Founded by Vancouver artists Richard Duggan (aka KAFKA), Trevor Jacobson (half of the Automatic Message), Matthew Gunn (aka Thegn), and Matt Tecson, record label Body Politic launched with a bang care of The Left Circular Appendix. This four-track EP, the seventh by Jacobson and partner Tanya Goehring under the Automatic Message banner, was timed for release with the birth of the couple's first child. Its theme follows the four stages of early human life, hence the track names: "Prehension," "Conception," "Gestation" and "Parturition." But these sure aren't lullabies, not even in a Bruce Haack or Raymond Scott sense.
"Prehension" has an industrial jazz tilt, with processed metallic timbres and drums falling off beat, resetting midway through to a more ambient surge. "Conception" sounds like the early electronic music of Morton Subotnick or the KPM library, with ticking grains pulsing over a UFO hum. "Gestation" grinds out menacing post-techno with deep bass paired with white noise percussion, an organ tone delivering its melody, giving it a kind of deconstructed Portishead feel, then "Parturition" closes the EP on a heavy drone that gives way to an ethereal piano phasing that would do Steve Reich proud. Altogether, it's a bold statement that bodes well for the future of this exciting new label.
(Body Politic)"Prehension" has an industrial jazz tilt, with processed metallic timbres and drums falling off beat, resetting midway through to a more ambient surge. "Conception" sounds like the early electronic music of Morton Subotnick or the KPM library, with ticking grains pulsing over a UFO hum. "Gestation" grinds out menacing post-techno with deep bass paired with white noise percussion, an organ tone delivering its melody, giving it a kind of deconstructed Portishead feel, then "Parturition" closes the EP on a heavy drone that gives way to an ethereal piano phasing that would do Steve Reich proud. Altogether, it's a bold statement that bodes well for the future of this exciting new label.
