farewell trish keenan

Warp

ghost box - study series 03 & 04

on the turntable:

ghost box
study series 03 - gbx703
belbury poly
mordant music
study series 04 - gbx704
broadcast and the focus group

image: japanese forms

Numbers 3 and 4 in the Ghost Box Study Series. As with the previous singles these
two feature superb Julian House designed artwork and come in super heavyweight vinyl. N°3, Welcome To Godalming features "house" band, Belbury Poly with the utterly fabulous "Swingalong" while the b-side features Mordant Music with what the label describes as "...an ecstatic piece of pastoral electronica." Couldn't put it better myself. The fourth Study Series, Familiar Shapes and Noises, probably the most collectable single so far, features Broadcast and The Focus Group who continue where they left off with what was one of the best albums of last year; "Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age." Very highly recommended hauntological brilliance! one2zero

buy / download: ghost box

broadcast and the focus group - investigate witch cults of the radio age

on my turntable

broadcast and
the focus group
investigate witch cults
of the radio age
warpcd189


image: ©japanese forms

I'm not too keen on the "best of..." lists that nearly every magazine prints at the end of each year -what one likes or dislikes is all very subjective so I never really bother about choosing a personal top ten, or twenty, or whatever. However, in my opinion, I'll go along with The Wire* in stating that this is one of the best albums released in 2009. Released a couple of months ago, I didn't pick up my copy until recently as the the local (shitty, chain) stores didn't have any copies in stock when I happened to drop in on any my rare visits to them. Thankfully Amazon, and the internet in general, exists. Anyhow, this 50-minute, 23-track album is really something special; probably the best ever by Broadcast. Of course, the selection of extra-special, added sound ingredients, by Ghost Box and The Focus Group mainman Julian House, enhance this recording immensely with Trish Keenan's voice making it an essential buy. one2zero

* "It really is quite fabulous… (Broadcast) crowned themselves dark monarchs of hauntology’s expanding kingdom" ALBUM OF THE YEAR – The Wire

Web:
warp/broadcast the focus group ghost box broadcast myspace