MD API

MDR Selects returns: a series that invites our favourite artists, labels, record stores and more to curate a playlist of songs that hold specific meaning to them. This time, we’ve got a pandemic flavoured, five-act-deep playlist from Rupert Clervaux, the Tara Clerkin Trio, James Marr, Joe Beedles & Rosa Methol.After their joint gig was cancelled due to Covid-19, the line-up have all clubbed together to pick out of some of the tracks they love and, with that extra time on their hands, have a particularly detailed and heart-felt write up for you.

In solidarity with Bandcamp’s choice today to waive their fees and contribute all of the purchase cost directly to artist, this Selects goes up as a Buy Music Club list as well as a Youtube playlist. It’s worth saying too, that many of these tracks don’t appear on Youtube. If you like it, support the artists through Bandcamp.

|| BUY MUSIC CLUB ||

|| TARA CLERKIN TRIO || RUPERT CLERVAUX || JAMES MARRS ||
|| JOE BEEDLES || ROSA METHOL ||

Rosa is a Manchester-based DJ and promoter. She’s part of the All Hands On Deck collective and a White Hotel regular.

Domenique Dumont – Henri’s Dream

“I’m a big fan of Kit Records. They have a tonne of great releases and they’re doing a ‘3 records for £30’ offer at the moment on Bandcamp. I have been listening to this record a lot for the past few days.”

Quarks – Wiederkomm

“I love this song. The vocalist is singing ‘Wenn ich wiederkomm’: when / if I come back. It’s a super ambiguous, emotive track. The label it is from is Monika Enterprise, started by Gudrun Gut in the 90s. Ever since they began, they have been putting out music by predominantly female artists across Europe. From its conception it has been a feminist label ahead of its time, way before many of the feminist collectives and labels we know of now (like my own, All Hands on Deck) were established. One of things I’d like to do during this period of Inside Time is put together a mix that explores the breadth of the music released on this label.”

NSRD – Kastanis (Chestnut)

“NSRD is on here because this is some amazing music from (80s) Latvia, where I was meant to be going on Sunday, sadly obviously now postponed! Big up Tom at All Night Flight Records, who stocks loads of NSRD’s tapes at his online / Stockport shop. His website is an incredible music resource for 2nd hand / left field / experimental music, as well as classics. Also worth checking is the Riga-based Maize mix series… which brings me onto THIS..”

Negra Branca – Those 27

“Put out by OnoTesla, a past record label / ongoing radio show. These are projects of Michael Holland who is also one of the people who does Maize in Riga. I like to listen to this record together with my rabbit, Percy.”

Rupert Clervaux is a London-based experimental multi-disicplinary artist who has worked with Zoë McPherson, Beatrice Dillon and The Radiophonic Workshop. His debut album came out on Whities.

Zoë McPherson – Tenace (dogs road)
“Zoë is a great artist, collaborator of mine, and a very good friend. This totally gripping, muscular rhythm and vocal piece is from her excellent new LP, ‘States of Fugue’ – also the first release on her own SFX label.”

E B U – Monolith

“This whole album touches some of the lesser-used aural receptors, occupies a strange sub-aquatic/extra-terrestrial super position and has been on heavy home rotation for some time.”

Eartheater & LEYA – Milky Eye

“Spotify told me that Eartheater was my favourite artist of 2019, so this is a no-brainer, buy-after-20 seconds release for me.”

James Marrs is a recording artist, with releases on He For She x Femme Culture and Jacktone Recordings. He runs the Bristol-based record label, Laura Lies In, who released the Tara Clarkin Trio’s debut LP earlier this year.

Merlin Nova – Fast Track

“I watched Merlin’s livestreamed performance at OTO last night and it was excellent, she’s got that rare ability to be extreme and playful at the same time.”

SPECIAL INTEREST – Don’t Kiss Me In Public

“The last band I saw pre-lockdown and probably won’t be seeing any more anytime soon – I think I’m ok with that though, SPECIAL INTEREST were that good.”

Genghis Cohn – Rejadikschon

“Genghis Cohn played with Tara Clerkin Trio at new river in London and it was wonderful. I’ve included music from the artists who were meant to play at these gigs also: Tara Clerkin Trio, Native (Joe Beedles)Quel, Rupert Clervaux & Quinie.”

Joe Beedles aka Native is a sound-artist straddling the lines between experimental, ambient, electronic and electroacoustic realms, working in soundscape, video and light.

Tomás Tello – Hijo de un Flautista
“The Tomás Tello album is brilliant. It recalls Jon Hassell’s fourth world stuff but sounds like more of a DIY 2020 bedroom production.”

Hyperdawn – End Of The World
“The track title says it all.”

Crumb – Cracking
“Crumb came on my Spotify recommendations when listening to Mac de Marco to chill tf out. Tip!”

The Tara Clerkin Trio are a Bristol-based group who released on Laura Lies In earlier this year. Their self-titled LP draws influences of blues, jazz, trip hop together into a smoked-out and very assured debut.

Tara Clerkin (Tara Clerkin Trio)

“I’m picking 2 that have cheered me up this week, and both have a particular bitter-sweetness to them that feels especially uplifting at the moment.”

Caroline Shaw & Attacca Quartet – Entr’acte
“This one has been stopping me in my tracks all week. The bit at 41secs makes my heart ache a little bit.”

Laurel Halo – Out
“I love a song that’s too short and all the sweeter for it, and this is one I return to regularly for a little hit of the feels. It’s got the perfect balance of happy/sad and feels almost accidental, in its own world made up of different spaces pasted together.”

Patrick Benjamin (Tara Clerkin Trio)

B.Rupp – homecoming dub
“This track is off a recent compilation put together by Noods Radio featuring a selection of their residents, and the whole thing is a sweet slice of some of the stuff coming out of Bristol at the moment, largely on the industrial end of things. This particular track hits that sweet spot between big on a dance floor and good in the background of a nice chill with some wine, and it’s ace. Definitely check out the whole compilation also, the tape’s sold out but there’s still a digital release going.”

COH – SILENCE IS GOLDEN (feat. Peter ‚Sleazy‘ Christopherson)

“CoH is some kind of wizard when it comes to doing a hell of a lot with very little. This track is so sparse, but it doesn’t really feel like it. Also it features the posthumous voice of Peter Christopherson, who was in Throbbing Gristle and that which is cool. Also check out CoH’s album with Cosey Fanni Tutti.”

Sunny-Joe Paradisos (Tara Clerkin Trio)

Karl Blau – Night Tide

“If you sign up to Karl Blau’s membership on Bandcamp for a minimum of a fiver (very reasonable I think) you get access to all his music (over 50 albums!). Needless to say I haven’t listened to most of it, and to be honest a lot of it isn’t my cup of tea; it’s pretty varied. However, Dunkel Blau is one of my favourite albums ever. Another top pick is Songles. My track pick from is Night Tide, but they’re all pretty great.”

Pozi – Noel

“Again, a great album that I have been diggin’ lately. This track is on the more chill side of the spectrum. Just drums, bass, violin and vocal – getting to the essence of post-punk vibes without any macho.”