The Asphodells
Ruled by Passion, Destroyed by Lust
[Rotters Golf Club]
Four years after the rockabilly stylings of Pox on the Pioneers, Andrew Weatherall has returned to the studio with ex-Battant guitarist and producer Timothy J. Fairplay, to create the altogether more dancefloor-oriented Ruled by Passion, Destroyed by Lust. Of course that sentence is something of a misnomer, as Weatherall never really left his East London studio, working away on various remixes, EPs and compilations, like last year’s aptly-titled Masterpiece mix for Ministry of Sound. But since his last album, and the double header of Wrong Meetings that preceded it, the master technician seems to have renewed his passion for DJing through his A Love From Outer Space nights with Sean Johnston.
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of attending one of these parties then you’ll already be accustomed to the sound of this record. If not, then it’s probably best described as somewhere in-between the spacey alternative rock that musically put Manchester on the map and the rhythmically repetitive acid house that followed it. Of course Weatherall’s loyal followers will lap this up, as it doesn’t stray too far from previous production work as the Two Lone Swordsmen or for Primal Scream, but Fairplay’s influence and talents should not be underestimated. Responsible for a string of well-received limited edition EPs over the last couple of years, his penchant for a Krautrock, obscure horror soundtracks and sparse Chicago house complement his mentor’s tastes perfectly.
The album begins with the cosmic Middle Eastern vibes of Beglammered – think of what might have soundtracked Argo’s film within a film – then there’s the Stone Roses-sounding Never There, before the duo set off into the hypnotic proto-disco of Skwatch and Another Lonely City. Late Flowering Lust gives the first glimpse of Weatherall’s voice, which while double-tracked and wobbly, still sounds a lot more vibrant than the deadpan drone we’ve heard on previous outings.
Much like the variety of vintage musical influences evident during the course of the album, the vocal content is also drawn from interesting sources, with two tracks based on poems from eccentric English writer John Betjeman, and the elegant album-ender Love From Outer Space referencing the A.R. Kane track that inspired the club night. The last third of the LP takes things deeper onto the dancefloor, with the driving acid of We Are The Axis and tension-building drone of One Minute’s Silence pushing the tempo towards the magnificent crescendo of Quiet Dignity (Of Unwitnessed Lives), which revels in combining b-boy electro breaks with Kraftwerk synth stabs and a Hooky bass guitar riff.
The Asphodells project is arguably Weatherall’s strongest original production work in many years and also signals the arrival of Fairplay’s studio skill. It may not exactly be breaking new ground, but with protégés like Daniel Avery racing ahead with the retro-futuristic sound, this is the right time and the right record to show them how it’s done.
Ruled By Passion, Destroyed By Lust is released on the 4th February on Rotters Golf Club, available to buy direct from here.