Barcelona’s spa.RK label have a long-standing relationship with London’s fine Expanding imprint, but I believe this is the first time the two labels have actually committed to sharing a release. Following in the path of an earlier hook-up with Static Caravan a few years back, Expanding once again pull out all the stops with a split 10” six-track picture disc that looks frankly delicious. Crucially, the sounds are just as tasty. Flotel’s Calenture is one of those tracks that is instantly familiar — the acoustic guitar reminds you of something, but you just can’t place it. Last year’s LP by Modern Institute was a triumph, and is for me one of the highlights of the label's back catalogue. I Wish I Was Malcolm Young shows it was no fluke — sparse bleeps and kick drums make up the groove whilst natural acoustic instrumentation builds a lilting piece, slightly reminiscent of Mogwai in one of their mellower moments. Background Birds by Monoceros also makes use of ‘proper instruments’, although the electronic elements are more to the fore. The sparkling synth line that comes in half way through is somewhat unexpected by this stage but isn’t jarring.
Oddly placed full stops abound on the spa.RK side, which opens with .tape.’s Memories, wherein a plinking ambient coda is set against soundtracky strings. Luap’s Arrendondo ploughs a deep bassline through a number which sounds not unlike Autechre during their earlier, less mangled years, but the real highlight for fans of classic electronica lies in the final track. Eedl’s Beli is a belter and worth the price of admission alone; haunting layers of deep melody over a crisp, tight set of drums — a reminder of a simpler time, before a legion of kids with laptops began to apply maximum DSP mayhem to any sound source they could lay their hands on.
Worth buying for the sheer niceness of the physical product, but don’t spend so long staring at the vinyl that you forget to spend time listening.
