The Gasman

[alan nagsworth]

The Gasman

Been digging back into this guy a lot more recently. I had forgotten just how incredible and unique his music is, and what a hugely underrated talent he is. Sitting (un)comfortably between skittish IDM and neo-classical, his music carries enormous depth and space, creating atmospheres I've honestly never heard before, or at least with such consistent force from one artist. His work is often at once immediately soothing and unsettling, beautiful and bewildering, familiar yet completely untraceable. I guess the easiest point of comparison would be Aphex Twin, in that it carries the same air of playfulness that can sometimes sound like a dream or a memory you can't quite place, yet the beats are never anywhere near as prominent in the mix. This in itself is refreshing, and gives his sound room to really breathe. He's probably the only person to my ears who can still make an amen break sound interesting.

The first tune I ever heard of his was Gash 2, from the comedy show Ideal, which always had a cracking soundtrack. The sort of swarming, claustrophobic nature of it reminded me of Bine by Autechre. I looked into his discography and was intimidated by the vastness of it, and only ever entured into the album This One's For You, on which Gash 2 features. It's a really cracking album, and unlike most other records which toy with a mixture of beat-heavy and ambient tunes, I don't find myself immediately reaching for the more engaging stuff. I can sit through it and enjoy it from end to end, which is saying something for someone with my attention span.

Anyway, I'm still only scratching the surface of his discography this week, but the good news is he's recently uploaded absolutely evrything to Bandcamp, so dig in! The stuff I've seriously clicked with so far is Love Collection, Audiogold and Superlife.

Some choice cuts:

Fiv

Nexium 2

Helpline

Equino

Cubicle

Fackin' gorgeous.

[Neville Chamberlain]

Hey, nagsy, good call - I absolutely love his stuff. Even though I've got tons of his stuff, I've still only scratched the surface of this phenomenally prolific yet consistently brilliant artist. His music was also, fittingly, used as a warm-up before a Cardiacs gig at the Astoria a few years ago. He's a massive, massive Cardiacs fan and I had the pleasure of talking to him personally at the Tim Smith fundraiser gig in Salisbury last year.

He channels Cardiacs in a more electronic form - heavenly and triumphant, yet disturbing and ever so slightly unhinged.

[BlodwynPig]

I love The Gasman, but his best work was unfortunately the Jim'll Fix it cover he posted on Youtube after the former Radio 1 Disc Jockey's demise, which is now GONE.

Edit: here it is, https://thegasman.bandcamp.com/track/jimll-fix-it-theme-bonus-track

[BlodwynPig]

Have either of you heard the Berk album?

[Petey Pate]

I love The Gasman, but his best work was unfortunately the Jim'll Fix it cover he posted on Youtube after the former Radio 1 Disc Jockey's demise, which is now GONE.

Edit: here it is, https://thegasman.bandcamp.com/track/jimll-fix-it-theme-bonus-track

There's also this, which is rather disturbing now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH_dZqXB-jY

[anant]

Just bumping because I think this is phenomenal value - 200 tracks covering 20 years of The Gasman for £2. https://thegasman.bandcamp.com/album/archive

I only discovered him via the Cardiacs link & I can definitely hear the influence. The recent 'Aeriform' was my introduction, I particularly like the opening track - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkDUNyVFF94

[BlodwynPig]

Is the Jimll Fix It tribute there?

[anant]

Is the Jimll Fix It tribute there?

Just checked. Yes!

[BlodwynPig]

Just checked. Yes!

Bonanza, its really so much better with the video (a slightly hallucinatory, drugged image of Jim'll writhing about, silken white hair giving rise to technicolour mind warps). Taken down of course.

[BlodwynPig]

This is the track anyway

https://thegasman.bandcamp.com/track/jim-remix-2011

[BlodwynPig]

It seems to be a remix from a track on Club Foot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQLNJDm6tQM

[BlodwynPig]

This is fantastic (from the Berk incarnation)

https://thegasman.bandcamp.com/album/bright-line