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Paul Haig \ The Wood [TWI 1239 / CD]


Les Disques du Crépuscule present The Wood, a brand new studio album by Scottish singer and songwriter Paul Haig, previously frontman with cult Postcard post punk legends Josef K.

Paul's fourth solo album for Crépuscule since 1983 was written and recorded over a three year period between 2015 and 2018, and explores glitchy, twisty sonic territories in the vein of Four Tet, Floating Points and Love Over Entropy.

'We can think of the wood or forest as a metaphor for the mystery of the human psyche,' says Paul. 'Like the human soul, it can be a place of hidden meanings and unrevealed secrets. I wanted to try and evoke this through the music and worked hard on finding the right balance of electronic and organic sound samples across a broad range of musical genres.'

Cover art by Kenris MacLeod. Layout by Emma Quinn Design. Available on CD, vinyl and digital (MP3). Vinyl includes digital copy. A limited edition (100 hand finished copies) in a bespoke wooden box is also available and includes the vinyl, CD, MP3, signed card, t-shirt and badge.

Tracklist:

1. Chasing the Tail
2. I Heard Music
3. Sun Flicker
4. Lights
5. Acoustic Mangles
6. The Walk
7. The Wood
8. Floaty Appy

Available on vinyl, CD and digital (MP3 or FLAC). CDs ordered from Crépuscule are slipcased. To order any format please select correct shipping option (UK, Europe or Rest of World) and click on Add To Cart button below cover image. Digital copies are delivered to customers via email link.

Or, you can order with the option of tracked shipping from our friends at Burning Shed (click here to order)


Reviews:

"With Josef K long-distant in the past, aural collage is the order of the day... In a wood the trees are punctuated by irregular shafts of light. Snatches of sound are heard. Birds. Maybe a stream. In a clearing, focusing on a bigger picture is possible. The aptly titled The Wood could soundtrack passing through such a place. The former Josef K mainman's 13th solo album further ploughs his recent furrow by uniting found sounds, speech, glitchy programmed rhythms, samples of instruments and passages of electric guitar to create a form of environmental music nodding to Jon Hassell's Fourth World music as much as it does to similarly minded collagists such as Four Tet. As each of the 8 pieces seems to bed in either with a groove or a section suggesting a traditional song is in the offing, the path suddenly takes an unexpected direction. Recommended for those who're hankering after a follow-up to Thom Yorke's Tomorrow's Modern Boxes" (Mojo, 12/2018)

"It seems appropriate that Haig has returned to the resurgent Les Disques du Crepuscule label for this set of nine tracks. Whether you want to hear a contemporary synth dance vibe or some guitar redolent of his 1980s band Josef K, The Wood will fulfil those needs. But there's nothing retro at all about the unique sound-world it creates. Undoubtedly some of it is sampled from other sources, and Haig's own voice is scarce, but I'm prepared to bet that more of it is actually played with his own fair hands than might at first appear. There are some female vocals, a little bit of James Chance-like sax and some highly irresistible beats, as well as fretwork that is undoubtedly the distinctive sound of the man himself. It won't be long before clever DJs from Ibiza to Miami are dropping portions of Sun Flicker, Acoustic Mangles or Floaty Appy into their sets, I'll wager. Younger generations please report back" (Glasgow Herald, 11/2018)

"It's a long time since Paul Haig split from Josef K. In the fact he's been producing solo records since 1982, so perhaps it's high time to put the post punk spectre to one side and look at what is happening in the here and now because Paul's new record shares next to nothing with that band. Maybe a similar spirit of adventure, but sonically a world away. The Wood finds Haig exploring samples, beats, electronics and 'found sound' to sculpt something that's split into eight parts, but very much fit together as a whole. A soundscape of the strange and strangely danceable among the tranquillity in the forest, or of the mixed up feelings of the soul, or both, well that's what I think may be intended anyway."

"Whether that truly comes over is down to each individual listener to judge, but for me Haig has put together a work that's in turns provocative, danceable, obscure, immediate and beguilingly rum, so I'm not sure it really matters. What The Wood actually consists of is eight pieces that mostly are dance/trance-orientated with repeated vocal motifs. The concept gives it an added edge and with a little imagination you can feel the eerie peace of the Forest and the skips and dips of the mind. Aside from the concept there is plenty to get one to, cough, 'cut a rug'. But everything here fits and you have to admire Haig's craftsmanship in the way it has been put together - producing a musical storybook without words in effect. Forty years into his recording career he's still breaking new ground. Long may he strive for the outer reaches, because those who want to be challenged a little in their listening will lap this up." (Louder Than War, 09/2018)

"We like records that push boundaries, and this certainly does that. Sure, Haig has pop hits at his finger tips, but with the eight tracks on The Wood he twists the formula. Opening with the kitchen-sinker Chasing the Tail, its soulful/folky vocal presses hard up against a plinky piano and swooping strings before a delicious locked-down groove takes hold; it's like three songs at once. The mish-mash theme continues with I Heard Music, mixing rave chops with emotive strings. Acoustic Mangles takes modern R&B stylings and puts them through the judderator, while the title track is scuffed-up jazz from the future. Written and recorded over a period of three years, The Wood is a collection of like-minded tunes rather than a journey from start to finish, but it is yet another bold record in a long line of bold recordings from Haig, a man who deserves your attention" (Electronic Sound, 09/2018)

"An atmospheric and experimental collection of eight tracks recorded over a three year period. Hooks and melodies are strong on an album that has more in common with contemporary electronic music than the existential post-punk of his original band Josef K. Haig is to be applauded for not taking the easy route, but the robust song composition throughout The Wood should win over fans who take time to listen. Standouts include the inner-space exploration of Sun Flicker and the glitch-jazz flavoured title track. 8/10" (Vive le Rock, 12/2018)

The Wood [TWI 1239]
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The Wood [TWI 1239]