Whorl [Bonus Disc]

by Simian Mobile Disco, Jas Shaw, James Ford

Overview

The making of Whorl was such a break from Simian Mobile Disco's previous methods that James Ford and Jas Shaw considered releasing the album under a different name. It's not a truly live set but "amalgamations of live recordings," as they word it. During April 2014, they recorded material at Space Cave Studio in London (over the course of a few days), then performed improvised one-offs a week later in a desert north of California's Yucca Valley and at Pappy & Harriet's, a venue in the same state's Pioneertown. Ford and Shaw severely restricted their amount of gear, let it fly, and shaped the results into their first set of new material since 2012's Unpatterns. Whorl is a rather lolling, completely instrumental, 65-minute set with occasional bursts of activity. More than ever, their ambient-leaning output is evidently inspired by early experimental electronic music, from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop to Cluster and Tangerine Dream. A bass drum isn't heard until well after two minutes into the third track, and even the most energetic likes of "Dervish," "Calyx," and "Tangents" have as much effect on the mind as on the feet. Given the atmospheric and diaphanous makeup of most of the tracks, along with titles such as "Casiopeia" and "Redshift," Whorl is more likely to enhance stargazing than to provoke movement. It's a stimulating change of pace from a continually evolving duo who could easily play it safe. ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	09/09/2014
Label:	Anti-
UPC:	0045778736515
Rank:	93793

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Redshift
2. Dandelion Spheres
3. Sun Dogs
4. Hypnick Jerk
5. Dervish
6. Z Space

Disc 2

7. Nazard
8. Calyx
9. Jam Side Up
10. Tangents
11. Iron Henge
12. Casiopeia

Disc 3

13. Redshift
14. Dandelion Spheres
15. Sun Dogs
16. Hypnick Jerk
17. Dervish
18. Z Space
19. Nazard
20. Calyx
21. Jam Side Up
22. Tangents
23. Iron Henge
24. Casiopeia

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Simian Mobile Disco   Primary Artist
James Ford   Primary Artist
Jas Shaw   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Jas Shaw   Composer,Producer
Guy   Mastering
James Ford   Composer,Producer
Jack Featherstone   Design,Artwork
Pete Everett   Photography
Hans Lo   Design,Artwork