Utgiver: Miasmah records
Utgivelsesår: 2015
Sideantall: Side A - 3 spor, Side B - 3 spor
MIALP03: 880918221519
Opplag: 500
Like watching a massive twisting fire slowly fading into the open skies, accompanied by a drum section so repetitive yet mind bending that you're unsure if it's ever going to stop. This is how Hold starts off, leaving you catching for your breath before the album has even reached the second track.
James Welburn steps into the ashes covered in drones and noise together with drumming partner Tony Buck (The Necks), producing a debut album crushingly epic. Hailing from the UK, but located in both Berlin (DE) and Lillehammer (NO), James has been on a path to catch the perfect drone through the last years, playing an abundance of underground drone and noise sets in Berlin and Norway. This can be heard on Hold, though set in an impressively produced setting closer to a recent Swans record rather than the raw noise of those early live shows.
It's hard to label the album too much in one style, as it shifts and turns into parts inspired by everything from Shoegaze to Black Metal, all set in a state of endless repetition.
Originally from London, James Welburn spent over a decade submerged in Berlin's underground music scenes, exploring sound and technology to the limit. A fascination with visiting Norwegian experimental musicians paved the way to packing his bags and moving up North.
Welburn creates music on the boundary between noise rock and electronica, and is known for modifying dirty electric bass sounds with abstract software effects. Creating dark engulfing soundscapes and searing bass drones that breathe with a mysterious, forceful energy.
His tracks are driven forward by a relentless rhythm section with sound, noise and music arranged into epic compositions.
His biography boasts notable collaborations, such as with legendary drummer Tony Buck of The Necks or those with Tomas Järmyr (Zu & Motorpsycho), Aidan Baker (Nadja), Juliana Venter (Phil Winter), Hilde Marie Holsen (Hubro) and veteran New York drone composer Phill Niblock.
Following his critically acclaimed debut “Hold”, Welburn's 2021 release "Sleeper in the Void" was described as "A magnificent punch in the stomach" by Rockerilla, Italy and has already been predicted as a strong candidate for Album of the Year by the respected Norwegian blog, Deichman Musikk.
