to be headed up by the returning Yeah Yeah Yeahs and widely lionised Warpsters Grizzly Bear – though that tad deeper into the now imminent summer months reside two further three-dayers down on the South Coast. Taking place at Pontins, Camber Sands (a venue which, by ATP’s own admission, is ‘getting along in years’ and is ‘obviously not Club Med’) the two estival weekenders will be the third and fourth to take place down beside this particular bit of scummy seaside since December’s relocation for their Shellac and The National curations.

So great British meteorological caprice aside, both should (though more probably only could) be sun-speckled affairs but with events transpiring exclusively indoors, there is to be no rain on the respective multicoloured musical parades of either TV On The Radio or Deerhunter. The former take the reins over the weekend of May 10th–12th, while Bradford Cox’ latter do the honours June 21st–23rd and are to perform seminal contemporary recordings Cryptograms, Microcastle and Halcyon Digest in full on each of the three evenings. It is elsewhere, however, that both bills begin to take alluring forms.

Dave Sitek et al. favour a more energetic flair, with acerbic hip hop the genre des trois jours: kingpins De La Soul and DOOM loom large over the likes of El-P, the newly announced Death Grips and Saul Williams, while respite is to be provided by Ruban Nielson’s Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Nona Marie Invie’s Dark Dark Dark, only for the irrepressibly ebullient !!! to ratchet it right back on up again with an indefatigable dance vim. We ought then, at this juncture, not only condone heading southwards in the first instance, but so too heading to see washed out New Mexico duo North America, as well as Baltimore’s latest muzzy dream-pop ensemble, Celebration. And that’s about that for the first weekend…

For it’s that compiled dual-handedly by Bradford Cox I full well imagine which is that bit more enticing still, for not only is he performing nowhere short of four times (inclusive of a rare Atlas Sound outing) but so too The Breeders are to do Last Splash in full. Other than that, there’s to be ruination from Black Dice and rather more melodious rumination courtesy of Noah Lennox’ Panda Bear getup. Fellow AnCo critter Avey Tare also features on a line up elsewhere comprising Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier, a collaboration between Kim Gordon, Ikue Mori and Bill Nace, and experimental rabble-rousers Pere Ubu. Though most pertinently, none other than neo-classical luminary Steve Reich is to team up with The London Sinfonietta to recite a clutch of his defining compositional pieces, including Clapping Musicand Electric Counterpoint.

I’ve yet to absorb that particular piece of news fully, though the above makes the two line ups now read as below:

ATP Weekend 1 Curated By TV On The Radio

TV On The Radio & De La Soul & DOOM & Death Grips & Spank Rock & Why? & El-P & !!! & Saul Williams & Tinariwen & CSS & Doseone & Shabazz Palaces & Thee Oh Sees & Antibalas & Daniel Higgs & Dragons Of Zynth & Light Asylum & Celebration & Talibam! & Lone Wolf & Cub & Dark Dark Dark & North America & Unknown Mortal Orchestra & Bouquet.

ATP Weekend 2 Curated By Deerhunter

Deerhunter performing Cryptograms, Microcastle and Halcyon Digest & The Breeders performing Last Splash & Steve Reich & The London Sinfonietta & Tom Tom Club & Atlas Sound & Rhys Chatham with Oneida & Panda Bear & Robyn Hitchcock & Kim Gordon, Ikue Mori & Bill Nace & James, Roj & Julian & William Basinski & Avey Tare & Pere Ubu & Dan Deacon & Black Dice & Tim Gane & Laetitia Sadier & No Age & Black Lips & Ex Models feat. Kid Millions & Samara Lubelski & Blues Control with Laraaji & Eric Isaacson.

Information on both curations can be found over at the official All Tomorrow’s Parties site, with TVOTR ticket options here and Deerhunter equivalents here.

‘From Dark Dark Dark comes great light, and this is their most radiant effort to date. A tale of two masterfully recited sides, both prove utterly brilliant.’

Dots & Dashes review both sides to Dark Dark Dark’s Who Needs Who…