'First Person' releases   A UK experimental acoustic music label     Online catalogue and order details.

PLURAL 001:  NEIL CAMPBELL / FICKLE

NEIL CAMPBELL requires little or no introduction to anyone who has had even a passing interest in the uk drone/noise underground over the last I5-plus years. A veteran of such outfits as THE A BAND & SUNROOF plus successful collaborations with RICHARD YOUNGS & JULIAN BRADLEY (to name but a few), NEIL CAMPBELL has cemented his reputation as a prolific, stimulating & inspired performer, a fact born out by the success & respect awarded his current outfit THE VIBRACATHEDRAL ORCHESTRA. His contribution to the FIRSTPERSON 3" series - "RABBITFOOT OOF" is another example of his patented "Yorkshire drone music" & a worthy addition to an already extensive back catalogue.

FICKLE have already issued a cd as part of the EVELYN RECORDS SUBSCRIBER SERIES, reports tell of a cyclical melancholy, at once both mechanical and organic but always human and hopeful. Bolstered to a duo for this recording, the piece can only be accurately described as "epic" centered as it is around a decaying piano, which is augmented by violins, acoustic gtr, organ, percussion, wordless vocals etc. Broken into two adjoining halves the track builds initially to a thundering finale before a trance-inducing dirge removes all remnants of time & place.

PLURAL 002: M.JARVIS / A.JARVIS

Former members of A WARM PALINDROME & current members of SCULPTRESS, sister/brother duo MIKARLA & ANDY JARVIS present 6 beautiful tracks featuring cello, flute, acoustic gtr, organ, koto and the female voice.

SINGULAR 003:  SCULPTRESS

A live recording of this stoke-on-trent based improvising unit, here operating as a trio of MELANIE DELANEY (ASHTRAY NAVIGATIONS), JOINCEY (INCA EYEBALL, WAGSTAFF, TARGET SHOPPERS etc etc...) & ANDY JARVIS (ANNA PLANETA) Over 20 minutes they slowly weave a trance-inducing web using clarinet, acoustic gtr, electric gtr, percussion & toys. This is the first available document of the group's continued & varied live work over the last 2 and a half years.

SINGULAR 004:  ASHTRAY NAVIGATIONS : “Electric Cointelpro”

Now into his lOth year operating under the ASHTRAY NAVIGATIONS moniker & with releases on such esteemed labels as MENLO PARK, JEWELLED ANTLER, SILTBREEZE, AMERICAN TAPES, CELEBRATE PSI PHENOMENON etc, PHIL TODD continues to conjure up his own unique brand of rural psychedelic folk musik. With his prolific output under various guises (ANNA PLANETA, A WARM PALINDROME, INCA EYEBALL, TARGET SHOPPERS, DOGLIVEROIL, GREEN MONKEY, TEA CULTURE etc etc...) not to mention his previously longrunning label & distro - "BETLEY WELCOMES CAREFUL DRIVERS", PHIL TODD has been a tireless champion & exponent of fucked-up rock, avant-folk, mangled pop, allout noise, indeed "outsider" art in all its forms. For "ELECTRIC COINTELPRO" we are treated to 4 superb tracks of organic drone & inspired electric gtr aktion. An excellent addition to an ever-expanding resume.

SINGULAR 005: BEN REYNOLDS

Those fortunate enough to have witnessed BEN REYNOLDS' solo & duo gtr shows over the last year have been awestruck by the ingenuity & dexterity of this incredibly talented acoustic gtr player. Of the 5 tracks presented, "HERE TOUCHETH BLUES" & "MONK" are both wonderful examples of the compositional & improvising skills that have continually intrigued & delighted audiences. The remaining 3 tracks offer an alternative, equally fascinating side, which allows REYNOLDS to stretch out into more abstract territory.

PLURAL 006: THE PISS SUPERSTITION / CULVER

THE PISS SUPERSTITION is none other than JULIAN BRADLEY, more commonly known for his solo work as "A COMPANION AS GLAMOUROUS AS SLEEPING ON WHEELS", duo recordings with NEIL CAMPBELL & group compositions with THE NEGATIVE KITE & more recently THE VIBRACATHEDRAL ORCHESTRA. The piece offered here - "THERE IS SPACE IN THE CLINCH" - is a study of differing pitches, seemingly appearing & disappearing at will, all cloaked in a warm analogue blanket. The careful listener will be aware of the appearance of some wonderful melancholic phrases, revealing a humanistic & fragile undercurrent.

CULVER is the prolific recording project of LEE STOKOE, horror movie aficionado & head honcho of the long-running (over 100 releases & counting) tape/cd label MATCHING HEAD. "GLASS DOLL" contains the characteristics to be found in the best CULVER material - an attention to microscopic internal deviations within a single pitch, a relentless devotion to "sound" as object & the ability to leave an indelible & unique fingerprint on all his work

SINGULAR 007: MORGANSTEWART : “Trappiste Protest”

Recently re-located to Scotland, STEWART MORGAN is a veteran of countless Leeds-based improv & rock collectives including TO SUCKLE THE PUPS (with PHIL TODD) BACKDRUMMOWER & CODEX not to mention his work as organiser of "special events" including "SOUND LIGHT MOVEMENT" of February 2003 which placed the free-form music of THE VIBRACATHEDRAL ORCHESTRA, SCULPTRESS & MIDWICH within the confines of the Leeds Metropolitan University gallery alongside the work of prominent local artists & large scale film projections. A more recent event saw the Holy Trinity Church in central Leeds taken over with the likes of SCATTER, GEORGE & once again MIDWICH & THE VCO. For this recording - "TRAPPISTE PROTEST" - we find our subject alone armed only with his acoustic gtr & a clutch of songs to break yr heart. The recording has a particular quality due in no small part to the high ceiling and bare walls of a deserted Leeds Metropolitan University gallery. This really is an outstanding collection of solo acoustic material, which tips a wink to the lineage of Renbourn/Jansch et al but manages to stand clearly & proudly on its own through dexterity & sheer ingenuity.

SINGULAR 008: ANDY ROBBINS

Regular at the Stoke-On-Trent based MUSICROOOM events, appearing variously as solo singer/songwriter & member of SCULPTRESS. ANDY ROBBINS presents 5 finely crafted tracks including "COME DOWN" which features MIKARLA & ANDY JARVIS on violin & gtr respectively. Bowed banjo, zither & autoharp all combine on these recordings to produce a wonderful collection of shimmering, mind-altering drone folk classics.

PLURAL 009 : BEN REYNOLDS / ANDY JARVIS

Second CD of improvised acoustic gtr musik from REYNOLDS/JARVIS following the recent release on PHIL TODD'S "MEMOIRS OF AN AESTHETE" label. The jumping off point for this duo is the investigation into the resultant effects of two acoustic gtrs played in out of

sync with force, accuracy and a single minded ideal to ultimately create a unified sound which belies its origin. Presented here are 3 tracks ranging from the opener of "PRINCESS METAL MOUNTAIN" a concise example of the area & capabilities of this unit - fast finger-picking over a constant drone resulting in a stream of gorgeous overtones & resonating strings. "BRONZE TOWER" takes it down a notch with the introduction of slide gtr, a beautiful & concise piece. "THE IMMORTAL YIP" was recorded at "The Packhorse" in Leeds in May 2004 in support of JACK ROSE. Clocking in at approx 12 mins, the track gives those unacquainted with the duo's live work a fine example of the sheer volume, attention to detail & varied approaches utilised in the creation of their singular long form acoustic drone musik.

"Twelve strings in rolling congress"

SINGULAR 010 : VIOLENCE BEYOND THE SNOWLINE : “Hollow shit for dull suburb witches”

4 tracks of abstract & labour intensive electronic manipulation of the dearly held tool of "rock" and "pop" - the electric guitar. JAMIE STEPHENSON continues upon his quest to strip all recognizable resemblance from the "staff" by which so many stars of tomorrow cling to & in the process document the minute sounds of everyday life. A fine addition to a growing catalogue of releases on such esteemed labels as Evelyn, Fencing Flatworm, Matchinghead, Kolorform, Euth, Traqueto, Nid nod and Sunny Days Out.

SINGULAR 011: A.JARVIS : “Thread (Uproot and Scatter)”

10 embryonic recordings from 1996-99. Previously released in 2001 by Fencing Flatworm Recordings (RIP) some kind words from the Fencing Flatworm website> –

“Tiny tracks with a very large impact. Wonderfully crafted, built with strings and drones. Emotionaly spellbinding music that leaves you captivated”

“This zine is in danger of becoming an FFR/oTo sycophanticidal offshoot but what the fuck do I care? When the sounds on offer are as good as this its just a matter of putting the thing in the damned slot and sitting back to admire the scenery. Going down the same street as last issues Finnish outing from Kemialliset Ystavat this little darling of a twenty one minute CD is enough to bring tears to the eyes of a weary Wire reviewer who thought that only really great music came from people who already had back catalogues as long as yourserpent. Wake up and smell the fumes you dum fucks. Each track (there's ten) holds together like an unfeasibly fragile accomplishment that settles nervously on punters force fed jingles and drum and bass backing for adverts to Dixon cars and this weeks Cosmopolitan. The gentle multilayered strum of an old acoustic guitar that is 'twine' could be a drugged up sixty year old Nick Drake fucking about for something to do on a windy Sunday afternoon with four strings left on his trusty old box. 'mikul's' slim guitar pluck edging out of the interwaves of a radio station like Roy Harper in a dope haze had me falling off my chair in amazimundo.  One of those rare CDs that I never tire of listening to”: (from Just Glittering 8)

SINGULAR 012: JOHANN WLIGHT

"All thee starres laugh softly like five hundred million little bells"

New release of wonderfully understated, melancholic hiss, drone & stutter from former Nidnod head honcho.

SINGULAR 013: PUFF

Joincey = PUFF. 3 songs, 3 minutes. Free with any order direct from firstperson.

SINGULAR 014:  Edward Ruchalski "Refined Localities 2, 3,4"

Ruchalski continues the series begun on Humbug last year, 3 tracks of singing tones and drones like onkly he knows how. Excellent cd's on PseudoArcana and Digitalis also worth tracking down.

plural 015:  Bjerga / Iversen "The Lighthouse Tapes Vol 2"

Sindre Bjerga and Jan Iversen (GoldSoundz and TIBProd respectively) leave the rat race and hole up in a cabin near a lighhthouse and emerge with hours of inspired clangNthrum. Other volumes available on FoxyDigitalis and Kabukikore.

singular 016:  Ben Reynolds "Other World Sermons"

Is this the 6th, 7th, 8th cd in less than 6 months? not sure, what i can say is that the quality hasn't dropped one inch. The acoustic gtr has been usurped by a determination to document a burbling, bubbling netherword of ominous tones and subtle percussive perambulations. Really fucking good in other words. Other fine produce stuff on 267 Lattajjaa, PseudoArcana, FoxyDigitalis etc etc...

singular 017:  HL "Broken"

Film maker, Curator, Site Specific artist, musician. Dan Hopkins tells tales of regret, loss and hopelessness between finely crafted, shifting electronic landscapes. The cold digital hand is thawed by the heart of one who has loved and lost...

singular 018:   Chora "Burn In Hell"

First release by young upstarts from Sheffield and what a fine racket it is too. This live recording gives a fair estimation of the damage they've been doing along the highways of the UK for the past 18 months. Great mixture of high end ear cleaning, nonsensical vocal-isms and eventual lapses into metronomic rythym. A mixture of noise and repitition that is not a million miles away from the area that This Heat so successfully cultivated. The future is very bright indeed.

Purchasing

ALL RELEASES ARE 3"CD-R'S HOUSED IN HAND-MADE CLEAR ACETATE COVERS WITH INFORMATION PRINTED ON ONE SIDE & AN IMAGE ON THE OTHER.

ALL CD'S ARE PRICED AT £3 / 5 EURO / $6 EACH

OR 4 for £10 / 18 EURO / $22

P&P IS INCLUSIVE IN THE UK

PLEASE ENQUIRE ABOUT TRADES

CONTACT: FRSTPRSN@YAHOO.CO.UK