What's Actually Happening?

Friends, Brothers, Mothers and Lovers,

I bring you much news.

At the front of my troubled mind is the imminent release of the latest in our peerless Lunar Module schedule. We have a DOUBLE CD from Mat Handley’s Pulselovers. Mat has done all the heavy lifting here in organising a cast of thousands to remix tracks from his ever developing and increasingly important “Northern Minimalism” project. Along with Gordon Chapman-Fox’s “Very Quiet Music To Be Played Very Loudly”, “Northern Minimalism 4” was the spark behind the Lunar Module thing, so don’t miss this stellar and inspirational album hoovering up the best of the best on the knobs. There’s loads of it and it’s all great. Including a rare appearance from DJ Two Minute Noodle, who tells me the new Kl(aüs) LP is on the way “soon”.

There’s a pretty stellar lineup of remixers on display on this here Pulselovers album. I’m super happy with how the Lunar Module stuff is going and this one is a definite keeper. Thanks to Mat and all of the remixers for making this one super special. The best thing about running a label is knocking out the great stuff that you are attached to. Mat’s stuff always makes my heart sing and this is a feast for the ears.

https://lunar-module.bandcamp.com/

Talking of new Kl(aüs) stuff and kind of related to the Berlin School side of life, we’re putting together two new albums from FluXus, whose “Orbit and Shine” is one of the most popular things we’ve dropped on the Subscription Library crew. New LPs from Nigel coming for CiS and one for the subscribers. ✊ More details on that next time.

Northern Minimalism 4 is available from tomorrow morning on the CiS bandcamp and in the shops, but subscribers to the Lunar Module series will already have had this one along with LM005 from Canada’s wonderful Camp of Wolves. The creeping Lynchian sounds from David turns out to be a bit of a curveball as he’s super handsome and not some weird looking bedroom dweller. Luke Requena also from Canada and equally gorgeous. If I move move there, will I absorb the handsomeness? Unlikely.

The latest issue of Moonbuilding is just about gone. Loula Yorke’s star turn as cover artist and album supplier has proved to be a winner. Down to the last 20 copies here:

Follow Neil Mason’s brilliant and essential weekly Moonbuilding update at:

Also revealed in stock room archeology, some copies of Moonbuilding Issue 1 featuring the mighty Dean Honer as cover star. I thought these were long gone, but a very few pristine copies remain. Now with added CiS sticker that Nina sorted out.

What else? Our brilliant distro, Cargo are taking some backstock from last year, so stuff that might have been difficult to find in the shops over the last 12 months should be out there again. The process of clearing the stock room has revealed a few gems. We’ve found a box of the sold out Apta LP, “The Pool”, which is rapidly flying out of 45 Shortmead Street all over again. Only a handful of these left here:

The test pressings for the exclusive Levitation LP have arrived and are sounding fantastic. I’ve just approved with the pressing plant.

Please come and get one on 1st November at our first LevFest in Liverpool. I’ll be burning any remaining copies al la The KLF after the gig. Be there to get one. I’ll do a comp for the subs to get a test pressing for this one over the weekend.

Tickets at: https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Liverpool/The-Capstone-Theatre/Levitation-25/41011976/

After Pulselovers LM004, the next CiS release is from Coventry’s own Stone Anthem. A vibe if there ever was one, Archie turns everything up for his brilliant second record and lands a superb and charming album full of ideas which is very, very easy to love. “Where Trees Go To Die” is coming 12th September. Pre orders have been large, but we will still have some copies on the CiS bandcamp on the 12th. I’ll be recording a podcast chat with Archie over the next week. He’s lively and delightful company, so it should be a good one. He’s already given me the demos for album three and my heart bursts. He’s off to Uni soon, where I expect he will do great things.

We also have big Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan news.

10th October brings us the new WRNTDP album, “Public Works and Utilities”. Gordon further refines and stretches out the Warrington-Runcorn project in all sorts of new and exciting ways. On the same day, we also have a CD compilation of Gordon’s three EPs entitled “Appendix 1” - “Building A New Town”, A Shared Sense Of Purpose” and “Overspill Estates”. As ever, G-Man nails the music/artwork on both of these and they are looking and sounding fabulous. Side Two of PW&U is an 18 minute epic. Strap yourselves in for an actual journey.

We’re also slotting in new records from A’Bear and Field Lines Cartographer before the end of the year, both of which are brilliant. I know you think I would say that, but they ARE. I haven’t got a packshot for Mark’s LP done yet, but Signalstar has done the work on the cover which looks and sounds brilliant. The artwork for Janine’s LP was done by Strictly Kev and the whole thing is just brilliant and makes me very, very happy. She’s such a unique talent. I’m super stoked about this one.

That might be enough news for now.

Please comment here or give us a shout at hello@castlesinspace.com. We love to hear from you.

1. Me and Nina were listening to George Michael in the office yesterday. She’s into R&B stuff and always has brilliant music playing wherever she is. She’s also got a fine set of pipes which we will be putting to good use on Project Pop Volume 2.

2. It’s too early to report much on this one, but we’ve bagged a brilliant album from the keyboard guy in a former Mercury Prize nominated band.

IN: Solicitors and their advice.

IN: Getting ready to move house.

IN: Cargo Distribution.

OUT: Getting ready to move house and the terrors of packing all the vinyl.

OUT: Trying to find a house to move into. I just leave all of that to the indefatigable Jules. She’s determined to get me shoved into a shed in the back garden so she can come and Nora Batty me when I frequently get lost in CiS land.

Thanks for reading/listening,

Colin

45 Shortmead Street

Biggleswade (For now) 😌