Offthesky next. After a conceptual dronework for the Tokyo Droning offshoot, Home Normal unleash another stuttering, meandering, "twinkle chirrup & glitch fest" called 'Hiding Nature'. It sounds at one point like pretty chimes and elements of fine glass percussion are being played with by an amorphous blob monster from the planet Nexius Sector IV before he gets bored and starts eating & regurgitating them to create subtle weird gloopy android noises. There's also some really lovely astral sounding atmospherics on this CD that lull you into a slightly soporific stupor. I've just come round and there's about half a pint of spittle smeared all over the laptop screen. This review read like the ravings of a madman & I had the @ & G keys stuck to my wet cheek. There's many more avenues to explore throughout this CD but time is limited, Ian Hawgood writes a much better synopsis than me & there's sound clips too so why don't you just leave me alone you bullies?
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Sound clips for Hiding Nature by Offthesky: on CD at Norman Records UK. CD, Home Normal, home n012, £4.99.
Well, what’s to say about Jason Corder? He’s been pretty much my favourite artist since I first heard his Resting Bell release, ‘Rare Decay’. Of course I love lots of music but rarely has an artist put out so much amazing work, under various monikers, as Jason. I love his work so much, I am releasing him across all my labels – Home Normal, Tokyo Droning and Nomadic Kids Republic. That’s how varied his work is, and gosh darn it, why not?
Jason has been with the Home Normal ‘project’ (as I initially termed it) since its inception. The early pieces from Hiding Nature were with me at the end of 2008 and were one of the main reasons for starting the label. He spent the past year finalising it and, I have to say (and I know I may be biased here), I think this is his chef-d’oeuvre.
The album is obviously an offthesky record, with its minute attention to detail and its beautiful, often creeping, sometimes sporadic, bursts of melody. Essentially Jason’s plan was to make an album of heavily processed vibraphone pieces, yet it became so much more featuring clever use of warbly guitar tones and textures throughout, and incredible haunting vocal arrangements on ‘Frozen Fountain’, for example. It ranges from the melodic brilliance of ‘Hand Held Lightly’ to the more experimental playfulness of ‘Clockwort’, from the guitar chords mixed with bleeps of melody on ‘Little Subtle Secret’ to the delicately processed vibraphone of ‘Rest But Not Least’.
Its a complete listening experience by one of the most talented producers around today, an astonishing record and the most fun I have heard in melodious experimentation in some time, maybe ever. As Jason himself says, ‘Enjoy this with your nearest breathing thing’. And I have, and I will, again and again and again and…
Ian Hawgood
All music by Jason Corder Photography by Joseph Borreson
Tracklist: 01. birds eye view 02. kind of brittle 03. frozen fountain 04. rest but not least 05. hand held lightly 06. light like 07. clockwort 08. fear of flora 09. little subtle secret
Other items by Offthesky
Fluorescence Offthesky CD, £12.99 Sorry - sold out.