Five Right Now: Phillip Jon Taylor

After making a run from the city – leaving the hubbub of Glasgow for the Highlands he called home during his childhood – Phillip Jon Taylor has spent the last few years beavering away in his art space meets recording studio. His latest release, Supportive Partner Please Stand Here, is a collection of fuzzy  indie folk gems – pulling together heartland Americana with his own sprinkle of alt-Scot magic.

These are Phillip’s Five Right Now picks:

Tendertwin – Plastik

This new track from Bilge Nur Yilmaz (aka Tendertwin) is super haunting, powerful and wonderfully written/produced. Big waves – 20ft things – of melodic melancholy and harmony swell to breaking points with captivating string arrangement in tow. Take a moment to check out Tendertwin’s work and immerse yourself in Bilge’s songwriting. 2020 single, Triangles, is a personal favourite of mine. There’s a recurring candor throughout the songs that reeled me in hook, line and sinker. Reminiscently so, maybe in the same way Laura Marling’s debut did on her 2008 debut, Alas, I Cannot Swim.

Lloyd’s House –  We Could Be Friends

So this one isn’t new I guess, but it still feels new to me. I bought this cassette when it was released on Bandcamp, and it hasn’t left my tape deck. Have really missed living in Glasgow and being able to see live shows when I find a new artist that I really dig. Hope to catch a show soon, but, in the meantime, this tape, the album and Crowded Flat session will have to tide me over.

Keith and Bestamo – Self Titled

Keith Carne is a kaleidoscopic drummer. Really just plays what he feels and can’t/won’t be pigeonholed! Total percussion, if you will. I’ve had the pleasure and privilege to watch this dude night after night in his role as the solid, impassioned drummer in the rock band, We Are Scientists. Based in Brooklyn, NY, he is also a contributor to Modern Drummer magazine. KC is a wonderfully expressive and intuitive jazz player. His style of playing has definitely inspired me to learn drums myself to some degree. This collaboration with Queens’ based Bestamo (aka Justin Gaynor) is a fantastic foray into some modern, underground New York improvisation/sound-scoring/immersive rhythm play. One can’t help but feel the same feelings conjured when listening to instrumental records made by say, Tortoise, Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo and Floating Points/Pharoah Sanders etc. Turn this record ON and turn your brain OFF for a hot minute.

Al Costelloe – California

It’s been a minute waiting for this one and it was well worth said wait. Lovely, hazy springtime return of London based songwriter, Al Costelloe. Can’t wait to hear more of what she’s been working on since the last Big Deal record and get to a live show soon! So great to hear her voice again. Wild to think it’s been 10 YEARS since our band was lucky enough to collaborate with her on a certain tune in 2012. Check out the new summer hit, California, on Nordic Records.

Happy Particles – Stranger In The Sky

This is another that I feel I’ve waited for fanatically! New sentimental scoring of Scottish composer and multi instrumentalist, Happy Particles. Under Sleeping Waves (2011) is an overlooked masterclass in delicate songwriting and when you love a record so much, you feel lucky to get another one that speaks to you just as intimately, despite the distance between releases. Check out the new album, Every Room In My House Is In Darkness

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