James Ferraro // Four Pieces For Mirai (self-released)

#1


Very much looking forward to this new 4 part album/release from James Ferraro. The first EP is a great listen and I think has been massively overshadowed by some bigger releases year, maybe due to it all being released independently. Musically I think it holds up great to a lot of other modern experimental music and I’m a bit of a sucker for concept work and oddball ideas that come with his music.
I think it holds up to ‘Age Of’ in its own way and is better in certain areas, great to see these two going down a similar but unique path, OPN is obviously benefitting from Warp records decent promo and advertising budgets and probably extra help with mixing or getting the OPN LP to sound as bloody great as it does.
The closing tune on this first LP could be off either of the last 2 OPN LPs, its a great little tune for anyone who enjoyed some of those weirder country-ish Ferraro demos he was posting a while back which are on youtube now.


This teaser for pt2 is cool, one of my more anticipated releases for the rest of the year now.

The feature in last months Wire Magazine really got me back into his work and even the newer work of his ex production partner Spencer Clarke who has many gems in his back catalogue. He is very well spoken and has a great twitter presence, I think he has shrugged off the prankster thing some people thought he has going, seems like his is incredibly sincere with his work. He is an artist I binge listen to then have a good break from before diving back in, luckily he has enough content to always find new and interesting bits plus he seems to be super productive on the release front which is great as a fan…

Anyone else feeling his new work? What are your thoughts on his older, Lofi recordings? Anyone else enjoy the Wire Feature?

#2

Always enjoy exploring Ferraro’s huge catalog; hopefully can hear it all one day. Will have to read that Wire feature for sure. As far as Spencer Clark goes there’s a new Monopoly Child Star Searchers album I’ve been dying to hear, since it’s my favorite project of his. Although apparently it’s a re-release of a CDR from 2010.

#3

yeah this is brilliant!

Super fascinated by the classical visual language (remember that brilliant Sun Araw album Ancient Romans?). Especially the context of Pompeii is really interesting.

#4

Ha yeah so much to dig through and luckily a hell of a lot of it is on youtube now too. I’m sure you can find the Monopoly LP on youtube also if you wanted to hear it at least. He really goes deep into his work, love the write up for his Typhonian Highlife record on Sun Araws label Sun Ark…
“I FEEL ITS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE THAT THE DISC IS ABOUT WATER AND DESERT INTEGRATING TOGETHER TO INVENT A NEW BEING, AND THAT ONCE I INVENTED THIS NEW BEING I PRETENDED TO BE IT, AND THEN WAS ALLOWED TO SEE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF MYSELF” - SPENCER CLARK"

And yes, I love the Sun Araw stuff, his latest album is fantastic, reminds me of some mutant jazz from a band who spent far too long out in the desert and forgot about trends in electronic music.

I think more and more I really enjoy these artists and producers who are into this world building aspect that comes along with their work. Certainly is a fine line before it gets a bit wanky but its probably fair to say most of it has a humor running through it despite its sincerity.
Folklore Tapes seem to dig into similar territories however they follow preexisting stories and folklore as the basis for the work.

Anyone have any other recommendations for artists who are following a singular path or who are deeper into world building like these?
Off the top i think of artists like Actress, OPN, Dolphins into the Future / Lieven Martens Moana, Jon Hassell, Shackleton (more and more), there is some standout vaporwave albums that might fall into this bracket…