The album is essentially about the brutality late capitalism unleashes on our souls, how we look for escape and distraction to get us through, and how music and rave can provide the greatest release. It came together when I was working on all the different tracks, and I kind of realied they fitted together cohesively, with a cohesive meaning.

In the middle are two tracks about Ukraine and Russia. For work I support Ukrainian refugees in finding employment here in Bristol. The track 'New light, scattered on the ground' represents my feelings about the people I have come to know and care about, the pain I have seen in them as they lead lives upended and shattered by Russia's invasion of their homeland. And it is about the refugee experience in general. The name of the track comes from a line in the song from the end credits to the film Spirited away, that has always stuck with me "When a mirror has been broken, shattered pieces on the ground, glimpses of new life are reflected all around".

'Waiting for swan lake' follows from it. The relevant backstory is that during a number of crises in the Soviet era, such as the death of Brezhnev and an attempted coup in 1991, Russian state television interrupted regular programming to broadcast Swan Lake. As the ballet become associated with political upheaval, Russian dissidents are using it as a protest symbol - to say they are waiting for Swan Lake to be broadcast again, when Putin dies.

I actually finished the album about a year and a half ago. Its been sitting as a private playlist on my Soundcloud as I debated whether to try and get it released properly, the samples (in 'Obsession', 'Swan lake' and 'the Rapture') cleared, and the edges of the album smoothed. In the end a lot of the original project files became corrupted and I ceased to be able to work on tracks in the album any more. But I think the slighly rough around the edges feel to the album actually works in it's favour to an extent.

Hope you like it.

Artwork: Alizee Marchand via Pexels

Fragments of our abandon

Tin Hinson's moderately interesting facts

Shadowboxing in the Broken Mirror

During a number of crises in the Soviet era, such as the death of Brezhnev and an attempted coup in 1991, Russian state television interrupted regular programming to broadcast Swan Lake.

As the ballet become associated with political upheaval, Russian dissidents are using it as a protest symbol - to say they are waiting for Swan Lake to be broadcast again, when Putin dies.

The last remaining independent TV station, TV Rain was forced to close last year because of it's coverage of the war. It signed off with a clip from the ballet. Pussy Riot released a track called Swan Lake last month.

I have to admit I did not know all of this when I started this remix of a section of it. But when I discovered the cultural connotations of the piece I decided to make a video for the track with relevant photos and footage.

View the video for Techno Swan Lake here:

youtu.be/BoJKrtzikVQ

Available for free download on my Bandcamp, together with Acid drum track, at https://joeleebristol.bandcamp.com/album/waiting-for-swan-lake

Waiting for Swan Lake

The Preset That Justified the Impulse Purchase

From forthcoming album 'Fragments of our abandon'

Cant Get Enough

New Light, Scattered on the Ground

David Graeber's classic book 'bullshit jobs' , summarised by Chat GPT and performed by text to speach software. From the forthcoming album 'Fragments of our abandon'

Bullshit Jobs

Embrace of the Machine

The Rapture

The March

Obsession

Bristol based producer/DJ.

DJ: house, garage, breaks, electro
Producer: hip hop plus the above

Fragments of our abandon

Joe Lee