video evidence from the old cinema

it is with keen excitement that i might now be able to reveal the following video evidence from the wonderful 'rubbert twist & firends' live extravaganza, which occurred at the old capitol cinema in mainz, germany, last september. i was fortunate enough to be invited onstage to join the splendid people that are rubbert twist in performing renditions of two of my own pieces, hailing from the fbcfabric & reindeer album. be sure to sit back and enjoy the spectacle captured in full psychedelic accuracy.

mask of sanity

the only dance i can do

once again, i must extend a big thank you to rubbert twist for inviting me to perform my own set of iron filings and sellotape material, as well as for the opportunity of taking to the stage with them also. here's to many future events in similar veins, and good times to all those that may find themselves involved. ever onwards and upwards then.

keep warm, take care

jamesreindeer

papervehicle and assorted ephemera

dearest readers. again, so much time passing, with so few precious moments to document the happenings. all is a whir of clicking and crackling obsolete machinery here. the midnight oil is burning bright and constant, the plates are all spinning at the edge of control and the thick winter onset is creeping up around the safehouse, threatening to breach the compound.

still, the typewriter keys continue to clatter, the recording equipment continues to preserve events and the decorative stamp ploughs on with great endurance. the papervehicle book and first album re-release are at last upon us. fix yourselves copies directly, for it is surely one of the greatest audio documents in the world of alternative rap music and how the book contains a vast wealth of fascinating facts regarding the case.

on halloween i found myself at the knertz headquarters of oskar ohlson and winterismyname for a gathering of close friends to celebrate the occassion. oskar and ms winter had pulled out all of the stops to turn the location into a full-blown halloween dream-sequence with each room leading us all deeper and futher into a mesmerising hollow of grotesquely curious fairytales.

i was also fortunate enough to be invited to perform a small set, and took the opportunity to play a host of old favourties along with a healthy selection of songs from the iron filings and sellotape release, which are a good deal of fun to play indeed. the rather awesome 'no more fun' from the knertz family also graced us with an unplugged performance, and how splendid it was indeed.

the halloween bash also served as a release party for the wonderful new pumpernickle release, which you simply must secure yourself a copy of. the only sad part being that filkoe could not join us for the festivities, being trapped in north america at the time. how he was very much there in spirit though, his presence could be felt in the cartoonish nightmare in which we were embroiled.

recent weeks have also afforded me the wonderful opportunity of crossing paths with some of the skribble gebibble family on my own adopted-home turf, which was awesome indeed, and how it transpires that i will be paying a visit to oberhausen for an impromptu performance this coming thursday, as well as a new exciting collaboratory plan being in the works.

onwards and upwards then. time is short and i must attend to a host of other bits in pieces, including working on a new raft of vocal guest spots for a host of splendid projects indeed. so, i shall away, but shall indeed endevour to find time to word futher exploits as the winter continues to tighten its grip around us. til then...

keep safe and warm

jamesrindeer

clattering keys and the dropping temperature

gentle readers. how it has been a whole lunar cycle since my last transmission. how the season has turned from the warmest indian summer into the coldest onset of winter since i was last able to make time to post some news, and how extraordinarily busy a time it has been indeed. although, in truth, most of the events have been ostensibly decorative stamp, rather than jamesreindeer-related, it has still been a raft of splendid progress by any account.

for the most part, my activities this last month have been directed towards editing and overseeing the completion of the digital book that shall be accompanying the re-release of the astonishing first album from papervehicle on decorative stamp, and how it has been such a pleasure indeed. we have certainly been able to put together something really special for sure. hovering at a little more than eighty pages, the book contains a wealth of information surrounding the facts in the case of the first album, in-depth interviews, song notes, a full lyrics transcription, exclusive photographs, as well as protracted introductory piece from my own fair hand. be sure to fix yourself a copy when the 31st october release date rolls around.

there has also been a wealth of behind-the-scenes activity occurring with further forthcoming releases on the stamp, the closest of which must surely be the vinyl release of the staggering 'foreshore reverie' from murmur breeze, and how it is something beautiful indeed. as well as being a thing of physical beauty itself, packaged gloriously and featuring full-colour artwork from james p honey, the songs themselves have been re-ordered and present a different, but equally satisfying version of the wonderful second full-length release from the most treasured duo.

there has also been much talk and discussion surrounding the order and selection of releases that we shall be presenting this winter, and what a wonderfully diverse and affecting bunch they shall be. without wishing to give too much away at the moment, it does rather look as if the winter will indeed be seeing a selection of more melancholic and darker releases on the stamp, featuring some absolutely incredible material indeed, and how i can indeed confirm that 'decorative stamp volume two' really is shaping up to be something rather magnificent itself. be sure to be poised for a whole host of wonderful new music on the near horizon.

still, for my own part, i am indeed busy chipping away at a host of my own creative enterprises, and do keenly endevour to present you with some more specifically jamesreindeer-related information as soon as possible. i can assure you that there are a host of splendid pieces in the works, and how, as time slowly permits, i will be sure to provide some much clearer information as to quite how and when to expect them. here's to the onwards and upwards indeed.

still, lastly, and on behalf of the whole mysterious collective, i would like to extend great thanks to everyone who has secured themselves a copy of the iron filings and sellotape album thusfar, the response has been quite extraordinary indeed. so much so, that there has even been talk of returning to the vaults to set about compiling a second album of material. reports are very hazy at this point, but it does seem that this shall not be the last we hear from the mysterious collective, perhaps even by a long way. the plot slowly thickens...

keep safe and warm

jamesreindeer

close to distantly - out now

it is with much gladness that we can collectively announce the release of the astonishing debut album from AbSUrd, entitled 'close to distantly', and now available as a beautiful limited-edition hand-crafted gatefold cd and download on decorative stamp, as well as direct from AbSUrd himself. spiralling across seventeen psychedelic songs, the album is a veritable tour-de-force, showcasing the astonishing, mesmerising, disorientating, surrealist production talents of AbSUrd, alongside a host of guest contributors including myself, nadia d'alo, babel fishh, bleubird, ceschi, filkoe, james p honey, papervehicle and univac. and how special mention must be given to the glorious design and presentation of the disc itself; a collaborative effort between AbSUrd and Mlle Metronome, a perfectly exquisite piece of craft indeed.

for my own part, i am doubly excited at the release, for i am lucky enough to have been very deeply involved with the production process and all that lies therein. initially i was just to guest on the album vocally, but one hazy late night conversation lead to another and i was soon on board to mix the album in its entirety too, which subsequently unfolded the events that saw me contributing additional instrumentation as well as assorted field recordings. before, finally, AbSUrd extended the invitation for me to submit a piece of artwork for the final release too. all-in-all, it has been a wonderfully enjoyable path, and something that we are all very keen to share with you all. do fix yourself a copy as soon as time and funds permit. i can wholeheartedly assure you that it is a most highly rewarding listening experience indeed.

keep safe

jamesreindeer

close to distantly - coming soon

ladies and gentlemen. it is with much jubilation that we can at last officially announce the debut album from the most highly treasured AbSUrd shall be upon us in but a couple of weeks time. entitled 'close to distantly', it shall be available as a limited edition cd and download, direct from the decorative stamp.

spanning seventeen songs, and taking us on a ritualistic, psychedelic voyage into the unknown, the album is a tour-de-force of the mechanical-yet-organic, the surreal-yet-affecting, the dark-yet-warming, and features a whole host of guest vocal and musical appearances.

AbSUrd. - Somewhere Else by decorative stamp

as of today, the album is now available to stream in its entirety from within the decorative stamp online store, in order to let you whet your appetites in anticipation of being able to secure your own personal copies when the 26th september release date rolls around... get involved!

keep safe

jamesreindeer

hazy scenes from the old cinema

this week saw me having the wonderful honour and privilege of being able to perform at the old capitol cinema in mainz as part of the 'rubbert twist & friends' spectacular, organised by the legendary folk themselves, and featuring a host of guest appearances including knertz's very own plus with a glorious solo set, which culminated in an evening of rather magical happenings indeed.

for my own part, the chance to play in an antiquated cinema in front of a screen filled with visuals co-ordinated by the unrelentless adrian woodhouse, bore the opportunity for me to perform a rather special iron filings and sellotape set, featuring a host of songs from the recently unveiled album to black & white scenes of aerial bombadment, shelling, and similar horrors of war. an intense experience indeed, but one which was most warmly received by the highly attentive audience gathered.

still, my own involvement in the evening was escalated to dizzying heights when i was able to grace the stage alongside the immense rubbert twist to perform two songs from my own humble repertoire in the form of 'the only dance i can do' and 'mask of sanity', and such storming renditions they were indeed, a real highlight to be sure.

almost needless to say, rubbert twist absolutely murdered their performance. i believe it is only the third time i have got to see them perform live but, sitting there in the old cinema, watching them unravel a seamless journey though such varied musical soundscapes to the psychedelic visuals unfolding behind them really was a stunning experience indeed... be sure to keep your eyes pealed for further happenings in the future.

keep safe

jamesreindeer

book of marion - out now

at last, the wait is finally over. we can now gladly announce that the staggeringly-awesome 'book of marion' album from james p honey & joel siméus is at last available for purchase as a highly-limited 12" coloured vinyl release from planck length records.

featuring two sprawling compositions, weighing in at a little more that 30 minutes, the album is awash with trademark production from the incredible joel and the kind of astonishing lyrical performances we have come to expect from james. be sure to fix yourself a copy directly, as it really is something special indeed.

keep safe

jamesreindeer

book of marion - coming soon

details are still a little sketchy, but some stage very soon the world shall see the release of the astonishing 'book of marion' album from the lethal combination that is james p honey & joel siméus, as a beautiful, highly-limited edition 12" coloured vinyl on planck length records.

for my own part, i have a vested interest in the project, as i had the deep honour of getting to guide the album through the mixing stages, and can wholeheartedly state that it is something wonderful indeed. imagine an unofficial sequel to 'rough tongue surfaces' and you are almost there.

be sure to get involved as soon as the time comes, disappointment is an impossibility.

keep safe . be well

jamesreindeer

iron filings and sellotape - album out now

dearest readers. might i most enthusiastically announce that the iron filings and sellotape album is at last upon us. entitled 'amidst the grease and chaos', the album is a dark, psychedelic journey within geopolitical spheres, which leads us on a hallucinatory path through salvaged loops, field recordings, radio interference and historical documents. 

available in both digital and ultra-limited cd editions from the decorative stamp online store as well as my own bandcamp page, the album is a true joy for the eyes and ears. only fifty copies will be made of the physical edition, which is gloriously packaged in a high-quality envelope replete with album artwork and containing, alongside the cd itself, a wealth of auxiliary materials including lyrics sheet, credits sheets, a statement of intent, a page from a great philosophical work and an iron filings and sellotape sticker.

the digital release contains hi-res scans of all the physical release inserts along with a copy of the relatively-recently unearthed 'war report [salvaged reels]' video. be sure to fix yourself a copy as soon as time and funds permit. the album really is something of a marvel indeed, and how i feel so deeply honoured to have been invited someways within the secretive fold to take part in its creation.

keep safe

jamesreindeer

operating failing machinery

yet another extremely busy couple of weeks once again... and how the latest facts in the case are most encouraging indeed. there have been a great many developments within the decorative stamp guild, and a host of other bits and pieces besides. ever onwards and upwards indeed.

most gladly, i can announce that the iron filings and sellotape release is now complete and shall be ready for purchase in both digital and physical forms on monday 22nd august. the last few weeks have seen me compiling all the various elements which make up the release and how it shall be a staggeringly dark, psychedelic listening experience indeed. the whole release is now available to stream in its entirety, both at the decorative stamp page, and on my own bandcamp page... do have yourself a listen, and kindly consider fixing yourself a purchase this time next week.

i have also had word from captain james p honey with talk of the imminent release of the 'book of marion' project, between himself and joel simeus, an album which i had the absolute pleasure of being able to guide through the mixing stages earlier in the year. it shall be available as a super-deluxe coloured 12" vinyl via the good folk at planck length records. be sure to keenly anticipate fixing yourself a copy of that monster when it reaches us, hopefully also on monday 22nd august.

wonderfully, the big news over at decorartive stamp at the moment is the signing of the phenomenal san francisco supergroup papervehicle. i cannot begin to describe how much of a pleasure it is for me to have those guys on board. i am such a huge fan of their music, and how marvelous it has been to be in such close communication with them these last weeks. we are planning a whole host of exciting things behind the scenes, and how more information shall be forthcoming as soon as possible.

in other news, the goats gloom project is starting to reach full stride, and how my book is edging ever, ever close to its first print run, and how the caterers project is slowly morphing from the abstract into the concrete. there has also been dual excitements in the form of the almost complete set of my first passes of the abSUrd instrumentals for the coffin cutters album, as well as a staggering something from the mighty edison, which shall be kept under wraps for now... and, lastly, how 'decorative stamp volume two' is slowly shaping up to be something very special indeed.

all in all, much is afoot, and how there is much to look forward to indeed. so, do keep your eyes and ears peeled for more revelations over the coming few moons, do have a listen and subsequently fix yourself a copy of the iron filings and sellotape release, keep a look out for the 'book of marion', and keenly anticipate a vast raft of new decorative stamp releases as the summer slowly dwindles away into the oncoming autumn. good times ahead indeed.

keep safe

jamesreindeer

columns of grey smoke ascending

since my last detailed field report i have been kept busy with a whole host of various strands, all of which do seem to be progressing most satisfactory indeed. so much is occurring at all times that it is hard to keep track. still, how these reports help me to sort the wheat from the chaff and detail the most pertinent elements therein. suffice to say much is still on the horizon, drawing ever nearer, looming with grim intent.

as somewhat of an aside, i actually found myself back in london, england, for the first time in six months. i was due to head back there to attend the wedding of two wonderful friends, but how it gave me cause to catch up with many other friends and family besides, and to wander passed a few spots that have given me great cause for inspiration in the past. london is truly the one city that i could call home yet still how, aside from dear friends and family, it seems as if little more than billowing columns of grey smoke across abandoned sites. however, that is another field report entirely.

gladly, as always, my trusty walkman was with me at all times. there is something very satisfying about listening to the 'six pack o' death' ep whilst riding the underground, crossing london bridge, or staring out of a train-car carriage as the sprawl of south london extends before oneself. i also spent a good deal of time audtitioning my test mixes of the AbSUrd beats for the forthcoming coffin cutters album, and how it will be something truly devastating indeed. gladly still, i also had the wonderful fortune of being armed with a mixtape from decorative stamp's very own nadia d' alò, which added soothing instances in amongst the mayhem, most notably the wonderful 'calvary cross', a personal favourite indeed.

so. it seems that there has been a resurrection of discussions between bill van cutten and myself, regarding the completion of an ep project together which we began in the summer of 2009 with the recording of two, as yet unreleased tracks under the working titles of  'mrs snow' and 'landing land'. it is our intention to prepare a number of further tracks, sound-pieces, field recordings and the like to put together what may hopefully become a vinyl release in the not-too-distant future. expect desperately dark electronic-noise-rap-nihilism in a dickensian vein, or something equally challenging.

i have also turned my attention further towards the upcoming marvel that will be 'decorative stamp volume two', and how it will be a majestic beast indeed. it is my intention to keep the details vague for the time being but, suffice to say it is already beginning to take the shape of something very special. it would only be fair if i were to confess that 'decorative stamp volume one' was very much put together with a view to simply getting something out there to give people an idea about who we are as a collective, whereas volume two will be something much more considered. there is still a fair ways to head down the path yet, but the current list of selections is already displaying signs of something really rather wonderful.

in other news, the absolutely horrifying goats gloom project is continuing to ooze from the furnace in spectral waves; hearing the dual-rantings of dug yuck and babel fishh over waves of the most psychedelic frkse noise is certainly an intense listening experience. i am still outlining the victims in chalk at this stage, but intend to don the chemical suit and manipulate the remains over the next few weeks or so. hopefully, the results will be made available in the not-too-distant future. whatever happens, do expect the darkness to gather and loom heavy as the sky turns red, the seas boil and blood rains down from the turbulent heavens.

possibly just as sinister, although less biblical, i can announce that, upon returning to the safehouse from london, i discovered a package i assume was sent direct from the mysterious iron filings and sellotape hidden compound, containing an assortment of materials; collected papers, blueprints, reports, cassettes, films-reels, slides and still photographs with detailed instructions on how to compile them into what will become the first iron filings and sellotape release, to be issued on the decorative stamp, possibly even next month. i have been instructed that time is of the essence and that these mateials must see the light of day before the end of the summer. i am not wholly sure as to the relevance of this timeline but, needless to say, i am already re-adjusting my agenda to allow this to be a possibility. so, do expect a full-length iron filings and sellotape release, sometime before autumn descends.

in other news, decorative stamp has struck up a splendid deal with the extraordinarily decent folk over at yellow dog in japan. do wander over to their site and find selected decorative stamp releases now lining their virtual shelves, a marvelous development indeed. i have also been having the speakings with three of the outrageously talented wild dogs in winter regarding a host of planned releases and additional ideas, much will transpire, i am quite sure. i also had the wonderful opportunity of getting to spend some time with the legendary 2econd class citizen back in london and how i am hazarding a guess that the two of us might try to turn our attention towards something new over the coming moons. the caterers and coffin cutters projects are both quite healthily underway at this stage, and there should be a few other releases coming out here and there over the rest of the summer months too. and be sure to fix yourself a free download of another lost track from the mighty epilog's 'fehlfarbenfangen' release, this time featuring myself and the superb cocon over an azabeats track by the name of  'zähne'. onwards and upwards then, onwards and upwards.

keep safe

jamesreindeer

audio88 & reindeer

another long lost song has surfaced from deep within the vaults, it would seem. many long moons ago the prolific audio88 and i recorded a track over a beat by tillevision, with a view to it appearing on an album tentatively titled 'audio88 has friends', a 'concept' album insofaras each song would feature audio88 and a guest vocalist, which even came so far has to having a track-listing posted and tentative news of a release. still, for one reason or another, this release never came about and our song, along with many others, seemed to fall away into the archives indefinitely.

i cannot exactly recall when we recorded this track, although i would hazard a guess that it must have been somewhere between spring and autumn of 2008. i do still clearly remember first crossing paths with audio88 though our mutual associate captain james p honey. he and i had first crossed paths ourselves in october of 2007. we had met up for the first time and found ourselves recording what would be the first song on the 'rough tongue surfaces' album. we had bid each other farewell and things went quiet for a while, but then, around christmastime, i took an unexpected telephone call from him, and how we talked for a goodly while on musical plans and the like.

honey informed me that he was currently a good ways through making an album with audio88, whose name i had seen online a number of times, which had given rise to me checking out some of his work. honey extended the invitation for me to contribute a verse for the album, the chance of which i jumped at, naturally. this lead to a dialogue starting up between audio88 and myself, which in turn lead to a number of exchanges regarding the possibilities of different song collaborations. one of these was the tillevision beat, for a track named 'winter'. which has now, after all these years, re-emerged on the audio88 & tillevision release, entitled 'fuer eine handvoll spucke', now available for free download, right here.

listening back to the song now, for the first time outside of demo form, it seems like such a wonderfully curious piece. somehow strange in comparison to the other songs on which audio88 and i have collaborated. how, thematically and stylistically it is very much a 'snapshot' of the work i was producing at a very particular time in my artistic endevours, yet so far away and strange, an image from another time which i am only now glancing upon the the very first time. still, i am greatly fond of it, it would seem. my own voice from the past, speaking of thoughts and memories once accumulated under a distant moon.

be sure to download the whole ep, for free, right here

keep safe, be well

jamesreindeer

a brief transmission from the safehouse

almost mid-july already. it frightens and confuses me how the days, weeks and moons can race by so fast... and how i am constantly spinning so many plates that i find it hard to make time to be able to detail my exploits in these field reports. still, better to be too busy making things happen to be able to write on it, than trying to file a field report with nothing occurring...

so, very, very excitingly, i have officially finished mixing the upcoming album from AbSUrd, and how i am most pleased with my efforts indeed. given the level of complexity of the task, along with my other commitments, i am actually really pleased with myself from bringing it through the mix so quickly... just a matter of months to tackle seventeen songs of pure, psychedelic madness.

my only regret is that we have not scheduled the album for release on the decorative stamp until september. it suddenly seems a long time to wait for the world to be able to hear how astonishing a collection of songs AbSUrd has crafted. suffice to say that it will be absolutely worth the wait though, the album is just the most staggering journey through musical soundscapes hitherto unimagined.

also, bubbling up from the rotten firmament is the unrelentingly dark and hideous project that is the goats gloom. should you not be familiar yet, it is an absolutely brutal project featuring dug yuck and babel fishh chewing their most darkest verses over the grinding, doomy, psychedelic production of the impossibly talented frkse. i am currently thick within the process of treating the four-track cassette recordings, ready to bring them through the mixing stage, and how it will be something darkly disturbing indeed.

the beastmaster and i are also now officially in the midst of collecting writings in preparation to record our vocals for the caterers. the project has been in the development stages for the longest while, but finally the time has come to be able to assemble the words we already have, along with penning a host of new lines, in anticipation of beginning the recording process as soon as possible.

i guess that the majority of my time these last weeks, perhaps unsurprisingly, has been directed towards the decorative stamp, and how there have been a great number of behind-the-scenes developments indeed. the majority of it must be kept hush hush at this stage, but how i can assure you that the most exciting things are afoot, and that jubilant announcements will be made sooner rather than later.

i'm so very sure that there is a great deal more i could detail but, even now, other commitments are bearing down on me at an alarming rate, so i must end this transmission here. as always, i am most grateful for your interest and am keenly looking forward to outlining additional facts in the case as soon as further time permits. onwards and upwards then.

jamesreindeer

there is a tape recorder inside the sun

another busy week or two indeed. the latest reports are flooding in. it has been a whirlwind of complex organisation, alongside much musical endevour, both stressful and most jovial indeed. desperately late nights and slow dawns, alongside sun-steeped afternoons and gentle dusk hours. suffice to say, things are coming along in leaps and bounds and why ever not.

today's breaking news is that, after long moons of both formal and informal discussion with my dear friend luke payne from the awesome wild dogs in winter,  we can now gladly announce that the mighty thverfellshorn is officially a part of the decorative stamp family. so do expect a rather splendid release to emerge at the end of the summer, and a full album sometime throughout the winter and more besides. until then, to whet your appetites, be sure to download the first ep for free, right here.

last week also saw the beginnings of a very special release from the masterful epilog of son kas. a collection of recordings entitled 'fehlfarbenfangen', gathered together from scraps of unfinished projects, one-off collaborations and the like. he and i had written a number of songs together, but were always too busy spinning other plates to bring a full release to fruition. i believe that these songs shall all slowly see the light of day in this collection. the first to re-emerge into the world is a really nice song by the name of 'widerspruch', which features a sublime production effort from dj extend. be sure to fix yourself a free download, and await more gems slowly rising to the surface in due course.

the abSUrd album has also be coming on in leaps and bounds. we are now deep into the mixing stages, and how i have been having a most splendid time recording guitar, sitar, synthesiser and percussion parts to compliment the already staggering instrumental array. we haven't set ourselves a specific release schedule, but i am sincerely hoping to get the mixes finished in the next four weeks or thereabouts. and how we will be looking at a very special release via decorative stamp and cooler than cucumbers.

i also had the wonderful privilege of spending the best part of the weekend with the truly wonderful oskar ohlson and winterismyname. i had been graciously invited to their mainz stronghold to collaborate on a song for their current album in production, and how it was a splendid success indeed. meiki winter and i had been talking of collaborating on a song together for more than two years, and how finally the time had come. almost needless to say, it was a good deal of fun, and how going by even the rough demo we recorded, it shall be a mighty song for sure.

in other news things are most definitely happening over at planck length records, i hear that the vinyl test pressings of the book of marion have arrived, and are sounding lovely and looking gorgeous in some sort of grey swirling form. then the ovate & staplemouth release must also be somewhere nearing the release stages. plus, the cogs are finally officially turning in the direction of 'decorative stamp volume two' as well. much afoot indeed. here's to the coming moon then.

keep safe

jamesreindeer

typewriter keys clattering beneath a ceiling fan whirring

in an earnest effort to try to maintain more regular posts, might i spend a short amount of time detailing the events of the past week, with regard to my latest activities as well as towards the latest news of future developments. as always, much is rapidly transpiring, a cause for great jubilation indeed. there is nothing more satisfying that days filled with a feeling of 'getting things done'. productivity can be seen as key at every stage it would seem.

so, the murmur breeze 'foreshore reverie' album is finally out there in the world at last. the limited edition gatefold cd is looking wonderful, and here's to all of the kind souls who have ordered themselves a copy so far. we are most grateful indeed... and how decorative stamp and cooler than cucumbers are currently deep in the planning stages of the super-deluxe vinyl edition which shall grace the world sometime sooner rather than later.

the album has also garnered some really nice reviews and kind praise so far too. be sure to read the reviews over at beats, breaks & big smiles, as well as this honourable mention and brand new glowing review at indierockmag... and should you still be in the dark as to what all the fuss is about, be sure to stream the album in its entirety, as well as potentially make a purchase, over at the decorative stamp online store.

i am also now fully immersed in the mix of the forthcoming debut album from abSUrd, and how it really is a wonderful beast indeed. seventeen songs which showcase the kind of astonishing production which graced the duration of the 'foreshore reverie', but this time featuring a multitude of vocal performances from an allstar line-up of babel fishh, bleubird, ceschi ramos, filkoe, james p honey, jamesreindeer, papervehicle [edison, home, mildew, the beastmaster] and univac.

gladly, i have reached the stage already where rough first passes of all of the songs are complete, and how i am now moving on to the stage of fine-tuning, adding effects and generally appraising the songs in terms of overall sound as well as continuity. the first meeting has also been undertaken with miss nadia d'alò regarding field recordings and additional live instrumentation, and how word has been sent out to michael rea too. it is going to be something very special indeed. more news will follow over the coming weeks.

i've also been working towards the printing of 'nova conditions', as well as moving towards preparing some more written works to see the light of day. there has also been some stirring over at the iron filings and sellotape camp which will need to be investigated. most excitingly, there has also been a communication from the brutal goats gloom, and how it seems i might well have been enlisted to aid and abet the release of their forthcoming debut opus.

for all the day-to-day latest breaking snippets of news, be sure to 'like' my facebook page, and do be sure to bookmark the decorative stamp site, as it contains a veritable treasure trove of facts and figures, links, videos and images of the wider goings-on pertaining to my, as well as the whole families undertakings. here's to the next transmission then. there is still very much everything to play for.

keep safe

jamesreindeer

the mechanism is chewing the tape to ribbons

i cannot be entirely sure as to how more than a month has gone by since i have been able to make time to type up a new field report. everything has been unbridled chaos it would seem, or possibly a very loosely controlled chaos, as there have been a great many advancements since my last transmission. how i should very much like to detail all the facts in the case, but i fear that it might quickly develop into a lengthy essay on to-ings and fro-ings, so might i thusly skirt around the current facts in the case with some degree of brevity.

the new murmur breeze album is officially upon us... and what a lengthy journey it has been. i still vividly recall hearing news from captain honey on the telephone all those long moons ago telling me that six new songs had been recorded, or how i was formally charged with the task of mixing the album at the house of abSUrd whilst he was living in nancy, france and we were stopping off on tour. or even receiving the first stems in preparation of the mixing process... or finally beginning to begin the challenge in the wake of the collapse of the galloping halfwits west coast tour.

i begun the mixing process at around the stage where three quarters of the album had been recorded, and found myself taking charge of newer and better and stronger songs as each moon passed. it was simply magical to be able to work with abSUrd's production, as well as to be able to have exclusive detailed listening time with captain honey's latest prose. it was also a great pleasure to have such free reign in terms of my own control of the mix and of being able to record additional musical parts, both by myself and with the immensely talented multi-instrumentalists michael rea and nadia d'alò.

so, the time has finally arrived for decorative stamp to launch the highly limited gatefold cd edition, painstakingly hand-crafted by both abSUrd and myself. i must say that i do believe it to be the strongest release so far on the label, if only in terms of such sustained high quality throughout its lengthy duration. please do order yourself a copy should sufficient monetary funds be in your possession. i can assure you that you shall not be in the least bit disappointed.

i guess it would be fair to say that the vast majority of my time this month has indeed been devoted to maintaining the clattering beast that is the decorative stamp. how surprising it is that such a modest enterprise can demand such a great amount of time, if only to allow the simplest of procedures to transpire. still, looking ever forwards, next month will see the release of the incredible 'order lost' album from visitor. since it landed in my inbox a few moons ago, i have had it on constant rotation, and cannot wait to unleash it on an unsuspecting audience very soon indeed. further details are as yet unavailable, but i believe we are looking at a 6th june release date.

i have also been burning the midnight oil in the studio whilst working on the mix of the forthcoming debut solo album from abSUrd, which really is something of a monster indeed. entitled 'close to distantly' and featuring around seventeen songs; a perfect mix of instrumental pieces and vocal tracks, it really is going to be an extraordinary companion piece to the latest murmur breeze, but still shining bright in its own right quite easily. featuring some of his strongest compositions to date as well as a mouth-watering roster of guest vocalists. my aim is to finish the mix as soon as possible, that we might get it out there to stagger and astonish ever more widening audiences.

my first book 'nova conditions' is also achingly clawing its way towards release, although it has taken a slightly different path to the one i had originally foreseen. it had always been my intention for the book to be hand-made by myself in a lovingly laborious fashion, but financial costs and sheer hours involved have lead me to realise that it shall be an impossibility. so, i am taking to having the book printed professionally, and have received a few attractive quotes already. a few small formatting changes will need to take place for the manuscript to be workable at the printing press, but i still anticipate the release to be as soon as is possible. and, as an added delight, it should now enable me to produce both paperback and hardback editions, giving the reader a broader choice as to what might suits their tastes. more news will follow.

i am sure that there are a great many more threads i could detail besides, but i believe that is the bulk of it. other than news that the beat i created for ovate & staplemouth is complete and will feature on their upcoming cd and vinyl release on planck length records, a uk label which will also release the james p honey & joel simeus album entitled 'book of marion' which i had the honour of mixing back when the winter was still melting. there is also a posse-cut in the works for moshe, which will feature a whole host of emcees, including noah23, riddlore, ancient mith, swordplay, myself and others. there is also a little something coming out on knertz, a small collaboration between myself and miss nadia d'alò. mmmn, and there is also much talk occuring with oskar ohlson and winterismyname regarding collaborations for their next album project.

so, onwards and upwards then. how i shall attempt to report back more frequently with less lengthy entries in the future. i just need to find some way of introducing more hours into a day, perhaps more days into a week too. let us see what the coming moon unfolds and hope that things won't be quite so desperately manic across the summer months. as always, i greatly appreciate your interest and look forward to feedback on all my latest various endevours. til next time then.

keep safe

jamesreindeer

a band of buriers

the last weeks have been outrageously busy indeed. i hope that i will shortly have time to detail all of the various facts in the case. perhaps the most pressing, or most exciting news being that, upon returning home to darmstadt from a grueling train-ride back from berlin via hannover, having played an awesome show at koma f, i discovered the newly-completed buriers album in my inbox ready for me to master, in time for burning the very next morning... i had been keenly anticipating the completion of the release, not least because i am a great fan of the project, but i also got to play a role in the recording process; preparing field recordings for one of the tracks, and engineering the amazing nadia d'alò's vocal sessions.

so now, the album is upon us. eight songs showcasing the buriers in all their alt-folk-anti-rap glory. beautiful melodies, dark passages, wonderful prose, uplifting and haunting phrases, sporadic rattles of percussion, tender drifting strings, a beautifully fragile brew indeed. james p honey stuns us once again with his lyrical depth, rich vocal tones, finger-picked guitar style and all-round charisma, whilst jamie romain keeps the operation true and steady with a slew of shudder-inducing string passages, percussive elements and backing vocals. whilst contributions from matthew romain, providing beautiful violin accompaniment, and miss nadia d'alò introducing a wonderfully vast dimension with her perfectly delicate voice, as i darken the scene briefly with some crackling and broken found 'end of days' dialogue.

be sure to place your order for the limited edition cd, or fix yourself a digital download

keep safe . be well

jamesreindeer

salade de concombres - volume one

the astonishingly marvelous parisian label cooler than cucumbers has finally unleashed its most highly anticipated first label compilation under the title of 'salade de concombres - volume one', and how it is a storming release indeed. spanning thirty-four full-length tracks encompassing all manner of weird-rap and electronica from around the globe, it really is a tour-de-force of all the strange-wrongness being exhibited in creative minds across the genres and across oceans. but, to top it all, it has been made available as a free download, which can find its way onto your hard-drive in but a few simple clicks.

it is at this juncture that i must confess as to having had the honour of playing a role in the completion of this project, insofar as being given the honour and privilege of being in charge of the mastering process. the legendary tiago approached me asking if i might be up for the job some moons ago, and how i naturally jumped at the opportunity. much talk was had and then a slew of songs found their way into my studio, giving me much exclusive listening pleasure as i tweaked and processed them for the warmest, loudest possible end result. thusly, having already spent a good deal of time perusing the contents therein, i can wholeheartedly say that it is a wonderful journey of spiralling creativity which can only reward the even casual listener.

still, it would be foolhardy of me not to mention how there are a good deal of songs on the compilation which have climbed out of both the decorative stamp and 667 camps, which all have an extra-special place in my heart. firstly, my favourite iron filings and sellotape song thusfar, a project which i am oftentimes involved in, entitled 'helicopter gunships' is on there in all its psychedelic glory. exclusive abSUrd and murmur breeze songs are featured, both of which i had the honour to mix, both of which are absolutely staggering. then there is an exclusive song from decorative stamp, knertz, mism, eggcape supergroup pumpernickle, not to mention the san francisco supergroup papervehicle murdering everyone with 'dragging seasons', healthily supplemented by a exclusive beastmaster song to boot... and much, much more besides...

so, do not hesitate, download now and bathe in the magnificent glow. it is the only way

keep safe . be well

jamesreindeer

onstage in berlin

it is with further excitement and jubilation that i can announce i will be performing in berlin this coming saturday evening. my first solo performance in the immense city, and how i am very much looking forward to taking to the stage indeed.

should you be anywhere near the city, be sure to make your way to koma f at the mighty koepi137, for a splendid evening of oldschool/newschool/experimental hip hop culture, and politics. good times to be had indeed.

take care

jamesreindeer

onstage in frankfurt

it is with great jubilation and excitement that i can announce that i shall be performing alongside two wonderfully close friends at the ivi in frankfurt this coming friday night. the unrelenting masterful ancient mith and the continuously staggering th'mole shall be working their astonishing live magic to an unsuspecting audience, and how it is my honour and privilege to start the musical proceedings.

how i must confess to be extremely excited to see ancient mith again. it seems like a lifetime since we toured together alongside babel fishh and james p honey in the spring of 2009, and how it'll be so very nice to chill with him, as well as seeing him scaling the scenery. not to mention the marvelous opportunity to cross paths with th'mole so soon after seeing him take the skribble gebibble party at the druckluft in oberhausen by storm.

should you be anywhere in the vicinity, please do come down and get involved... and should you not be in the know, the ivi is indeed and awesome venue, operated by marvelously splendid people. i first got to wander through the doors to check out the 2econd class citizen, ceschi, buddy peace, dj scientist show last october. serious business indeed.

keep safe . be well

james

two years of skribble gebibble

last friday night brought with it the fantastic occasion of the 2nd birthday party of the amazing skribble gebibble, and how it was simply wonderful indeed. mention must immediately be made of how much time and effort the skribble folk put into their events, and for this one they went above and beyond the call of duty. three rooms of music and art, filled to the brim with beautifully lit installations and adornments, making for the most magical venue for the evenings proceedings.

i had the marvelous honour of beginning the nights live music in the main room, and was so warmly received by the great crowd of folk already gathered, and how much i enjoyed performing, including being able to play the splendid 'aqualung zodiak cancer' for the first time, amongst a whole host of other favourite songs. the night then went on from strength to strength, and how i would have to make special mention of being able to cross paths with th'mole again, getting to see his astonishing set and spending some more time with the man himself after a long spell indeed.

more than six-hundred folk made it down in the end, and how the atmosphere was one of the most relaxed party imaginable. sadly, how it always races by far too quickly, and before we knew it, the dawn was beginning to rise. still, such wonderful memories of another wonderful time with the skribble family, and all the oberhausen/mülheim/essen folk. we were made to feel so very welcome as always, and simply cannot wait until it is time to return.

should you be located anywhere in the vicinity but are not yet familiar with the skribble gebibble events, or should you be on the other side of the world but intrigued as to why what they do is so very special, then you simply must wander past their website, peruse a photo gallery, 'like' them on facebook, or check the agenda to see what is coming up next... perhaps the thought of noah23, ceschi, or brad hammers passing through in the very near future might whet the whistle for your potential involvement.

keep safe . be well

jamesreindeer

committee on the present danger

the last weeks have been, as always, outrageously busy, but proving gladly productive. the lengthening of the days, the slow but continual emergence of spring proving to be a great boost indeed. my attention has been perhaps chiefly directed towards all things decorative stamp, alongside a good deal of behind the scenes activity regarding my own personal direction, not to mention a host of other threads which continue to progress in increments.

gladly, the physical release of the astonishing evak & edison ep is now upon us, and how i have been devoting as much time as possible in trying to spread the word about this most impressive release. gladly, this has involved having continued speakings with evak himself, who i will wholeheartedly confirm to be an absolute legend of a man, you should grab a hold of this disc if only in honour of him being such an astonishingly sound individual. do please head over to the decorative stamp shop directly and place yourself an order. you will not be disappointed. in fact, you will be beside yourself. indefinitely.

a most splendid aspect of the spring time is also the chance to finally take to the stage again for live performances. i can make no official announcements of touring propositions yet, but i am scheduled to play three shows in the coming weeks across germany. excitingly, they will be my first solo performances in eighteen months, and how i am greatly looking forward to dusting off some wonderful old songs, as well as airing some never-before-performed songs from the vaults. find me at druckluft in oberhausen for the 2nd skribble gebbible birthday party on march 25th, at ivi in frankfurt with the staggering ancient mith and outrageous th' mole on 1st april, and then subsequently in berlin at koepi137 on the 2nd.

i also had the marvelous fortune and enjoyment of being interviewed regarding the facts in the ongoing case of decorative stamp over at the marvelously completist beats, breaks & big smiles site the other week. a raft of pertinent and searching questions were posed, which gave me splendid cause to put into words quite what we are up to, what's been happening, and what might happen next regarding this strange beast we have summoned these few years past. do be sure to put the kettle on and have yourself a read, not to mention perusing the site more generally as it does contain a vast amount of thoroughly interesting content.

i have also managed to spend a decent amount of time in the studio these past weeks too, something of a novelty these days. largely i have been continuing my work on the production of my contribution to the upcoming ovate & staplemouth release on planck length records, entitled 'ogre ephemeris'. i have to say that i am most pleased with my efforts thusfar. the beat is ostensibly finished, but i've been spending hypnotic episodes staring at the screen, just working on stereo effects, trying to get the song to spiral even deeper into the psychedelic darkness it has summoned. how keenly i await the vocal stems, it will be sinister indeed.

lastly, i can very excitedly announce that my first book, entitled nova conditions, is finally amidst the decorative stamp printing press, even as i write these lines, and how it is looking really, really nice indeed. it is taking the form of a 124 page hardback book in stark black & white, on highest quality paper, each copy being uniquely different with varying background images floating behind the main body of the text. due to the complexity and expense of putting them together, the first edition is likely to be a very limited run indeed. more details of its availability will follow shortly.

onwards and upwards then. here's to the ongoing efforts and how they shall pan out across the coming moons. i am keenly looking forward to having the speakings with james p honey, as soon as he makes contact after having been touring france these weeks past, am beside myself at receiving a copy of the master of the new dug yuck release, still in the thick of preparing the new murmur breeze to unveil to the world and much more besides... and, today is fbcfabric's birthday... here's to the legendary man himself.

keep safe

jamesreindeer

a worthwhile cause in a meaningless world

without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most wonderful things about creating music in this modern digital age, is getting to meet, pass time, share thoughts and collaborate with like-minded artists. since the dawn of this new internet age brought about the revolutionary change of being able to productively work with those situated far outside your neighbourhood, town, city, county, country, continent even... it has been possible to find those souls which share the desire to create art in such similar ways. 

getting to know that each of us, or each few of us are not alone in our desires to approach our work in these similar ways, along with drawing enthusiasm and inspiration from them, i could, and very likely shall someday draw a list together of each and every person i have work with in the past, collaborated with, jammed with, share tales and experiences with, shared the road with, slept on floors with, walked dazed through unfamiliar cities with... but for now, the simple facts of it can be found even from the list of folk made up within my steadily expanding list of releases.

yesterday, as a perfect example, saw the release of the long-awaited official debut album from tree dusk muir. i cannot exaclty recall how, or precisely the first time i came to know about their music. although i do have fond recollections of passing by their myspace page back in glory days, eagerly anticipating hearing the darkly disturbing sounds coming from their music player. it sounded like some kind of hallucinogenic swampland music, doused in lyrics picturing scenes not far removed from the kind of grindhouse horror movies the soundtrack conjured in my mind.

gladly, a dialogue began between us, possibly begininng with james p honey's contact with wormhole out in hawaii, possibly from direct contact from ovate, whom i remember receiving kind word from at an early stage. after lines were exchanged across continents, there came about the opportunity to collaborate on a track for their forthcoming album, an immense posse-cut which would feature contributions from both james p honey and myself, along with our staggeringly talented collaborator jamie romain on cello. i cannot recall exactly when we made the song, but i remember it being around the summertime, perhaps it was the summer of 2008. in a way the track was an aethestic departure from the majority of the work i was engaged in at the time, but how it felt like such  a natural mode to slip into. writing to that song came like a lucid dream within a hazy, hot summers nights' ritual.

james p honey and i then had the wonderful fortune to be able to cross paths with ovate, toobz and rezult in richmond, virginia, as part of the 'our accents sure are pretty' tour with thesis sahib, pierre the motionless, roma and funken, gladly that night also being joined by the imposing might of the masterful moshe, not to mention being housed, fed and watered by the incomparable isaac ramsey, aka swordplay. it was such a wonderful night indeed, to feel so safe and relaxed amongst friends, especially having had the terrible experience of passing through the oppressive misery of washington dc the night before.

i recall it to have been a hot, spring evening in richmond and how james and i had wandered round the corner from the venue to the gas station for some supplies before the show and, upon our return, being greeted by the smiling, strangely familiar face of ovate outside the venue, greeting us with warm wishes and the kindest of words and introducing us to toobz and rezult, and even hailing wormhole on the cellphone. they had driven three or fours hours down from roanoke for the show, bringing with them a cd of their, at that time, almost-finished album, along with a whole bunch of prints of toobz artwork and a few sculptures for us too. as is almost uniformly the case, far from being strange, unapproachable types, they were so very open, friendly, filled with positivity and such kind words of our own creative efforts and equally glad that our paths had crossed on the long odyssey that was that particular tour.

since having crossed paths that spring night in virginia, it has been a pleasure to continually engage with them in dialogue and to collaborate on brief, but incredibly enjoyable occassion, as has been the case with all the other artists whom i have been lucky enough to come into contact with. and so it stands. just last night i was working intensely on a beat for ovate & staplemouth to be featured on their upcoming release on planck length, having a wail of a time extracting the darkest, most psychedelic sounds i could from the microkorg, layering them over three storming beats i had assembled in the sequencer. the enjoyment that creative collaboration brings will always be unmatched.

so, do be sure to download the new tree dusk muir album as soon as time permits, and be on the look out for the ovate & staplemouth release in the coming months. not to mention all the other various release from all the folk mentioned above, and everyone else operating within the scene. there are so many talented people, pushing the boundaries in so many directions, all of whom survive on the support, encouragement and enthusiasm of their listeners. so many people risking it all in their attempts to create something filled  with a meaning true to them, which can be shared with those eager to listen. a worthwhile cause in a meaningless world indeed.

keep safe

jamesreindeer

latest reports coming in

in an effort to maintain regular posts, rather than waiting to officially announce news, might i report more generally on my creative activities, to keep a more informal strand of information flowing with regards to my most recent exploits. to that end, i shall skirt briefly around the projects which are currently keeping me burning the late night oil.

the astonishing abSUrd has already revealed to the world that his debut album is completed, but how i can indeed reveal that i have been given the mighty chance to bring it through the mixing stage, to allow it to shine as bright as it surely deserves to. should of course there be any doubt of confusion, i can wholeheartedly announce that it is completely out of control. how it features song after song of wonderful, psychedelic, dark, surreal, organic musical turns, and with a roster of guest-vocalists which reads like some sort of dream team. it is my intention to concentrate heavily on completing the mix through march, with a view to having it ready for release sooner rather than later. stay tuned for updates.

i am also currently guiding another amazing album through the mixing process. i'm not sure how secretive the entire enterprise is at the moment, so perhaps suffice to say that it is a monstrous alt-rap opus featuring the combined talents of one of the scenes most ambitious and prolific electronic producers, and one of the scenes most prolific and greatest lyricists. i guess that i can reveal that it will be made available on vinyl from the mighty uk-based planck length records sometime this spring.

i've also been just these last few days working on a series of four remixes for the truly beatufiul Þverfellshorn project, from the wonderful luke payne of wild dogs in winter. beautiful, dreamy, shoegaze-drone-electronica; layers of guitar lines and synthesizers with distant vocals and field recordings blended together with layers of fuzz and grain. we are gearing up to announce a forthcoming release on decorative stamp, so be sure to keep your eyes open for that.

i've also had the pleasure of engineering some band of buriers recording sessions to lay down vocals from the enchanting miss nadia d'alò, for her contribution to a number of songs on their forthcoming seven-song release, also to be available from decorative stamp. expect darkly beautiful alt-folk / alt-rap compositions tinged with ethereal sadness. i am also due to be contributing a series of found and field recordings to the project too. it will without a doubt be something really special for sure.

excitingly, my first book, entitled 'nova conditions' is also very close to going to print. i have been busy working on the layout, text composition and design touches, whilst also very keenly anticipating foreword and introduction contributions from two incredibly talented peers who have kindly agreed to write a few words regarding the piece. i hope to go to print perhaps even next week, and am thusly confident that i can schedule a release sometime in the coming month or two, almost six years after the project was begun.

i am also on the verge of beginning to record for a project which has been bubbling away behind the scenes for almost a year now. many moons ago the beastmaster, from the beyond-staggering papervehicle, and i started to make murmur's of collaborating on a project together under the guise of the caterers. planets then alligned as we suddenly came upon a raft of wonderful beats from mism records / luana records great mich moser. tentative lines have been scribbled, even a few scraps of vocals recorded, whilst the beats have undergone regular treatments, until we might finally be in a position to begin to tackle this formidable creature across the coming moons. further facts will be reported as they emerge.

lastly, might i give extra mention to the recent release of the evak & edison 'six pack o' death' ep on decorative stamp. since the mighty evak wrote me over christmastime i have enjoyed many a long hour listening to their incredible six song opus as well as exchanging a slew of messages with the man himself, not to mention the consistently benevolent edison. it's been a real, real pleasure in seeing this project through the release stages, getting to exchange messages with, and interview, the two masters themselves, first seeng mildew's artwork appearing in my inbox, being able to tell the world... it is an astonishing release indeed, now available from decorative stamp digitally and with a physical release coming soon... 667 for life.

it is always my intention to work tirelessly, and thusly do expect another host of news to come swarming in and some stage sooner rather than later. there are a great number of other strands under construction, slowly making their way to the fore. a few pieces of production, some vocal appearances, as well as a futher two or three albums of material yet to be revealed. onwards and upwards can and will be the only way. your interest is greatly appreciated.

keep safe

jamesreindeer