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Spectacular Nowhere on CD

Manyfingers is the nom de plume of Chris Cole who has a history of playing in some of the finest bands Bristol has produced. Search the internet carefully and you’ll see him eating an ice cream with Movietone whilst he has also played in the live band of Matt Elliott’s Third Eye Foundation project. Since 2004 Cole has been making music on his own as Manyfingers first with Moteer before producing one of the great lost records of the early 2000’s with the superb ‘Our Worn Shadow’. This is his first album since 2005 and it has the sound of a record which has been poured over by its producer over many years. Opener ‘Ode To Louis Thomas Hardin‘ is an exquisite neo classical piece which most obviously recalls Arvo Part but as you delve further into the album the main difference between this and previous work is the use of vocals. Cole himself sings on occasion but one of the major voices used is the disgruntled growl of Dave Callahan of The Wolfhounds and Moonshake. He is first heard on ‘The Dump Pickers Of Rainham’ which immediately transports the album away from Yann Tiersen - ish beauty an into a more post apocalyptic atmospheres that recalls the dirgey grind of Swans and the seething anger of Disco Inferno. The album sways between these two styles; comforting beauty jarring with impassioned realism. The absolutely gorgeous ‘Erasrev‘ is an album highlight with chamber piano and cello’s slowly building into a circular melody and topped off with fascinating sing songy vocals which snare the ear. ‘No Real Men’ is as far as the album delves into Rachels ‘Music For Egon Shiele’ styled atmospherics whilst the remnants of the ‘Bristol Scene’ can be heard in the jazzy post rock drums and string samples of ‘Go F*** Your Mediocrity’ which is the moment it most closely resembles Third Eye Foundation. ‘The Spectacular Nowhere’ is possibly not the sort of record that plays along in the background whilst you have a warming bath - it contains much beauty but also has atonal, jarring moments and questions the listener throughout. Superb neo-classical influenced music with added grit. Highly recommended.