East London’s Yore – AKA Callum Brown – releases his debut self-titled collection today – an expansive record of  inventive collaborations with some of the most exciting UK talent including White Flowers and Nuha Ruby Ra.

The album variously recalls psychedelic dream pop, UNKLE-esque songscapes and even turn-of-the-century britrock, but with all the inventiveness and crossover feel that the subsequent years of boundary-pushing have brought. At times, Brown mines the shoegaze stratosphere for perfectly transcending and dense guitar walls; at others he brings in some jazz-infused hip-hop for more subtle and scattered sounds. The album truly is a triumph of vision and execution.

Brown spoke to Secret Meeting about some of the art that informs his own…

Three albums I love

Bowery Electric – Beat

My college tutor introduced me to a lot of great music so a quick shoutout to Michael McCabe (Coldharbourstores). I mean he got me onto My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless, Slowdive’s Souvlaki, Bark Psychosis’ Hex and The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, so he had a pristine track record but there was something that really resonated with me when I heard Beat. It’s the perfect meeting of Shoegaze, Trip-Hop & Ambient music, a record that you can get hypnotised by & lost in – simple but contemplative. It was like a lightbulb moment for me; being able to combine Trip-Hop/Hip-Hop beats with Shoegaze/90s guitars – that was a sound I thought I could elaborate on & explore myself.

King Krule – The OOZ

I listened to this album a heck of a lot in 2017 whilst I was going through some difficult times. It’s a commitment to get through the whole thing but if you choose to do so you find yourself totally immersed in The OOZ and it just swallows you up. It’s a pretty dark record but I find it oddly cathartic & therapeutic for being that way. I love the Jazz & Dub influence that seeps out throughout this record, I like how contemporary artists can take elements of different genres to craft a sound that is uniquely their own – it’s a melting pot of influences but one that defines the album.

Radiohead – In Rainbows

In Rainbows is still my favourite Radiohead record, it sounds fresh & timeless each time I revisit it. It’s one of those records that deserves to be listened to from start to finish, the track listing & flow between songs lends itself to that. It’s expansive yet intimate and has this sombre tone running throughout. I love how atmospheric & dreamy it is, I don’t know what else to add – it’s just one of those perfect records!

One film I love

Charlie Kaufman – Synecdoche, New York

It’s heavy viewing but an incredible film, a dark comedy that faces mortality & the human condition head on in a mind boggling post-modern drama.

One book I love

Nicholas Carr – The Shallows

It’s the perfect shake up for anyone spending too much time looking at screens and living in a digital world!

One song that’s important

Mac Miller – Good News

I think it’s the last song I heard that really moved me, I’ve had my own struggles with addiction & mental health so I found the lyrics quite touching. As a posthumous release the words just cut to the bone but I like to think there is something optimistic & comforting in the lyrics too towards the end of the song.