Slipstream
Mantra

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'Mantra' is the 5th and long awaited new album from Slipstream and follows their much loved and critically acclaimed, 'Transcendental', release of 2003. With new track 'Psycho Paul' having already featured in the soundtrack of  hit BBC3 comedy series, ‘Ideal’ (screened in April/May 2008).  Written by Slipstream as homage to their favourite comedy show, the show’s writer and big  Slipstream fan, Graham Duff, loved the song so much that he actually wrote a scene to fit the track, much to the bands delight and amazement!  This same scene became a trailer for the show and has since seen some 11000 plus hits on You Tube! The 12 track album is written and performed by Mark Refoy and Jonny Mattock, who have been Slipstream’s core duo, since Refoy formed the band in ‘93, when both he and Mattock were in Spiritualized. Here’s the story… Mark Refoy grew up in Northampton absorbing influences from the likes of The Beatles, Glam and Punk.  He started playing in several local bands, most notably The Tell Tale Hearts, who released a 12”, The Eight Till Late, on their own label, Eden’s Doorbell. After witnessing an early performance by Rugby’s Spacemen 3 in Northampton, Refoy was converted to their brutally simple form of psych blues and became a huge fan! In ‘89, after The Tell Tale Hearts split, he was asked by Sonic Boom to join Spacemen 3.  A short time after, Jonny Mattock joined as the new drummer, having been suggested by Refoy to the band. Mattock passed the audition with flying colours! Both played on the last tour with the band and featured on the last album, 'Recurring', and have been good friends ever since. Spacemen 3 split at the end of ‘89 and Refoy and Mattock were asked by Jason Pierce to play in his new band Spiritualized. Both went on to play on the first two albums, 'Lazer Guided Melodies' and 'Pure Phase', and toured many times with them in the UK, Europe and on the US Rollercoaster Tour. Refoy played his last gig with Spiritualized in October ‘93 by which time he had already started Slipstream and the following year the pair left to put everything into the new band. Back to the present… and the boys are firmly concentrating on their new album, like, ‘Transcendental’, ‘Mantra’s been a long time coming, but worth the wait.  They’ve augmented their sound with more electronics this time round and to great effect and have delivered a catchy and engaging album, that seems to work on many levels, even crossing genre boundaries with flare and maybe less easy to pigeon hole.