End Scene by Jokers of the Scene
Composed in the confines of a Toronto studio, the expansive sound of End Scene is based on decades of VHS-addled film music, new wave jams, weirdo library records, acid house bangers, selected ambient works, and warehouse jackers. Crafted for modern listening from the analog echoes of cybernetic dreams, End Scene reflects a cohesive vision for the Jokers of the Scene's intensely eclectic sensibility. This is headphone music made to move bodies, at once familiar and confounding fresh.
From the ominous intro, “Umbilical Chords,” through the slow house of “Channels For Success” and the gritty sheen of "Industrial Blonde," this collection builds on the Jokers’ strengths and successes. But the duo, comprised of Linus Booth and Chris Macintyre, defy expectation at every turn; moving from the cavernous percussion of “Home Video Is Wherever I’m With You” to the widescreen ecstasy of “Stoned In Death Valley” and the breakneck pace of “Hunk Of Punk.” The ambient vibes of the Jokers’ 2012 " Lovely Sort of Death" (originally released in two parts by Scion on limited 7” vinyl) close out the album as a digital-only bonus.
Looking to do more than simply get End Scene into stores, Booth and Macintyre recruited Adam Marshall's acclaimed New Kanada imprint and NYC's underground powerhouse Throne Of Blood to create a collaborative label, Throne Of Kanada, to help realize their full vision for End Scene. In addition to the LP, JOTS are releasing a special cassette-only set of “bonus tracks” with LA’s Mount Analog and are working with New York based musician and artist Sean Dack to create the album artwork as well as a series of short films to accompany each track. Keeping with the duo’s notion of “casting” a dream team to realize End Scene, the final mix was completed by Brandon E. Hocura and Mark J. Murray at Polyphasic Studios in Toronto and mastering was done by the likeminded musical iconoclast James Savage, from Glasgow's inimitable Naum Gabo. Everything is immaculately crafted, right down to the titles - plays on words that show that even when they’re doling out dark slabs of drone and heady techno, these are Jokers at heart.
Tracklist
| 1. | Umbilical Chords | 4:01 |
| 2. | Pop Shop | 4:40 |
| 3. | Channels For Success | 5:36 |
| 4. | Risk Business | 3:32 |
| 5. | Home Video Is Wherever I'm With You | 2:56 |
| 6. | Stoned In Death Valley | 3:10 |
| 7. | This Is Newsbeat | 4:30 |
| 8. | Hunk Of Punk | 2:36 |
| 9. | An Invisible Anthem | 3:31 |
| 10. | Industrial Blonde | 6:50 |
| 11. | Pretension And Release | 3:55 |
| 12. | A Lovely Sort Of Death (Digital Bonus) | 9:04 |
Credits
PRESS
"Perfect! Equal parts Tangerine Dream soundtrack and late night warehouse drug chug. Stunner."
KCRW (Mario Cotto)
"A love letter to the larger history of atmospheric electronic music. NNNN" NOW MAGAZINE
"Stunning."
JUNO
"The best thing Jokers of the Scene has ever done."
XLR8R
"As lush as grass after a spring rain, and as nostalgia-tinged as a beaten-up cassette tape."
SPIN
"It's like comfort food at a gourmet restaurant: you know all the ingredients, but you've never had them put together quite like this."
RESIDENT ADVISOR
"An electronic opus."
AUX
"End Scene reflects a cohesive vision for the Jokers of the Scene's intensely eclectic sensibility. This is headphone music made to move bodies, at once familiar and confounding fresh."
RAN$SOM NOTE
"A thoughtful, near-perfect debut."
FFWD WEEKLY
"At times it feels like a rediscovered soundtrack to some obscure old sci-fi movie, while other moments reveal forgotten connections between industrial music and techno."
THUMP
DJ SUPPORT
Red Axes, Ame, Daniel Avery, Days Of Being Wild, Trevor Jackson, Phil Kieran, Dan Howell, Jennifer Cardini, Benoit C, Pathaan, Dimitri Veimar, Headman, Horse Meat Disco, Dan Selzer, Kasper Bjorke, Tornado Wallace, Karim Benzirar, Shadow Dancer, Horse Meat Disco, Mixhell, Terrence Pearce, Bordello, DJ Food, Josh Eustis, Mike Mind, Bottin, Sean Johnston, Eskimo Twins, Secret Circuit, Boy 8-Bit, Tensnake, Dave P & JDH, Dubfire, Michna, Cosmo Vitelli, Mario Cotto, Mickey Moonlight, Roberto Rodriguez, Pink Skull, Nadastrom, Richard Norris, Lovefingers, Mathieu Schreyer, Abstraxion, Benjamin Roeder, Antoni Maiovvi, Agoria, Louisahhh, Jake Fairley, Pixelife, Dirt Crew, Carreno is LB, Jordan Dare, Amine Edge, Femke Dekker, Heidi Lawden, Remain, Club Bizarre, Luca C & Brigante, Neil Scott, Roland Kutner, Marco Carola, Monty Luke, Tim Sweeney, Cosmic Kids, Basic Soul Unit, The Aston Shuffle, Goldsmith, Ian Orth, Paris Paris, Adam Helliwell, Ulysses, Suzanne Kraft, Posthuman, Jad Lee, Philip Sherburne, Kiko Navarro, Trickski, Tensnake, Cameo Culture, Neoteric, Maxim Ryzhkov, Hugo Capablanca
"Best release of 2014. Fearless and bold." - Francois Gamaury, Days Of Being Wild
"…like R&S records circa 1992 making library music." - Bill Brewster, DJhistory
"Amazing." - Pathaan, BBC/iDJ
"The sort of release that proves there is still life in the LP format." - Shadow Dancer
"Masterpiece." - Bordello, Turbo Recordings
"…great soundtrack electronica and intelligent production." - Strictly Kev, DJ Food
"It's rare that you find this particular type of nostalgia articulated so well and with such a wonderful sense of storytelling, sincerity, and imagination." - Mike Mind, Turbo Recordings
"Outstanding." - Ian Orth, Learning Secrets
"Yesss." - Matt Werth, RVNG Intl
"What a smooth album." - Roberto Rodriguez, Serenades
"Absolutely top notch." - Eskimo Twins
"These guys are becoming my favorite dudes working today." - Dan Selzer, Acute Records/New York Endless
"Brilliant work - the Jokers hit the button perfectly." - Nick Warren
"Speechless. Masterpiece." - Remain, Meant Records
"Absolutely perfect." - Luca C & Brigante
"Very cohesive concept here. Dramatic departure from JOTS' previous work, a welcome one." - Goldsmith, Rebel Disco
"5/5" - Trickski
"Really great stuff." - Phil Kieran
