JAMES BREWSTER

'As a hovering insect mass breaks your fall'

Make Mine Music (MMM062)

Release: Monday 14th March 2011 : CD & digital download

6 tracks : 42:27

'As a hovering insect mass breaks your fall' is the fourth solo album from James Brewster, though it is the first to be released under his given name. It is also the first full album he has recorded since moving to Sweden in mid-2006.

Brewster's aim with this record was to incorporate as many of his influences, ideas and interests as possible into a single coherent whole. As a result, the album moves seamlessly between ultra-melodic song-structures, atmospheric sound-design, dense digital processing, spoken word, field recordings, evolving minimalist themes, intricate drum machine rhythms, chiming interlocking guitars and cascades of bells. The minimalist leanings of the first half of the album gradually build towards a more pop-oriented second half.

The release will be followed by a single of 'Wingbeat fission' later in 2011.

The album front cover is work by London-based artist Rebecca Salter (rebeccasalter.com). The packaging design and layout was done in Malmö by by Peter Henning (sprachlosverlag.com) and the album was mastered by Zengyo in his Tokyo studio.

The range of vocal contributors to the album neatly reflects both stages of Brewster's musical development thus far. Firstly, his roots in the Bristol DIY scene of the early 2000s - which both inspired him to start making music and nurtured his early sound – and, secondly, the the broadening of influences which resulted from his relocation to Malmö. From the Bristol side we have Nick Talbot of Gravenhurst (Warp Records), Men Diamler (one of the West Country's most astonishing live performers) and Suzi Gage (of acclaimed Bristol band You and the Atom Bomb).

As well as drawing influence from his involvement in Malmö's own experimental, improvisation and noise scenes, Brewster's move to Sweden has also led to other more unexpected sources of inspiration. This is reflected in the remaining three vocal contributors to the album: Albanian opera singer Egzona Gervalla and Iranian puppet-artist Soodabeh Haaji were both met studying Swedish, as was fellow Englishman Daniel Goody (of Malmö electro-indie-pop band Steel Island).

The presence of vocals in Brewster's music for the first time reflects two new areas of interest: firstly, to explore voice as pure instrument and sonic-texture; secondly, to convey his own brand of cryptically evocative lyrics and fractured storytelling.