Mit dieser Veröffentlichung geht die von Threstle initiierte Reihe an Mail Art-Improvisationen zum Trotze von Lockdown und Quarantäne in die dritte Runde. Diesmal sind Keeley Forsyth, James Johnston und Ross Downes an Mikro, Orgel, Harmonium, Gitarre, Synthie und Elektronik zu hören. Auf den Tracks “Mosquito”, “Bounce” und “Swim” erkunden sie das paradox anmutende Gefühl von Heimweh, das sich gerade in der vertrauten Umgebung des eigenen Hauses einstellen kann, wenn man an diesen Ort gefesselt ist.
“Keeley Forsyth is a composer, singer and actor from Oldham in the northwest of England. Her debut album, named Debris, was released by Leaf on 17 January 2020. Built upon sparse arrangements, her music is centred around a singular, emotionally raw and magnetic vocal delivery, by turns devastating and up-lifting. The characters who populate her songs tell stories of the high and low tides; of freedom and entrapment, of hard won triumphs and the dark corners of domestic life. The album was met with critical acclaim, praised by the likes of Pitchfork, The Quietus and Loud and Quiet. Speaking to The Guardian in January 2020 Forsyth shared plans to develop a live performance in collaboration with film-makers Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard.
Born in 1966, painter and musician James Johnston is primarily known for his work with his own band Gallon Drunk, as a former member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Faust, Lydia Lunch, and both touring and recording with PJ Harvey – with whom his most recent work has been collaboration on theatre scores including All About Eve. A prolific painter exhibiting regularly, his work has also been used on book covers, as album artwork, and featured in a variety of arts publications, with paintings in international collections – including the collection of the University of Chicago in Paris.
Ross Downes is an artist and musician based in London UK. He studied Fine Art at the Edinburgh College of Art and Goldsmiths college, London. Recent musical activities from Downes have included compositions for large European art installation projects. During 2019 he contributed a piece to Mischa Kabul’s long running installation Res-o-nant at the Jewish Museum, Berlin. In 2018 he composed a lengthy work for his collaboration, with Cologne based, artist Sebastian Freytag on an ambitious light/audio installation titled Sygnal for The Museum Slaskie, Poland. He most recently composed the music for Turner Prize winner Laure Prouvost’s exhibition at the 2020 Sydney Biennale.