Sunday Supplement: Cotswold Stone by Pulselovers #Electronic #Electronica #Pastoral #Downtempo #Ambient @CastlesInSpace
Last week we had Pulselovers (Mat Handley) doing a remix. This week, we have his new album Cotswold Stone. Prepare for pastoral electronica.
For any non-UK readers, the Cotswolds are an area in south central and south west England comprising the Cotswold Hills, a range of rolling hills. The area is defined by the bedrock of Jurassic limestone that creates a type of grassland habitat rare in the UK and that is quarried for the golden-coloured Cotswold stone. The predominantly rural landscape contains stone-built villages and towns. It’s all very pretty and touristy. But it’s that harking back to the rural and pastoral past that comes through on the album, along with the golden-hued sounds.
The album is an analogue, almost steam-driven, electronic adventure. It blends early Radiophonic Workshop sounds with early 80s leftfield synths and even a bt of 90s pastoral electronica heroes Ultramarine. It’s a charming record which wants to be loved. Everything is low key but chirpy. A look back to a childhood and some sort of lost innocence and idyll. This finds its best expresssion on opening track Cleeve Hill.
It comes in a Heath and Marsh vinyl artwork by Nick Taylor. All records include a badge pack, a full colour insert and a genuine 1970 Royal Mail Cotswold Limestone stamp from the British Rural Architecture series.
