People Like Us & Ergo Phizmiz - Withers In The Waking

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Customer reviews
Press release

5...according to our Ant on Fri 05 Dec, 2008.

People Like Us & Ergo Phizmiz finally have their lovely 7" out as part of Touch's highly collectable series. The two tracks here are alternate versions of the digital only 'Rhapsody In Glue' album that came as a result of a WFMU podcast hilariously called "Codpaste". I remember when I was at school and I used to have packed lunches and my friend always used to have fish paste in his sandwiches. I still stand by the opinion that it is one of thee most revolting substances known to man.... And so anyone expecting the plunderphonic sampling madness of their last release 'Perpetuum Mobile' is in for quite a surprise. Now... you can read all about the concept and the working methods in the press release so I'll refrain from regurgitating them at you. What you need to know is that 'In The Waking (Forest Embers Mix)' is a thoroughly uplifting and heartwarming tune. Their respective vocals compliment each other wonderfully over Ergo's breezy guitar, layered harmony's, understated beat and pretty, childlike chiming melodies. A remarkably accessible piece for this series but the label clearly recognize talent and quality when they hear it. On the flip side is 'Withers In The Whist (Wandering Embers Mix)' which is a far more quirky number, what with the crazy toy sounds and all. You can't help but have a big happy smile on your face. Great stuff :)

The 8th in the series of Touch Sevens, and the first to introduce melodic narrative. Both songs are results of the WFMU podcast series "Codpaste", in which Vicki & Ergo publicly composed a series of collage compositions, deconstructing their respective practices, and a live soundtrack to Christian Marclay's "ScreenPlay". The series and soundtrack resulted in the online only album "Rhapsody in Glue", from which these two songs are alternative versions.

"Withers in the Whist" takes one of Vicki & Ergo's current staple obsessions: the melody line of Prokofiev's 'Troika' from the Lieutenant Kije soundtrack (originally used in V & E's work during a particularly snowy sequence of the Marclay film). This treatment dispenses with sampling entirely, instead using instruments to create variations on Prokofiev's deceptively simple melody-line, tied together with impressionistic, stream-of-consciousness lyrics. It is playing with Prokofiev like a bad child who loves it's toys.

"In The Waking" began with Ergo replaying with multitracked guitars the main melodic motifs Vicki collaged in the composition "Carmic Waltz", with Vicki then ornamenting the guitars with splashes of colour like a real painter of sound, all blended into a pot of carnival steam with Ergo's wordplay. It is a fantasy for the dream the fairground has when the world is sleeping, but only takes place five minutes before the carousel wakes up.

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