“I don’t like country & western, I don’t like rock music… I don’t like rockabilly! I don’t like much really do I? But what I do like, I love passionately!!”: CHRIS LOWE
The self-proclaimed Cyrillic songstress and “DIY producer of everything” Galina Ozeran is back under her solo nom de théâtre of CHIKISS after her 2022 album ‘Metamorphoses’ with Turkish musician Etkin Çekin as GOD IS GOD.
Ozeran grew up in Belarus playing classical piano before becoming a professional musician, self-releasing her first mini-album as CHIKISS in 2007. Her most recent CHIKISS album ‘Something Natural’ was a collection of lo-fi instrumental avant-garde works in a variety of different styles, so ‘Between Time & Laziness’ is a return to song-based material. Her willing conspirator in the process as co-producer is Athens-based Finn Jaakko Eino Kalevi whose own double album ‘Chaos Magic’ was the best release of 2023.
With tensions in her homeland and a war with its neighbours, Ozeran’s exile to Berlin sees her weighing darkness and light. As existential, psychological, and philosophical concerns shape her most polished vocal album to date, she expresses the turbulence of the world around her as it appears to go full circle into the uncertainty that exemplified the Soviet era.
Photo by Epiq Sty
With a delicious exotic groove, ‘Evil Sky’ enters an atmospheric cocoon of mysterious cinematic synth and stark spoken word to open ‘Between Time & Laziness’ proper. But true to her eclectic colours, ‘DKN’ plays with jazz swing rhythms and filmic synth textures…. conventional this certainly isn’t!
With ominous bass and whirring electronic lines, ‘Nevesta’ canters at a near funereal pace; however the ‘Between Time & Laziness’ title track develops on this bed and speeds it into a glorious spy drama passage of squelch, freeform soloing , icy strings, random organ and breathy vocals that will delight those into sonic randomness with some structure.
Embroiled in resignation, ‘Train Schedule’ is deep in contralto with a gothic allure, but when the glorious arpeggiated sparkles and chordial layers appear alongside the synthetic drums rolls, it recalls the elegiac moods of PET SHOP BOYS ‘Kings Cross’. Although drone-laden, ‘4:45’ is moody synthpop possessing that classic rainy European chic inspired by the moment in Rapid Eye Movement sleep when the illusion feels most real.
Photo by Anna Eckold
With memories of the first space race, ‘Into The Void’ goes into dark romantic synthpop with a nouvelle vague drama that even sees disco syndrums and some wonderfully anachronistic Spaghetti Western whistling from Jaakko Eino Kalevi come into the picture.
Across 11 minutes ‘Don’t Be Afraid’ utilises a long ambient intro before entering into an electronic take on JOY DIVISION’s ‘I Remember Nothing’ in its bass and rhythmic movements although the orchestrated synth lines are haunting and strident in their appeal, especially as they get more epic as the time flies by… closing with ‘Forever’, this hope of a better future sees Ozeran playing with eerie vocal ad libs over an incessant drum machine for a less song based variation of the title track.
Like a history of electronic expression, there is an aural familiarity to ‘Between Time & Laziness’ but none of the influences are blatant, presenting more of an impressionistic amalgam that offers reassurance in its musical empathy as an essential comfort amongst the disquiet.
With the aim “to find an outlet for accumulated emotions, and transform them into music and light”, Ozeran has succeeded in producing an absorbing body of work that while accessible, is tinged with sadness and melancholy so runs deeper in its emotions and sentiment than a regular pop record.
French avant pop songstress GEISTE is who JRR Tolkien would have come up with if he had manufactured a pop star. She released her first EP ‘Utopia’ in 2020 just as Covid and lockdown hit the world, but her moody captivating songs provided an escape into an endearing fantasial world. Her most recent EP ‘Ashes’ was bewitching as her past works but a new maturity emerged.
GEISTE began as an acoustic act before she found that her fantasy storytelling and poetic prose could enter a more intriguing sonic universe using electronics. Her new EP ‘To Dusk’ sees a return of sorts to her roots with a collection of songs that delves into the softer, more introspective side of her music which began as piano ballads exploring themes of heartache, renewal and the beauty in moments of transition.
With rebirth very much in her mind, GEISTE spoke to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK about her career to date and coping with change…
What inspired the GEISTE persona and the style of music you make?
GEISTE was born in London from a deep need for storytelling and creating imaginary worlds to cope with the real one. It follows my life as I grow and navigate my own insecurities and life events. This project allows me to explore parts of myself I might otherwise hide or ignore. Musically, I’m inspired by wilderness, folklore, and emotional landscapes—both my own and humanity’s. GEISTE became a way to give each of these moments in my life its own chapter. I wanted my music to sound like it’s coming out of a tale while remaining relatable. Sharing songs often reveals how their meanings echo others’ lives, making the path feel less lonely.
Was working solo always a given or had you considered forming a band?
Working solo mainly came out of necessity. As an emerging artist, there’s usually limited funding, and I had to handle most things on my own, from live shows to music production and artistic direction. I also enjoy learning new things and finding creative solutions. Being on my own lets me express ideas exactly as I envision them. However, I’ve always been open to collaborations, and I hope to play these songs with a band someday. Over time, I’ve learned how transformative it can be to work with others who bring their perspectives and energies, and I’m looking forward to exploring more of that now.
It seems such a long time ago now, but your ‘Utopia’ EP came out at the start of lockdown, how were you dealing with the promotional situation? Did you find music was providing an escape for you and others listening?
Lockdown was challenging for everyone, shifting how we consume and experience art. With most people online, promoting meant making the project exist on social media rather than through live experiences. I loved how ‘Utopia’ provided listeners an escape, especially through our collaborative ‘Moonchild’ video. Seeing listeners respond with their own emotions and actively participate in the project during this first release was a beautiful moment of community. I hope to recreate that sense of connection and use my platforms to bring people together through creative collaborations.
The ‘Utopia’ EP used the practice of issuing single songs of a period and then compiling them into one release which is now common practice and has been carried over on ‘To Dusk’, how have the challenges been to develop a release strategy in today’s music market and keeping listeners interested?
With ‘To Dusk’, ‘Utopia’ and ‘Retrogrades’, I wanted to release singles that tell part of a larger story. There’s pressure today to release consistently and stay active on social platforms out of fear of losing momentum. Releasing singles supposedly makes it easier to get playlisted on streaming platforms by showing the algorithm you’re active. Personally, I prefer creating full projects with a storyline, but this approach takes longer. Stretching out releases helps promote more songs. With ‘Ashes’, I only released two singles before the EP, and I could see the difference in streaming numbers. As an independent artist with a small but wonderful fanbase, I’m very reliant on algorithms.
What about social media and maintaining a profile, do you embrace and enjoy it or is it something of a distraction?
Social media can feel overwhelming, especially with algorithms limiting reach. But I focus on the connections I make and the chance to share parts of my world. I’ve learned to care less about how many people see my posts or how many followers I have. It doesn’t make sense to me that gatekeepers use these metrics alone to determine an artist’s worth. I can’t control social media, so I focus on creating meaningful content for myself, the project, and those who have followed it. I love bringing people into the world I see each song in through videos, set designs, and costumes.
The ‘Ashes’ EP in 2023 was released on Emika Records and a product of lockdown, how do you look back on the person who created ‘Utopia’ to where you are now?
The person who made ‘Utopia’ was seeking a voice and strength in vulnerability. Since then, I’ve grown a lot. With each project, I’ve become more comfortable with myself and my work. ‘To Dusk’ reflects a more raw and confident version of that original creative impulse. I used to rely on big instrumentals and work with other producers because I wasn’t fully confident in myself. Now, living alone in the woods, I’ve learned music production to bring my ideas to life independently. ‘Ashes’ was my first step towards this, followed by ‘To Dusk’, which I produced entirely on my own. I miss who I was in London; she had more fire, or maybe it was just a more chaotic life. I know I’m in a transition period now. I’m unsure where I’m headed, but I’ve learned to embrace change.
Your new EP ‘To Dusk’ has arrangements that are more understated and pared down than on your previous EPs, was there a particular concept involved for the creative process?
After finishing ‘Ashes’, I felt I still needed to express more but only found myself writing piano ballads. It was new to me, as I usually drift from production while writing songs, and these were simply piano and voice. Initially, I didn’t want to release them since they felt so different, but friends convinced me they were worth sharing. I wrote them over the summer of 2022, I felt really lonely back then and used to walk a lot by the sea after sunset. That inspired the whole ‘To Dusk’ project. It tells a story of letting go and moving on. It sounds like a relationship in the songs but I think that deep inside I was letting go of the life I had before lockdown and processing it in that way. I tried to keep them as honest and raw as possible because for the first time I felt like what I had to say was enough. It was also an exercise of minimalism. I am a maximalist in life and collect tiny objects and my rooms are full of them. I tried to create something beautiful and meaningful with less and I think they are enough like that.
Do you have any favourite songwriting tools?
A £20 vintage Casio keyboard I found at Notting Hill Market—it has a “chorus” preset I use in most of my songs now.
How did ‘The Storm’ come about, are you able to say what it is about?
I don’t exactly remember how ‘The Storm’ came about, but it’s about dealing with overwhelming emotions, knowing that although it feels like too much to process, the moment will pass. The chorus melody might be the most beautiful I’ve ever written. It’s about unrequited love, experiencing big feelings, and struggling to process them all.
‘The House’ is very heartfelt and you are resigned to “just let it fall down”, was this song quite cathartic for you?
I think so. ‘The House’ is about letting go of the past, allowing old memories to fade and not defining me. Writing it felt cathartic, like freeing myself from weightless memories and people’s opinions.
You returned to playing live this summer for the first time in 2 years, how was it? Were there any anxieties to get through or was it all like riding a bicycle in the end?
I only played one show this year, booked at the last minute, so I didn’t have time to get anxious. I loved being back on stage and hadn’t realised how much I missed it. I hope to play more next year. There’s something irreplaceable about live shows, the energy exchange with the audience that you can’t replicate anywhere else.
For those who are reading and may be new to your music, is there a song from each of your four EPs that you would recommend as a starting point?
From ‘Utopia’, I’d suggest ‘Ocean’ – it introduces my world well, and there’s a nice music video for it.
From ‘Retrogrades’, I’d pick ‘Tide ‘as it’s my favourite.
For ‘Ashes’, I’d go with ‘22:59’, my favourite to play live, though I may be biased because this project was excruciating to write.
And from ‘To Dusk’, I’d pick ‘The Storm or ‘To Dusk’ for the most beautiful melodies I ever wrote.
You have created this series of lyric and poetry books, how did this idea come to fruition and how have they been received by your fanbase?
The idea of creating these books came up at a time when I felt stuck musically. After ‘Ashes’ and ‘To Dusk’, I didn’t/couldn’t write music for a long time, and these books came as a natural extension of that. It was a moment to pause instead of jumping straight into a new project, as I have been doing for the past five years. I had all these notebooks full of texts, notes, and drawings that eventually became songs, and I think I also felt a need to make something I could hold in my hands from all the work of these past years, as I never released physical copies of my music. I learned to bind them myself and made each one by hand. I knew I wouldn’t sell many, but they’ve been well-received by the people invested in this project. It’s wonderful to see fans appreciate these worlds beyond just the songs, diving deeper into the themes and words, and sending these little books all over the world.
Does the international success of an artist like AURORA give you hope that there is a place for GEISTE to attract a wider audience?
I hope so. It would be beautiful to see this project blossom and connect with more people.
What is next for you?
I’m working on many new songs, possibly a follow-up to ‘To Dusk’ or even an album. For now, I’m still in the south of France, where I’ve met people who want to help develop my project so I hope to play more shows here. I also hope to collaborate more with other artists.
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to GEISTE
Having made an attempt at ‘Making The World Great Again’ on 2021, Norwegian based electronic pop duo PISTON DAMP are back with the follow-up ‘Mastermind Vol 1: No Points For Trying’.
Compromising of Jonas Groth whose past work has been mostly with his older brother Stephan in his band APOPTYGMA BERZERK and the classically trained Truls Sønsterud, the subtitle ‘No Points For Trying’ indicates an air of resignation. What is not often known is Norway actually has a border with Russia so world events will have heightened tension.
Opening song ‘The Netherworld’ is swathed in an epic melancholy with an array classic synth sounds but what is this “hell” that Jonas Groth is referring to? There are many candidates. However the pace changes with the spritely Europop of ‘I’m Losing You (A New Tale)’ while ‘To My Knees’ co-produced by Stephan Groth (who is involved in all the album’s final mixes with the duo and Magne Johansen) utilises infectious sequencer patterns and synthetic swoops to good effect.
The ominous ‘Revolve’ is far moodier with layered vocal harmonies but displaying a kinship to ERASURE’s ‘The Circus’ period, the carousel motifs on ‘Waste’ provide a suitably unsettling ride for full cause and effect as there are “No Points For Trying”.
The speedy cut and trust of ‘Downfall’ ventures into electronic goth pop for its verses although the rousing choruses twist the plot somewhat. ‘Now You Know’ presents some great rewards in its sound design but showing opposing poles, the detuned riffs of ‘So Much To Like (Too Little To Do)’ are infectious.
‘Sacrifice’ with additional vocals from Truls Kristian Nygaard takes on much more sombre tones before the lo-fi vocodered tone poem ‘Down, Pt. 3’ interlude segues into ‘The Day Of Departure’, a marvellously wistful tune with cascading keys and shimmering leadlines to close.
Photo by Trygve Sorli
Despite the less optimistic tone compared to its predecessor, ‘Mastermind Vol 1: No Points For Trying’ is a worthy follow-up to ‘Making The World Great Again’ and a continuing development in the art of classic Nordic melancholy. Yes, this album is set to “depressed mode” and this would explain the absence of upbeat bangers.
But PISTON DAMP were so prolific in this second album phase and recorded enough material in a variety of styles for a double album. Thus “Vol 1” is where all the dark and moody songs have ended up for the onset of winter but “Vol2” promises to be more upbeat and pure synthpop in time for next summer. The story continues…
PISTON DAMP use the following synthesizers: Roland Juno 60, Roland Juno 106, Roland Jupiter 4, Roland System 500, Roland RS-505, Minimoog Voyager, Moog Matriarch, Moog Grandmother, Moogerfoogers, Korg MS20, Elektron Nord Lead 3, Analogue Systems Vostok 2000, ARP Odyssey and tons of Eurorack (mainly for percussion and sequencing)
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK was one of the last media platforms to interview the late German electronic pioneer Klaus Schulze shortly before his passing on 26 April 2022.
Klaus Schulze lived in his own cosmic sequenced world and his albums ‘Timewind’, ‘Moondawn’ and ‘Mirage’ are still held up as fine examples of The Berlin School. Klaus Schulze said to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK: “Every album I do is my best – everyone has its time and its own history and circumstances, though there are some albums that are more in my mind than others are! Really, when you work on something it is the latest and best you’ve ever done and so it always is my favourite record. It’s as simple as that.”
Wider interest in Klaus Schulze’s music was renewed after he worked with Hans Zimmer on ‘Grains of Sand’ on the ‘Dune’ soundtrack; “The world has finally caught up with a true pioneer” said Zimmer in 2021, “A master, an influence and influencer on countless others, still connecting us all with a deep sense of humanity and mystery”
Literally never one to sit still, Schulze left behind a vast portfolio of work including material that was unreleased for various reasons. Following up his posthumously issued final album ‘Deus Arrakis’, the poignant closing piece of which was ‘Der Hauch des Lebens’ (translated into English as “The Breath of Life”), ‘101, Milky Way’ is a real treasure from Klaus Schulze’s archives.
The album began at the end of 2008 as a soundtrack commission from a German film production company for a documentary about computer hackers. Klaus Schulze being Klaus Schulze ended up creating a complete album. The eventual documentary film ‘Hacker’ directed by Alex Biedermann only ended up using small sections of the music as a soft backdrop.
With the blessing of his estate, ‘101, Milky Way’ is now available for the first time; comprising of three lengthy pieces and two comparatively shorter ones, this previously lost album is a fitting way of maintaining his legacy. Across 15 minutes, ‘Infinity’ offers a grand sweeping ambience with occasional indigenous vocal chant samples and violin that gradually builds and then descends into a bubbly otherness. Only 5 minutes long, ‘Alpha’ recalls Jean-Michel Jarre’s more atmospheric moments.
While sequencer patterns have been notably absent so far, these drift in during the second third of the most classic Schulze of the pieces ‘Multi’; this goes on a hypnotic journey of over half an hour complete with spacey string machines, and then chattering percussive interventions and cosmic pulses for the drive into the home straight. The much shorter ‘Meta’ follows the atmospheric path over gentle rhythmic backbeat before over 18 minutes, ‘Uni’ offers a sedate intro before it bursts into a cacophony of buzzier and more jagged sounds and textures.
Some might not be so keen on the digital elements on ‘101, Milky Way’ when compared to his imperial phase albums but as Schulze said to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK: “I have spent many years fighting the various technical aspects from so many different machines that I absolutely enjoy turning on everything – and Boom, it’s all there. I certainly would not want to go back to having to tune everything… or patch my way through every single part of an analogue synth”.
A welcome release that captures the essence of 21st Century Klaus Schulze, ‘101, Milky Way’ is like a greeting from wherever he is now in the universe and fittingly continues his vast electronic legacy. No doubt there will be more to come from his unreleased archives and the man himself would approve.
In memory of Klaus Sculze 1947 – 2022
‘101, Milky Way’ is released by SPV as a gatefold double LP Edition, CD and download
Edinburgh-born singer-songwriter Dot Allison first sprang to fame when she appeared on ‘Top Of The Pops’ as a member of ONE DOVE in 1993 singing their No24 hit ‘Breakdown’ live.
ONE DOVE were a moody Glaswegian trio comprised of Dot Allison, Ian Carmichael and Jim McKinven. Their only album ‘Morning Dove White’ took its title from the Native American name of Elvis Presley’s grandmother and was co-produced by the late Andrew Weatherall. The album was unique in the sphere of post-Acid House electronic dance music but despite reaching No30 in the UK album chart, ONE DOVE imploded.
1999 saw the release of her debut solo album ‘Afterglow’ and showcased a broad range of styles with the haunting Weimar chill of ‘In Winter Still’ making a fine closer. It also included a songwriting collaboration with Hal David, best known for his catalogue of tunes written with Burt Bacharach but also the best song from the James Bond franchise ‘We Have All The Time In The World’.
In 2000, Dot Allison’s voice was all over television thanks to DEATH IN VEGAS’ ‘Dirge’ on which she guested being used in Levi’s ‘Twisted’ commercial; it subsequently appeared the soundtrack of a number of Hollywood movies including ‘Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2’ and ‘The Last House on the Left’.
Her second album ‘We Are Science’ in 2002 flirted with electroclash and indie rock but as her website suggests, “She revolts against what she has done before, to evolve and not just occupy the same space”. After several more albums and taking a career break, Dot Allison returned in 2021 to release the nature inspired folk-minded ‘Heart-Shaped Scars’, an antidote to the stress of these turbulent times co-produced with Fiona Cruickshank.
After the haunting beauty of the 2023 follow-up ‘Consciousology’ which included her first electronic based track in while ‘220Hz’, Dot Allison is back on the collaboration trail again having previously worked with the likes of Kevin Shields, Paul Weller, Scott Walker, Darren Emerson and MASSIVE ATTACK.
Dot Allison’s new musical project is ALL SEEING DOLLS with Anton Newcombe, best known as the leader of the Californian rock band BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE. The creative partnership developed remotely and while the album ’Parallel’ will be out in early 2025, the single ‘That’s Amazing Grace’ is already public.
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK had the pleasure of a career spanning chat with Dot Allison about ONE DOVE, her solo work and ALL SEEING DOLLS…
You first became known as a member of ONE DOVE, how do you look back on that period?
With a fondness … I got my hands dirty in the studio learning to program on an LC3 Mac and Cubase … messing about with our desk and we did manual automation at the desk… but we went from quarter inch tape and chinagraph pencils and razors to ADATs… don’t need to do that again!
ONE DOVE’s only album ‘Morning Dove White’ was co-produced by Andrew Weatherall but the radio mixes for the singles ‘White Love’ and ‘Breakdown’ were done by Stephen Hague, I can’t think of two more contrasting personalities to be in a studio with?
Stephen Hague was recommended by the label but we did like that he had worked with NEW ORDER… we all managed to meet in the middle.
ONE DOVE had this esoteric approach but ‘Breakdown’ charted and got you onto ‘Top Of The Pops’, what was that like for you?
Utterly terrifying… it’s only when the cameras are all on you going out to millions of viewers you realise whether you are really cut out of that level of exposure.
‘Why Don’t You Take Me?’ is an underrated gem, can you remember its genesis?
I can… it was improvised in the studio and then our version was sent to Andrew for his interpretative magic.
The B-side of ‘Why Don’t You Take Me?’ was a cover of Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’, how did that idea come about?
ONE DOVE were always country music fans… it felt fitting because of that.
How close did the second ONE DOVE album come to completion?
Not that close in reality… just early versions of a few songs knocking about…
Your debut solo album ‘Afterglow’ came out in 1999 and one of the singles ‘Close Your Eyes’ was a co-write with Paul Statham and Pascal Gabriel who later worked with Dido, was that was a musical route that you could have taken?
I had written with them before that later collaboration happened… my publishers hooked us up, probably more because of Pascal’s pioneering work in electronic dance music…
What was it like working with the lyrical legend Hal David on ‘Did I Imagine You?’
It was mind-blowing and a huge humbling honour… he was very interesting and open to ideas… we worked over fax at first! He wrote the chords and the entire melody and he sent words … he said he had gotten stuck on a line or two and asked me to write a dummy lyrical chorus which I did, this then catalysed other ideas from him… he kept a line from my dummy chorus in the song, which was nice
That ‘Afterglow’ period saw you produce some interesting B-sides ‘Melted’ which was like a clubby PORTISHEAD and ‘Mr. Voyeur’ which sampled Gary Numan’s ‘Metal’, was there still a conflict between making “the art” and being accessible?
Oh yes… I never planned to be hugely accessible tbh… hence successfully remaining relatively underground. I guess I just made songs I felt were ‘me’ at the time without modifying them to attempt to make them anything else.
Your second solo album ‘We Are Science’ in 2002 and appeared to be a lot less inhibited?
I think over time you grow into yourself in a way … that was just part of that journey
‘Substance’ was a ‘We Are Science’ highlight and popular in within the short-lived “electroclash” scene that emerged, what inspired it?
It just flowed on the spot when coming up with the ideas… I felt perhaps I am / always was mining for something with feeling, with substance but in that tune retaining a kind of deadpan aspect to it at the same time.
How did ‘Aftersun’ with MASSIVE ATTACK for the film ‘Danny The Dog’ come about and why was it never officially released as such?
It was a song that came out of some sessions we did … I was glad it made it onto that soundtrack and I think it’s on a compilation of theirs too.
‘Pioneers 01’ in 2012 saw you collaborate with a large number of musicians and producers, what are your favourite memories of the recording?
That was less meant to be an official album release and more a sonic experiment to be used as needle drop. I have only done one album like that one, it’s not technically a solo album more a collection of sonic moments…
You’ve also sung on a Scott Walker track ‘Bull’ and before that recorded a cover of ‘Montague Terrace (In Blue)’ for 2009’s ‘Room 7 1⁄2’, that must have been an eye opener?
Scott liked my records and my voice and he asked me to collaborate on a couple of things including his ‘Drifting’ & Tilting’ shows at The Barbican in 2012… he said about my voice “Great Pipes”, I’ll cherish that!
You have described your two most recent solo albums ‘Heart-Shaped Scars’ and ‘Consciousology’ as being companion records, in what way has your creative process altered from ONE DOVE and your early solo recordings to where you are now and what you write about in this more acoustic organic template?
It has changed hugely…. in composing I lose myself either at the piano, the guitar or the ukulele and record hundreds of voice notes as songs take shape. I redraft lyrics repeatedly, whereas I was just scratching the surface in some ways earlier on … although with ‘Fallen’ with ONE DOVE, I wrote the chords and a ton of the topline was improved at the microphone in a kind of trance…
You worked with Paul Weller in 2009 for ‘Love’s Got Me Crazy’? Was it this connection that led to you working with Hannah Peel on the string arrangements for several songs on ‘Heart-Shaped Scars’?
It was … he raved about Hannah Peel and rightly so he recommended I reach out to her, she is AMAZING!
So how did the electronic instrumental ‘220Hz’ get into the basket as it were?
Oh god… well I composed it at 30,000ft in the air on a plane to LA… slightly giddy on low O2 probably… I programmed the whole crazy atonal dissonant rollercoaster in logic on that plane and then I had it trigger my Buchla Easel synth and did a workshop with the LCO after that and then recorded with them at Air Studios for a day … and ‘220hz’ is the result. Before pressing record, Fi Cruickshank pressed the ‘talk back’ button and said to them “Good luck!”; they did amazingly as Talia Morley managed to orchestrate it which was no mean feat as it was pretty untethered to any specific signature / grid of any kind really. I love the LCO’s experimental open mindedness .. thank heavens for them!
Your new musical partnership is with Anton Newcombe of BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE as ALL SEEING DOLLS and an album called ‘Parallel’. What is your combined creative approach?
Anton said to me “My secret plan is to set you free”, it is one of the most beautiful things anyone I have ever worked with has ever said to me… I hope to do that same for him on the other side of that mirror… he is brilliant and we just seemed to align on ideas and inventions.
What do think have you been able to achieve as ALL SEEING DOLLS that you may not have been able to do with your other work?
I guess creativity is a bit like a hall of mirrors … the further you step in, the more ‘rooms’ you see. We are hopefully creating our own slightly psychedelic room, I hope people find it interesting too.
From your vast back catalogue, are there any songs that those who may have liked ONE DOVE but since lost contact, should listen to by way of a catch up?
Thank you for asking – I would suggest ‘Love Died In Our Arms’ – Lee Scratch Perry remix (his final ever mix he did), ‘The Haunted’ – a duet with folk singer Amy Bowman, ‘Double Rainbow’ and ‘Unchanged’.
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to Dot Allison
Special thanks to Alix Wenmouth at Wasted Youth PR
ALL SEEING DOLLS ’Parallel’ will be released in February 2025 by ‘a’ Records
‘Heart-Shaped Scars’, ‘Consciousology’ and other Dot Allison releases are available digitally via https://dotallison.bandcamp.com/
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