Well I did write a review down there but it did all kind of fall off the rails and really you don’t need words or stewed cups of tea from me, all you really need to know is the latest remix in terms of the remixes that will eventually make up an album of remixes of last year’s vitally Wonderful Gazelle Twin Black Dog album has been released today and here it is…
“Gazelle Twin has shared Keeley Forsyth’s ‘Two Worlds’ Mix, from Shadow Dogs, a brand new album of reworkings and reinterpretations of tracks from her acclaimed album, Black Dog. The new album is set for release on 18 October 2024 via Invada Records. The new mix has been a timely opportunity for Keeley Forsyth and Elizabeth Bernholz to collaborate. After years of mutual admiration, the pair finally connected this year, getting the chance to discuss their shared musical language, and for this new reworking, Forsyth explains, “I decided not to stray (ha) too far from Elizabeth’s original. It was mostly an exercise in reduction and omission….”
I did start writting something earlier and what a dull wet black dog kind of day it is, almost didn’t want to open the inbox and all the demands for time and can you write about my art show and I need a break so can you please write about me me me, it really is your duty to write about me! Give me some peace of mind and a number of vitriolic bites from a curator who’s art event had absolutely no coverage or support from anyone else and so she decided this is all my fault and she’s fed up with my constantly negative coverage when there’s been nothing but positive coverage and support for her damn event from us and not an inch of coverage anywhere else! But this is how it goes, you haven’t done enough, why haven’t you written about my album? Why is the review you’ve written so short? Why didn’t you come to my gig? You never review my gigs, why should I put you on the guest list for my gig? You should pay to get in and review my gig! Hey, I know, suck it up, no one’s lobbing bombs at me, not real ones, not yet, I’m not in the Middle East, in the big scheme of things none of this is a big deal and who needs working eyes anyway and yeah I know it would be better for everyone if I wore an eye patch and didn’t upset people who have to look at that messed up eye, thanks for coming up to me outside a gig the other day and telling me that Mr random stranger. And none of this is of any relevance and you don’t need to know any of it and some days I really don’t want to open the inbox and feed the dog whatever colour it is and hey why didn’t you come to my opening night last night!? “So disappointed, I was counting on support from people like you, we artists deserve better”, – yeah right but maybe I was busy painting black squares on old paintings or painting in progress, or maybe it was absolutely pissing down, or maybe I was going to make the time to come today when I can see the art in the peace and quiet and the daylight rather than have to listen to your annoying friends talking loudly as they stand in front of your paintings obscuring the view while they talk crap and drink the cheap vulgar wine your gallery was probably serving up at your opening night. Maybe firing a volley at me for me to wake up to isn’t really going to make me want to come to your show that is going to clutter up the gallery for a couple of months so there’s really no rush to see it on the first day anyway and none of this is Elizabeth’s fault, it isn’t her fault that an e.mail from her people about the latest Black Dog remix in the several dozen e.mails waiting this morning ahead of those yet to land during the day to add to the pile I didn’t get to yesterday has fed the black dog a little more over here and “Listen to Keeley Forsyth’s “ghost” version of ‘Two Worlds’, taken from forthcoming album Shadow Dogs (18 Oct, Invada)” read the e/mail, okay, let’s clear heads and listen
So what do we have here? Keeley Forsyth Mix of Gazelle Twin’s Two Worlds, a track from last year’s rather inward looking rather rewarding Black Dog album and last year I think I said there is so much here, so much up those dark dark stairs, up there with her black dog, Gazelle Twin’s then darkly beautiful new album was our album of the year, I adore her work, the places she goes with it, the guts of it all, the way she challenges herself as well as her listeners, hang on; “The time has come to open thy heart/wallet. Buy this album to: directly support Gazelle Twin, get unlimited streaming, get a high-quality download” – seems I’ve listened (via the link sent) to the remix my allotted Bandcamp four or five times already and now they want my ‘ard earned if I want to listen again (we do have to buy most of the stuff we play on the radio, it isn’t all freebies and ice cream). I guess I could go listen on some other platform and was I always here and one day we might get around to actually being able to afford to buy a copy of the album we though was the best of last year – all my money goes on paint and canvas and the landlord, well mostly the landlord, I’m running on paint fumes right now. What I’m saying here is I can’t tell you how much Keeley Forsyth has done because I can’t listen again, you’vbe had tour four goes not get off the ride or pay up! Hang on, the track is probably is up on bloody Spotify where things never sound so good, ridiculous! You can listen to it as many times as you want to on Spotibloodyfy where the labels or artists make pretty much nothing, but you can only listen four times on the far more artist/label friendly thing that is Bandcamp and what has any of this got to do with anything, just shut up and review the damn track and have we go any biscuits for the black dog, hang on just found it on YouTube, I missed that link in the e.mail and I long since stepped away from the business of music, it mostly ended up in fights.
Hey lookie look, Black Dog is a vital album, an important album, those ghosts really do touch you, it is an album to get lost in, I’m not sure what these remixes bring to the art of it all, it did take a little time to get into the previously released Beak mix of Fear Keeps Us Alive, and I will need more time to really grasp what Keeley has brought to the black whole or the black hole and ignore all these answers or why this review has gone like this today and was that bit already here, did she add it, twist it, play with it, Keeley I mean – ‘play with it’ is wrong, none of this sounds like play, far too serious to be play, this is art that matters, it is about peace of mind and serious art, or a piece of art that should be taken very seriously and is there something there that wasn’t before? Am I hearing extra voices? That Beak mix has pulse to it, this Keeley Forsyth working isn’t as obvious is it? She hasn’t revealed her part yet, it is there, it is going ot take time, do I like where this is going, every time I walk around… Hey look, sorry, I went off on one, I blame the weather, can’t blame the coffee, I gave that up years ago, and anyway, you moaning about me not coming to your opening last night is all a bit rich, I’ve never ever seen you at one of mine and now my cup of tea has stewed and gone cold with the tea bag still in it and I did say up there don’t bother with any of this nonsense, just go listen yourself, don’t blame me if you just read all this crap, I did tell you not to at the top of the page…
If you got this far here’s the remix again…
And here’s some previous Organ coverage and the original album
And here’s the full statement that came with the e.mail this morning and my tea has stewed to the gills again…
“Gazelle Twin has shared Keeley Forsyth’s ‘Two Worlds’ Mix, from Shadow Dogs, a brand new album of reworkings and reinterpretations of tracks from her acclaimed album, Black Dog. The new album is set for release on 18 October 2024 via Invada Records
The new mix has been a timely opportunity for Keeley Forsyth and Elizabeth Bernholz to collaborate. After years of mutual admiration, the pair finally connected this year, getting the chance to discuss their shared musical language, and for this new reworking, Forsyth explain – “I decided not to stray (ha) too far from Elizabeth’s original. It was mostly an exercise in reduction and omission. Listening intently to the individual stems sent over I chose the elements from the composition that instinctively mattered or spoke more to me.” before going on to explain, “I, of course, forefront Elizabeth’s voice with some additional effects. I wanted to bring a spectral feel to the voice. Manipulating a multitracked Elizabeth I layered devilish mutterings and whispers that are suggestive of possession. Which is perhaps what a reworking is: a possession of a piece of music. To stretch the metaphor even further I wanted to accompany Elizabeth’s disembodied voice with a companion spectre for a chat in purgatory whilst fates are decided.”
Gazelle Twin’s forthcoming album of “ghost” or “shadow” versions of tracks from her fourth studio album features reinterpretations by Gary Numan, Marta Salogni, Penelope Trappes, Mark Jenkin, Sealionwoman and BEAK>, who launched the series with their blistering take on ‘Fear Keeps Us Alive’, alongside this new reworking by Yorkshire artist Keeley Forsyth (who recently released The Hollow and embarks on an autumn tour that includes 7 Nov at The Roundhouse, London).
Talking about Shadow Dogs, Bernholz says, “When making Black Dog, a persistent obsession I had was the link between audio-visual tech and the nature of ghosts. I thought about Edison’s Ghost Machine, early EVP experiments, and the “ghosting” of transmitted images on the first televisions. All recordings are ghosts of sorts, and so came the idea of inviting musicians that I really admire, to create ghost or shadow versions of these songs, and together form a new pack – Shadow Dogs.”
Gazelle Twin’s Black Dog – a powerful and unforgettable album dealing with confrontation, childhood fears, and how they manifest in adulthood – was described by Uncut as “her mostlustrous, luxuriant and darkly beautiful to date”. Gazelle Twin’s commanding live performance of the album has already been witnessed at Rewire, Donau, Simple Things and Supersonic festival, and a unique show is planned for the British Library, London on 1 November. Taking place at the grand entrance hall of the Grade I building, one of the largest libraries in the world, Black Dog will be reworked by Gazelle Twin and Max de Wardener with the London Contemporary Orchestra, conducted by Robert Ames. The specially commissioned performance opens the British Library’s new season, Tales of the Weird: An Autumnal Festival.
Before then, the British horror film, Saint Maud – written by Jessica Andrews (Saltwater, Milk Teeth) – has been adapted for stage with music by Gazelle Twin, and will open at the Live theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne on 10 October. Further information here.
A recent live EP Black Dog Live, presented raw, visceral takes on ‘Two Worlds’, ‘Fear Keeps Us Alive’, ‘A Door Opens’ and ‘Unstoppable Force’ from the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, Brighton, further illustrate the unique world this remarkable artist conjures. – ORGAN THING: An unexpected start to the day in the shape of a live EP of Black Dog material from Gazelle Twin, and of course we’re always listening, there is always beauty in her bleakness…
Right, that will do, time for one more shot at a cup of tea. Do love the Black Dog artwork
THE ORGAN 