The Spaceape - Xorcism EP
A few weeks back, we shared the nervy, tribal visuals accompanying The Spaceape’s On The Run, a tale of how life can blind us into believing all is well, before it is far too late. Hyperdub have now shared the ‘Xorcism’ EP, which is built around samples of Haitian Voodoo Music, meaning it cannot be sold for commercial purposes.
The EP is a deeply personal work from The Spaceape, whose real name is Stephen Samuel Gordon. Gordon has shared that the EP’s title – ‘Xorcism’ – was informed by his ongoing three year battle with a rare form of cancer, called Neurolymphomatosis.
With seven tracks that stretch to just twelve minutes, ‘Xorcism’ is intense and unforgiving in its directness; the conciseness of the work defied by how long its spirit lingers in the mind. The bare-boned, but meticulously crafted, instrumental accompaniments force The Spaceape’s poetry – so rich in imagery, intrigue and insight – into the fore in a manner never quite experienced before. To say that Gordon’s personal context fills the work with thick poignancy is plain to see. But the masterful manner in which he deals with questions of expulsion on lines like “Wiping away the memory/ Of an internal enemy”, and with issues of medical morality and bodily spirit on He Gave His Body To Science – signal Gordon using experience to inspire great art. A brave and moving work.
Download this vital release here.
