“Nick Hudson is a unique talent. His song writing and performances are breathtaking. He is long overdue being heard by a wider audience. This solo album is a peak in an already stellar career” ~ Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai)
“Scott Walker channeling Coil” ~ MOJO Magazine
"Surreal and spacey... Eerie and wonderful, with great depth" ~ The Spill Magazine
"There’s something haunting in this music... the melody and vocal delivery are equally stunning... Hudson is ascending quickly and we can only enjoy the ride and associated soundtrack" ~ The Spill Magazine
"The intimacy of a musical diary as well as an epic theatrical fascination... thrilling tension between its thematic juxtapositions and arrangements of diverse acoustic, electric, and synthetic instrumentation" ~ No Ripcord
“Genius” - BBC Radio (BBC Introducing)
"A song-suite of liberation, violence and ambition that is rich in promise and dizzying in its potential" ~ The Quietus
Brighton-based Nick Hudson, a solo artist in his own right and also frontman of The Academy of Sun, will release his new 'K69996ROMA:EP' on September 15, for which he presents a music film for lead track 'The Ballad Of K69996 Roma'.
'The Ballad Of K69996 Roma' transposes a conscience upon the slick Alfa Romeo car that was owned by and weaponised in the 1975 murder of queer Marxist filmmaker, poet and essayist Pier Paolo Pasolini. This is echoed in the astonishing video by Brighton-based filmmaker Adrian Goycoolea.
This single was originally found on the 'Font Of Human Fractures' album, released earlier this year - Hudson's first album in five years and his first solo studio LP since 'Ganymede In A State Of War' (2016).
"K69996ROMA:EP' is the shadow cast in the desert by the brutalist garret of 'Font Of Human Fractures' – like 'Amnesiac' to its 'Kid A', if you will. This takes the Pasolini-inspired 'The Ballad Of K69996 Roma' from that record and refracting it through a prism of gay communist black metal chamber electronica," says Nick Hudson.
"While cinema has always been pivotal to my work, it's never been stronger than here, with references to Alain Delon, French cine-essayist Chris Marker, and the aforementioned Pier Paolo Pasolini, scattered throughout."
The EP consists of 8 diverse tracks, including 'Asymmetric: A Forgery', a track that was originally composed and recorded for 'Font Of Human Fractures, but was omitted due to running time restrictions on the vinyl edition. 'The Florist', co-written with Kianna Blue (The Academy of Sun), proposes a kind of metaphysical tabula rasa, as the protagonist self-immolates in a flower shop, and ascends.
"Channeling Pasolini's communism, and the contradictions within his own 'brand' of it - alongside my own contemporarily-heightened anxieties and allegiances - the political angles are sharper on this release than on others. As such it felt right to include my interpretation of Robert Wyatt's beautiful 'Amber And The Ambergrines' in the set," says Nick Hudson.
Nick Hudson is a prolific figure on the UK underground music scene. Apart from fronting art-rock band The Academy Of Sun, who released their dystopian epic 'The Quiet Earth' last year to critical acclaim, Nick's vast output also encompasses painting, film, and a recently-completed novel.
Hudson has also collaborated with Wayne Hussey (The Mission) and Matthew Seligman (Bowie, Tori Amos, Morrissey), members of Kayo Dot, David Tibet (Current 93), Asva and queercore icon GB Jones. As The Academy Of Sun, he's also collaborated with Massive Attack's Shara Nelson. Having toured 3 continents, highlights include appearances with Mogwai, Toby Driver and Keith Abrams (Kayo Dot), and Timba Harris (Mr Bungle, Amanda Palmer).
'K69996ROMA:EP' will be released digitally and as a hyper-limited edition 4-panel CD digipak of 50 copies, 25 of which will be presented in an ACAB-silkscreened metallic gold envelope, with a bonus track in the form of a score booklet, printed on Nepalese floral paper and featuring an original miniature artwork by Nick Hudson. This and Hudson's other music and artwork can be ordered at https://nickhudsonindustries.bandcamp.com.
CREDITS
Nick Hudson - Piano, programming, vocals
Lizzy Carey - Strings on Track 1
Kianna Blue - Score transcription, keys and synth
Juliet Russell - Voice of Anna Magnani on Track 1
All tracks produced, performed and mixed by Nick Hudson
K M Abrams - Mastering (Tracks 2,3,4,6,8)
Paul Pascoe - Mastering (Tracks 1,5,7) at Church Road Studios
All tracks written by Nick Hudson, except for 5 (written by Robert Wyatt and Hugh Hopper) and track 8 (written by Nick Hudson and Kianna Blue)
Cover artwork by Julian Kenning
'The Ballad Of K69996 Roma' video directed by Adrian Goycoolea.
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