The prolific On The Corner Records present Trans-Neptunia, the mind-bending debut LP from Planet Battagon, exploring new dimensions in left-field experimentation, cosmic sampling and ancient drum machines. Seen drumming with Basement Jaxx, a long-night with a Pearl Syncussion SY-1 drum synth led to Planet Battagon's rhythm master Nathan "Tugg" Curran setting off on an intergalactic exploration, searching in the rhythmic seas between Saturn's rings, creating a full album's worth of super-sonic jazz-rave, the likes of which have never been heard. Planet Battagon's Trans-Neptunia was recorded over a couple of days by Tugg, on live drums, synth bass, synth drums, and FX in almost full improvisation with associates Martin Slattery (bass clarinet, alto sax, soprano sax, FX), Oli Savill (percussion), Mickey Ball (trumpet), and Jack Baker (drums). Avoiding the many pitfalls and clichés of both jazz and electronic music, the group jammed around a number of themes, whilst synth lines were triggered by Tugg making the machines partners in the group jams that laid the foundations of this album. From the wonky, twisting sonics of "Wezlee's Disco Inferno" to the frantic, scattered patterns of "Escape From Sedna" the EP is full of psychedelic textures and deep space distress signals, coded in a language transformed via earthly amplifiers to resemble a sound landing somewhere between the musical outputs of Sun Ra, Aphex Twin, Herbie Hancock, and Carl Craig. With early support from Gilles Peterson and The Wire, Trans-Neptunia is poised to further establish not only Planet Battagon, but the autonomous right to improvise of all imperfect drum machines.
A1 | Ixion |
A2 | Race To Weywot |
A3 | Styx |
A4 | Haumea |
B1 | Wezlee's Disco Inferno |
B2 | Orcus Ice |
B3 | Eris In Formation |
B4 | Escape From Sedna |
B5 | Salute To Lord Battagon |