WALDO’S GIFT – Malcolm’s Law – LP – Vinyl [JAN 24]

LP – Black Vinyl.

An electrifyingnewforce in thenewwave of UK Experimental music, Bristol trio Waldos Gift announce their debut album Malcolm’s Law for release 24th January 2025 via their champions Ishmael Ensembles labelSevernSongs. Following a string of early releases lauded by tastemakers across BBC 6Music and BBC Radio 1, Malcolm’s Law captures the story of their unusual beginnings: the intense, bizarre weekly residency at Bristols Gallimaufry where they built a cult following.

The announcement comes with the release of brash, technicolour lead single Candifloss. We wanted to write something really sickly sweet claims drummer James Vine, who performs alongside bassist Harry Stoneham and guitarist Alun Elliot-Williams. The melody for Candifloss emerged from an improvised performance (as all of theirsongsdo) following the lockdowns, when it felt like something had changed within the band. That was the first thing we banked for a potential album. We thought, how can we make this thenewest, most exciting version of us possible?.

Malcolm’s Law is a sizzling, maximalist, impossibly complex guitar record. While Waldos Gift have been associated with the UK jazz explosion, mainly owing to their focus on improvisation, there are shades here of prog-metal, math-rock, and the more intense ends of Squarepusher or Aphex Twin. We Trojan-horse metal into jazz venues, Vine laughs. Unbelievably, every track is a single live performance, recorded with no overdubs or extras. Weve tried to multi-track stuff, but it doesnt sound like us, he says. To sound like us is to be a sweaty, chaotic mess, on the precipice of falling apart. Were all on the limit of what we can physically play, and thats where the fun comes from.

Tracklist:

SIDE A
A1 Candifloss
A2 Malcolms Law
A3 Classic Waldi Anthem
A4 Cosy Hour

SIDE B
B1 The Galli
B2 Cafe Jim
B3 Jellyfish
B4 This One is Improvised
B5 Last on the Plane