In Strict Tempo: Ceremony #2: BALF

The second edition in the infrequent In Strict Tempo mix series Ceremony comes from BALF - a noise artist working on the North Yorkshire coast, where there’s something of an industrial music revolution happening centred around Middlesbrough’s Industrial Coast label. BALF’s debut tape Seawall Defence Ultra is available on Industrial Coast now.

In their own words:

A MIX OF UPFRONT BALF MATERIAL AND THOSE THAT INSPIRED ALONG THE WAY AT INDUSTRIAL COAST NIGHTS.

INDUSTRIAL COAST OPENED UP MY EARS TO SONIC REALITIES THAT I DIDN’T KNOW I NEEDED. LAST YEARS SAVE THE SOCIAL IN LAZENBY IN COLLABORATION WITH PERFECT CHICKEN (WHO ARE ROLE MODELS FOR LIFE ITSELF WAY BEYOND MUSIC) OPENED A DOOR I HAD ONLY HELD AJAR BEFORE. RICHIE CULVER WAS RAVING ABOUT HOW YOU HAD TO SEE PALE WORLD. THEY WAS AN ALL ENCOMPASSING WALL OF NOISE BUILT FROM DISCARDED METAL AND IT HIT ME LIKE THE FIRST TIME I HEARD BASS THE REAL WAY AT THE WEST INDIAN CENTRE IN LEEDS BIA IRATION STEPPAS HEAVY PHYSICAL SONIC EXPERIENCE. PURE CATHARSIS.

FROM THERE I GOT THE ITCH AND BECAME A REGULAR AND BATHED IN THE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY, TALKING WITH ARTISTS AND NOISE FREAKS ALIKE. ALL PRESENT IN THIS MIX ARE ARTISTS I TALKED TO AND SAW PERFORM, WHO HELPED INSPIRE AND BRING TO LIFE THIS NOISE PROJECT BALF IN SOME WAY SHAPE OR FORM.

THE DEBUT TAPE SEAWALL DEFENCE ULTRA BY BALF IS OUT ON INDUSTRIAL COAST WITH A MASSIVE BALF ON THE FRONT AND NO TITLE OR TRACKLIST SO YOU’LL HAVE TO GUESS WHAT’S GOING ON. TO MY EARS IT’S INSPIRED BY NOISE, TECHNO, BASS BINS, FIELD RECORDINGS OF STORMS, ANXIETY AND NORTHERN COASTAL TOWNS.

In Strict Tempo returns to normal service on Friday. Subscribe now as you won’t want to miss this one!