O. G. Jigg - The Land Dictates the Lay of the Stone

Shamefully missed this on release back in April. What was i doing instead? Likely nothing of note, and very certainly nothing better than listening to what i think is O.G. Jigg's fourth and best collection. O.G. Jigg is, of course, another outlet for Will Yates of Memotone, one in which he's supported by an ensemble of woodwind and string players. On first glance this appears to be a reverential take on modern classical/composition of the post-war variety, a richly evocative suite that dances with space and tone, mostly leaning towards the mournful. Return listens reveal something else at play. A creeping unease seems to reside just under the surface, suggesting the weird and the eerie that's never too far away on these dreaded isles. There's a ghostbox styled Berberian Sound Studio spookiness that haunts its corners, casting images of empty cinemas and lost wanders across foggy moors. This feels like music deeply tied to Britain, through the Radiophonic Workshop and its attendant TV of course, but also the lay of its land, too. The contours of this country's hidden reverse are embedded deep in these compositions. What's that appearing through the mist? Don't fret, it's only an ancient curse.