Touch Sensitive

Vox Populi! ‘Psyko Tropix’ is reviewed by Claire Biddles in the June issue of The Wire “…streams of interest in the physical and sublime come together… What better than a compilation of oddities to showcase a group with such an eclectic reach?”

Vox Populi!’s selections for NTS Radio is now archived. https://www.nts.live/shows/guests/episodes/vox-populi-15th-april-2022

VOX POPULI! - PSYKO TROPIX

Touch Sensitive Records – TSR22 LP / Digital Fri 15th April 2022 https://li.sten.to/psykotropix

Touch Sensitive is honoured to dig into the vaults of legendary cult French group Vox Populi! with a collection primarily pulling from their creative highpoint of 1986-1990. The vast majority of the works are unreleased and all make their first appearance on vinyl. The recordings have been licensed from the group’s extensive archive, mastered by Rupert Clervaux and cut by Andreas Kauffelt at Schnitstelle. The release is completed by liner notes focusing on Vox Populi!’s creative process and prolific output.

Springing from the rip it up restart of post-punk in 1980 and primarily active throughout that decade, Vox Populi!'s discography is a perfect showcase of an almost unclassifiable group. The often-used ‘ethno- industrial’ tag - even if not approved by the group - goes some way to describing a melting pot of primarily self-taught techniques and vast cultural influences. Founding member Axel Kyrou’s parents were avant- garde musicians and filmmakers resulting in a heavy cultural immersion from a young age. His partner and bandmate Mitra moved from Iran to Paris in 1978 - followed a few years later by her virtuoso brother Arash who joined the group at the age of 14.

Based in their 14th arronidissement studio - previously Axel and his brother’s family playroom - Vox Populi! quickly became a lynchpin in the Parisian experimental scene and beyond through the burgeoning mail-art scene. The group contributed work to a huge number of independent labels. Their music and approach quickly progressed from rudimentary experiments to harness transcendental spiritual qualities and moments of intense beauty. In this collection, we can feel the vibrations of Don Cherry’s Organic Music Society, Faust’s communal explorations and King Tubby’s forward-thinking studio experimentation.

“We recorded everything - every idea. We would always have a cassette or a reel running. We made such different styles - freaky, alternative, experimental, industrial etc. We had no rules and no plans - our main motives were play and pleasure. I think that many people can feel that in the music.”

Three tracks recorded in 2017 by a reconfigured Vox Populi! sit perfectly with music from 30 years previous - “We were never defined by fashion or the zeitgeist. So we remained ourselves. Our sound is still natural. We had to be turned on by our own music and we wanted the music to have an impact on consciousness. We were the subjects of our own experiments and there was also a kind of mystery - even for us."

The Psyko Tropix collection is another magical and mysterious addition to the open-hearted and open-eared world of Vox Populi!

Thanks to Boomkat for the ever on-point review of Autumns’ ‘DSS Dubplate’ https://boomkat.com/products/dss-dubplate

AUTUMNS – DSS DUBPLATE Touch Sensitive Records | TSR24 EP / Digital Friday 5th November 2021 Buy at Bandcamp In record shops in a week or two

Hot on the heels of this year’s ‘Dyslexia Sound System’ album, Touch Sensitive is thrilled to share a three-track companion piece from Autumns - 'DSS Dubplate'.

Autumns is the solo project of Derry’s Christian Donaghey. With a relentless release rate that mirrors the energy and intensity of his live shows, Donaghey has submitted a selection of skewed star turns for the likes of iDEAL, Death & Leisure, and Opal Tapes since his debut on Regis' Downwards label in 2014.

Much like it's companion LP, 'DSS Dubplate' is heavily inspired by the On-U Sound label, the productions of Adrian Sherwood, and that cultural and musical sweet spot when the rockers met the post-punk crowd.

Donaghey’s whip-crack beats, heavily effected vocals, shredded no-wave guitar, and clarinet squalls are shaped and shifted further into the endless expanse by his dubwise techniques on the board. As always with Donaghey's productions - these rhythms grip tight and don't let loose until the needle is on the run-out groove.

Full-throttle! Autumns non-stop!

Group Zero - EOCA in Bleep’s Recommended Vinyl / Digi: https://bleep.com/release/247996-group-zero-everyones-already-come-apart

Group Zero - We Need Water now streaming courtesy of the Ransom Note. Check it here!

GROUP ZERO – EVERYONE’S ALREADY COME APART

Touch Sensitive Records | TSR23
 LP / Digital 
Friday 22 October 2021

https://touchsensitiverecords.bandcamp.com/album/everyone-s-already-come-apart

'Everyone’s Already Come Apart' sees the return to Touch Sensitive of Group Zero, the solo project of Belfast-based musician, Cathal Cully.

The Group Zero moniker has been an outlet for Cully to explore a loose experimentalism within electronic production whilst still feeding off the same diet of his post-punk roots: repetition, repetition, repetition.

Four years on from his previous outing for the label, 'Everyone’s Already Come Apart' heralds a shift in trajectory - leaving behind the colder, industrial glaze and softening the angular edges to reveal warmer, psychedelic rhythms - hinting at heady optimism and playful escapism.

These five tracks take us on a trip that both pushes and pulls. Moments of meditative stasis are clipped by propulsive 4/4 grooves. Snatches of heavily treated vocals and keys further the unmapped journey. We find ourselves in the headspace of those beautiful off-kilter 3am dance floor moments - flickering bright lights arrest us from being lost in fog machine haze. Next, we're soundtracking the patina of those early-morning trails - pushing through nature’s wow and flutter - equally as psychedelic. The call and response pairing of cuts on either side of the record both adds to the wooze and eases the orientation.

“Making music for this record was an exercise in playing for myself alone.” says Cully. “The catalyst for 'Everyone’s Already Come Apart' was a painter-like need for destruction of the canvas - reconstructing previous rough edits and forgotten weirder motifs into something even more unique and beautiful. It was almost more of an exercise in listening than playing. If it sounded weird, then it had to be made weirder. I wanted to let the sounds breathe.”

Fri 16th April sees both Cherrystones’ latest Critical Mass compilation and Autumns’ ‘Dyslexia Sound System’ finally released across the pond. Thanks to those in the US, Canada, Mexico etc who have been patient - especially on the Cherrystones! You know how it goes at the moment. And big thanks to those who gripped direct even with those wild postage charges.

Really happy these came out as an archival and contemporary one-two. There’s a definite connection in the energy and passion of Cherrystones, Autumns (objectively one of our favourite musicians around right now) and the 18 artists featured on Critical Mass Vol. 2. We are fully inspired by them all.

Black Bones Night Drives LS Pocket Tee available now!  https://never-never.com/collections/never-never/products/black-bones-night-drives-ls-pocket-tee

Black long sleeve tee with left left chest pocket.

Collaboration with Black Bones to coincide with the release of Night Drives, available on Touch Sensitive Records.