|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CD
|
|
UTR 114CD
|
Bamboo, Nick Carlisle and Rachel Horwood, present their third studio album, Daughters Of The Sky. The album was written and recorded over a two-year period where ideas and arrangements were allowed to slow-cook and develop over time, in contrast with the last album The Dragon Flies Away (UTR 088CD/LP, 2017) which came together relatively quickly for the duo. The music comprises the usual (for Bamboo) mix of Horwood's flawlessly resonant folk cadence and Carlisle's pristine synth production, whilst TR808 drum machines and samples lock together with acoustic drums, themselves often given the Tony Visconti, Eventide Harmoniser treatment of Berlin-era Bowie albums. Ancient ARP synthesizers and Mellotron flutes and horns sit next to contemporary digital sounds and samples in a hauntological tapestry over which Horwood can intone her sometimes mournful, often uplifting vocals. Although Daughters Of The Sky breaks away from the storybook concept format of The Dragon Flies Away, in that sense being more similar to Bamboo's debut album Prince Pansori Priestess" (UTR 075CD/LP, 2016), there are still recurrent themes that run through the album such as motherhood, the cyclical nature of life, emancipation and liberation. What might be the centerpiece of the album, "East Of The Sun / West Of The Moon", an 11-minute epic, begins with a serene, desolate ambient intro which eventually transports us over the waves to some unknown land. Bar the brief instrumental coda "Tenebrae", the album ends on an optimistic note with "A World Is Born", an upbeat song of renewal. Horwood sings of the creation of a new world for a new generation, out of the ashes of a society stagnating under the collapsing weight of late capitalism. Saxophones provided by Emma Gatrill answer each vocal line in call and response style over more harmonized drums reminiscent of Bowie's Low (1977). Carlisle originally wrote the music following the death of Bowie, and Horwood added some Prince-like backing vocals. Although her lyric makes no reference to the loss of these giants, their influence hang over the song in a way which can only add to the sense of hope and rebirth, a sense which is indeed felt throughout the album. Cosmic pop, like Kate Bush in Yellow Magic Orchestra. CD version comes in gatefold sleeve.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
UTR 114LP
|
LP version; 180 gram gold vinyl; Edition of 500. Bamboo, Nick Carlisle and Rachel Horwood, present their third studio album, Daughters Of The Sky. The album was written and recorded over a two-year period where ideas and arrangements were allowed to slow-cook and develop over time, in contrast with the last album The Dragon Flies Away (UTR 088CD/LP, 2017) which came together relatively quickly for the duo. The music comprises the usual (for Bamboo) mix of Horwood's flawlessly resonant folk cadence and Carlisle's pristine synth production, whilst TR808 drum machines and samples lock together with acoustic drums, themselves often given the Tony Visconti, Eventide Harmoniser treatment of Berlin-era Bowie albums. Ancient ARP synthesizers and Mellotron flutes and horns sit next to contemporary digital sounds and samples in a hauntological tapestry over which Horwood can intone her sometimes mournful, often uplifting vocals. Although Daughters Of The Sky breaks away from the storybook concept format of The Dragon Flies Away, in that sense being more similar to Bamboo's debut album Prince Pansori Priestess" (UTR 075CD/LP, 2016), there are still recurrent themes that run through the album such as motherhood, the cyclical nature of life, emancipation and liberation. What might be the centerpiece of the album, "East Of The Sun / West Of The Moon", an 11-minute epic, begins with a serene, desolate ambient intro which eventually transports us over the waves to some unknown land. Bar the brief instrumental coda "Tenebrae", the album ends on an optimistic note with "A World Is Born", an upbeat song of renewal. Horwood sings of the creation of a new world for a new generation, out of the ashes of a society stagnating under the collapsing weight of late capitalism. Saxophones provided by Emma Gatrill answer each vocal line in call and response style over more harmonized drums reminiscent of Bowie's Low (1977). Carlisle originally wrote the music following the death of Bowie, and Horwood added some Prince-like backing vocals. Although her lyric makes no reference to the loss of these giants, their influence hang over the song in a way which can only add to the sense of hope and rebirth, a sense which is indeed felt throughout the album. Cosmic pop, like Kate Bush in Yellow Magic Orchestra.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
UTR 088LP
|
LP version. Blue vinyl; Gatefold sleeve with lyric insert and download card; Edition of 300. Bamboo, the ongoing project from Nick Carlisle (Peepholes, Don't Argue) and Rachel Horwood (Trash Kit, Halo Halo) present their second studio album, The Dragon Flies Away. Far from being a side-project, Bamboo is very much a fully realized pursuit, with the band working on multiple records simultaneously from their Brighton and London base camps. Initially released on Crumb Cabin in a limited run of 50 cassettes in the winter 2016, with an accompanying zine designed by Horwood, The Dragon Flies Away tells a story loosely associated with the Hannya demon mask of Noh theatre plays such as Dojoji, and reflects the range of emotion the Hannya mask is capable of displaying: obsession, jealousy, sorrow, and rage. The Dragon Flies Away presents its story in two acts. Vivid and deeply poignant, Bamboo's music locks into a magnetic attraction between Horwood's flawlessly resonant folk cadence and Carlisle's pristine synth production. "Hannya" opens the album in a reflective mood with Rachel's mournful vocal and echoing banjo that gets swept up by flourishes of percussion and synth-flute vistas. "Always Running" follows, living up to its name with its propulsive beat and plucked rhythm, building to a chase for Rachel's dramatic vocal turn. "Like A Sparrow" is a beautifully realized track sounding as vulnerable and vociferous as a Kate Bush song. "Wake Up Your Heart" delights in pools of pitch-shifted melody and primal vision. Whilst the final two tracks on the album embrace Carlisle's cascading synth lines as pure as ice flows, augmented gong passages and fragile yet impassioned vocalizations. Overall the album feels film-like, with an ability to hold the listeners hand and lead them through another world. It's ambitious and heavy on concept without ever becoming overwrought, preserving its delicate personal tone and lush, spacious sound throughout. During the writing and subsequent release of their debut album, Prince Pansori Priestess, (UTR 075CD/LP, 2015), The Dragon Flies Away was recorded between Spring 2015 and Summer 2016.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
CD
|
|
UTR 088CD
|
Bamboo, the ongoing project from Nick Carlisle (Peepholes, Don't Argue) and Rachel Horwood (Trash Kit, Halo Halo) present their second studio album, The Dragon Flies Away. Far from being a side-project, Bamboo is very much a fully realized pursuit, with the band working on multiple records simultaneously from their Brighton and London base camps. Initially released on Crumb Cabin in a limited run of 50 cassettes in the winter 2016, with an accompanying zine designed by Horwood, The Dragon Flies Away tells a story loosely associated with the Hannya demon mask of Noh theatre plays such as Dojoji, and reflects the range of emotion the Hannya mask is capable of displaying: obsession, jealousy, sorrow, and rage. The Dragon Flies Away presents its story in two acts. Vivid and deeply poignant, Bamboo's music locks into a magnetic attraction between Horwood's flawlessly resonant folk cadence and Carlisle's pristine synth production. "Hannya" opens the album in a reflective mood with Rachel's mournful vocal and echoing banjo that gets swept up by flourishes of percussion and synth-flute vistas. "Always Running" follows, living up to its name with its propulsive beat and plucked rhythm, building to a chase for Rachel's dramatic vocal turn. "Like A Sparrow" is a beautifully realized track sounding as vulnerable and vociferous as a Kate Bush song. "Wake Up Your Heart" delights in pools of pitch-shifted melody and primal vision. Whilst the final two tracks on the album embrace Carlisle's cascading synth lines as pure as ice flows, augmented gong passages and fragile yet impassioned vocalizations. Overall the album feels film-like, with an ability to hold the listeners hand and lead them through another world. It's ambitious and heavy on concept without ever becoming overwrought, preserving its delicate personal tone and lush, spacious sound throughout. During the writing and subsequent release of their debut album, Prince Pansori Priestess, (UTR 075CD/LP, 2015), The Dragon Flies Away was recorded between Spring 2015 and Summer 2016. CD version comes in an edition of 300.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
CD
|
|
UTR 075CD
|
The first CD release of Bamboo's Prince Pansori Priestess, released on vinyl in 2015. This CD version includes a bonus set of live recordings made at Café OTO during Upset The Rhythm's showcase on April 10th, 2016. Bamboo is a sublime project from Nick Carlisle (of Peepholes, Don't Argue) and Rachel Horwood (of Trash Kit, Halo Halo). Their music is vivid and deeply poignant, locking into a magnetic attraction between Horwood's flawlessly resonant folk cadence and Carlisle's pristine synth pop production. Far from being a one-off, Bamboo is very much a fully realized pursuit, with the band working on multiple records simultaneously from their Brighton and London base camps. Prince Pansori Priestess is the first album to see the light from this pairing of talents. Recorded from spring 2014 to spring 2015, this was before the band expanded to a four-piece for live performances, showcasing Bamboo as an original duo with a sound-world very much their own. The title references a Korean genre of musical storytelling alongside notions of majesty and faith, which are all streams that weave their way through the record. Central to the work's sound is the meeting of the warmer tones evident in the vocals, acoustic drums, and banjo with the immaculate, spatial nature of the synths and beat-scapes. It feels very pure, prismatic, and even mystical at moments without losing any of its human touch. "Auroch" opens this debut album and slowly unpacks all the qualities that make Bamboo such an incredible band. At first the pitched-banjo paces out a chiming circle allowing Horwood's entrancing vocal to follow the line, then Carlisle's pristine beats and synth clusters blossom into almost sub-aqua realms of lush swirling melody. "Stone" is an aching song of self-reflection set amid flourishes of reverberating keyboard that at times sound like gamelan and at others like fireworks in the daylight. "Sangokushi Love Theme" was written by Haruomi Hosono of Yellow Magic Orchestra, and in the hands of Bamboo it begins to shine with even brighter colors. It's beautiful, serene, and nothing short of spellbinding. "Be Brothers" is another highlight from the second half of the album. The first part of the song begins with a fragile plucked banjo motif underscored by drifts of blushing ambience before the percussion picks up, allowing the rippling synths to walk hand-in-hand with Roedelius toward the horizon. Verity Susman (of Electrelane) guests toward the end of "Be Brothers" on saxophone, helping the song reach its more resolved future. Bamboo hit the ground running with this debut record, sounding as unique and mercurial as the gift of song itself.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
UTR 075LP
|
180-gram white LP. Limited edition of 500. Bamboo is a sublime project from Nick Carlisle (of Peepholes, Don't Argue) and Rachel Horwood (of Trash Kit, Halo Halo). Their music is vivid and deeply poignant, locking into a magnetic attraction between Horwood's flawlessly resonant folk cadence and Carlisle's pristine synth pop production. Far from being a one-off, Bamboo is very much a fully realized pursuit, with the band working on multiple records simultaneously from their Brighton and London base camps. Prince Pansori Priestess is the first album to see the light from this pairing of talents. Recorded from spring 2014 to spring 2015, this was before the band expanded to a four-piece for live performances, showcasing Bamboo as an original duo with a sound-world very much their own. The title references a Korean genre of musical storytelling alongside notions of majesty and faith, which are all streams that weave their way through the record. Central to the work's sound is the meeting of the warmer tones evident in the vocals, acoustic drums, and banjo with the immaculate, spatial nature of the synths and beat-scapes. It feels very pure, prismatic, and even mystical at moments without losing any of its human touch. "Auroch" opens this debut album and slowly unpacks all the qualities that make Bamboo such an incredible band. At first the pitched-banjo paces out a chiming circle allowing Horwood's entrancing vocal to follow the line, then Carlisle's pristine beats and synth clusters blossom into almost sub-aqua realms of lush swirling melody. "Stone" is an aching song of self-reflection set amid flourishes of reverberating keyboard that at times sound like gamelan and at others like fireworks in the daylight. "Sangokushi Love Theme" was written by Haruomi Hosono of Yellow Magic Orchestra, and in the hands of Bamboo it begins to shine with even brighter colors. It's beautiful, serene, and nothing short of spellbinding. "Be Brothers" is another highlight from the second half of the album. The first part of the song begins with a fragile plucked banjo motif underscored by drifts of blushing ambience before the percussion picks up, allowing the rippling synths to walk hand-in-hand with Roedelius toward the horizon. Verity Susman (of Electrelane) guests toward the end of "Be Brothers" on saxophone, helping the song reach its more resolved future. Bamboo hit the ground running with this debut record, sounding as unique and mercurial as the gift of song itself.
|
|
|
|