Album Name: Now You Are Not Here
Artist: Abrasive Trees
Released: July 2021
Label: Shapta
Rating: 7/10
Tracklist
Now You Are Not Here (feat. Jo - Beth Young)
Ashram Song
Before
Solo artist Matthew Rochford is releasing the beautiful 'Now You Are Not Here' EP (July 7th) under Abrasive Trees. The three track EP fits loosely into a post-punk aesthetic with obvious influences from post-rock, folk and psychedelic. Originally from Aberdeen but with Asian/English heritage the multi-instrumentalist Matthew Rochford works mainly from his home studio in Totnes, South Devon. This is also where he runs his micro-label Shapta. Rochford has worked with many artists and played instruments on various projects previously including ones by Jo-Beth Young who is featured on 'Now You Are Not Here', Rothko and more recently Elisabeth Elektra, Stuart Braithwait (Mogwai), Ash Babb (Academy of Sun) and Evi Vine. When I first started listening to the EP I have to be honest the first track didn't really impress me and I figured this would just be another short EP that I would never think about again but I was wrong. 'Ashram Song' and 'Before' really save this piece and are also very different from the opening track making the title piece not really feel as though it fits in. The EP shows expressions of an inner world that is at times intense, but ulitmately hopeful. This world that is created is truly a fascinating one and especially with closing track 'Before' I found myself being completely swallowed up by the psychedelic sounds that surrounded me. 'Ashram Song' which is my favourite from this project is an instrumental piece same as 'Before' but it takes more of a lively approach. The best way I can describe the feeling I got while listening to this song is just warmth, it felt like being in a desert, alone but totally at peace while the sun shines down on you. 'Now You Are Not Here' has many artists included in it's creation, these people are; Jo-Beth Young (Talitha Rise/RISE) Mark Beazley (Rothko) Steven Hill (Evi Vine) Ben Roberts (Evi Vine/Prosthetic Head/Silver Moth) Jay Newton (Quiet Quiet Band) Peter Yates (Fields of the Nephilim) Ffion Atkinson (Johnny Powell & The Seasonal Beasts) Laurence Collyer (Diamond Family Archive) Jerome Hitchens (Kuki and The Bard) Nadia Abdelaziz (RISE) Sebastian Rochford (Pulled by Magnets/Polar Bear/Patti Smith) The videos that are created to accompany are created by Jess Wooller.
Live Band Line Up
Jay Newton: Keys, Guitar, Vocals Jerome Hitchens: Drums, Percussion, Vocals Jess Wooller: Visuals Ben Roberts: Cello, Bass, Keys, Vocals Matthew Rochford: Guitar, Dulcimer, Vocals
Pre Order 'Now You Are Not Here' HERE
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