Description
#davidtoop&lawrenceenglish #vinyl #vinylrecords
David Toop and Lawrence English, longstanding collaborators in the world of experimental music, have come together once again to create a truly extraordinary album. “The Shell that Speaks the Sea” is a testament to their shared vision of music as a physical experience, combining field recordings, electronics, and a wide array of instruments to create a beautifully eerie soundscape.
Toop’s diverse range of instruments, including his own voice, guitars, percussion, flutes, and electronics, merge seamlessly with English’s stunning recordings of insects, birds, and exotic animals. One standout example is the Tawny Frogmouth, a creature with a voice that resembles a low frequency oscillator. These recordings, alongside textural diversions and shortwave interference, create an uncanny and mesmerizing atmosphere that draws comparisons to Jon Hassell’s fourth world music.
The duo’s ability to evoke gothic horror is also on display in their more direct tracks. “Whistling in the Dark” combines Toop’s nonchalant whistles with gong hits and eerie synth strings, while “The Chair’s Story” is reminiscent of Thomas Köner’s early work with its faded and grim aesthetic. The album reaches its pinnacle with “Huanghu,” a multi-dimensional Gamelan piece that feels like a 4D version of Autrechre’s Confield playing out in one’s dreams.
“The Shell that Speaks the Sea” is far from background music; it demands your attention and transports you to a mesmerizing otherworldly realm. The collaboration between David Toop and Lawrence English is nothing short of genius, as they create a gothic dreamscape that is truly unique in its sound and vision. Fans of artists like Martin Denny, Jani Christou, and Conny Plank will find themselves captivated by this quietly delirious fever dream of an album.
