It seems that more and more songs are coming onto the market whose basic structure consists of spoken words. Martin Jenkins, with his project Pye Corner Audio, was no exception. Together with the excellent crime writer Ian Rankin, he has now recorded a song. Rankin’s metaphors about the darkness surrounding us and its hopelessness are accompanied by equally dark, drone-like guitar passages. If it’s going to be like this, then this is the way to do it.
Of course, not all albums have been mentioned in this short series, as they will probably appear in other end-of-year lists and deserve to. There were reasons why new albums by Nick Cave, Michael Head, Floating Points, Sprints, The Bug Club, Pye Corner Audio, Ducks Ltd. and Chelsea Wolf were not mentioned in the previous posts. But not because they are bad, but simply because they didn't fit into my concept.
But finally, just a few tracks that should not go unmentioned.
For today, I have selected a few noteworthy entries from my mailbox. The first one is from Andres y Xavi, the Balearic alter ego of Glenn Fallows and Steve Ellis. An excellent bass line prepares the floor for an hypnotic groove and later some vocals appear in the back. Another remarkable piece of music from them.
Martin Jenkins aka Pye Corner Audio returns with another dark sci-fi tune. A pulsating beat and hi-hats drive the song forward, which is only interrupted by a few echoing synth passages.
Another release by Martin Jenkins aka Pye Corner Audio and another spooky electronic excursion into his space. A steady beat is the floor for some improvisation with synths. Not the worst way to start into another week.
Last week Pye Corner Audio, a British music project by Martin Jenkins released since a decade steady new musical experiences in electronic music. Most of them and their remixes are far over the average of many other releases. The last one is another cosmic experience on a house based floor with great beats and a rhythm you could get lost by. Another piece of electronic music that could last the test of time.
Pye Corner Audio is the stage name by British producer Martin Jenkins who released during the last years several releases and remixes. Most of those electronic releases were far ahead of the average of this genre and often played at my home. I really enjoy the groove and the way he shows his version of relaxed electronic music. Last week he released another tune that I played several times since I listened to it the first time. An hypnotic electronic beat with some echoes and guitar licks is sometimes all you need.
2022 was a year that changed almost everything. A megalomaniac autocrat started a war against Ukraine, the cost of living raised higher and higher and I see a lot of people not knowing how to pay the heating of their homes and their regular food. The medical system is closer to a meltdown before and we are also not willing to change into a climate-neutral future. So I used to ignore these bad news turning into listening to music.
The year is almost gone and like every year a lot of folks out there are going to a retrospective about this year in music. In my opinion it was a very good year in music. Many new bands appeared on the scene and also successful artists released new stuff. Looking back this year I didn't bought many physical copies and owned more digital copies than before. One reason is the price I have to pay for copies coming from Great Britain and the taxes are horrible because German dealers have to include the taxes into the final price.
So I am presenting a very subjective list of 22 albums that were released this year. Let's start with a few compilations.
Version Excursion released by Don Letts via Late Night Tales is a very own conglomeration of songs from the last decades many will know but not in a reggae-dub inspired versions. A compilation I always come back to.
Our good friend Drew introduced me to Flying Mojito Bros a California based band reworking the music of the early 70's in a very special way. I always had a fondness to Steely Dan but this version is a belter.
Fell From The Sun is a compilation built on the best of 1990 released songs and reworks. None of them is a mistake and brings back great moments in time.
Let's turn to the new albums of the year. Paul Osborne surprised me with his Project Gemini. The Children Of Scorpio is nothing more or less a homage to early 70's soundtracks with great wah-wah guitars and an accentuated bass drifting into a psychedelic space.
Fontaines D.C. returned with their third album Skinty Fia and came close to their debut. Just pure rock music with an immense energy.
Wet Leg was named as a hype this year because nearly every one talked about them. But their self titled album was nothing more or less one of the best indie-pop albums from this year.
Another band that will appear in many list this year is Yard Act with their debut The Overload. It might be a hype as well but they surprised me with a fresh guitar lead guitar lead sound that just makes fun.
I have to admit that I turned more and more to electronic music and sounds this year. So it is not surprising that the latest album Let's Emerge by Pye Corner Audio appears at this place. Martin Jenkins created one of the superbest drone albums this year.
It is autumn and 2022 is turning to the last quarter of the year. I know it too early to look back to the releases this year that impressed me much but I listened often the last weeks to Pye Corner Audio's release Let's Emerge from this year a collaboration by Martin Jenkins and Ride's guitarist Andy Bell. It is an album far away from mainstream and the more I listen to it I find more details in the sound both created. It is an album that is fundamental for me this year. Jenkins described this album as bathed in sunlight and acid-bright psychedelia. And this are just the right words to describe this outstanding album. Nothing more or less than another gem and classic recording in this genre that should appear in many playlist of this year.
Martin Jenkins aka Pye Corner Audio announced a new record to be released next month. I know that many people out there are listening to his music with big fun and so am I. He gave me throughout the last years many tracks that have regular plays at my place. Warmth Of The Sun is probably the final result of his collaboration with Andy Bell from Ride and a testimony about new psychedelic adventures in far out spaces. Exactly a distillery of Spacemen 3, Ride and Spiritualized. Looking forward to an album that could reach a high place at my years end list.
Yesterday Adam featured on our Monday's Long Song series a superb song from Craven Faults from their series of 12 inch Lowfold Works EP's. I don't have to say much more about them that they are nothing more or less a band that made me happy with most of their releases during the last years. This one is a remix by Pye Corner Audio. Atmospheric drone sound from another galaxy.
Nothing new to say today - just another new tune by Pye Corner Audio, the electronic music project by Martin Jenkins for your pleasure. And it is another superb piece of music. Synthesizers and occasional piano inserts are improvised over a constantly driving beat that work well in a club and as well at your place. Good stuff.
Almost two weeks ago the second release of Andy Bell's trilogy was released. It is his his first single from 2020 with additional mixes by Pye Corner Audio. I have to admit that I missed his first release under his own name but both songs from his single are superb and showed what we could expect from him. And for sure he fulfilled every expectations with his LP and as GLOK. A dreamy psychedelic influenced song with laid back guitar licks and echoed vocals. One of those songs that would have appeared in my year's end list if I knew them before. And PCA's remix is also worth to be listened and a perfect start into the second half of the working week.
Ride guitarist Andy Bell released the first EP from his planed trilogy of solo EP's. It started with The Indica Galler EP and features five remixes by Martin Jenkins' Pye Corner Audio extended with his GLOK re-edit of Indica. I really enjoyed these remixes and it seems like Bell couldn't do anything wrong these days. It is a remix Andrew Weatherall would be proud of and a perfect start into a new working week.
Pye Corner Audio is name of the electronic music project by Martin Jenkins probably known for his superb remix of Andy Bell's Cherry Cola from last year and supporting Mogwai on tour a few years ago. His music meandering form of buzzing synths crawling around before steady bass-thumps emerges out of the thicket of noise. It all exists together in the space between dance music and a soundtrack of movie with endless skies. I really like this pulsing little gem that makes the start into a new working day much easier.
