Malcolm's Law by Waldo's Gift
An electrifying new force in the new wave of UK Experimental music, Bristol trio Waldo’s Gift announce their debut album Malcolm's Law for release 24th January 2025 via their champions Ishmael Ensemble’s label Severn Songs. Following a string of early releases lauded by tastemakers across BBC 6Music and BBC Radio 1, Malcolm's Law captures the story of their unusual beginnings: the intense, bizarre weekly residency at Bristol’s Gallimaufry where they built a cult following.
Led by the brash, technicolour lead single ‘Candifloss’, Malcolm's Law is a sizzling, maximalist, impossibly complex guitar record. While Waldo’s Gift have been associated with the UK jazz explosion, mainly owing to their focus on improvisation, there are shades here of prog-metal, math-rock, and the more intense ends of Squarepusher or Aphex Twin. Unbelievably, every track is a single live performance, recorded with no overdubs or extras. “We’re all on the limit of what we can physically play,” says drummer James Vine, “and that’s where the fun comes from.”
The album is a distillation of their origins at The Gallimaufry: a venue which was becoming a hub for Bristol’s leftfield music. At the instigation of the venue’s owner, Vine formed the band with new friend Alun Elliott-Williams and Elliott-William’s friend Harry Stoneham – performing their blistering, heavily-improvised sets there every week from 2017 to 2020.
Tracklist
| 1. | Candifloss | 3:13 |
| 2. | Malcolm's Law | 4:35 |
| 3. | Classic Waldi Anthem | 3:40 |
| 4. | Cosy Hour | 4:28 |
| 5. | The Galli | 1:26 |
| 6. | Cafe Jim | 4:11 |
| 7. | Jellyfish | 4:23 |
| 8. | This One is Improvised | 1:57 |
| 9. | Last on the Plane | 4:36 |
Credits
Written and performed by Waldo’s Gift.
All tracks performed live.
Produced by Ali Staton and Waldo’s Gift
Mixed by Ali Staton at The Bunker, Real World Studios
Recorded by Charlie Grimsdale and Ali Staton at Crossleze Studios
Modular treatments by Ali Staton
Mastered by Shawn Joseph at Optimum Mastering
Artwork by RUFFMERCY
License
All rights reserved.
An electrifying force in the new wave of UK Experimental music, Waldo’s Gift announce their debut album Malcolm's Law released 24 Jan 2025. Following a string of early releases lauded by tastemakers across BBC 6Music and Radio 1, Malcolm's Law captures the story of their unusual beginnings: the intense, bizarre weekly residency at Bristol’s Gallimaufry where they built a cult following.