Description
Expected Release Date: 29-May-2026 – This Pre-order will be shipped on or just before this date. Release dates are subject to alteration.
Meaning soul friend in Gaelic, Anamchara is a new compilation of buried treasure from Nina Walshs colossal Woodleigh Research Facility archive.
W.R.F. was formed in 2015 by Nina and late studio partner Andrew Weatherall to help wrangle the vast output recorded together beyond his solo releases.
Spotlighting nine tracks from the Apparently Solo series of EPs recorded between 2016- 2019 and released on Bandcamp in 2023, this lustrous time capsule marks the culmination of Walsh and Weatheralls creative relationship born after they clicked at Londons earliest acid house clubs, becoming partners then managers of their Sabres Of Paradise/Sabrettes labels before taking different paths by the late ’90s.
An accomplished musician, Nina had learned the art of studio technology by the time they reunited and started working together in 2012. Created at her Facility 4 Studio situated in the dangerous, gang-ridden no mans land between Streatham and Mitcham, Anamchara captures the super-prolific creative stretch starting in 2015 that produced Weatheralls Convenanza and Qualia solo sets, W.R.F.s The Phoenix Suburb (And Other Stories) plus a whole lot more. According to Nina, Andrew envisioned the spectacular Borderland as natural successor to Smokebelch, his most revered track. When it came to his remix, Nina enlisted renowned viola virtuoso Sarah Sarhandi and composed new harmonies with Pachelbels Canon in D Minor in mind.
The set also catches the breakthrough period when, through Ninas careful coaxing, Andrew started using the computer system shed set up to better express his musical visions by arranging the elements, grooves and melodies she sent him. Still considered the UKs greatest DJ-producer, Andrews arrangements were inspired by his club-igniting sets. This allowed me to mix the colours for his palette whilst he was painting the picture, says Nina. Anamchara straddles the gamut of musical styles explored by W.R.F. at this time, from slower paced psychedelic drug chug outings We Two. Heat To Meat Ratio, Hidden Watchers Part 1 to banging acid house and techno sometimes inspired by the violence outside the studio door, including SCHLAP, Crack-Ed and churning acid juggernaut Yacidik (After much dangling of the acid carrot, Andrew took a bite and, after one familiar raised eyebrow, never looked back, says Nina).
Many tracks fly elements from the enormous sonic library Nina inherited from late partner Erick Legrand that she called The Akashic Library of Sound. Marking Andrews 2016 admission into the vault, Rattly Old Puffin boasts Ericks psychedelic guitar and tumbling drum loop Weatherall would run with, including on Borderland. Erick was like our third member, says Nina.
Bringing down the curtain, Almas exquisitely poignant melody that unfolds over thirteen time-stopping minutes was composed by Nina while navigating Ericks birth and departure date anniversaries to accompany Andrews reading from Gordon Burns 1991 same-named novel at 2018s Durham Literary Festival. Burns novel imagines early 60s popstrel Alma Cogan, who succumbed to cancer in 1966 surviving to reflect on fame. Now it just makes me think of Erick. And every time I hear those well-placed cymbal crashes I can only think of the Captain himself.
A beautiful grand finale for this astonishing selection of pure gold from the vaults.
Kris Needs / 2026
A1) We Two A2) Crack-Ed A3) SHLAP
B1) Hidden Watchers Pt1 B2) Yacidik
C1) Borderland (Andrew Weatherall Mix) C2) Heat To Meat Ratio
D1) Rattly Old Puffin D2) Alma
CD: 1) We Two 2) Crack-Ed 3) SHLAP 4) Hidden Watchers Pt.1 5) Yacidik 6) Borderland (Andrew Weatherall Mix) 7) Heat To Meat Ratio 8) Rattly Old Puffin 9) Alma
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