Ian Middleton
Well of Sorrows [LP; Skire]

Well of Sorrows is so notable you’d have to be a thick-skinned reviewer not to move it to the front of the pile. I’m a weak man so it wasn’t even a question of whether so much as, How soon can I pump this sucker out? Answer: Not soon enough. Ian Middleton crafts the most purposeful experimental synth-dro this side of Mark McGuire, softly and soulfully stroking his MS10 analogue synth like a purring kitten, coaxing sounds that relax the mind while building intrigue that only grows after the first and second listens are over. It’s easy to get lost in the forest of light that appears in front of your film-projector eyelids when you listen to Well of Sorrows, as if Stars Of The Lid added a few like-mindeds and betrayed their minimalist bent. When the LP first arrived I threw the record on without giving the jacket a second thought, but now that I’m feasting my eyes on this fucker I can see it’s next-level without a doubt, subtle and gorgeous (and designed by Middleton, Andrew Chalk, and Tom James Scott), framing the music like a sepia photo of a long-lost relative. If you read this review and stopped when you saw the word “synth” I GET IT, but you’re wrong this time. Dead wrong. The deluxe edition, limited to 50, of this item includes a portfolio-style wrap-around sleeve that also looks pretty dope, if yr interested.

Links: Skire

Cerberus

Cerberus seeks to document the spate of home recorders and backyard labels pressing limited-run LPs, 7-inches, cassettes, and objet d’art with unique packaging and unknown sound. We love everything about the overlooked or unappreciated. If you feel you fit such a category, email us here.

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