Jennie Vee’s second solo EP ‘Die Alone’ was a masterpiece of retro cool. Taking elements from The Cranes, The Cure and early Echo & The Bunnymen, the release was a superb homage to everything that was brilliant about 4AD and electro-goth from the early 90s. [Read a review of the EP here.]
Tag Archives: electronica
JET BLACK SEA – Absorption Lines
When a musician is both prolific and open to lots of influences, they’ll end up with lots of musical ideas that don’t quite fit their regular outlet. Such is the case for multi-instrumentalist Adrian Jones. Whilst working on the Nine Stones Close album ‘One Eye On The Sunrise’, he and studio engineer/multi-instrumentalist Michel Simons recorded various pieces of music of a more laid-back and ambient nature. Rather more rooted within electronica and the darker worlds of Massive Attack than rock, the musical ideas were eventually released as an album, ‘The Path of Least Existence‘ credited to Jet Black Sea in 2013. With Jones returning to Nine Stones Close almost immediately afterwards and their ‘Leaves‘ album featuring some very dark and anguished material, it seemed like Jet Black Sea was merely a temporary outlet. A brilliant outlet, but not necessarily an ongoing fixture in the 9SC family tree. However, three years after their first Sea voyage, Jones and Simons re-entered the studio.
Get ready for another voyage across the Jet Black Sea…
In 2013, Jet Black Sea released their debut album ‘The Path of Least Existence’. The project was essentially an outlet for Nine Stones Close guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Adrian Jones and studio engineer Michel Simons to release interesting musical ideas that didn’t quite fit the usual mould. The end result often came across like a mix of a Pink Floyd ambient jam and the mellower end of Massive Attack’s downtempo trip-hop.
The album attracted a genuine cult following. Those who heard it loved it. Those who loved it wanted more.
Adrian went back to work with Nine Stones Close, but there were many rumours of a second Jet Black Sea being under construction. Finally, Adrian brings some news and concrete evidence that the musical cogs have, indeed, been turning…and more creatively than anyone expected.
LUNAR TWIN – Night Tides EP
Lunar Twin’s third release puts their previous recordings in the shade. A downtempo work, ‘Night Tides’ is an absolute beauty. Released via the Moon Sounds Records (home to Bloodhounds On My Trail and the excellent Foreign Resort), it represents a huge step forward for the US electronica duo. It’s six numbers encompass a whole world of electronic and atmospheric moods, but both the scope of the arrangements and a superb production sound go a long way to making everything sound like the work of a full band.
Nine Inch Nails to headline FYF Festival
Nine Inch Nails haven’t been seen on the live circuit since 2014. Following the release of the digital EP ‘Not The Actual Events’ in December 2016, frontman Trent Reznor promised the band would make a full live return in the new year.