Rotterdam Is My Tokyo

This one aligns nicely in a number of ways. One of label head Dom’s final full length releases after all these years, ties in with what might just be the final one from the mighty Eat Lights Become Lights also. This is one staggeringly glorious, epic opus with which to return to the fray for Eat Lights-. Right from the start of the album’s planning stages, main man Neil Branquinho anticipated this record was to be as key on the eye as the ear. We had long since planned an accompanying book of his own photographs to be paired with the music within its packaging. However, as the record came together it soon became apparent that its length (nigh on 70 minutes) was impossible to fit onto vinyl so -hellbent on not wanting to edit down- we opted for CD. So what you have here is all nine pieces in their full entirety, free of edits and all the more wonderful for it, accompanied by the promised, equally wonderful book of photographs taken by Neil as the album was being created. Quite where I begin to describe this one- Easily the best record of his career, full of his trademark motorik, krautrock leanings certainly, but that’s just a springboard to some gigantic tangent which he then veers off. Krautrock Rave Kosmische floor fillers Heavy Motorik Disco Teutonic Techno Whatever, put simply, this is just epic and makes for quite the aural journey. That you have photographs to gaze at as you listen makes this one quite the assault on all the senses! To these ears, this could easily be presented as a box set of 9 12″ singles- every track is not only a banger but more than worthy as A sides in their own rights. Following recent massively successful support slots for The Orb and Pye Corner Audio in his hometown Newcastle, if this does prove to be Neil’s final record, to go out on a bang doesn’t begin to cover it-. An edition of 250 A4 packages, be quick!