Sounds from the edges of culture and between the cracks of category

COVID 19 - During this crisis physical releases are being posted as normal.

Latest Releases- 
​Cassette Imprint

LOR165 - Cathal Coughlan
​-Song of Co-Aklan

Picture
Sold Out. Linear Obsessional is proud to release the limited cassette edition of Cathal Coughlan's "Song of Co-Aklan" as part of the LinOb Cassette Imprint, with the encouragement and permission of Cathal Coughlan and Dimple Discs. Limited to just 50 copies with download codes.
12 new songs, his first solo album for 10 years "Song of Co-Aklan" includes contributions from  The Necropolitan String Quartet, but also Luke Haines (Auteurs/Black Box Recorder), Sean O'Hagan (Microdisney/High Llamas), Rhodri Marsden (Scritti Politti) , Aindrías Ó Gruama (Fatima Mansions), Cory Gray (The Delines) and Dublin singer-songwriter Eileen Gogan.
​Sold Out - but available in all other formats from those lovely people at  Dimple Discs

LOR157 - Lou Barnell
​-What Came Before This

Picture
London based sound artist and performer Lou Barnell presents two new pieces, "Takis" and "What Came Before This" for the latest release in the Linear Obsessional Cassette Imprint.
Takis -"A brutal, dream-like hypnotic soup of sensory tests, voice, wearable sound-material sculptures and augmented electronics. Written in homage to the late artist TAKIS" 
"What Came Before This" is a composition for clock recordings, mixed electronics, vocals, melting ice and harp.
Released as an audio cassette and download, with PDF booklet of detailed notes and images.
​To purchase please visit the release page

LOR155 - Bill Thompson and
Richard Sanderson
​-Summiting

Picture
 A collaboration between the British amplified melodeon player Sanderson and the Texan guitarist/composer Bill Thompson. "Summiting" consists of long sustained tones, blending into a landscape of slow evolution and mysterious incident. The cassette consists of a live recording from The University of Surrey, and a studio recording produced by Thompson. An additional download track records their first meeting.
To be released as a cassette with download coupon and 3D glasses, and download. 
To purchase please go to the release page

LOR157 - Daniel Figgis
​- THE TYPING POOL

Picture
The second of two cassette EPs by the Irish composer and installation artist Daniel Figgis. THE TYPING POOL consists of five tracks of extraordinary music - the title track is a propulsive masterpiece shifting from a chattering hypnotic groove into a maelstrom of drumming before settling again into an uneasy calm. A gargantuan multi-faceted piece, turning on a pin from moment to moment.
AWOL is music composed for a hypnotised underwater dancer - and is suitably woozy, haunting and sub-marine.
Following the disorientating field recordings and time cut-ups of AUDITORIUM is "hurty" - one of those exquisite miniatures that Figgis excels at. The EP concludes with "Glimmered" a radical re-working of a similarly titled track from his "Skipper" masterpiece - splintered into a glitchy cascade of sparkling sound.
To listen and purchase please visit the release page

LOR146 - Daniel Figgis
​-THE TIN GOD

Picture
​Linear Obsessional is delighted to present the first of two EPs by the extraordinary Irish composer Daniel Figgis.
Figgis (a long time friend of this label) released the magical and hugely admired album "Skipper" in 1995. Since then there have been few releases, whilst Daniel worked on extraordinary large scale happenings, installations and site specific compositions for various ensembles.
2020 has seen a small flurry of low level releases -including the music on these EPs.
THE TIN GOD features five tracks, ranging from the sun-coming-out optimism of the opening track (with a sound world recognisably adjacent to "Skipper") to the wobbly, ecstatic "please be me" (featuring the saxophone of Van Der Graaf Generator's David Jackson).
The delightful, slightly spooky miniature "fail better" and the title track - a deep dive into the sound of the piano.
THE TIN GOD is released as a limited edition in the Linear Obsessional cassette imprint (design by David Little) with download coupon, and as a download only. Download comes with a PDF of text, images and further information.
To listen and download please visit the release page

LOR150 - Found Drowned
​-Clownslave

Picture
For the 20th release in Linear Obsessional's cassette imprint we are proud to present the new album by the extraordinary improvising trio Found Drowned.
All members of the group have recorded separately for LinOb in the past, but this trio recording sees them at the height of their powers.
Found Drowned are the improvising trio of James O’Sullivan, Peter Marsh and Paul May. The three first played together around a decade ago and released their eponymous first album back in 2012; since then they’ve occasionally popped up at the usual improv hotspots, collaborating with the likes of New Zealand violinist Chris Prosser or Danish saxophonist Julie Kjaer among others.
"Clownslave" is an extended improvisation featuring the unique sounds of O'Sullivan's Telecaster, alongside the well placed bass swoops and slides of Pater Marsh and the mercurial percussion of Paul May.  
Available on cassette and download now

LOR 138 - Solaris
​-Findings and Soundings

Picture
The long awaited follow up to their debut on Linear Obsessional (itself, arguably some 45 years in the making!) "Findings and Soundings" was recorded by Mark Spybey in the coastal town of Redcar, in the North East of England, where the three members of the band first met as children in the early 70s. Mark Spybey (later to work as Dead Voices on Air), Richard Sanderson (later to found Linear Obsessional Recordings) and his cousin Mark Sanderson first started playing together in 1974 as (just) teenagers - "Findings and Soundings" sees the band approaching their 60s.
This album continues to work in their late syle - a mix of free improvisation (in fact all the music is improvised), a psychedelic electronic influence, and, undoubtedly, the sound sometimes labelled "spacerock" which was the sound that brought them together in the first place. Playful, explorative and economical "Findings and Soundings" is the triumphant return of the North East's longest running experimental band.
Released as a limited edition cassette and download.
To purchase or stream please visit the release page

Forthcoming Releases

LOR159 - Dave Clarkson
​-A Pocket Guide to Wilderness - Deep Forests and Dark Woods of the British Isles

Picture
In his latest exploration of British audio psychogeography (following quicksands, seashore and caves) Dave Clarkson takes his tape recorder into remote woodlands - and works magic with the results. Some tracks could almost be works by the Radiophonic Workshop - the click-funk created from twig noises on the first track for example, while others are more desolate and eerie. This is an area of exploration that Clarkson has truly made his own.
To be released as a cassette and download with PDF booklet in mid April 2021 and available to pre-order now

Latest Releases -
​Downloads

LOR161 - Sam Fendrich
-The Changing of the Avant Garde

Picture
**Free/name your price for the first month**
Linear Obsessional is delighted to present the latest work from the maverick Siberian born, British composer Sam Fendrich.
In a message to LinOb Sam wrote -"One of the few upsides of this strange era is that I’ve had the opportunity both to benefit in a (I hope) creative spurt (eg i’m on cd no: 10 and counting of my “MONK project”) - but more importantly I’ve reviewed and reconsidered my work of the recent past. The upshot is that i’ve concluded that a two part work entitled “ the changing of the avant-garde” is the most representative and central to my thinking/work musical and otherwise..."

The result is as dynamic, puzzling, ferocious, compulsive and just plain weird as anything Sam has produced in the past, if not more so.
Free jazz piano crashes over warped electrofunk workouts - distorted, unplaceable instruments weave through an undergrowth of clattering and insistant backdrops...
Part Two features much more "jazz piano" - stylistically flying around with enormous gusto, as the background changes from creeped out hip-hop to maudlin electronica.
It's an extraordinary journey - and quite unlike anything else.
​To download please visit the release page

LOR167 - St James Infirmary
​-Asozial Kessel Kaputt

Picture
The latest in the Linear Obsessional Single Series (download singles, 7" length, two sides, no music) is by St James Infirmary
“Whilst on a visit to the old Stasi HQ in Dresden in 2918, the atmosphere of unease was heightened by the harsh roar of a boiler.
That sound is captured here"
St James Infirmary are g w lang. Recorded by Jimmy Buxton for Mario’s Recording Services, Ashington, Northumberland.
Photo by Skip Doncaster.
Available to purchase here

LOR154 - Christmas Split Single
​-Xmas Lights/Instructions for Christians

Picture
​The Linear Obsessional Christmas Single is the 7th in the series of download singles (2 sides, single length, no music).
A split single featuring Northern English sound artist/ musician Chris Whitehead and author, scholar, critic, editor, and arcane artist K.A.Laity.
On one side you will hear an electromagnetic recording of Christmas Tree lights cycling through their flashing sequences.
The other side is a field recording made on a cold day in Berne, NY featuring "Instructions for Christians" in the original Old English.
Download includes two front covers and one back cover designed by David "smallhaus" Little featuring photographs by the artists., and 9 colour location photographs by K.A.Laity
Happy Christmas!
Download here

LOR153 - Argument Club
-​Solstice 2019 (51.455758, -0.003256)

Picture
Over the last year, during Covid, parks have become valued spaces in cities, as a place to escape to, to relax, to exercise and to breathe. These recordings by Argument Club (Paul Morris) were recorded last summer for a now abandoned Linear Obsessional project based around recordings from a park.
​I'm delighted to be able to include these geographically pinpointed, datestamped recordings as part of the Linear Obsessional Single Series. Download only, includes  a secret bonus track with the download.
The artist has also geo-cached a set of CDs at the co-ordinates in the title.
To download visit the release page

LOR152 - Matt Atkins
-Two Keralan Scenes

Picture
Sound artist and improvising musician Matt Atkins provides us with our fifth installment of the Linear Obsessional Single Series (single length releases, A and B sides, no music)
"Two Keralan Scenes" was recorded in India in January 2020.
Released as a download at classic single price (75p) with front and back covers.
To listen or purchase please visit the release page

LOR151 - Cravune
-Parc de la Ciutadella

Picture

​The fourth release in the Linear Obsessional singls series (two tracks, 7" single length, A and B sides, no music), the Naples born, Berlin based sound artist Cravune presents two recordings made in the eponymous park in Barcelona, Spain.
"The first track is an unusual way of singing (at least to me at that time) of birds. On the second track you can hear my steps on dry leaves as I go back home passing by the Cascada fountain. On that specific day I was in the park of Ciutadella to meditate and relax but also to collect material to be included in the soundscape for a contemporary dance project of a friend - hence the birds... but we ended up not using much of that crazy shrieking :) "
-Cravune
To stream or download please visit the release page

LOR149 - Chris Whitehead
​-Vent

Picture
The third in the Linear Obsessional Single Series - 7" length download tracks, A and B sides, no music.

"Modern ventilators are designed to take over the breathing functions of patients in order for surgical procedures to be carried out or in those that cannot adequately breathe for themselves due to disease.
They have automated self-test sequences which check their various mechanical and electronic systems are fully functional.
Vent 1 is a recording of part of the test sequence of an anaesthetic ventilator typically used during surgical operations.
Vent 2 documents the full test sequence of a portable ventilator used for transferring patients from one area to another within the same hospital or during ambulance transfers to other hospitals."
-Chris Whitehead
To stream or download please visit the release page

LOR147 - Lou Barnell
​-Bicycle Recordings

Picture
The second release in Linear Obsessional's download single series is by the sound and performance artist Lou Barnell.

"I have been cycling around cities for most of my life.
When you decide to record bicycles suddenly they are everywhere- hurtling and bumping along the banks of Glen Faba, a swimming hole in Essex, or blasting along the gravelly underbelly of a tunnel amidst the tense traffic noise of the Olympic park in East London."
To purchase or stream please go to the release page

LOR139 - Duncan Chapman
​- Transporter

Picture
Linear Obsessional announces a new series curated by David Little and Richard Sanderson, with Duncan Chapman's "Transporter", Download singles (two tracks; A and B sides, each around three minutes or under)  of field recordings. Rather than the longform field recordings usually end up being, the Lin Ob singles will be perfectly crystalised moments outside your normal daily experience. At the time of writing, the whole world is in Covid 19 lockdown, so these audio bulletins from the outside world are even more pertinent.
"Transporter" consists of two recordings made at the famous Transporter Bridge, the skyline dominating symbol of Miiddlesbrough. Side A is a walk across the top as the mechanism of the gondola move across the River Tees, Side B is the sound of the Winding House as it pulls the Gondola full of cars and people across the river. An audio slice of 19th Century technology.
​available for classic single price of 75p. 
To download please visit the release page

Forthcoming Releases