# 08 - Lee J Malcolm "Folded Spaces"

The first artist album to be released on EPM’s new in-house label introduces Lee J Malcolm with his debut electronic album ‘Folded Spaces’ which follows recent single ‘OneStar/Applicant’ backed by a remix from James Ruskin.

Leeds based Lee J Malcolm was quite the child musician, playing the drums at age five, piano at seven, guitar at ten and recording his own music by fourteen.  Almost all self-taught, he soon discovered the joys of electronic equipment and has been obsessed ever since.

Having mastered various other instruments and been in bands ranging from jazz to rock, punk to metal, and latin to folk he not only writes and performs with experimental rock band, Vessels (on Cuckundoo Records) but has also been experimenting with electronic music for many years.  He says, “It wasn't until I started going out to electronic music nights that I realised how powerful it was.  How it brings all walks of life together in a celebration of life itself.  From that moment all I wanted to do was learn the magic of this music and make it myself.  To this day I still strive towards that goal.”

‘Folded Spaces’ shows a vivid range and deep understanding of tribal rhythms, complex structures and analogue melodies. From the brooding and ultimately rousing opening of ‘Massive Slab’ to the more intense techno elements of ‘OneStar’ and softer staccato and dubby vibe of ‘Applicant’ Malcolm shows the guile and finesse of an artist who fully understands how melody and harmony fits together with brutal and pulsating dancefloor energy.

‘Oh Yeah’ is, as it name suggests, a fuel-injected cover of the classic art-synth-pop band ‘Yello’s single that was immortalised on celluloid by John Hughes 80s cult film ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ whilst ‘Maximum Plank’ shows a more intricate use of tribal pads and sounds before the stunning ‘Rhodes Home’ fuses breaks, electronica and shimmering chords into a euphoric and uplifting album centre-piece.

‘Stand By Your Eyes’ is stripped down back to its roots techno and ‘Autobus die Tek’ continues the theme with a slightly more subtle and updated feel whilst ‘Octonicity’ brings the harmony feel good factor back as Malcolm strides between the dancefloor and headspace orchestrations of Ulrich Schnauss. Finally, ‘Start of Something’ is dark and foreboding – techno with rough-hewn tribal edges and the closing ‘The Kracken Awakes’ is at times energetic and soothing in its contradiction of passages before reaching dancefloor implosion.

A second single ‘Oh Yeah’ from Lee J Malcolm is due in May backed by a Ben Sims remix.  There will also be an album launch party at Nitsa (Barcelona) on Thursday 16 June during the Sonar festival period.

 

Zap Bang Mag (click to go to full review) - "Lee J Malcolm’s debut straddles between pure dancefloor delight and thinking-man’s electronica, placing the artist as an exciting talent to watch. He’s set his pace, if he can produce sets this inventive and polished live, he’ll be essential listening in clubs this summer."

Beats and Beyond (click to go to full review) - "His debut LP Folded Spaces is a blend of tribal rhythms, complex structures and analogue melodies, all with a nice dancefloor drive behind it."

Rip It Up - "Folded Spaces, is the self-assured work of someone who believes that electronic music is a powerful way to bring people together."

 

** Lee J. Malcolm ‘Folded Spaces’ album launch party Nitsa, Barcelona 16 June: Featuring Robert Hood (‘Omega: Alive’ album launch), RadioNasty (Radioactive Man & Billy Nasty back2back), Lee J Malcolm (‘Folded Spaces’ album launch) & Oliver Way.