The High On Wye Quintet - The Hafod Jams (Part 1)

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  • In the summer of 2012, sometime after Freerotation, a gaggle of the festival's residents convened in Wales for what would later be described as a "mega hardware jam session." Steevio, the modular synth operator who runs Freerotation with his partner Suzybee, hosted the two-day occasion at his studio in Hafod. Still buzzing from what most of them would happily call their favorite weekend of the year, Move D, Soulphiction, Juju & Jordash and Steevio recorded a slew of improvised tracks, three of which now arrive two years later as the first release on Freerotation's record label. The Hafod Jams (Part 1) explores the kind of mellow, spacey grooves that Freerotation does so well. "Cedar Of Lebanon / Spongy Tree" (named for the festival's soft-barked landmark) is a 13-minute, 108 BPM daydream of a track, colored by gentle pads and keyboard licks that come and go as they please. "Nant Feinion" has a bit more drive, with syrupy low-end and rim shots that seem to pop out of the speakers, but maintains that wistful, lackadaisical vibe. "No Bones Jones" (a shout-out to the vegan stand by Freerotation's outdoor dance floor) goes completely cosmic, layering neon drones and a distant electric guitar over a deeply submerged techno pulse. Psychedelic house jams are something of a rare bird, and they don't come much better than this.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Cedar Of Lebanon/Spongy Tree B1 Nant Feinion B2 No Bones Jones
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