Nanocluster Vol 2. Immersion
with Thor Harris | Cubzoa
Watch the video for ‘Other Ways’ on YouTube
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Press release
Theme: collaboration. Or how to remain creative in the modern world.
Nanocluster started as a bespoke one-off pop-up gig that turned into an album series. Built around Colin Newman (from acclaimed UK post-punk band Wire) and his partner in life and sound Malka Spigel (Minimal Compact), with various guests, they define collaboration.
Colin met Malka when he produced her band in 1985. The collaboration started there. They became a couple and created their own projects like instrumental electronic duo Immersion in 1994 and Githead in 2004 – spaces where they both “feel really comfortable”.
Growing out of Immersion, Nanocluster debuted in 2017 as a series of one-off gigs at the Rosehill, in Colin and Malka’s new hometown of Brighton. The two were joined by an added cast of influential and cutting-edge musicians. But these gigs were not ad-hoc jams. The songs had been written and rehearsed prior to each performance.
This adventure led to a debut album, Nanocluster Vol 1, released in 2021 with Stereolab singer/guitarist Laetitia Sadier, German post-rock duo Tarwater, electronic musician Ulrich Schnauss and experimental artist Robin Rimbaud (Scanner).
The new album Nanocluster Vol 2 has further developed this idea, with a stark beauty that sounds like future pop with sleek lines and unexpected great melodies. Like its predecessor, it’s released as a double 10in with each collaboration taking up its own disc.
Disc one is built around Thor Harris, the charismatic
percussion player from Swans and many other
projects, who Colin and Malka met and performed with at South By South West in Austin, Texas, in 2023.
Thor adds ideas, his tuned percussion instruments, clarinet and trumpet to the
sessions.
Disc two is built around Cubzoa (Jack Wolter from the band
Penelope Isles) who
brings his musical craft, beguiling voice, guitar and much
more.
Meanwhile Matt Schulz from Holy Fuck plays drums across both discs, further helping the resulting music become a distinct entity.
The result is a true collaboration that, enhanced via Immersion’s production, merges its elements to develop a new harmony.
Key to the process is Colin and Malka’s radio show for Slack City radio, Swimming In Sound, with its entertainingly diverse playlist that has widened their horizons. It’s also helped build relationships that will shape future Nanocluster events. An extended US tour with ambient country masters SUSS is planned for 2025. And the next event in Brighton, UK will involve Falmouth’s ‘jangly pop punk’ Holiday Ghosts. Many more events are in the pipeline.
Malka Spigel said:
“Nanocluster is collaboration but in a very specific form. We don't have rules. It’s a series of creative snapshots. We start as the gig with our collaborators, with tracks that we rehearse because this is not a jam, and where it stops is an album.”
Colin Newman said:
“It’s chemistry and music. Malka and I operate as a team and now we’ve taken it to another level. Malka comes from a band that would stand in a room together and work out the material. In Wire, I would present the songs. So when Malka and I first started working together, we had to find a third way, and that was the concept behind our collaboration.”
Nanocluster Volume 2 is a 21st century collusion of shared ideas, creating a momentary extended musical family.
It’s about musical and personal relationships – and the meeting place in the middle.
A temporary band of house guests.
The place where Immersion happens.
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Album launch
There will be an album launch at Alphabet, Brighton on 21 June. The event will be carried live on Slack City radio.
Nanocluster Spotify playlist
If you want to know more about the artists Immersion have collaborated with – and will collaborate with – check out our Spotify playlist.
Githead news
L-R: Max Franken, Tim Lewis, Sean Douglas, Robin Rimbaud, Colin Newman, Malka Spigel
In a twist of fate that will doubtless confound fans, Githead – a band that had not played together for over 10 years – took a trip to the legendary Rockfield Studio in Monmothshire for some exploratory recording. We arrived with nothing written, save for a few texts, and left with a hamper full of early stage, promisingly diverse material. We will work through what we have and likely re-convene for more recording at the appropriate stage in the cycle.
The band were assisted in their work by recording engineer Sean Douglas, with Tim Lewis (the legend that is Thighpaul Sandra) contributing years of Rockfield experience to make the sessions go even more smoothly.
Swimming In Sound
Colin and Malka’s weekly show, Swimming In Sound, on Brighton-based Slack City Radio, started as a lockdown project. Incredibly, it has now reached 200 editions – and you can stream them all here, with no misses and no repeats! By 1 July, it will be an incredible four years since the first broadcast. We’d like to thank Totally Radio for hosting all our shows on their catch-up system (the show is in effect both radio broadcast and podcast) and all our listeners, whether they like and share the show on socials or not!