Broody Corners

Last weekend we flung open the gates to the state51 Factory for the first Summer Party in what felt like an age: and it was wonderful. Thanks to everyone who came along. 200 people came and explored the various rooms of the Factory, the yard and garden. Here are a few pics. We'll have the performances from Brood X Cycles, Better Corners and AGAAMA on our youtube channel soon.

Joanne Chiang Joanne - live at the Factory

Check out the state51 factory’s biggest solo setup to date, courtesy of London-based percussionist Joanne Chiang Joanne's performance for the state51 Conservatoire,  which features works by Ruta Vitkauskait, Joe Locke and Unsuk Chin. An oustanding range of instruments on display and a breathtaking performance.

 

Singularity Series

I know that I still feel the same way about long, meditative pieces of music as I have done for over three decades now and assume that many others feel the same way. In fact, the pandemic meant that I was more in need of such immersive sonic experiences than I had been for a long time. When we partnered up with our friends at state51, we approached a wishlist of some of our favourite artists with a very simple request: for them to go long for us and to not worry about holding back. We offered all time favourite artists such as Shit And Shine and Matmos and exciting new talents such as Siavash Amini and Alison Cotton total freedom, with just one restraint, the track needed to be above 15 minutes but below 29. We offered them just one word of guidance: ‘transformation’. We wanted these musicians to start in one place but to end up somewhere else entirely, somewhere unexpected, allowing us to fully enjoy their journey. And before long we began to build up a formidable library of brave sonic excursions, brought to us by artists who we trusted to indulge some of their deepest, most hypnotic, most transcendent, magical and problem-solving impulses, and who in turn, trusted us and trusted our attention spans.

- John Doran, The Quietus

Shit And Shine - Singularity 02: Above Ground Pool

Each incarnation of Shit And Shine – for live performances, let alone on record – is unique as a fingerprint and twice as grubby. Well, to be tediously accurate, it has one constant member, Craig Clouse, and sometimes S&S is just him, as is the case on one-sided lathe-cut 12” ‘Above Ground Pool’, but expect him to come correct with a different sound every time. Clouse cut his teeth in 90s Texan noiserock bands, then spent a while in the UK, and is now back in Austin. This track has a very American vibe in the worst/best possible way: murk-fi industrial electronics with a self-confessed Suicide influence and a lengthy, sometimes time-stretched sample of a furious argument about someone reversing their car into a swimming pool, which Clouse found on YouTube. Why on earth someone recorded this, then uploaded it to the internet, is a puzzler, but they’ve made a sterling contribution.

- Noel Gardner

Thanks for you patience with this series - phase 1 is almost complete and Shit & Shine's record is shipping now, with digital out 24th June. Order it here.

The state51 Conspiracy Playlist

We've updated the playlist serving you the best sounds from MIRA 新伝統, Nick nicely, Gabriel Prokofiev, Daniel Pemberton, Shishi, Crake and more. Listen here. 

 

Have a great weekend!

state51