Hiking Historian
@hikinghistorian
Hiker. Historian. Writer. Photographer. General dogsbody.
Another nice day of walking now that it's getting cooler! A little @slowwaysuk.bsky.social starter with AspBla (Aspull > Blackrod). The main course: stage 15/20 of #GMRingway (Blackrod > Wigan). 12 miles in all!
Bit of refreshment before a week of travelling...from Cheshire to Norwich to Carlisle to Manchester to home
Darker than more recent works, this harkens back to earlier esoteric albums (Geogaddi), and the addition of live instruments and obscure samples enriches the sound. The longform tracks are great, sometimes beautiful; shorter tracks, moods or sketches. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Through research, I discovered that this evil villain from a long, long time ago is really an Establishment stooge to teach our kids to cross the road using a Bristolian accent. Woke Guardianista nonsense!
One of my locations today was used for filming scenes in Andor. So had the added bonus of cosplayers along my walk!
After nearly 19 miles of @slowwaysuk.bsky.social , a Blackpool treat before heading for home.
After an England victory, time to tuck into a great defeat... But it's still more respectful and classier than a UFC event or a cheap fête that no one has visited...
But I've expanded on that now. I've been working on a card system for each location I've visited with all its available routes. Now I just need to fill the gaps...
Been sorting out my @slowwaysuk.bsky.social As well as the online work (which needs updating as I'm a few reviews behind), I've also got a little book where I keep track of what walks I've done, submitted, reviewed and what's been verified.
The darkness had fully engulfed them. Treats for the ear are few and far between as we enter a realm of despair. That said, the last three tracks are beautiful in their bleakness. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Day 3/3: last Cumbrian @slowwaysuk.bsky.social (for now!), and another chunk of the Slow Ways Coast To Coast. WasCha (Wasdale Head > Chapel Stile) is a slog, but a glorious one. Uphill for a few hours, then downhill, then a level ending. Great, but tough!
Dayvan Cowboy already made an appearance on the last album, but here it features twice: the fantastic original, and a remix, which is more like three completely separate new pieces. The rest of the EP is pretty good too, but not up to album standards. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Day 2/3 of Cumbrian @slowwaysuk.bsky.social: UlvLak (Ulverston > Lakeside). A good hilly walk, but way too many roads. The tracks and trails are great, though, if you don't lose the path!
Finished my @slowwaysuk.bsky.social early, so treated myself to a trip on the Lakeside steam railway!
Day 1/3 of @slowwaysuk.bsky.social: the rural fields of DalUlv (Dalston-in-Furness > Ulverston). Decent enough, but lots of stiles, electric fences, unpaved roads and way too many cattle!
Their most conventional album. Almost traditional song structures; lots of treated guitars, now a BoC standard; and none of the samples or esoteric references of their earlier work. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Abstract beats; processed live instruments mixed with the layered synths; all kinds of distorted vocals and samples. Darker than the childlike nostalgia of previous work, this is a good transitional album as they tread towards new ground. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The darkness begins to seep through. On first look, it's yet another beautiful, almost religious, idyll for the ears. Until you notice the track titles and samples are to do with the Branch Davidians of Waco. Their obsession with the occult and cult begins here. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Electronic bands playing live is always a mixed bag, but these versions differ from the album versions. And those beats on XYZ? Chef's kiss. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
If anyone says electronic music lacks charm, beauty and emotion, just give them a BoC album. A childlike innocence mixed with hiphop beats and melodies and sounds familiar to other artists on the Warp label, it's a confident and stunning debut. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The BoC 'sound' is now fully established: skittering beats with beautiful layed melodies. Turquoise Hexagon Sun is a thing to behold. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The retrospective listen begins now, in preparation for Friday's new release. And the retrofuturism was there at the very start. Nostalgic in some ways, but pushing the envelope in terms of beats and effects. A promising start. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Another good day on #GMRingway! Stage 14 done and dusted, and the last of the big hills. Today's challenge was walking from Bromley Cross, Bolton, through Smithills, then up Burnt Edge and Winter Hill. Downhill through Horwich and ending in Blackrod. Lovely day!
Whereas the new album is split almost in two, the punk/alt/rap/r'n'b/soul lives side-by-side here. Some great songs amongst the various genres; an accomplished and confident debut. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It's taken a while to arrive, but it's finally here. The Tamil-South African/Australian has treated us to a great mix of punk, alt rock and beatsy rap. Grinding riffs one half, bassy beats the next, it's a good mix of styles and flavours. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Abstract rock one minute, jangly Beatles-esque pop-rock the next, it's an entertaining album from a band I've heard of but never heard. It's a solid album, but probably not one I'll return to. Good, though! ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #former1001album
Is it dream pop? Neo-shoegaze? Electronic indie? Whatever it is, what a debut. Echoing guitar hooks, burbling synths, male and female vocals, from the intro to the end, it's a treat for the ears. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #former1001album