Single of the Week - "Termite City" by Harry Stafford and Marco Butcher

Ahead of the anticipated album, ‘Bone Architecture’ by Harry Stafford (Inca Babies) and Marco Butcher, (Blues extraordinaire/producer) (released on September 3rd 2021), sees the release of their latest single, “Termite City”. As a second single, “Termite City” is a superb predecessor from “There’s Someone Tryin To Get In” and does what it says on the tin and more. It’s a track that slithers and crawls down the back alleys of neo-acid jazz, hip-hop, rock-rap, shoegazing, neo-psychedelic, electronica, experimental and goth rock, creating an urban junk-yard of subliminal sonification.

A mesmerising track, “Termite City” is a turbid trance, a riotous roam that hijacks your mind and leaves you in a confused state. Through the crooning, sprechgesang delivery of Stafford, “Termite City” takes centre-stage, projecting a phantom-esque presence, wallowing in all its goth-glory. A charismatic and theatrical artist, Stafford is a natural performer, whose rich, smooth tones, mutate and manifest through an array of guises. Like a nocturnal thespian, Stafford commentates half villain/half gent. He’s an intriguing act, whose brooding intensity is amplified by the intervals of ghostly chants.

Along with the spiked soundscape, “Termite City” prowls through an underground of wonky hammond-esque synths, that trail with trepidation aside the tormenting tramples. Through the unhinged horns/sax, “Termite City” intoxicates the senses, whilst quietly self-destructing in a hedonistic heap.

It’s thanks to Stafford’s musical partnership with Butcher that “Termite City” transforms itself into a cinematic, free-styling rush of expertise. A gifted musician in his own right, Butcher is a visceral and intuitive performer who has an intangible talent of allowing his vision and instinct to guide his creative input. A multi-instrumentalist, Butcher abstractly makes music which paints a picture and provides the atmospheric backdrop for those compelling sounds. Like an urban-cowboy, Butcher majestically creates extended metaphors that feeds into the consciousness and motif of his music, which is testament to his talent and spontaneous bursts of creativity.

Like a short, surreal film, shot in one take, “Termite City” is a track that thrills, chills and hangs you by the tenterhooks. It’s a track that stretches the boundaries of post-punk, whilst interspersing the power of music and film. It’s an art-house of magic, that sneaks into your subconscious, and peers into the darkest depths of your soul.

Credits
Harry Stafford – vocals, piano, guitar
Marco Butcher – drums, percussion, bass, sax, guitars, vibraphone
Kevin Davy – horns
Written by Harry Stafford and Marco Butcher
Produced and Mastered by Marco Butcher at Boombox Studios

“Termite City” is available via:

Order “Termite City” ffm.to/harryandmarcotc

Bandcamp https://harrystafford.bandcamp.com/album/bone-architecture

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/1X4S9JBsWoJLmK7kXjSnbE