Midweek Beats + Pieces Vol. 47

Mary Lattimore, Mogwaa, Martin Glass, Romi Wrights.

Selected Works is a regular newsletter by the Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa (Wellington, New Zealand) based freelance music journalist, broadcaster, copywriter, and sometimes DJ Martyn Pepperell. Yes, that’s me. Most weeks, Selected Works consists of a recap of what I’ve been doing lately and some of what I’ve been listening to and reading, paired with film photographs I’ve taken + some bonuses. All of that said, sometimes it takes completely different forms.

WHAT I’VE BEEN DOING:

For the celebrated American experimental harpist and composer Mary Lattimore, being in the right place at the right time is the gift that keeps on giving. A couple of weeks ago, I jumped on Zoom with Mary and interviewed her for Rolling Stone Australia/New Zealand. She’ll be playing a few live shows down here later in the year. You can read the story here.

Over the last year, I've found myself having a lot of conversations with friends about getting back to doing things offline and exchanging digital ephemera for something more tactile. In a sense, it's a bit of a logic fallacy because, as we know, all things turn to dust eventually, regardless. As it turns out, the Seoul-based South Korean producer, DJ and multi-instrumentalist Seungyoung Lee, aka Mogwaa, has had similar thoughts in recent times as well, as exemplified by his new album, Translucent, which I reviewed for Test Pressing. Read more here.

Magic Mountain is the third full-length album from the itinerant American businessman, composer, and producer Martin Glass. Inspired by German electronic music pioneer Edgar Froese, Vangelis, early Warp Records releases, The Orb and The Future Sound of London, the album is a Fellinian memory maze of new age wellness culture, mid-20th century Hollywood glitz, exhaustion, dreams, fantasy, desire and listless ennui. The less sense it makes, the more we can't stop listening to it. Yours truly wrote the sale notes, check it out here.

Things are heating up around Mānuka Recordings’ latest lathe-cut/digital release, ‘Bring It Back/Without You’ by Romi Wrights. As usual, I helped the team out with the release notes. An absolutely scorching modern take on late 1960s orchestral soul. Check it out here.

The initial run of my PLACES photobook is now completely sold out, and the support and love have been amazing. Should I print more copies or leave it as is? Let me know.

WHAT I’VE BEEN READING:

DIY City Pop Artist Satoshi Suzuki Looks Back on His Musical Practices Since the 1980s: Satoshi Suzuki is a “city pop artist” who has been creating solo music since the 1980s and has released several albums. He is an urban musician who is still an active performer and consistently performs live. However, even if we introduce him in this way, a very limited number of readers will be able to link this information to the right face. For Toikon, Yuji Shibasaki. Read here.

In Conversation - Time is Away on their autumnal compilation ‘Searchlight Moonbeam’: Time is Away is the London-based DJ / historian / artist duo Jack Rollo and Elaine Tierney. Longtime NTS residents, the couple work across radio, research and site-specific projects exploring the relationship between time, place and power through music and sound. For In Sheeps Clothing Hi-Fi, Phil Cho. Read here.

Giggs & Diddy review – potent chemistry unites Peckham and NYC: Flashy dad-dancing music mogul Diddy and growling south London rapper Giggs energise the crowd with a relentless string of hits and guests. For The Guardian, Thomas Hobbs. Read here.

The Art of Production - Galcher Lustwerk: A decade on from the release of 100% Galcher, the New York-based producer discusses his cocoon-like studio, synths that sound bougie and the future of his most beloved alias. For Resident Advisor, Kiana Mickles. Read here.

Creativity ‘til infinity - Why Actress will never stop making music: Upon the release of his new album ‘LXXXVIII’ on Ninja Tune, Actress speaks to Marcus Barnes for Mixmag about his creative drive, artificial intelligence and fatherhood. Read here.

WHAT I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO:

Melbourne’s Left Ear Records strikes gold by reissuing two mid-eighties indie pop and post-punk gems from New Plymouth, New Zealand. Mark Airlie and Keri Ansley briefly came together as Poetical License in 1986, recording these gorgeous tracks before parting ways. One for the heads.

Private Joy sent me this album, and I just cannot stop listening to it. The project of the ONIPA duo, Off the Grid, is a journey that joins the origin story of dance rhythms from Africa to electronic dance music of today's clubs and festivals, connecting African folklore and storytelling to rap, jazz and hip hop. Sensational!

Another very smooth tip from Private Joy.

Ebony Lamb’s main squeeze steps out with his first proper solo single. Slacker yacht folk for the Paekakariki set.

FIN.