Tag Archives: Timothy Clerkin

Switched On – GLOK / Timothy Clerkin: Alliance (Bytes)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Andy Bell’s GLOK alias has given him a burst of creativity within electronic music – and after his successful Dissident album of 2019 and Pattern Recognition follow up of 2021, he turns to a collaborative approach.

Timothy Clerkin, who runs the Insult To Injury label, met Ride guitarist Bell through the Bytes label, when they suggested Tim be part of the Dissident Remixed album, which was put together in 2019. The two met at the funeral of Andrew Weatherall, and their collaboration was fuelled by Tim finding and playing an old Les Paul guitar. Ideas were traded online between Amsterdam (Tim) and London (Andy), with the instruments equally shared.

What’s the music like?

Empowering. That’s the first feeling that comes through on Empyrean, where subtle adjustments in tuning give the weighty guitar sound an appealing weirdness, and the loping beats add reassuring depth. The same pitch variations work really well on the gritty AmigA, with the bass sound burrowing through the floor, before wordless vocals that instantly transport the listener back to the heady mood of early ‘90s Manchester.

Bell and Clerkin also make groovy music, using slower rhythms that really set themselves firmly on the floor, with rich colours above. Scattered is one of the more obvious pieces of Weatherall homage here – in a good way, while The Witching Hour goes acidic with all sorts of electronic squiggles taking over. Closing out is the brilliant E-Theme, a kind of Hacienda-Detroit meeting place where airy synths complement blissful vocals.

Nothing Ever is the home banker, with vocals from Du Blonde – aka Beth Jeans Houghton, adding a rich tone to the electro-disco footwork underneath.

Does it all work?

It does – and repeat listens reveal several earworms. Once made known, they refuse to leave!

Is it recommended?

It is indeed. This is a fruitful partnership, blessed with freedom and enjoyment – and proves to be a slow burner that increases in temperature with each listen!

For fans of… Death In Vegas, Andrew Weatherall, 808 State, Stereo MCs, Primal Scream

Listen & Buy

You can explore buying options on the Bandcamp link below – and also read Arcana’s extensive interview with Andy from 2019, when he was not long starting out under the GLOK alias.

Published post no.2,361 – Wednesday 13 November 2024

Switched On – GLOK: Dissident Remixed (Bytes)

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Reviewed by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

This time last year Ride fans – and electronic music devotees – were both surprised and delighted at the appearance of GLOK, the self-titled instrumental album from the band’s guitarist Andy Bell. Bell had kept his electronic alias relatively under wraps until then, but he revealed himself as an accomplished producer harnessing the influence of Krautrock into some strong, beat-laden grooves.

With a talent for expanding his music to fill bigger structures, Bell also recognised the flexibility of his recordings for the remix treatment – which is what we have here. His enviable contact book has resulted in remixes from a number of sources including James Chapman (Maps), Richard Sen and the late Andrew Weatherall with one of his last studio contributions.

What’s the music like?

Remix albums can be substandard affairs and stopgaps when an artist’s inspiration is running dry, but there is no danger of any of that happening here.

Franz Kirmann impresses greatly with his two versions of Kolokol. The first has added squiggles and a dogged beat that presses all the right buttons, while the second has murkier textures and a stripped back, dubby beat. Timothy Clerkin delivers a remix of Projected Sounds with head nodding goodness, while Andrew Weatherall‘s mix of Cloud Cover is underpinned by characteristically dark bass line and fluttering atmospherics.

On the downtempo side of things there is a nice, woozy take on Weaver from C.A.R., and a lovely hazy dub version of Exit Through The Skylight from Jay Glass, with rich instrumental colours. Bell himself turns in a brilliant extended version of Pulsing. Stretched out to 15 minutes, the track turns subtly from a laid back, dub-inflected tread to a dreamy breakdown in the middle, before extra bleeps and bass are introduced.

One of the most striking inventions comes from Minotaur Shock, bringing analogue beats and warm synth colours to Weaver, twisting and turning the source material. It is immediately complemented by another excellent remix of Pulsing, this time from Maps – James Chapman reaching for the stars with a typically wide panorama.

Does it all work?

Yes. It works as a remix album should, building on the original and bringing out different elements of Bell’s music. The variety of talent on show is laid out in an appealing structure, using his acumen to craft another album that has an ideal ebb and flow.

Is it recommended?

Very much so. GLOK Remixed emerges as a companion to put alongside the original, showing off the flexibility of its source material and making some really excellent, alternative grooves from it. With Bell’s debut solo album as a vocalist coming up soon, there is much to enjoy from him this year!

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