Everything Is Recorded release new single 'Close But Not Quite' featuring Sampha
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Back in May, record producer and XL Recordings head Richard Russell introduced his new collaborative artist project, Everything Is Recorded. With Russell at the helm, his west London studio ‘The Copper House’ had become (and continues to be) a creative second home for a revolving cast of vocalists and musicians who passed through to write, record and share ideas, mixing traditional recording sessions with extended, uninhibited live jams.
The Copper House is the setting for Everything Is Recorded’s debut video. Released today, the ‘Close But Not Quite’ video brings The Copper House to life, offering a first glimpse inside the building via a vivid mix of photography, film and graphic 3D reconstruction to tell the story of the studio, the people and the music that’s been created there.
Within this setting we find lead vocalist Sampha ‘duetting’ across the generations with archive footage of Curtis Mayfield (whose 1970 ‘The Makings Of You’ is sampled on the track), in addition to appearances from (in order) Tic, Richard Russell, Brian Eno, Obongjayar, Ibeyi, Fabi Palladino, Peter Gabriel and Infinite Coles, photographed by Ed Morris. Mirroring the creation of the song itself, the ‘Close But Not Quite’ video is a joint work by a host of collaborators, in this case XL’s very own Scott Wright with Mark Prendergast, Kévin Bray and Phillip Schuette, who are part of Amsterdam’s emerging artist collective ‘Black Mountain Workshop’.
‘Close But Not Quite’ is the title track from Everything Is Recorded’s debut EP. Released in May on XL Recordings, the EP is a captivating snapshot of the kind of collaboration and experimentation that has taken place at Russell’s studio: a soundsystem-influenced mix of brand new talent and established names including Sampha, Giggs, Obongjayar, Tic, Warren Ellis, Infinite, Mela Murder, Green Gartside and Baluji Shrivastav.
In addition to ‘Close But Not Quite’, ‘Early This Morning’ links Peckham and Harlem, with Giggs delivering trademark hard bars over a recontextualisation of Gil Scott-Heron’s 2010 ‘Me and the Devil’ (also originally produced by Russell). ‘Washed Up On The Shore’ introduces Nigerian-born, UK-based newcomer Obongjayar alongside drones from the legendary Nick Cave collaborator Warren Ellis, while ‘D’elusion’ invites Staten Island to west London with Infinite and Mela Murder on lead and Scritti Politti’s Green Gartside on backing vocals. All – including EP-closing instrumental ‘The Rhythm Of Life And Death’ – are brought together under Russell’s inclusive, idiosyncratic production vision.
‘Close But Not Quite’ is the first of several Everything Is Recorded releases planned for this year. The EP is available to stream / download now via while a vinyl EP is available to buy from quality record stores, featuring an exclusive, vinyl-only track ‘Tali’.
1. Close But Not Quite feat. Sampha
2. Early This Morning feat. Giggs
3. Washed Up The Shore feat. Obongjayar and Warren Ellis
4. D’elusion feat. Infinite, Mela Murder and Green Gartside
5. The Rhythm Of Life And Death