staying with Recordiau Prin, two more releases up for adoration, the first being a rather nifty anniversary compilation marking the labels first year in existence. ‘the hills are alive with the sound of Prin’ provides a treasure trove of happenings been and to come and provides sneak peeks of releases heading down the conveyor belt, the set opening to a rather faithful cover by Stu Kidd of GZM’s ‘if fingers were xylophones’ here adorably redrawn with an irresistible hint of the High Llamas as were guiding the crookedly lolloping summery zest-i-ness. I’m fairly certain we’ve mention Edinburgh of the Seven Seas previously, ‘Les Isolés’ arrives kissed with a mystique and intricacy that suggests its fallen foolishly from a Grails or Black Heart Procession. Like EotSS, I’ve a sneaking feeling that Dementio 13 may have ghosted through these musings in recent times, here paired with Equinox for the hollowed and harrowing ‘goodbye’ – an ice forming chamber chilled epitaph gloomed in an eerie finality sumptuously traced in a loose jazz noir seasoning, quite touching if you ask me even if I am reaching for my Arab Strap and Rooney records of yore for close comparison. All we’ll say about Radio Europa’s ‘jolly lad’ is, stick with it, agreed it takes a while to catch light but once it does a slow burning dust ravaged apocalyptic growl emerges into view scowled and heavily weighted in the grizzled image of a classic era godspeed. Last up on this brief overview a mention for the parting treat ‘variation 1’ by Rift / Fault, a track that’s liable to have you somewhat bruised and sometime adrift in melancholy given its grace fallen in the aching arc of mourning strings which i must admit had us a tad filled with a want for reacquainting our turntable with the sounds of Set Fire to Flames. https://recordiauprin.bandcamp.com/album/the-hills-are-alive-with-the-sound-of-prin
