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Recommended by us on 12th August 2011
...according to our Business Lady on Thu 11 Aug, 2011.
This is bound to excite a few Norman regulars out there, we've got a collaborative CD on Preco from none other than Jason Corder (Color Cassette, Offthesky), Ian Hawgood (Home Normal) and Danny Norbury (The Boats). These three are linked by a complicated chain of artists, musicians and label owners (see press release for details), most notably Craig Tattersall (Mobeer/Moteer) who is also responsible for the incredibly tasteful artwork. Essentially inspired by a deep appreciation of each others work, Corder and Hawgood had already begun collaborating before the decision to enlist Norbury was made and a complete group formed. As you'd expect, 'The Writing Life' draws on each of their talents equally whilst pushing their artistic vision into new territory. As you'd also expect, it's incredibly sombre composition that makes great use of ambiance whilst exploring the potential of their choice of instruments. 'The Writing Life' comprises of four tracks which are titled as if they were acts in a theatre play (First Half, Interlude, Second Half and Epilogue) and can be enjoyed in pretty much the same way. Though fairly ambient in nature 'The Writing Life' would most certainly be an effective soundtrack to a play, movie (of a certain disposition) or piece of modern dance, especially the opener. Its warm string tones and subtle use of guitar and vocal processing are effortlessly tasteful and the trio's ability to craft thoughtful melancholy without delving deep into depressive territory makes for impressive listening.
As the old saying goes, "the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts". And the whole - being Kinder Scout - is quite an uber collaboration by three amazing talents (Jason Corder, Ian Hawgood and Danny Norbury) who are, each in their own right, already a whole.
The real link between the three is Craig Tattersall, which is why it's really special and beautiful that he's given his time and talent to come up with such amazing artwork for this release. Another common link is Miles Whittaker, whose mastering skills have not only made Danny's own album sound as if it were recorded somewhere much more expensive than his bedroom, but The Boats records as well.
Danny first encountered The Boats and their music at a festival in Salford, but it was much later that he began working with them musically, via their extraordinary mutual friend, Michael Holland (Ono Records). At some point Craig gave him a release that he'd put out on his label, Mobeer. It was Color Cassette 'Small Town Smoker', which to this day remains one of his favourite records. He'd also been working with Library Tapes on his album 'Sketches', that Ian re-released as the inaugural Home Normal; so, that was the start of his friendship with Ian, whom he got to know properly and become dear friends with when The Boats toured Japan in 2010.
Ian first got in touch with Craig about releasing his EP 'Phonetics and Fiction' on his favorite label, Moteer/Mobeer. At some point Craig also gave him Color Cassette 'Small Town Smoker' which also remains one of his favorite records. It wasn't until he'd looked at the credits properly that he realized Color Cassette was the work of the very same Jason Corder he had been in contact with since they'd had releases following on from each other on Christian Roth's excellent Berlin label, Resting Bell. Since then Jason and Ian have been working together, and Jason has released on all three of Ian's labels - Home Normal, Nomadic Kids Republic and Tokyo Droning - under his offthesky and Juxta Phona monikers. It wasn't too long after Ian and Jason started working together that they decided to work all together, which turned out so well they decided to form Kinder Scout.
All these little connections between people living on different sides of the world have contributed to the release of 'The Writing Life'. Thank you.
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Unit 20, Croydon House,
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