Back To Mine with Birds

Parrish Smith – ‘Light. Cruel & Vain’ (Dekmantel)

Let’s start with something new….I’ve listened to this record every week since it came out. It was tough to pick a track as each track has a slightly different feel to it as the records flicks between industrial doom metal territories, trip hop, techno and more….In the end I went for the title track as it satisfies the more drone-y, metallic side of my musical tastes.

Scalping – Tether (Ft. Daemon) (Houndstooth)

Again, this record, quite similar to the Parrish Smith one is super eclectic and their live show is one of the most exciting things I’ve seen in years. They move between genres mid track, not in a jarring way but a way that really works because they are so tight as a band. This one drifts between trip/hip-hop, industrial techno and heavy guitar driven stoner rock.

Cocteau Twins – Lorelei (4ad)

I mean, I had to include some Cocteau Twins in here without a doubt, without a doubt, without a doubt, without a doubt, without a doubt. Have you ever met a DJ who doesn’t love CT?

Zaliva-D – Immorality (Knekelhuis)

Dark AF reverb laden percussion with a rather harrowing warped vocal (as a producer I’d love to know what he actually does to that vocal), there’s not many elements to this track but the whole thing is an absolute trip.

Dead Can Dance – Sea Borne (Pias)

DCD are band / collective that continue to evolve which each record, even after all these years. The opening track from ‘act I’ of their quite recent ‘Dionysus’ album is one of my favourites they’ve ever made.

Cut Hands – The Claw (Blackest Ever Black)

This one was a Low Company find. It was my local record shop until it shut back in 2020. Rumour has it they’ve moved to Brighton now….It is dearly missed by the people of Hackney though. The Claw mixes their signature tribal rhythms with some dark and ominous break downs. It’s not for the faint hearted.

Furniture – Why Are We In Love? (Emotional Rescue)

One of the most underrated 80s indie / post-punk bands, repressed by Emotional Rescue. The lyrics, the harmonies, the swinging, almost jazz-y drum beats, this band were fucking genius. This one also has a clarinet in it. I don’t think I own many other records with a clarinet in! I have eternal gratitude to Chuggy Leath for repressing it and bringing it into my life.

Sonic Youth – Drunken Butterfly (Geffen)

Although I would maybe say ‘100%’ is my favourite track on this record, I feel like ‘Drunken Butterfly’ has had more influence on me as an artist. People like Kim Gordon and Patti Smith made me want to always have some spoken word elements in my music. The bass and guitars on this track are also hot as hell.

James Vs. The Sabres Of Paradise – Jam J (Sabersonic Tremelo Dub)

I took my friend who is based up in Manchester to see Vladimir Ivkovic and Lena Willikens play at The White Hotel (one of the best clubs in all of the UK). It was a few days after Andrew Weatherall had passed away, and like the rest of our weirdo corner of the techno scene, I’d been sad all week. I’d been deep in a mushroom trip for around an hour at 3/4am but then Vlad played this and when those guitars struck, I was immediately pulled out from any kind of lull and brought to my senses once again whilst being filled with a bittersweet happiness that I’ll never forget. I bought the record on Discogs on the train home to London the next day and then went to see Lena play again that same night.

Shari Vari – Out Of Order (Malka Tuti)

Experimental weirdo electro-pop at its finest. The Lucas Croon remix also regularly gets an outing in my DJ sets. Every track on this album is fantastic and Malta Tuti are one of my favourite labels of all time. I buy nearly every single one of their releases.

Birds ‘Erosion’ is out now on Freeride Millenium.

https://www.beatport.com/release/erosion/3803144