Gongs Played By Voice

Nottingham quintet The Chemistry Experiment are set to release their second album, the intriguingly titled "Gongs Played By Voice", through Fortuna POP! Some ten years after the release of their debut album "The Melancholy Death Of...".  Housed in beautiful artwork by the Bulgarian artist Gyukov, a set designer in communist Bulgaria, the new album sees the band conclude the transition from their indie roots with nine beautifully arranged and recorded songs that encompass such influences as Will Oldham/Bonnie Prince Billy, Tindersticks, King Crimson and Soft Machine. Formed by songwriter Steven J. Kirk (vocals, guitar) and Paul Stone (bass) and completed by Emily Kawasaki (keyboards), Lee Tombs (flute, vocals) and Martin Craig (drums), two of the band have long since departed from their Nottingham origins with Kirk now resident in Bologna, Italy and Kawasaki living in Brighton where she plays in krautrock grrrlgruppe Slum Of Legs. The release of "The Melancholy Death Of..." in 2005 saw critical if not financial success with the NME awarding the record 8/10 and describing it as "Strange, gargantuan rhythms, weird instrumentation and a singer who sounds like Kurt Wagner under ten feet of snow".