Tag Archives: Castles in Space

Switched On – Field Lines Cartographer: Apeiron Anxiety (Castles In Space)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Mark Burford, aka Field Lines Cartographer, writes on the Bandcamp page for this release:

According to the 6th century Greek philosopher Anaximander, ‘apeiron’ is a state of primal chaos. It is the limitless, undefinable everything from which all is created & the essential form back to which all will ultimately return. Apeiron constantly & infinitely creates the building blocks of everything, including all states of opposition such as heat & cold, dry & wet, only to then destroy & remake it all anew in a boundless, eternal cycle.

It seems that humanity in the 21st century is living in a type of apeiron with our social, political, technological & economic structures. One crisis is seemingly resolved only to be replaced with another. Alleged enemies become friends, only to return as enemies again. Technology creates solutions, but the unintended consequences of its application create a new set of problems to be surmounted. We seem to be living in a permanent state of uncertainty & flux. This creates a type of undefinable, constant anxiety. Nothing is certain & the cycle of creation & destruction of threats, fears & challenges remorselessly continues. We live in a state of perpetual confusion, the ebb & flow of humanity’s own apeiron.

What’s the music like?

Rich in colour and content, while being deeply immersive.

Uncollapsing steals in but rich in ambient content. A Summoning starts with darker colours but opens out beautifully, giving the feeling of an event about to happen, with movement in the middle ground but long arcs above. The Wave That Breaks Us is a deep, meditative piece, with sonorous tones and a rich, pulsing bass drone that gradually takes over.

These tracks of subtle but intense activity are complemented by the likes of Dying Embers, an immensely reassuring album closer.

Does it all work?

Yes – and is best experienced as a single entity. These long form compositions are ideally paced and beautifully scored.

Is it recommended?

It is. This is ideal foreground music for either end of the day, where its treasures are most fully revealed.

Listen / Buy

Published post no.2,733 – Saturday 29 November 2025

New music – Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan – Public Works and Utilities (Castles in Space)

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adapted from the press release by Ben Hogwood

Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan – the one-man retro-futurist electronic project of Gordon Chapman-Fox – has announced his sixth album, Public Works and Utilities. It will be released via the Castles In Space label on October 10, alongside a new compilation, titled Appendix I, which rounds up the tracks from three Warrington-Runcorn EPs on one handy CD.

Public Works and Utilities is the sixth Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan album in less than five years and continues to explore new towns and the demise of the post-war consensus. This time, Gordon’s gaze falls on our public services that have been starved of cash or privatised since 1980.

“It seems ridiculous in hindsight for a developed country to have packed up and sold off vital infrastructure such as power, water or the rail network,” he says. “Forty years down the line, and all of these vital industries are barely functional. Their prime function now is to drain cash from our pockets and into the bulging wallets of shareholders.”

This anger continues to power Gordon’s desire to make Warrington-Runcorn a statement for the here and now, with the themes more relevant than ever, rather than an exercise in rose-tinted nostalgia. As the epic, 18-minute album closer will attest, ‘The People Matter’.

“This album very much came from my live shows,” says Gordon. “A lot of these tracks were designed to be performed live, and you will have heard quite a few of them if you’ve seen me live in the last year.”

As a result, there is a certain rawness, not to mention an almost upbeat danceable quality. The atmosphere of the previous albums has become fused with an urge to get you to move your feet.

The full tracklisting of Public Works and Utilities is:

1. Swift Safe And Comfortable

2. Sunset Over Stanlow

3. 800 Yards Down At Ince Six Feet

4. Water Treatment Works

5. Renewal And Regeneration

6. The People Matter

Released on the same day as the new album, the compilation Appendix I brings together three Warrington-Runcorn EPs onto CD for the first time, bringing together some of the more esoteric elements of the world of musical new town planning.

Building A New Town from 2023 moved the reference point of Warrington-Runcorn back from the synth-drenched late-’70s to the more post-psychedelic, folk infused world of Mike Oldfield and Pentangle. The four tracks are guitar-led, but retain Gordon’s mix of optimism and sinister atmosphere.

The next EP, A Shared Sense Of Purpose was the lead single from last year’s Your Community Hub album, and released in both 7” and 12” versions. This CD takes the single edit from the 7”, and adds the bonus tracks from the 12” – including a remix from the legendary Vince Clarke, and a another guitar-led folk remix of the title track.

Lastly, Overspill Estates adds four songs taken from the sessions for Your Community Hub that didn’t make it onto the final album.

Listen to Appendix I

The full tracklisting of Appendix I is:

1. A Fresh Dawn For North Cheshire

2. The View From Halton Castle

3. Solid Foundations

4. The Cornerstone

5. A Shared Sense Of Purpose (Single Edit)

6. A Shared Sense Of Purpose (Vince Clarke remix)

7. Oakwood

8. A Shared Sense Of Purpose (1973 version)

9. The People Of The Town

10. All Mod Cons

11. Open Green Spaces

12. All You Need In Five Minutes Brisk Walk

Published post no.2,655 – Friday 12 September 2025

Switched On – Hawksmoor – An Aesthetic – Experiments In Tape (Lunar Module)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

To quote the Bandcamp guide for this release, “James McKeown is a Bristol-based musician known for his innovative approach to music production and sound design. With a passion for combining modular synths with layers of live bass, guitars and experimental techniques, McKeown has carved out a niche in the electronic music scene, captivating audiences with his unique sonic explorations.”

An Aesthetic is a series of ten pieces taking the concept of hauntology further than before, and “into a liminal space of sonic saturation”. This is done through layering the wow, flutter and warble of tape artefacts, creating a unique sonic landscape.

This, then, is music for blank tape – but in a thoroughly intriguing compositional process, released on Lunar Module, the new Castles in Space CD imprint.

What’s the music like?

As the above implies, otherworldly and haunting. This is music to accompany a film where all is not quite as it seems, and where images suddenly rear up in front of the camera. That at least is what is threatened by Aesthetic II, whose bright tones are compromised by a claustrophobic atmosphere.

Aesthetic III is both oppressive and weirdly comforting, a wall of sound that feels like a massive duvet round the ears by the end, while Aesthetic VII is more ominous still. Aesthetic V crackles but settles into one of the most ambient tracks of the ten. Aesthetic VIII is the longest of all, the D-120 of the selection (for TDK fans!), and a wobbly but winsome track, with a rather beautiful chord progression that recurs at regular intervals. Aesthetic IX has the broadest melody, almost a spiritual in its plaintive quality, while the concluding Aesthetic X is a satisfying exploration of the bass range.

Does it all work?

It does – the ten pieces form a kind of suite that can be easily experienced in one sitting, and the lack of digital correction is appealing.

Is it recommended?

It is. An Aesthetic is a fascinating set of collages and inventive sound pieces that fit well together, creating an atmospheric whole. Not for all moods, that is for sure, but a consistently rewarding listen.

For fans of… Flying Saucer Attack, Pram, Bvdub, My Bloody Valentine

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Published post no.2,583 – Wednesday 2 July 2025

Switched On – Gordon Chapman-Fox: Very Quiet Music To Be Played Very Loudly (Lunar Module)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

This album marks a new chapter for the much-loved Castles in Space label, marking the launch of their Lunar Module CD imprint. Label devotees will note that Gordon Chapman-Fox is the man behind Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan, and here we get to see his immersive, ambient side. The intention is for the listener to turn up the volume and dive headlong into the wide-open sound world.

What’s the music like?

There is an appealing subtlety to Chapman-Fox’s ambient work, though as he says it is most definitely not background music. It is instead music where you can enjoy the evolution process, either through close study or by stepping back to take in the whole. Working with orchestral sound libraries, Chapman-Fox creates an analogue sound, keen to keep the human elements of a wordless choir or of a bow scraping across a stringed instrument.

Components begins what is effectively a four-movement suite like the onward approach of a cloud, with broad textures and widely spaced drones, but also a front that has more defined musical features. Fringe acquires a brooding edge, with delicacy at its core but a structure that moves slowly but surely. Emphasis brings forward this vulnerability, the wordless choir a soothing constant as a soft, keyboard instrument traces lines against the sky. Finally Singular, which is less defined initially, but whose scratchy sound gains a treble element that glints against the dense backdrop rather beautifully.

Does it all work?

It does – and by moving slowly yet incrementally, Chapman-Fox achieves his objective to make people listen, either by stealth or by direct attention.

Is it recommended?

It is. Play this music very loudly and it will be an all-encompassing experience, while at the very least it will bring intense moments of calm to your world.

For fans of… Tim Hecker, Fennesz, Max Richter, A Winged Victory For The Sullen

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Published post no.2,552 – Monday 2 June 2025

Switched On – Lawrence Hart: Come In Out Of The Rain (Double Six)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Lawrence Hart enjoyed a roundabout route to his debut album. From the age of five he was learning the piano; fast forward to 15 and he was studying jazz trumpet at SUNY Purchase in New York.

More recently he has explored electronic music writing, supported by close friend and Domino labelmate George FitzGerald. Hart already has an impressive history of releases on labels including Hotflush, Attack Decay Sweet Release and LG105, but now he releases a debut album he describes as an ‘emotional garage record, euphoric and therapeutic’.

What’s the music like?

Hart writes from the heart, you could say – and the result is a record that acts like an exploding sweet. By that I mean that everything on the surface is as it should be – strong production, tight structures, good tunes – but that once you start getting into each track there are clear emotional threads, sudden and euphoric highs, thrilling beats and an approach to music that speaks of pure enjoyment.

Out Of The Rain is excellent, with a real spring in its step and big room hooks, while Just Belong has an equally strong rush. Fucking Mega piles up beats to thrilling effect, while NoMoreLuv4u is a pulsating gem of a groove.

The vocals are often helium-inflected but to really good effect, layered up in the likes of Love U Bring to complement the clipped beats and spacious, big room textures.

Does it all work?

It does. There is no messing about, no padding, just straight ahead musical thrills and a love of dancing. Hart takes in older garage influences but makes it all sound freshly painted.

Is it recommended?

Very much so – thrills and spills to be had on a record full of feeling and positive energy.

For fans of… Jamie xx, James Blake, Wookie, Todd Edwards

Listen / Buy

Published post no.2,521 – Saturday 3 May 2025