Sinful Ways by The Slow Blade
‘Sinful Ways’ is the combined assault of a blast of skateboard guitar, an airstrike of harmonica, and a bombardment of growls and howls, with The Slow Blade lamenting a life misspent but a reluctance to change because sometimes bad habits are just too much fun.
The single is the first in a series of songs written and recorded in Beijing over around 10 days at the start of 2022 with the self-imposed challenge of using the Diddly Board (a one stringed skateboard guitar) as the primary instrument with the addition of only some harmonica and random trinkets sampled for percussion (including a cardboard box, a shaker of cumin seeds, and a plastic skull). The results are crunchy, sparse, and proudly lo-fi. To maintain the immediacy and rawness of the music the whole thing was recorded is a handful of takes, mixed the following week, and then mastered by Jim Diamond in Detroit, MI.
In the spirit of keeping things raw and unique this release is a super limited run of 10 numbered lathe cut records, in the first move of The Slow Blade’s campaign to release a limited edition lathe cut (almost) every month for the rest of 2024.
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The Slow Blade is the alias of Dann Gaymer (Ravages, New Age of Decay, Peachy Carnehan, Round Eye, Guiguisuisui, Nekroma, Loooooongish Cat, Daftpop Sounds), a British born artist who spent 15 years lurking in East Asia and touring the world, having played in over 20 countries, and released dozens of albums and EPs. The Slow Blade sound is a culmination what a strange trip it’s been so far, somewhere between early Beck and Hasil Adkins: anti-folk and blues punk, mixing in live looping of trip-hop beats and mangled tape samples to create a backdrop for growls, howls, harmonica squeals, and a one stringed skateboard guitar (‘The Diddly Board’). It’s a wild ride with a Dartford ruffian, so get on board.
Live set at Daftpop Sounds: https://youtu.be/JjxhePnEBsE?si=MElaq99TzIntItgV
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/the_slow_blade/
Label: https://daftpopculture.com/label/artists/
Interview: https://www.thatsmags.com/beijing/post/35185/how-one-beijing-musician-pushes- boundaries-in-performance
Tracklist
| 1. | 'Sinful Ways' - The Slow Blade | 4:23 |
| 2. | 'Sinful Ways Remix' - Loooooongish Cat | 5:53 |
Credits
Vocals, Diddly Board, harmonica, percussion,
sampling, programing, and mixing by The Slow Blade. Remix by Loooooongish Cat.
‘Sinful Ways’ written by The Slow Blade.
‘Sinful Ways’ mastered by Jim Diamond in Detroit, MI.
All other tracks mastered at Daftpop Sounds
in Kent, England.
Artwork from The History of Witches and Wizards (1720).
License
All rights reserved.Tags
Daftpop is a London (formerly Beijing) based music and events label that focuses on bringing sounds and experiences off the beaten track to new audiences through digital releases, CDs, vinyl, cassette tapes, and events. The Unicat Attack! live electronic music/DJ parties are the brand’s flagship event, while previous productions include China’s edition of International Cassette Store Day.