Name: Nightmare Folk Art
Brand: Boycalledcrow

Bonus disc

Catalogue number

SUBEX00082

Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2023-03-17

Signed copies

Supplier GB

Cargo

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

5060911680123

Total Cap

Black LP

Artist

Boycalledcrow

Genre GB

Electronic

Label GB

Subexotic

Subexotic Records, formed in 2010, is a label dedicated to showcasing *interesting electronic experimental music*. With a passion for pushing boundaries and exploring new sonic territories, Subexotic has become a go-to platform for both established and emerging artists in the genre.

As an independent label, Subexotic prides itself on its commitment to nurturing talent and providing a platform for artists to express their creativity. The label's roster includes a diverse range of musicians who are constantly pushing the boundaries of electronic music. From ambient soundscapes to glitchy beats and everything in between, Subexotic offers a unique listening experience that captivates and challenges its audience.

With an impressive catalog of releases spanning over a decade, Subexotic has gained recognition as one of the leading labels in the electronic experimental music scene. The label's dedication to quality and innovation has garnered praise from critics and fans alike. Whether you're an avid fan or just discovering this captivating genre, Subexotic Records is your gateway to *unconventional sounds* that will transport you into uncharted musical territories.

Boycalledcrow is the alias of Chester-based sound artist Carl Knott (Wonderful Beasts, Spacelab). Knott is a former folk musician using his nascent acoustic influences as the basis for his unique and often stirring compositions. “I like weird folk art, and I think the stuff I make is a bit like that,” he explains. “It’s definitely not perfect – it's strange and a reflection of the time and place I live in.” Each one of the twelve tracks on Nightmare Folk Art finds itself poised on an axis somewhere between the acoustic and electronic, the rhythmic and the ambient, the minimalist and the densely-layered. Opener ‘Old Blue Bear’ sets the tone for the collection, switching breezily between introspective textures and fast-paced euphoria, underpinned by acoustic guitar passages that are skewed so extensively that they become disconnected from their sources. Melodies rise up joyfully, hang around, and then become enveloped in treated sounds of unknowable provenance. “I hunt down really clean royalty-free acoustic guitar samples,” says Knott. “I like nylon strings and clear, sparkly tones – the brighter, the better. I pick the source material based on how sonically good and warm it sounds as well as the clarity of the notes. It really has nothing to do with the musical phrase.” Knott then manipulates those plundered sounds to create the diverse sounds heard across Nightmare Folk Art. "My mantra is to destroy, create, then repeat. It’s really liberating, and I love working this way. I play acoustic fingerpicking guitar so I try to play my controller the same way. At the same time, audio is very visual for me: I get a glimpse of an abstract object in my mind's eye and try to get close to that, but I also like the feel of falling into a rabbit hole and not knowing where I might end up.” That sense of venturing deep into the unknown shines through on this album. Tracks like the chiming, shanty-esque ‘Acorn’ and the fluttering, elusive shapes of 'Mystic Scally’ and ‘Silly Song’ evoke a sense of wonder and awe akin to staring onto a new landscape or cityscape for the first time, leaving a transcendent mark on the listener. These are the sounds to accompany sepia-tinged memories, long-forgotten faces and misremembered places; regrets, reminiscences, hopes and dreams. “This album was influenced by my family, and walking in the countryside in Staffordshire and Cheshire,” explains Knott of the pastoral, ruminative quality that flows through Nightmare Folk Art. “I genuinely think that there's a spiritual side to this type of creativity. It means I can express deep feelings in a way that I simply couldn’t vocalise.” A warmth and hopefulness can be found here. ‘Sister Poppy Is A Good Girl’, named after the Knott family dog, carries a beautiful, celebratory sheen while the warped and churning drones of ‘So So So, Sad’ flits between optimistic promise and uncertainty, reflecting the state of mind that Knott was in when assembling the album. “The title came from a William Gibson book, ‘Virtual Light’,” concludes Knott. “I was reading that at the same time of making the album. It seemed to perfectly sum up what I was creating, despite everything around me feeling a bit off and nightmarish.”

Nightmare Folk Art

Music GB