Hear the track 'Him' below:
And this is what Joe Stannard (The Outer Church/Mojo/Wire/NME) has to say about it:
“When it comes to Brighton’s Kemper Norton... where to start? Having followed his progress through a series of remarkable releases and live shows, I can state with confidence that there are few artists whose appreciation of the British folk tradition is so keenly matched by their faith in its ability to evolve. With each release, each live performance, Kemper has demonstrated increased confidence and adventurousness. His contribution to Front & Follow's consistently impressive Collision/Detection series represents yet another advance, aided in no small part by the introduction of his own vocals into the mix alongside electronics and live instrumentation. Close-miked and intimate, Kemper's tones serve to amplify the already pervasive uncanny qualities of the music. Some may detect the influence of Coil, Fovea Hex, even Autechre - the fact of the matter is that Kemper’s music is utterly unique. If that sounds fanciful in an age when some would have us believe the well has run dry... just listen. And believe.” – Joe Stannard (The Outer Church, The Wire, Mojo, NME)
About
Collision/Detection v6 AKA ‘Rough Music’:
A large part of this EP is formed from the community tradition of
“Rough Music”, where a village, town or district would attempt to drive away a
known cheating merchant or violent husband through a barrage of singing and use
of found instruments, but the final words go to his female partner.
‘Him’ (trk 1) is an unattributed lyric from a piece of ‘rough
music’ from England in the nineteenth century. It features the use of the
instruments of hell as an aid to community vengeance. It is uncertain how
vigilant, effective and morally consistent such actions were. ‘Her’ (trk 4) is
an adapted version of the traditional folk ballad ‘Go from my window’. The repeated
instructions to the unwanted lover indicate his persistence….The Devil’s in the
man. A spectral presence in the performing and recording of this project, and
all our other work, was Dorcus. The vengeful spirit of this abandoned Cornish
woman is said to haunt the mines of St Agnes where she committed suicide, and
this EP is dedicated to her.
About Kemper Norton
Rising from the moribund Cornish slurtronic folk scene, Kemper
Norton began life through a campaign to redefine South West Water as a range of
personal and psychogeographical experiences , rather than a corporate financial
brand name. The legendary Radio 3 show Mixing It gave it some valuable airplay
and publicity by playing early track “Average domestic usage” but ultimately
the campaign failed.
Previous work has been based around themes such as the mythopoetic
men’s movement, the A23 and library closures,
as well as an ongoing series of free releases named Unrequited, which
gives a loving home to songs and tracks that just don’t fit in. His forthcoming
album, ‘Carn’,
explores two specific locations in Cornwall and Sussex with deep personal
and folkloric significance and further explores ideas of community and the
uncanny. Kemper Norton is a regular performer and collaborator of The Outer Church: Brighton’s foremost
audiovisual celebration on the uncanny, including alongside Pye Corner Audio, Old Apparatus and Bass Clef.