THE CARETAKER - 'Everywhere at the end of time - Stage Four'

Sorry to keep posting - Am I correct in thinking that James does NOT himself actually have a diagnosis of early-onset-dementia?

 

It's more based on his study of the disease and collaboration with charities? 

 

Or is this coming from personal experience - maybe a relative or a friend? 

  On 4/7/2018 at 6:27 PM, Polytrix said:

Sorry to keep posting - Am I correct in thinking that James does NOT himself actually have a diagnosis of early-onset-dementia?

 

It's more based on his study of the disease and collaboration with charities? 

 

Or is this coming from personal experience - maybe a relative or a friend? 

 

 

he doesn't have it. https://pitchfork.com/news/68472-james-leyland-kirby-gives-the-caretaker-alias-dementia-releases-first-of-final-6-albums/

Thank you!

 

I'm loving this so far. As part of my training I've met and spent time with dementia, it's so frightening and strange for them. So far, stage 1 kind of sounds upbeat and woozy to me, can imagine my grandparents dancing to it after a few too many drinks talking about memories past. It keeps me gripped though cause there's a constant dissonance to it all at the same time which I suppose is the point. Is it mostly sampled material or him playing put through lofi processing?

Thanks a lot for the article links I'm really interested in his experience with dementia patients as in did he train in medicine or something? I've used music with Stroke patients to elicit memories/promote communication and I'm sure the same thing works with dementia.

Yeah, there's a documentary about that called alive inside.

 

This album is too heavy for my brain right now.

Thanks Gocab I should watch that yeah.

 

Loving Stage2, super gorgeous in places - kind of GAS like but more interesting.

Be warned, it's pretty schmaltzy.

Unlike the previous parts in the series, this offers no comfort at all. It's just a terrifying glimpse as we tip over the edge into oblivion.

  On 4/7/2018 at 9:25 PM, Polytrix said:

Thanks a lot for the article links I'm really interested in his experience with dementia patients as in did he train in medicine or something? I've used music with Stroke patients to elicit memories/promote communication and I'm sure the same thing works with dementia.

I linked the project to one of the geriatrics consultants from my medical training. He thought it was class.

Phew this one is a bit of a difficult listen though. All by design I'm sure, but the missus has just informed me that if I try and play it again with her around she'll throw the stereo out the window.

Great release, love where the project is going.

 

 

Indeed uneasy listening as you said, although I think "Temporary Bliss State" is actually very relaxing

Edited April 8, 2018 by Test Fforet

the bit on the 2nd track from 14:24 to 16:30 has scarred me for life man.. caught me entirely by surprise.. and felt so desperate and dissonant upon first hearing...

 

edit:

  On 4/8/2018 at 3:12 PM, Test Fforet said:

Great release, love where the project is going.

 

Indeed uneasy listening as you said, although I think "Temporary Bliss State" is actually very relaxing

the most memorable part for me for now (apart from the bit I mentioned above), and also most calming were the last 7 minutes of the last track.. it's a beautiful ambient piece on its own right Edited April 9, 2018 by MIXL2

It's good to see a positive response to this stage as compared to previous work it is more difficult.
Always the intention was to work these last three stages, the first three exist to allow that so now there is a last progression before the final curtain is drawn.

It does offer rewards this Stage through repeated listens as does the forthcoming Stage 5 (To be released in either September or October.)
That was mastered last week in Berlin when Stage 4 was released so production for the series remains on time.
In terms of work around 400 hours of material was made for both stages combined so I kind of became immersed in the World.

 

The composition and compiling of these stages is interesting as maybe if moods were different they would be different too such
is the scope of possibilities with this work.

Work now begins my side on the final stage through the next five months. It's a different challenge, perhaps the hardest of the series,

or perhaps not. I have no idea only ideas. Time will tell and work will be ongoing to try and find the best angles.
I have turned down a lot of shows to work on this properly in making large blocks of time in which to dive deep. 

Always giving dementia as a subject its full respect and also being fully aware it is a sensitive subject on which to be basing work around. 

We have to take some risks in working in uncomfortable areas to find new possibilities though which is the intention and motivation.

 

Thanks for all the support and words the series isn't being promoted traditionally or really pushed so relies more on word of mouth to reach out there.

thanks a lot for your work james, is truly appreciated

Indeed. Very much enjoying this series.

I toyed with the idea of making my grampa, who was way way far gone into alzheimers/dementia, listen to some of his favorite tunes, but I never came around to it. I guess I was afraid of how me or my dad would deal with it in case my grampa showed a strong reaction to it, in the sense that he'd been far gone into dreamland for years, barely reacting to the outside world in any meaningful way and even barely opening his eyes... I was actually afraid of seeing him smile or something again, dont think I could've dealt with that strange as it might sound. But now that he's dead I wish I had done it

 

to not go completely off topic I'll say I loved stages one and two but I'm waiting til all the stages are released to listen to the rest of it all in one go (not in one sitting though, maybe a stage a day)

Edited April 9, 2018 by span

  On 4/9/2018 at 12:30 AM, span said:

to not go completely off topic I'll say I loved stages one and two but I'm waiting til all the stages are released to listen to the rest of it all in one go (not in one sitting though, maybe a stage a day)

I think you could safely venture into stage 3 before that.. the first 3 are rather similar and "are merely set up for the final three stages" as James put it

400 hours. wow. love this series. thanks james!

Just received my vinyl copy of Stage 4 - after the comments here, I'm really intrigued.  I've held off listening to even the samples so it's going to be a fresh spin.   Between this , revisiting the new Caretaker CD represses, plus Take Care CD and the autechre stuff, my listening schedule is rammed but wanna make sure I give it the time to digest it deserves.  Keep it up the stellar work, James! 

  On 4/9/2018 at 5:31 PM, 11ls said:

Just received my vinyl copy of Stage 4 - after the comments here, I'm really intrigued.  I've held off listening to even the samples so it's going to be a fresh spin.   Between this , revisiting the new Caretaker CD represses, plus Take Care CD and the autechre stuff, my listening schedule is rammed but wanna make sure I give it the time to digest it deserves.  Keep it up the stellar work, James! 

 

You're in for a treat. A very long, disturbing but at times quite beautiful treat. :)

Thanks a lot James. Brilliant concept and really well executed in my mind. Keep up the efforts.

 

If it helps raise dementia awareness and educate people at the same time as entertaining them, then that's quite an achievement in my mind.

the last 2 trax r amaze; dystopian & unravelled yes, but uplifting aslo, imo

 

The last track is my favourite on here. It's just got that feeling of serenity even though you are finally succumbing to natural forces beyond your control.

yea I agree, 2nd is still most memorable for me tho... excited to give this some repeated listens

I think the autechre livestreams unrefutably massacred the exposure of this release, it cannot be understated how sad that is! this is honestly one of the most wonderful albums I have heard in a very long time.. always new stuff to discover upon repeated listens

I'm linking to the vid again for people who haven't heard it:

 

 

edit: is amazing on its own merit, but in the context of the whole release is top10 material for me.. unbelievably heartbreaking

link to release thread

Edited May 8, 2018 by MIXL2