The Album Leaf, There Is A Wind EP (2010)

I like these sorts of things – created specifically to mark Record Store Day; a ltd edition-type deal. Good on the artists for wanting to offer something that rewards an audience. When I first heard The Album Leaf it was almost life-changing. It was just music that hooked me in. Sure I’d heard plenty of things like it – it was a little bit Boards Of Canada and a little bit like Sigur Ros-with-beats or Aphex Twin-without. And really it’s just the one album by The Album Leaf that I really love – but I bought this because I wanted to have something by the band on vinyl. Also Sub Pop kind of win you over when on the back cover they print messages like this: At long last…We at Sub Pop Records have finally devised an expensive, fragile, heavy and clumsy way of packaging and shipping mp3s. The popular, invisible, tasteless, odourless music files are offered here on a piece of paper tucked safely within a handsomely printed cardboard sleeve (sometimes 7”, sometimes 12”, rarely 10”), and accompanied by an easily-damaged plastic disc that, when push comes to shove, could, with the proper, expensive and temperamental equipment also produce this same music. We believe this to provide a superior, conspicuous listening/ownership experience and hope to sell them to you in great quantities. Enjoy! Ah yes, the vinyl purchase w/ free download code: I’ve said before and I’ll say it again (right now in fact – here goes) it’s my favourite musical format/deal. Buy the product and enjoy the feel and shape and feeling of ownership. And have (for exactly what its worth – free) the numbers to download for your walk-around-town iPod experience also.

Sample Track: There Is A Wind

The Vinyl Countdown is a document of every LP I listen to, brand new discoveries and old-old favourites; extremely pre-loved, previously abandoned or with the shrink-wrap having just been removed it’s all here at The Vinyl Countdown