The Stranger - Watching Dead Empires In Decay

"Leyland James Kirby, one half of V/Vm and the mind behind The Caretaker and Leyland Kirby, has announced that he will be releasing a new album under his alias The Stranger this autumn. Titled Watching Dead Empires In Decay, it will be released through Manchester label Modern Love on 28th October. It follows on from a quiet 18 months, release wise, for Kirby. Having put out a prolific string of material in 2011 and early 2012, including an album and series of EPs as Leyland Kirby and two Caretaker albums, we've heard little from him in the time period since."

"Watching Dead Empires In Decay is his third album as The Stranger, and is the follow up to 2008's comparatively overlooked (compared to the work of his other pseudonyms) Bleaklow. That album was among the starkest and moodiest of Kirby's solo work, inspired by the rolling moorland landscapes of northern England, and a thoroughly recommended listen - click here to listen and purchase from the man himself."

"For Watching Dead Empires In Decay we're promised a similarly intense and immersive experience. "[it's] complex, singular, enigmatic, percussive, dark, and you just can’t work out how it was constructed," says the text accompanying the album's release. "Gone are the sampled 78s of The Caretaker, but it also doesnt exactly sound electronic - you just can’t quite fathom how any of it was put together: Field recordings? Found sounds? Sheets of metal scraped and hammered? Drum machines re-wired? It’s stark and unsettling, haunted, even troubling - but often just beautiful."

look http://thequietus.com/articles/13296-james-leyland-kirby-the-stranger-new-album

NICE. gorgeous cover too.

Amazing news!! Love pretty much all Mr Kirbys stuff but The Stanger is mayhap my fav alias of his so very happy about this!!

Ah, was wondering what the man was up to !

EDIT - Absolutely loving the track. Have really missed his grotty claustrophobic sound

yesss, samhain music!

  On 9/9/2013 at 8:48 PM, kirm said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjG2uP-qsfQ

oh' these sounds r so beautiful, and what a lovely video. all the shadows and flashing lights; so simple, so effective / ing

Fantastic news. Gorgeous cover. Great sounding track previewed in that video. But why is this coming out on Modern Love and not Kirby's HAFTW?

  On 9/9/2013 at 3:21 PM, Redruth said:

"[it's] complex, singular, enigmatic, percussive, dark, and you just can’t work out how it was constructed," says the text accompanying the album's release. "Gone are the sampled 78s of The Caretaker, but it also doesnt exactly sound electronic - you just can’t quite fathom how any of it was put together: Field recordings? Found sounds? Sheets of metal scraped and hammered? Drum machines re-wired? It’s stark and unsettling, haunted, even troubling - but often just beautiful."

quote:

"The Stranger’s Watching Dead Empires In Decay is the best thing James Leyland Kirby’s ever done."

I have my hands on this and it´s amazing ! Something between Andy Stott and The Haxan Cloak.

Sounds essential to me.

really stoked for this

  On 10/6/2013 at 4:37 PM, Redruth said:

quote:

 

"The Stranger’s Watching Dead Empires In Decay is the best thing James Leyland Kirby’s ever done."

awesome, but... quoth whom?

Needless to say, my pre-order was already placed.

  On 10/7/2013 at 1:51 AM, doorjamb said:

really stoked for this

 

  On 10/6/2013 at 4:37 PM, Redruth said:

quote:

 

"The Stranger’s Watching Dead Empires In Decay is the best thing James Leyland Kirby’s ever done."

awesome, but... quoth whom?

aether chatter

woooah, haven't ordered this yet. If it's the best thing he has ever done, it must be amazing. I thought Bleaklow was outstanding and love all his Caretaker and Leyland Kirby releases.

I'm just a bit miffed that I missed out on the whole VVM thing. I was more into Progressive House in those days.

  On 10/7/2013 at 1:15 PM, Ifeelspace said:

woooah, haven't ordered this yet. If it's the best thing he has ever done, it must be amazing. I thought Bleaklow was outstanding and love all his Caretaker and Leyland Kirby releases.

 

I'm just a bit miffed that I missed out on the whole VVM thing. I was more into Progressive House in those days.

Enjoyed Bleaklow, will have to order this too.

Speaking of progressive house (which I loved back then too) I went to Bedrock on Saturday and it was pretty damn awesome. Had forgotten just how good a DJ John Digweed is.

damn, that track is excellent!

it's a bit early on for such brash statements. i'm hesitant to believe, judging from the quality and volume of past work, but i'm harppy to be pleasantly surprised. that monster trac certainly sounds wonderful

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Are any sellers shipping from the US?

Experimedia and Forced Exposure carry Modern Love releases.

boomkat just shipped my pre-order so the download is now available.

only a couple tracks in so far, but

On my 2nd listen now, Sounds very nice but think it will take a few listens to sink in propelry. Providence of Fate is the stand out track for me so far. Heart achingly beautifull.

my thoughts exactly re. Providence or Fate. immediate stand-out, stunning.

In no way is this the best thing he has ever released. Not bad though