Soap Collectors

When I last mentioned Soap Collectors I described them as ‘little more than a blip’, having only heard one of their songs at the time. Probably within a week of me posting that, I was contacted by Cameron Spies (of Spesus Christ etc.) who, it turns out, is also a memember of Soap Collectors, and he said that they would send me some stuff. Sure enough, Soap Collectors then released their first record, Tape Side, and were kind enough to give me a free download (though paying $5 for the high quality version at bandcamp isn’t exactly a big ask).

I said before that when the Soap Collectors record dropped, it was going to be huge: I wasn’t wrong. Not that ‘huge’ is the best word to describe the album; pretty synth melodies trickle over a blurry backdrop of triphop-esque drum patterns, while singer Lizzy Ellison croons gently in a near-whisper, the overall effect being to send the listener into an almost dreamlike state. ‘Window’ turns out to be one of the livelier tracks on the album, with the 7-minute centerpiece, ‘Lovely’, representing as much of an ambient instrumental as a chirpy pop tune. Overall, the album strikes a fine balance between the two, which is captured in the closing track, a remix of ‘Window’ which strips the song down to its bare bones, breaks it apart, and puts it back together in a sleepy, half-forgotten kind of way.

Buy Tape Side from the Soap Collectors themselves, or stream the songs on muxtape, myspace, etc.

Eg & Alice

This post is a little unconventional; Eg & Alice recorded one album, 24 Years Of Hunger, in 1991, which had a limited release on WEA records, and they then went their seperate ways into the darkness and obscurity of the underground, never to be heard from again (until their respective solo albums were released, most recently Eg’s Adventure Man in 2009, but let’s not go there).

I don’t remember how I first heard about 24 Years Of Hunger, but as soon as I did, I knew I had to get hold of it. After scouring the internet for previews and downloads, I eventually bought the cheapest copy I could find for £30-something from Amazon. Such was my confidence that this record would be a life-changer, and thankfully, I was proved right.

Eg & Alice fuse the beautiful pop/soul/indie sensibilities of the early 90s with a delightfully understated yet cutting edge Motown-inspired production aesthetic, and some charming, melancholic and distinctly British songwriting. The quality and class of everything on this record is at absolutely the highest level; Eg & Alice are both brilliant and sensitive as musicians, singers and producers, and the array of session performers used on the recordings must represent some of the finest in the British scene at the time.

I paid a lot to own this music on CD, but I’ve since found a website hosting download links for Eg & Alice’s album, as well as a few EPs and other bits and bobs. Since the album is long out of print, and therefore however much you might pay for it, the money would bypass the artists anyway, I seriously suggest you get on these links and make this the album of your summer and for years to come.

Like I said, this post doesn’t entirely fit with the theme of this blog so far (90s music, major label, out of print, no authorised free download), but it’s just so damn good that it would be a crime for me not to share it with you.

This blog provides some information about Eg & Alice, as well as hosting download links to a free mp3 download of the album.

Yellow Ostrich

I got hold of a bunch of Yellow Ostrich releases during a bandcamp window-shopping spree, but am currently most familiar with his latest output, Wild Comfort (an LP) and Whalemary (a digitally released double A-side). On these two records, Alex Schaaf, who I am assuming must be in his early twenties and operating entirely from within his own creative sphere, demonstrates an incredible (and for a fellow ‘bedroom artist’ such as myself, enviable) sense of maturity, ingenuity and class.

The Yellow Ostrich sound borrows from psychadelia and folk-pop in some areas, and indie electronica in others, merging retro synths, thumping drums, searing electric guitars and – a key stylistic trait – beautiful swells of looped vocals, presented in a subtly lo-fi package which fits perfectly with Schaaf’s tender voice and heartfelt lyrics about nature, adventure and teenage love.

Not only is Schaaf clearly comfortable and versatile within music production (I’m tempted to call him prolific – he’s also a member of The Chairs and has therefore contributed to at least 9 records in the last 3 years) but he appears to have embraced the liberty that releasing music independently – particularly through the internet – can offer. Yellow Ostrich is truly a hidden treasure.

All music is available for free through bandcamp, and you can also check out the myspace page.