James Kirby is nothing if not generous with his fans. For proof, one only needs to do a rundown of albums released in the last five years to see just how much he’s given. All of them worthy of your consideration:
- 2008 The Stranger - Bleaklow
- 2008 The Caretaker - Persistent Repetition of Phrases
- 2009 Leyland Kirby - Sadly, The Future Is No Longer What It Was (triple CD/6 fucking LPs!)
- 2011 The Caretaker - An Empty Bliss Beyond This World
- 2011 Leyland Kirby - Eager to Tear Apart the Stars
- 2011 Leyland Kirby - Intrigue & Stuff (three volumes worth!)
- 2012 The Caretaker - Patience (After Sebald) soundtrack
So what if he’s been quiet since mid-2012? That’s a pretty well-earned vacation. But it’s a vacation that ends on October 28, when Modern Love (Demdike Stare, Andy Stott, Vatican Shadow) releases a new album called Watching Dead Empires In Decay from Kirby’s The Stranger alias. Those who came to his work via The Caretaker or Leyland Kirby or, hell, even V/vm for that matter, may not immediately recognize Dead Empires on first pass. There’s little of the crackling hiss of ballroom 78s or the future-leaning synths and haunting melodic work in his namesake project. Instead, the common thread here would be that exacting sense of melancholy and dread, exemplified through slow-grinding percussive hits and a generally oppressive atmosphere. Check out new track “So Pale It Shone In The Night” and hear it for yourself.
• The Stranger: http://www.brainwashed.com/vvm/artists/the_stranger.html
• Modern Love: http://www.modern-love.co.uk
More about: The Stranger
