sendelica : secret knowledge : the orb

Don’t quote me on this, maybe we should have checked beforehand, but I’m certain this has sold out at source and for that matter, pretty much everywhere else. At least it was when we started to spec for possible purchase. A very, very special release which over its initial inception has somehow morphed into a rather moving tribute for the late Helen Donlon. The back story goes briefly like this, a friendship struck up by Kris Needs and Pete Sendelica was at a crucial point, with Needs determined to shift Sendelica into the critical spotlight. But then Needs’ partner and soulmate Donlon died. The effect was devastating on all who had known Helen, yet from the tragedy something magical began to form, re-tweaking a track they’d been working on to befit the mood of this sad occasion, Sendelica were approached by Wonder Schneider, Needs’ old sparring partner in the Secret Knowledge, here offering her services on vocals while old friend of all, Alex Orb resumed his Chocolate Hills alter ego to weigh in with two crucial re-tunings. So, in essence, what you have is a four track EP pressed on 12 inches of coloured wax, upon whose grooves four interpretations of ‘Windmill’, the set opening with the ‘Consterdine Floyd mix’ , a sub six minute soul smoker woozed in hazes of reclining jazz seasoning, Schneider prowling and purring dreamily lost in the moment sounding like a super chilled Grace Jones, the tuneage sophisticated and somewhat sultry weaving upon its finite lines a breathless and nocturnal transcendental earthiness. Up next to the plate, ‘Chocolate Orb’s Dubbed mix’ is sighed and subdued by speech loops of Helen’s last conference appearance in 2017 all set to twinkling flotillas of oceanic pulse tones, at once haunting and humbling, the palette woven with a tearful tenderness and a silent reverence. Dimmed with a light’s lowered crush, ‘Consterdine’s original mix’ is sweetly hazed in a distractive faraway, the melodies recalibrated in slow motion swirl amorphously moored upon a mellowing trip toning idle, which leaves the ‘Chocolate Orb Chilled Mix’ to take things to the end groove and into the bargain aside guaranteeing there be not a dry eye in the house additionally ushers in a wonderfully drifting loop grooved mosaic whose spirit ghosts out, over and beyond the horizon. A touching farewell.