Jake Blanchard

The latest edition of the Ceremonial Counties tape series from Folklore Tapes features Bristol and Hertfordshire. Musician and visual artist Jake Blanchard tackles Bristol, the first part likened to Faust and Steve Reich in a competitive morris dance. Side two features Geology Disco and is devoted to Hertfordshire. While little is known of Geology Disco, the future of New Weird Britain is in safe hands.

Jake Blanchard has made a union with the divine on Fermentation. It’s an album with the whomp of Elkhorn and the godliness of Tuluum Shimmering. Think of sound waves being dosed out to herbal plants. Close your eyes and drown in its wyrd bliss.

Tor Invocation Band’s ‘Medicine’ travels through a borderless realm of traditional folk, ambient, heavy psych, noise and free jazz. But it hangs together admirably under Jake Blanchard’s guiding hand, proof that the most uncompromising music can also be an absolute pleasure to listen to.