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Deadpool
12-09-2011, 04:27 PM
Jon Hopkins (who has worked closely with Brian Eno, and by extension Coldplay) and King Creosote (Kenny Anderson) have crafted one of 2011's best albums in "Diamond Mine." Lisa Elle from Dark Horses, who has sang for UNKLE - and does some amazing backing vocals on this album - first clued me in about it. Being a fan of Hopkins last LP "Insides" (thank you ETS for that one), I wasn't sure what to expect out of a collab with Creosote, who I'd never heard before. The resulting music is absolutely gorgeous and heartbreaking: this will easily be one of my Top 5 picks for the year. When "Let England Shake" (a great album) by PJ Harvey beat out "Diamond Mine" for the Mercury Prize, I was more than a little disappointed.

More recently, Hopkins and Creosote released the "Honest Words" EP, made up of 2 new tracks and an arguably new+better version of "Bats in the Attic."

I can't recommend these guys enough. If you need more convincing, know that NPR's Bob Boilen put them at the top of his year-end list (http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2011/12/06/143203556/bob-boilens-11-favorite-albums-of-2011), as did Porcupine Tree leader Steven Wilson (http://www.swhq.co.uk/index.cfm) (scroll to bottom of page). It's fantastic to see this album get the praise it deserves.

Music video for "Bubble (single edit)":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-Lr0igwLIY&ob=av2e

Music video for "Bats in the Attic (Unravelled)":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK4WAKc9R4g

Any other fans out there? Or people who think this is overrated trash? Let's hear it!

butters
12-09-2011, 05:22 PM
I really love this album too. I first heard of Jon Hopkins on his soundtrack work for the low budget film Monsters... awesome score. I've dug into some of his other work and really enjoyed it, especially this album. Different, yes, and maybe not for everyone, but very much worth checking out and giving a try!

Deadpool
12-09-2011, 08:01 PM
Glad I'm not the only fan here!

I agree, Hopkins' Monsters score is stellar. I hope he gets more work as a film composer. My favorite solo track of his would probably "The Low Places" from Insides. "Light Through the Veins" from that same album is also amazing. And if you haven't heard Creosote and Hopkins' other collaborations leading up to Diamond Mine, I'd highly recommend seeking them out: And The Racket They Made, The Vice Like Gist of It, and Circle My Demise are all incredible.

Deadpool
04-29-2012, 01:03 PM
A new music video, from the reissue of their debut, titled Diamond Mine (Jubilee Edition), was just released. This deluxe version includes the Honest Words EP as well as the b-side "Missionary", and 2 new songs "Third Swan" and "Starboard Home." If you've yet to hear this amazing album, this is the version to get. It's also on iTunes.

http://www.dominorecordco.us/usa/albums/28-02-12/diamond-mine-special-edition-


"Third Swan" directed by Elliot Dear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilKaBckVkp4

Dr.Z
04-30-2012, 06:35 AM
My favorite album of 2011 and already in the Top 5 of my favorite albums of all time.

Got the Jubilee EP on vinyl last week (it only contains the bonus tracks, I already got the original album) and it's very very good. Plus you get download codes for the tracks AND the original album, how cool is that? :)


I also highly recommend KC's solo album "Bombshell", completely produced by Hopkins and with Lisa Elle's backing vocals as well. So it's like an unofficial predecessor to Diamond Mine. The opening track "Leslie" alone is worth the money

Deadpool
04-30-2012, 01:05 PM
My favorite album of 2011 and already in the Top 5 of my favorite albums of all time.

Can't argue with that. My top 2 albums of 2011 are definitely Diamond Mine and Austra's Feel It Break. To this day, I'm not sure I can choose between them. They're completely different, but I love them both so much. Diamond Mine has more emotional heft, but Feel It Break is more compulsively listenable.



Got the Jubilee EP on vinyl last week (it only contains the bonus tracks, I already got the original album) and it's very very good.

I'm very jealous. I absolutely need some King Creosote & Jon Hopkins on vinyl at some point.



I also highly recommend KC's solo album "Bombshell", completely produced by Hopkins and with Lisa Elle's backing vocals as well. So it's like an unofficial predecessor to Diamond Mine. The opening track "Leslie" alone is worth the money

Oh man, Bombshell is just great. The last song, "And The Racket They Made", is so incredibly moving. For any Diamond Mine fans, it's essential. Definitely the unofficial predecessor.

Deadpool
03-06-2013, 02:49 PM
At long last, Jon Hopkins has officially announced the follow-up to his last solo album, Insides...

Prepare for IMMUNITY, out in North America on June 4th and the rest of the world June 3rd. Watch the delightful tease of an album trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JWNp5jsokQ&feature=player_embedded


Jon Hopkins is to release Immunity, his fourth solo album and follow up to 2009's Insides (http://www.dominorecordco.us/usa/albums/06-08-09/insides/), on Domino on June 4th (North America) / June 3rd (rest of the world). A powerful, multi-faceted beast, packed with the most aggressively dancefloor-focused music Hopkins has ever made, Immunity is about achieving euphoric states through music. Inspired by the arc of an epic night out, the album peaks with "Collider," a huge, apocalyptic, techno monster and dissolves with the quiet, heartbreakingly beautiful closer, "Immunity," a track featuring vocals from King Creosote (http://www.dominorecordco.us/artists/king-creosote/) which could sit comfortably alongside the gems of their 2011 Mercury-nominated collaboration, Diamond Mine (http://www.dominorecordco.us/usa/albums/24-03-11/diamond-mine/).

Immunity is a confident, dramatic record defined by an acute sense of physicality and place. It feels like the hypnotic accompaniment to a journey of creativity, a trip inside Hopkins' mind, using analog synthesis alongside manipulations of physical, real-world sounds to make dance music that feels as natural and unforced as possible.
Immunity is the most human electronic album you'll hear this year.

Immunity tracklisting:

1. We Disappear
2. Open Eye Signal
3. Breathe This Air
4. Collider
5. Abandon Window
6. Form By Firelight
7. Sun Harmonics
8. Immunity

I'll be honest, I kinda yelped in joy when I read about King Creosote's closing track contribution. So psyched for this album!! We also have 2 film scores to look forward to from Hopkins this Spring/Summer, so get ready for a shit ton of greatness.

Deadpool
05-15-2013, 04:49 PM
In case you missed it - the great new music video for Hopkins' "Open Eye Signal."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q04ILDXe3QE&feature=player_embedded

Not at all what I envisioned the first time I heard the song, yet it feels so appropriate. Kind of bold to release an 8 minute instrumental music video with no clear narrative, but the fact that it's so gripping says a lot about the quality of the clip and of course the music itself.

Also, I'm *this* close to nabbing tickets to Hopkins' album release show in June at Glasslands in Brooklyn. Never seen him live before, but I'm confident it'll be great. I love living so close to NYC.

Dr.Z
05-31-2013, 12:31 PM
The album is out today (at least here in Germany) and it's like the best thing ever in electronic music. Honestly.

Convince yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWam1HlKGkI (Album preview)

http://www.npr.org/2013/05/26/186457281/first-listen-jon-hopkins-immunity (Stream of the whole album, but only for the next few days I think)

It would be stupid to pick favourites as all tracks are equally great, but at the moment I am most impressed with Collider and Immunity (JH + KC = ♥)

Jinsai
05-31-2013, 12:43 PM
I really loved Insides, but I haven't gotten into anything else he's put out (or the collaboration w/ King Creosote). Interested to check it out, though the album doesn't release until June 4th here.

Deadpool
06-05-2013, 02:32 AM
Just got back from the Record Release Party in Brooklyn.

Amazing show. Hopkins has totally re-aligned how I perceive live, electronic music. For one, he's incredibly animated on stage, and watching him manipulate & glitch the drum patterns of his songs is a real treat. The way the setlist effortlessly went from the dance-y to dark/heavy to uplifting was impressive to say the least. "Open Eye Signal" could have gone on for an hour. That song is unreal.

Also, they were selling the 2xLP vinyl of IMMUNITY for $15 which is a great deal as it is, but on top of that, it came with a free 12" of Open Eye remixes. So, fuck yeah I jumped right on that. As for IMMUNITY itself, I've only given it a few listens so far, but it's magical. I don't know if I'll end up liking it more than Insides, but I will say that the opener "We Disappear" reconciles Hopkins' skill as a craftsman of dance tracks vs. more ambient/emotional pieces. The 2 sides of him seem to have finally merged. This album is an evolution no doubt. Insides 2 it is not.

and the title track... the most beautiful thing he's ever written? maybe.

Jinsai
06-16-2013, 01:23 AM
So we're not talking about how great this new album is? This year is making me feel spoiled for good new music. Hopkins has finally tucked away the cheezy aspects of his emotional music, and reconciled it with his technical micro-assault, and the result is absolutely beautiful. Understated and completely moving.

Anyone who hasn't given this a listen needs to do so now.

Deadpool
06-18-2013, 12:09 AM
Couldn't agree more with how great this album is. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that it's being overlooked in a year that includes My Bloody Valentine, Daft Punk, Boards of Canada, and so many other top-tier artists turning in labored-over, much anticipated work.


I'm really into "Breathe This Air" at the moment. That early crescendo into those piano chords is so great. The atmosphere Hopkins creates behind the piano is unmatched by anything else I've heard this year - proof that his work with field recordings on Diamond Mine has paid off on IMMUNITY. I really adore his production style. Of course the transition from "Collider" into "Abandon Window" is a brilliant sequencing choice. Again, I haven't experienced such a perfect juxtaposition of songs on any other album this year.

I still haven't listened to this on vinyl. That needs to change this week...

NINisamazing
09-28-2014, 09:02 PM
Favorite record of 2013.

SarahConnor
09-29-2014, 04:23 PM
Still listening to Deafheaven & 'Immunity' from 2013.

Deadpool
09-29-2014, 04:37 PM
Asleep Versions EP is out in November!! Can't wait :)

http://pitchfork.com/news/56844-jon-hopkins-announces-asleep-versions-ep-shares-form-by-firelight/