If you haven’t heard of Liquid Library there’s no need to combust into a state of disarray, because the label only releases 5 physical copies of each track. And on tape.
Liquid Library have teamed up with coffee shop Darkroom Espresso for another gig of uncertainty and intrigue, also known as Covfefe, September 30 from 7pm (it’s tomorrow).
Damn Good Covfefe will include Harpoon (a sort of abstract analogue techno set), Torso? (doom dub, reggae vibes) and Lucia Sellars (poetry, with accompanying film and soundtrack).
Having met up with one of Liquid Library’s founders, Charlie Miles, I’ve completely fallen for their ethos and sensibility when it comes to producing and creating music.
Charlie explains: “I hate fucking marketing and networking - you’ve got to do things a certain way. It’s [Liquid Library] all very unprofessional.
“I find if you have a human approach people respond to it. Well, at least 15 to 25 people. There’s no money and no connections involved. A monkey could do it, you just have to do it.”
This approach sounds like such an obvious way to produce music, but there’s also something so fresh about it all.
It soon becomes easy to understand why Liquid Library is so unparalleled: Charlie is as enigmatic as the music he creates. He describes how it oscillates between experimental and not being able to play an instrument.
The label’s kind of like the film noir of the music scene. It’s more of a mode than a strict genre, which enables flexibility and quite frankly open doors to any direction they want to go. For me, their tracks cite resemblances to John Cage’s Early Electronic & Tape Music.
Just in case I’m losing you, if Liquid Library was an object it would be the elevator in Willy Wonka’s chcoclate factory.
Charlie has switched on to a new found desire to be more ‘out there’, for a niche but willing market for people who don’t want style over substance. You mention John Mayor to him and the answer is “that’s all the world needs, diet Clapton.”
By this time, I’m in hysterics.
He explains: “It’s gotten to the point where money and Facebook likes measure success.
“It seems that people get suspect of something that’s standing on it’s own. Take Burger King. People like Burger King because they know what they’re gonna get, but an independent burger place? Well, that’s just a bit ‘too’ risky.
“The lack of pretension in Swindon is its biggest curse and best feature.”
As a Swindonian myself, I completely empathise with his frustration. It’s people’s constant outcry for something new and different to happen, whilst proceeding to bugger off to Bath or Bristol, which has got quite tedious. Charlie and Darkroom owner, Will, defy this attitude and make what they want happen.
This partnership between Liquid Library and Darkroom, or Charlie and Will, is the awakening undercurrent and originality that Swindon has needed for a long time.
For further information about the event, and what else is going on at Darkroom Espresso, click here.
