Tussle
Cream
Cuts (Smalltown Supersound)
Revived after a shake-up in ranks following
the release of Telescope Mind, Tussle releases their follow-up,
Cream Cuts. Cream Cuts finds Tussle expanding upon it’s
own unique mix of drums, bass and electronics, at times echoing
the elasticity and straight forward approach of their debut,
Kling Klang, but with more color and complexity, while also
integrating the psychedelic pulsating punch heard on Telescope
Mind. Moving above and beyond their first two releases, Tussle
map out worlds upon worlds on Cream Cuts, riding songs from
creation to destruction to rebirth.
Tussle, comprised of founding fathers Jonathan Holland (drums
& electronics) and Nathan Burazer (electronics), and flanked
by Warren Huegel (drums) and new addition Tomonori Yasuda
(bass & electronics), began work on Cream Cuts in November
2006 with producer extraordinaire Thom Monahan, who is known
for working with Vetiver, Joanna Newsom, Silver Jews, Devendra
Banhart and Brightblack Morning Light. Most of Cream Cuts
was recorded at Monahan’s studio in Los Angeles, CA
with assistance from Tussle’s original bassist, Andy
Cabic (aka Vetiver), who introduced the band to the producer.
Thom Monahan’s unconventional production techniques
and ability to capture the sound and feel of intimate performances
integrate with Tussle’s krauty exploration of rhythm
leading to the bands most epic and experimental release to
date.
Tussle spent much of 2007 “on-the-hustle.” In
between recording sessions, Tussle joined forces with YACHT
and London’s combustible Hot Chip on a U.S. tour. Tussle
and Hot Chip hit it off and the tour lead to impromptu collaborations
on stage and later on Cream Cuts’ “Titan,”
on which Hot Chip’s front man, Alexis Taylor contributed.
“Titan” experiments with field recordings, ‘extreme’
percussion, found objects and psychic bindings resulting in
an “orgy of rhythm.” Additionally, Tussle worked
with Glasgow artist David Shrigley on “A Clash of Heads.”
The resulting collaboration was included on Worried Noodles,
an oddball music compilation released by Tomlab. Furthermore,
Warren Huegel joined 76 other drummers to perform historic
77 BOADRUM on 7/7/07 under direction from Japanese music legends,
Boredoms. Warren also backed up Can vocalist Damo Suzuki on
drums on Damo’s U.S. fall 2007 tour. Other highlights
for Tussle include being recognized by the SF Weekly with
the “Excellence in Electronic Music” Award, playing
amongst North American mammals at the Natural History Museum
of Los Angeles, teaming up with electronic music pioneers,
Cluster, in San Francisco and performing with kraut legends
Faust at Wire Magazine’s Adventures in Modern Music
Festival in Chicago later this year.
Cream Cuts will be preceded by a 12” single featuring
remixes from Prins Thomas and Rory Phillips.
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