rrr011-rrr020

Sister Ruth's second EP was inspired by the childrens nursery rhyme, Frere Jacque, Frere Jacues Clement, was a Dominican Friar, and the assassin of Henry III of France. Frere Jacques Clement can also be rearranged to create the saying, "Cest l'Enfer qui m'a cree" or "It is hell that created me".

More piano, cello, and mournful songs are the call of the day. Despite some elements of light appearing, those shutters are quickly closed, and they grey, gloomy, outlook once again returns.

Not for dinner parties.

selsey bill is a headland into the english channel on the south coast of england in the county of west sussex. It is also the first EP on Rack & Ruin from the excellent dessktop.

This EP was created entirely around a Wikipedia search - go to Wikipedia - hit random article - make a record. It sounds so simple, yet when you hear the intricate detail within this record you will realise that the track titles aren't mere words thrown together - but real stories lie within.

Relaxing ambient music, which may remind you of The Books at their calmest.

How many times have you heard an artist being described as "I'm not sure what category to put them into"? Many times I'm sure, and I'm also sure that many of those artists will sound just like another artist who sits comfortably in a safe place.

Neil Scrivin makes electronic music, I can say that for now, but I've no idea what the future holds. What form of music seems to be decided on his current mood, and mindset. He is equally comfortable producing high energy beats, as he is producing drone like ambience.

This release would sit very comfortably in the category of "Hauntology", think of the Ghost Box label, think of Delia Derbyshire, think of 1970s television sci-fi programmes with wobbly cardboard sets, and an overuse of tinfoil, imagine "The Tomorrow People" being played at half speed on a vintage keyboard, and you have only touched on how great this release is.

I've always liked the idea of playing an instrument. I've tried countless times, I promise! But there's something missing, some part of the brain that says, “Right, I'm going to practice until I can play this beast like a bleeding genius!” I just don't have that practice gene/ hormone/ whatever. I'm lazy. But now I've found my instrument and it's a painfully simple piece of freeware that appeals to my cut and paste mentality. Frozen Freedom is largely made up of songs dedicated to my home town. Through sound and robotic voices, these songs outline my love/hate affair with the dirty hole in the ground that I call home.

In 1966, six-month old David Reimer's penis was destroyed during a botched circumcision using an electrocautery device. He was re-assigned as a girl. As a teenager, he underwent genital reconstructive surgery to restore his male organ. Years later, David committed suicide.

In 2008, 16 year old Griffin Goodwin recorded "Music II, Fuck II."

These events are not related.

Gnouli Monsters, alt-country tinged sounds are on full show on the aptly titled "The South EP", the four track EP also contains two covers, one by Deer Tick, and the other by Cold War Kids. These covers are equally matched by two other strong solo songs.

The artwork was created by Rack & Ruins very own Jessi Lively.

In the words of Picayunes...

"Ailure single Recorded Summer 2007 1. Failure (A-side) 2. Ailure (B-side) These songs are out of date. I don't make music like this anymore. However I think they are important in that they symbolize everything I felt during the time they were made. They are anxious, lonely, energetic, arrogant, ambitious, happy, depressing, profound, shallow, uncertain songs. They display the most emotion I've ever put into any artwork and that is why they are being released on Rack and Ruin Records on this April 14th, 2008."

.....and we are happy to have them here.

Rack & Ruin welcomes another excellent release from Neil Scrivin's back catalogue. February to May 2007 saw completion of three excellent albums, RRR014 (Twenty years on Ben Nevis), rrr019 (Tomorrow's World), and coming soon rrr024 (Geek Upmanship).

Each release explores a new dimension to the electronic sides of Neil Scrivin.

From the opening sample on Lifestyle, with it's funk guitar, and nostalgic upbeat keyboard, you can tell that you are in for a totally different experience than his earlier R&R release. By the time the second track kicks in, then you will be dusting off your VHS copies of "Weird Science", "Flight of the Navigator", and "Short Circuit". Recommended.

This release was all to do with memory - at the time of recording, I was undergoing memory tests, due to concern over my forgetful nature. I chose to clip together fading memories, and putting them together in one document.

Childhood memories, loss, years passing, regret, dominate the early tracks, but towards the end - there is a slight glisten of hope for the future.... which also ties in with the memory tests being better than expected.

Most of the photographs on the front of the EP were taken by Emel Yavuz, a photographer who lives in Rotterdam, Netherlands.