Sleeping States - I Wonder/ Under A Capricorn Sky

"Long hours spent in bedrooms finds Sleeping States venturing everywhere from gently gleaming rhythmic vocal tracks to
more bruised but still shiny melodies, so understated they are easy to miss." Dazed & Confused
"You read a lot about people making records about what London sounds like, but his songs are the only thing that ever reminds
me what it's like to be there." Klaxons speaking to Pitchfork
"A dozy, dusty little gem… Blissfully evocative of the kind of summer that involves heat-hazy, slightly stoned longeurs rather
than drunken, shouty blokes in football shirts. " Time Out
"It's weird when a song comes out of nowhere and ends up being one of your favourite musical discoveries… I stumbled across
his website and saw the video for 'rivers' then fell in love." Grizzly Bear speaking to Pitchfork
Sleeping States is a musical project undertaken by Markland Starkie, a Midlands-born artist who has so far spent the first half
of his twenties living, working and studying in London. Having grown up with classical musical training, Markland became
enamoured with the possibilities of noise in a musical context and so began to play with noise in various bands, including
noise-pop outfit Kaito. After moving to London, and feeling a subsequent sense of dislocation, Markland began a series of home
recordings of short songs from the heart that were more minimal in both volume and arrangement, with melodies taking more
of a central role. Sleeping States was born. Armed with an electric guitar, found sounds, vocal samplers, and a strong DIY punk
ethos (developed from a love of labels like K and Slampt), Markland has amassed a wealth of material over the past few years
and has developed an impressive range of styles; from lovesick ballads (his cover of Bacharach's 'Don't Make Me Over'), to
multi-layered choral drone pieces ('Counterpoint A/B') to a capella pop ('A Trip To NYC') to off-kilter indie rock, such as 'I
Wonder', one of the songs featured on this double a-side release. The other side, 'Under a Capricorn Sky', is a slightly different
affair. Originally composed as a dream set in Brazil, around the tropic of Capricorn, which cuts through the country, the song
will now be featuring in a short documentary about climate change by friend and music video maker Alex Smith. Smith is
perhaps better known for videos made for Peaches or the Futureheads or Idlewild, and it was in fact Smith who made the video
for the previous Sleeping States single, 'Rivers'. Sleeping States is influenced by tape hiss, Optic Nerve comics, knitting and
Stratford-upon-Avon. This single will be followed by a July tour and an album to be released on TOME records. This is the very
first release to arrive from the Caspian stable. The Caspian label has been in creation since autumn 2005, when founder, Jane
Abernethy, was touring the west coast of America with Viking Moses. From playing gigs with likeminded individuals, she
discovered currents of music which were untapped, and certainly in the UK had little to no label interest. The Caspian label is a
means of releasing some of these artists to a wider audience. Each Caspian release will be a limited edition seven inch vinyl
single, in runs of five-hundred. Upcoming releases include a single from Mike Wexler, whose debut album will be released this
year on the Amish label, and Deertick whose album will be the first release on Jana Hunter's fiaow label.

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