UK avant-garde multi-instrumentalist Colin Robinson is a prolific feller. He released two live albums with original material this year with his one-man project Jumble Hole Clough. He locked himself up in his home studio in Hebden Bridge for a new studio album, A List Of Things That Never Happened. Robinson always manages to insert some funk into his avant-garde stuff, opening with Usual Trouble, a song about insomnia that sounds like The Meters jamming with King Crimson during a late night rave party while Can and Mike Oldfield are providing the sound effects.
He keeps the sleep theme for She's a palatinate seller, a nightmarish tale on top of beeping and squeaking analog synths - think David Byrne having a bad dream. Via a freaky visit to Budapest he goes pastoral for A sundial in the rain, thinking about death ("it's not a teardrop, it's a coffin"). Recurring Bathysiderodromophobia earns the top spot. Driven by a soft Kraftwerk meets Gary Numan rhythm track, Robinson builds a multi-faceted sculpture of repeating, twisted musical themes. If Gaudi had been a composer he would have been writing stuff like this. A highly economical Friday 13th Part 2 puts the album to a close.
Robinson is part mad professor part kid in a candy store, twisting the nobs of his assortment of analog synths and sequencers, playing guitar, 6-string bass, fretless bass, and cymbals. His treated off-kilter vocals add an extra layer of fear to the nightmare theme of A List Of Things That Never Happened. No doubt that he is already contemplating on his next move.
A List Of Things That Never Happened is a self-released album. Buy it (pay-what-you-want) from his website.
Tracks:- Usual Trouble
- She's a palatinate seller
- Building a bridge to you from the roof of a disused supermarket in Budapest
- A sundial in the rain
- Recurring bathysiderodromophobia
- Friday 13th part 2
» Jumble Hole Clough on Facebook
HCTF review of Live at the New Delight 28th June 2015.