Woodford Halse – Further.

The latest release from Audio Obscura (Norfolk’s Neil Stringfellow) couldn’t be more different from last month’s LF11 / The Naming Of Storms, which was issued through my own Mortality Tables collaborative project. Whereas The Naming Of Storms was elusive and ephemeral in its presentation, The Xenakis Station is immediately distinctive, more resolute in its sonic template.

A suite of eight pieces using shortwave radio transmissions as their jumping-off point, The Xenakis Station finds Stringfellow creating a false narrative of a ‘fantasy research station’ on Redpoint Sound that doesn’t officially exist. That story leans into the fable of shortwave and the idea of these strange, possibly redundant broadcasts that may or may not contain strategic military information.

A standout piece like ‘Sjælland Sound’ is draped liberally with that conspiratorial concept. Containing a crisp but minimal beat, ‘Sjælland Sound’ emerges out of clouds of pure texture that part and give way to bursts of controlled static, hissing tones and a general air of mystery. Dreamy, almost jazzy melodic hooks and swirls of dissonance, when placed alongside the more ambient sounds, give this a widescreen perspective. It’s as if we are far out at sea, our gaze suddenly locked onto the building that is purportedly the shortwave station on the distant horizon.

My personal favourite track here is ‘East From Somewhere’, which begins with a muffled radio station ident and seemingly random speech. In the background, a haunting motif and subtle squeaking gives the piece a nauseating, unravelling quality; it is immediately disorienting, like waking out of a savage nightmare into the horrors of real life. The title track is another favourite, with what could be wonky wind chimes reframed into a sort of paranoid exotica, scuttling sounds and uplifting choral tones lending this an unplaceable, uncertain quality somewhere between terror and euphoria.

As Stringfellow’s catalogue continues to expand, his ability to steer his sound into myriad new directions shows an adaptable artist wilfully following his own path. That these pieces bear no resemblance to his previous releases is a triumph of originality, and another fine addition to the Audio Obscura catalogue.

The Xenakis Station by Audio Obscura is released October 6 2023 via Woodford Halse.

Words: Mat Smith

If there’s one thing that lockdown has taught us, it’s to appreciate the near-to. Whether it’s a wander through a local wooded copse, the discovery of a shortcut through your local estate, or perhaps a new-found love of ornithology, the last year has revealed hitherto unappreciated details of our close environment. It is the much-needed small bursts of joy that these can bring that Simon Klee celebrates in his latest album, Mandagora.

Like much of Klee’s previous output, this release on the Woodford Halse label showcases his love of nature. Inspired by walks along tributaries and nights spend under the stars in his native Thames Valley, the ten tracks all have their roots in the natural world.

So how does Klee introduce the listener to his paean to nature? Not for him the folksy nurdlings you might expect given the accompanying floral artwork. Instead we get space synths!

Album opener ‘Constant Velocity’ creates bows and arcs that eventually form delicious melodies from which the first squawks of bird chatter emerge, and we’re on our way.

After the first couple of tracks a more organic feel does start to come through. The woodwind sounds of ‘Sky Raider’ are backed by some lovely spacey melodies, evoking early Kraftwerk. And from there things become a bit more unsettling.

Across several of these tracks, we experience the slightly disquieting feeling of being alone in a forest –watched by unseen eyes. Echoey, haunting guitars give way to the chatter of birds and perhaps other, unknown creatures.

We then emerge from the woodland to the sound of wind chimes on ‘Phantom Energy’ and the album picks up pace. Klee likes to skirt the edges of the dance floor and this is also the case on parts of this album. The uptick in pace is enjoyable and is continued through some of the album’s final tracks.

‘Anticrepuscular Rays’ brings a proggy, trancey vibe, before things unexpectedly turn bouncy, fun and electro on ‘Endosymbiosis’. The album closes with its eponymous title track, taking the tempo down a notch or two as the tired traveler unlaces their walking boots and takes a well-earned sip from their flask of herbal tea.

So strap on that Walkman (this is a cassette and digital release) and head off for one more stroll though the countryside, this time with the sounds of Mandragora to accompany and inspire you.

Mandragora by Simon Klee is released May 7 2021 by Woodford Halse

Words: Chris Hill

Further.

Tag: Woodford Halse

Audio Obscura – The Xenakis Station

Simon Klee – Mandragora