Niki Kand – Further.

At the end of March, reviewing Further.’s first three months of operation, I made the commitment to try harder during the second quarter to significantly increase the delivery of content to the site. I’m pleased to report to readers that this commitment was fully delivered during the period under review, with a total of 23 albums reviewed.

During the second quarter I also consciously increased the site’s diversification and eclecticism, covering graphic score improvisations, just intonation microtonal works, modern classical, glitchy electronica, ambient soundscapes, electronic psychedelia and electronic pop with an even-handed and balanced review policy. I covered releases by some of the most niche cassette labels to the largest independents. I also welcomed two new guest writers to the Further. team in the form of Reed Hays (from Reed & Caroline) and Bryan Michael (from Alka).

I added a new micro-feature to the site in the form of 3 Questions, intended to provide a small window into what an artist values and what motivates them. This was added in an effort to provide bite-sized interviews that were both easily digestible and yet which provided significant depth of insight despite only consisting of the three open questions posed to each artist, sitting alongside traditional feature writing and longer In Conversation Q&A interviews.

I’m pleased that I was able to feature more female electronic artists during the second quarter, and this will continue to be a growing focus in successive quarters.

I look forward to reviewing Further.’s ongoing progress in three month’s time. Thank you for supporting my small music blog.

Reviews
Takahiro Mukai – Paraponera Clavata (Cruel Nature Recordings)
Ralph Heidel // Homo Ludens – Moments Of Resonance (Kryptox Records)
Justin Wright – Music For Staying Warm (First Terrace Records) – reviewed by Reed Hays
Øyvind Torvund – The Exotica Album (HUBRO)
Rupert Lally – The Day Of The Triffids (Bibliotapes)
Neil Scrivin – Stars And Rumours Of Stars (Fonolith)
Dark Star Safari – Dark Star Safari (Arjunamusic Records)
Andrew Poppy – Hoarse Songs (Field Radio)
Craig Leon – The Canon: Anthology Of Interplanetary Folk Music Vol. 2 (RVNG Intl)
Big Bend – Radish (Ohie Records)
Erland Cooper – Sule Skerry (Phases)
Josephine Wiggs – We Fall (Sounds Of Sinners)
The National – I Am Easy To Find (4AD)
S. T. Manville – Somebody Else’s Songs (Difficult)
David Toop / Jan Hendrickse / CUEE – Boundaries (multi.modal)
Eluvium – Pianoworks (Temporary Residence)
Fujiya & Miyagi – Flashback (Impossible Objects Of Desire)
Astral Social Club & Grumbling Fur Time Machine Orchestra – Plasma Splice Trifle (VHF Records)
Sweatson Klank – Super Natural Delights (Friends Of Friends)
Ellen Arkbro – CHORDS (Subtext Recordings)
Audio Obscura – Nineteen Eighty-Four (Bibliotapes)
Plaid – Polymer (Warp) – reviewed by Bryan Michael
Christopher Willits – Sunset (Ghostly International)

Interviews
3 Questions: Niki Kand
3 Questions: FRUM
In Conversation: Astral Social Club
3 Questions: Alice Hubble
3 Questions: Dresage
3 Questions: WARMLAND
3 Questions: Sweatson Klank

Playlist
Spotify

Words: Mat Smith

Electronic pop singer-songwriter Niki Kand was born in Tehran but is now based in Liverpool.

Kand released two singles in 2018 and has just issued ‘Naughty Boy’, a subversive, slick track produced with Sweden’s Summer Heart (David Alexander Lomelino) that documents the messy collapse of a relationship thanks to infidelity.

Niki Kand will release her debut EP, Pinkish, later this year. While she continues prepping the songs for the EP, we subjected her to a handful of searching questions as part of our new 3 Questions micro-feature series.

What is your earliest memory?

I’ve got two sisters and I vividly remember the day my youngest sister was born. My aunt was looking after us and she was supposed to take us to the hospital to see my mum and my sister. I remember I cried all the way to the hospital just because I wasn’t happy with the way my poor aunt had done my hair. Now, when I look back, I can’t imagine how annoying I had been as a kid!

What’s the best piece of advice anyone’s given you?

My dad always tells me to do my best but forget about the result. I like that state of having no expectations.

When are you most productive or inspired?

Inspiration comes from everywhere for me, but I’m mostly inspired when I meet and talk to people I don’t know. My productivity drops when I’m hungry, my phone isn’t silent and my workload is overwhelming – any one of those would be enough to affect me.

Listen to ‘Naughty Boy’ at Spotify.

Interview: Mat Smith