‘Spontaneously Combust’ kicks off in fine style, with Steve Hillage’s unmistakeable guitar, Miquette Giraudy on vintage EMS synth, plus blue roomy bass, backwards vocals, and gentle dream house grooves. It features a top-secret sample, suggested to Alex by shopkeeper-par-excellence Michael King, taken from his mythical basement vaults at West Norwood’s Book and Record Bar.
A recent live set starter, ‘P~1’ slowly builds into firing cosmic D&B cyclones, whilst the bleeped-up late 70s synth of ‘Baraka’ is an ode to a famous Kenyan blind rhino, who, tellingly is known as a symbol of resilience. Already a firm live favourite, ‘A Sacred Choice’ is prime leaping reggae skank, with Youth on bass, Paul Ferguson on drums, Andy Falconer on atmospherics, and vocals by Eric Von Skywalker.
The title of the eastern influenced, orchestral drama of hip hop banger ‘Arabebonics’ is a word invented by rapper Rrome Alone, who lends vocals to the track, with added BVs and strings from Violeta Vicci.
Andy Cain’s dulcet tones grace the plaintive-arpeggiated-prog-throbber ‘It’s Coming Soon’, on which Alex managed to smuggle a nod to his aunties Rose and June into the lyrics. Coining a genre that might just catch on, the dusty nostalgic vibes of ‘Doll’s House’ glows and pulsates in all the right ways, scattering sound beams like a planet sized disco ball.
With Alex having met lovers rock legend Trevor Waters and discovering his classic ‘Love Me Tonight’, Rendall isolated the vocal using Logic, transforming the original into the pinnacle of the LP’s house music passage. Newly titled ‘The Oort Cloud (Too Night)’ and aided by cult Manchester disc jockey Dr D, they embark on a classic NYC deepside journey, for a moment of dancefloor ecstasy.
Joined by cohort Andy Falconer whom Alex calls “an ambient god”, the pair go so many fathoms deep that they aren’t merely out of their pit, but ‘Under The Bed’, which displays of the awe of the cosmos like a planetarium from heaven. Named after the sister planet of Pluto, the delightful ‘Khàron’ conjures a universe alive with light and celestial beings, largely aided by Rober Eno’s stunningly sparing piano. Finishing on a high, it bids us a warm goodnight.
‘Buddhist Hipsters’ will be released October 10th, available on CD with a 6 panel fold out sleeve, black double LP vinyl with a gatefold sleeve and limited-edition rust red, pink marble and yellow marble vinyl.
Tracklisting
‘Spontaneously Combust’
‘P~1’
‘Baraka’
‘A Sacred Choice’
‘Arabebonics’
‘It’s Coming Soon’
‘Doll’s House’
‘The Oort Cloud (Too Night)’
‘Under The Bed’
‘Khàron’
Tour dates
16.10 – Dublin, Opium
17.10 – Cork, Live at St Lukes
18.10 – Belfast, Mandela Hall
24.10 – Brighton, Patterns
25.10 – Southampton, The Brook
31.10 – Liverpool, Hanger 34
01.11 – Lancaster, Kanteena
07.11 – Norwich, Waterfront
14.11 – Leeds, Project House
15.11 – Glasgow, QMU
22.11 – Falmouth, Princess Pavillion
28.11 – Birmingham, O2
29.11 – Bristol, SWX
05.12 – Manchester, New Century Hall
06.12 – London, Electric Ballroom
13.12 – Frome, Cheese and Grain
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