New songs by Four Tet and Mount Kimbie feature on Eat Your Own Ears Recordings’ first EP release as well as Robert Smith of The Cure‘s mix of Ride‘s ‘Vapour Trail’ – listen below.
‘Eat Your Own Ears Recordings EP 1′ is the first of four EPs that will eventually make up Eat Your Own Ears Recordings’ debut compilation album. It comes as the live promoter of the same name celebrates its 20th anniversary months on from the launch of its record label.
Also included on ‘EP 1’ is: an unheard live recording of Sylvan Esso‘s ‘Hey Mami’; an unheard demo of James Yorkston‘s ‘Tender To The Blues’, and a song by Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, ‘Mantra’, from their recent debut album ‘Topical Dancer‘.
A very limited run of cassette tapes – each with a unique, hand printed inlay hand numbered by label founders Tom Baker and Lucy Pitkethly – is also available exclusively via Rough Trade East in London and in other select independent record stores. You can purchase them here.
‘Eat Your Own Ears Recordings EP 1’ tracklist:
01. Four Tet – ‘Scythe Master’
02. Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul – ‘Mantra’
03. Sylvan Esso – ‘Hey Mami’ (live)
04. Mount Kimbie – ‘SE15’
05. Ride – ‘Vapour Trail’ (Vapour mix, mixed by Robert Smith)
06. James Yorkston And The Athletes – ‘Tender To The Blues’ (2001 demo)
Kieran Hebden (aka Four Tet) named his new track ‘Scythe Master’ after Eat Your Own Ears founder Baker’s scything skills (he is the one-time winner of a Hackney Marshes scything competition).
Hebden said of his relationship with Baker and Eat Your Own Ears: “Shout out the magical powers of EYOE and the Scythe Master. Long may their musical offerings continue to bring bliss to this world.”
Mount Kimbie, meanwhile, chose their unreleased track ‘SE15’ for the compilation due to it being recorded at a time when Eat Your Own Ears put on some of their early live shows.
“We are very touched that EYOE asked us to provide a track for this release. A big thank you for all the support they’ve shown us over the years. We found something from around the time we started working together (‘Cold Spring…‘ album) and thought it would be a good fit. Here’s to more shows,” they said in a statement.
Baker said of the compilation: “It was difficult and exciting choosing the tracks, as we’ve worked with so many artists over the years and built some very special and strong relationships with many. Thankfully we have 4 EPs to be able to share as much amazing music as we can from some of the brilliant artists Eat Your Own Ears has the honour of working with.”
Pitkethly described why she chose Sylvan Esso’s unheard live track: “‘Hey Mami’ was one of the first tracks I heard by Sylvan Esso and it instantly drew me in, I remember it being stuck in my head for days! I recognised Amelia’s voice from her previous project Mountain Man who I’d been a big fan of, so it was great to hear her again in a new context.
“It’s been exciting seeing them develop their sound and be part of them playing increasingly bigger shows that sell out every time. I’m very much looking forward to the new album and seeing them live again.”
Elsewhere, Baker chose a rare version of ‘Vapour Trail’ mixed by The Cure’s Robert Smith, which is taken from Ride’s recently reissued classic album, ‘Nowhere’.
“I’ve loved working, hanging out and talking music with Eat Your Own Ears over the years, lovely people and real music heads,” said Ride’s Andy Bell.
“This compilation will stand as a testament to how valued and respected they are among the artists they have been associated with, and I’m really happy we could be involved with it. Best of luck with the new label.”
Baker and Pitkethly also together selected an unheard version of Scottish singer-songwriter James Yorkston’s ‘Tender To The Blues’, a track that Baker first heard when Yorkston played one of the first Eat Your Own Ears nights in the mid ’00s.
“I’ve worked with Eat Your Own Ears since 2006, I consider them friends and I’m very pleased to be part of this compilation celebrating their achievements. The track I’ve included, ‘Tender To The Blues’, is from my debut album ‘Moving Up Country‘, which is 20 years old this autumn. 20 years add up to a lot of gigs…” Yorkston said.
The EYOE record label founders also wanted to include a track from a recently released album so they selected Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul’s ‘Mantra’.
“Eat Your Own Ears has been by our side in all of our London adventures so far – so we’re excited to be by their side in this brand new label adventure of theirs!” Adigéry said.
In other news, Fred Gibson, AKA electronic producer Fred Again.., has released a new track called ‘Jungle’ with a Four Tet production co-credit. Listen here.