Lighter Side Of Concrete

2013 release, Jez Butler's first bona fide solo project, following work with - amongst others - Death By Chocolate, Tomorrow's World, David Candy and Hideki Kaji. The album was inspired by John Baker's work with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in the '60s and early '70s, and comprises instrumentals constructed entirely from homemade samples of domestic objects: bottles, glasses, wire racks, plastic tubing, electrical appliances, the human body, and a single guitar string. Jez took a spontaneous approach, writing and recording each song in under two hours; many of the sounds clearly lent themselves to specific chord structures, rhythms and melodies. The project was self-produced and engineered, with assistance from partner Polly Hulse. Style-wise, the album draws from the worlds of library and educational television music of the 70s. There are also a few nods towards Jez's early 90s work with Vision On, notably the EP Who's Afraid of DeWolfe. The album is rounded off by three electronic demos that were written in a similar vein.