Whats Actually Happening?

Huh. I don’t know where to start, really. So it looks like you might be getting a brain dump. Enjoy/Endure, to quote the mighty Mordant Music, more of which later.

At the front of my mind is that I’ve just sent a load of test pressings out to four artists. I do this thing where I enoble team CiS with honours/titles on their address labels. I’ve just heard back from Baroness Jo Johnson that her postie did a little bow when he handed over the mailer. I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. Jo’s forthcoming album “Let Go Your Fear” is as beautiful as everyone would expect. You should join her bandcamp subscription service. She’s amazing and it’s only a matter of time before she is offered an actual peerage, which, odds on, she would turn down. That’s how cool she is.

www.jojohnson.bandcamp.com/subscribe

Jo’s music is full of light, space and air. It’s some of the most beautiful stuff I’ve ever heard. When we did the early Levitation last year at Flowergate Hall, she sat on the floor in front of the stage with her back to the audience. It’s hard to describe, but the music just sat in the air. The quiet was powerful, the notes so perfect. She’s an absolute genius and we’re so excited to be working with her on this album. Also, wait till you see the artwork. Selected by Jo from the portfolio of greatest living Welshman, Elfyn Lewis.

www.elfynlewis.com

I said to Jo that having a fine artist do the artwork would be classy. She said, “No, it will be “clarsy”.” Which still cracks me up everytime I think about it. We can’t wait to get that one out to you folks. It’s such a beautiful piece of work. She’s signed off on the test pressings and here we go.

More immediately, Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan maestro, Gordon Chapman-Fox is having a flurry of activity incoming, with a new 12” EP, a super limited 7” and an amazing new album. The 7” is the only place where you will be able to get the radio edit of “A Shared Sense of Purpose”, but on both the 7” and the 12”, you will find an incredible Vince Clarke remix. It’s good. He said, with quiet confidence. I saw G-Man playing in Birmingham last weekend and he’s just next level now. The new album, “Your Community Hub” has been my soundtrack for the last six months. There are a few editions incoming, but as we’ve done quite a big order, the pressing plant have been busy with it and the bandcamp spesh ed will be following up in a few weeks. It doesn’t matter. Just get one. I think it’s his best work, but then he’s just sent me the next album, so fucking sit tight. I cannot believe how lucky I am to be working with him and I appreciate his furrowed brow at reigning in some of my more madcap schemes. I fucking love him.

www.warringtonruncorn.com

In live news, Levitation ‘24 tickets are going out and we have a fantastic line up this year. We’ve moved everything down to a more central location, so we’re back in Bedford where we did the gig at Esquires in February last year. The promoter told me he was expecting 60 people. I’m here to tell you that there were more than 60 people. As per that gig, though, we’re arranging exclusive merch that will only be available on the day and then me and Ruby are going to go to Sweden and burn any remaining copies of the album, a la the KLF with the first copies of the JAMMS LP.

Roobz has worked there before and has been booking the food trucks as well as doing all of the co-ordination with the venue. I’d be absolutely knackered without her.

Get tickets and the opportunity to purchase the one time only albums here:

www.skiddle.com/e/37148409

We’re pretty excited about the line up. Don’t let us down. It’s gonna be a vibe.

Speaking of Sweden, I’ve been in the studio with Moa and Nick Lone Bison with producer Al Groves working on Project Pop. Look out. It’s sounding fucking amazing. Nick is a genius songwriter and we’ve done sessions with Tash and Moa Drugge, who is a next level artist. Al is the boss production hero. We’ve been recording here:

themotormuseum.com

Having given up the day job, I’m determined to have some genuine chart action, or die trying. I’ve always loved pop music, and this is stuff is in the CiS sphere, so a bit wonk, but hooky as fooky. Jules told me I was singing “All Guns Blazing” in my sleep last night. Hmm. Obsessed, much?

Nick Taylor has done us a disco bag for the sleeves, so this could be pretty hot. I’m in deep now, so let’s see how it rocks out. There would be no CiS if I hadn’t have gone on instinct and this feels right to me.

What else?

We’ve already released some brilliant albums in ‘24:

Have a listen to all of this good shit:

Forthcoming, we have new stuff from Mordant Music, Dalham, Keith Seatman, A’Bear (with beautiful artwork from Strictly Kev), new Field Lines Cartographer and Archie Stone Anthem has delivered something a bit special following his performance at the Deliaphonic Fest last week. Tons and loads and lots. The new Sound of Science remix album has some names, names, names.

We will never stop.

We’re in the process of moving offices and I dropped off a load of boxes that have been sat in the hall for two weeks this afternoon when we got back from BiF. Jules is a saint. She didn’t moan once. (Maybe once.)

What else?

The Subscription Library continues apace. We’ve just done the Swansither “The Slaughtered Lamb Sessions” LP, which was the first Picture Disc we’ve ever released, recorded over three days in the house that was used as the location for the pub in “An American Werewolf In London”. Tom went a bit mad quite quickly. There’s a podcast on the sub if you want to know more. Forthcoming subscription exclusives from Pulselovers and Loula Yorke.

cissublibrary.bandcamp.com

Oh, and if you’re not already, get onboard with the Moonbuilding weekly. Neil is working on the next issue of the zine, which I’m not sure if I can talk about yet, but I can tell you the CD is bigger, better and effing amazing.

As ever, we really appreciate your time and attention in this ever changing world in which we live in.

Colin

Castles in Space

Biggleswade