"Feeling My Heart Run Slow" kicks off Spooky Action from Paul Draper
“You fucked my head up and it turned to dust
Can't even reason right or think straight...”
New excitements in sound include dynamic fused thrills of implosion versus explosion. 'Feeling My Heart Run Slow', the debut single by musical pioneer, Paul Draper, is a fine example.
'Feeling My Heart Run Slow' is an inventive genre clash tapestry of ear worms, breaks, beats, melody fuelled hooks from a variety of instruments and distinctive vocals with dark tints. In short, an exciting, leftfield, rock adventure in just a few minutes.
This grand tune is taken from Paul's debut release, 'EP One'. It's an introduction that hits the ground running and sounds so alive that it is not so much a genre to label, as a glorious moment to experience. That moment stands out as a creative and significant find, in a year of monumental musical losses. Treasure for music's new crusaders and fans of 21st Century ideas, and his previous band, Mansun, alike.
Hearts that are passionate about good music, genuinely need escapism from the current sci fi, dystopian reality of our relegated, Second World, lives. Flaccid, cock-suck zombie-coma drivel just will not do.
Thankfuckfully, Paul Draper graces 2016 with fresh quality. Remaining “outside the box”, he is a musician with a talent for hooky, classic tunes, a gift of a voice and the art to pull off experimental diversions and complex simplicity without losing sight of a song.
It's a kind of magic that the aforementioned Mansun pulled off to such an extent that it formed a special bond with all that fell under the spell of hearing it. Especially, possibly, the degrees of crazy separation album, Six.
During a band story that you couldn't make up, what began as a special affinity with most of their fans became a cult obsession for a few. Over the years though, what these seeds have sewn has blossomed, steadily growing into appreciation by a wider audience, for one of music's cultural treasures.
In 2014 there was a sell-out convention where a demo of 'Feeling My Heart Run Slow' was played to fans that had travelled from all over the country/globe for the occasion.
After Mansun split over a dozen years ago, Paul got back to reality over the intervening years, and kept in touch via what's happening in new music, enjoying the activity of the underground, coming out to small venues and recommending some of his personal favourites in reeturn.
A few years ago, I checked one of them, an exciting young artist, Catherine AD, in a tiny packed bar. It was an astounding show that won a new fan (me), and she was obviously already adored by the crowd. Paul has continued working with The Anchoress, who is now even more of a rising star courtesy, largely, of the stunning album ‘Confessions of a Romance Novelist’ which he co-wrote and co-produced with her.
In turn, along with Andy Macfarlane of The Twilight Sad and Grammy winning musician, Steven Wilson, Catherine Ann Davies is one of the musical collaborators on EP One.
Paul being in touch with what's going on in our real (and exciting) world of emerging, under radar sounds, is reflected in an EP that is stylishly brand new while instantly classic.
With that standard needing no hype, there is a firm following of fans, industry and new media alike, who organically willed this release into existence. Reactions pre release are far from disappointed.
EP One is available, via Kscope from June 10th 2016 and was recorded at Paul's studio, The Kitchen; Feeling My Heart Run Slow', 'No Ideas', 'The Silence is Deafening', 'F.M.H.R.S (The Twilight Sad mix)'.
Collectively, these songs are the first official solo release by Paul Draper, and the first new recordings since 2004’s posthumous Mansun collection, 'Kleptomania'.
Debut solo album – 'Spooky Action' - is in the pipeline for the near future. A love of vinyl (which will be available) and an attention to visual detail through the release artwork of manipulated images add up to a passion for crafting a record release with vintage ethics (including hours sat signing limited edition prints) and futuristic possibilities.
When a boundary pushing musician cares as deeply about what he delivers, as those who invest their time, energy and love into following his music, it really is worth investigating what the hell is magnetising this next movement.
The word “anticipated” has been overused to the point of becoming meaningless over the years. With there having been a petition by music fans for the key component of Mansun to release music, it is, in this case, an understatement.
Click to Hear Feeling My Heart Run Slow / buy on iTunes
This spooky action goes a long long way...
Words; Caffy St Luce