Phew was used to working in isolation at home, keeping her voice at low volume so as not to disturb the neighbours, so our stark times of lockdown were not alien, but have thrown Phew’s work into vivid relief and have cranked the intensity to hitherto unassailed summits. “New Decades” is her first new release on Mute Records in nearly 30 years (“Our Likeness” came out in 1992) and it’s a masterfully sparse yet vital chime in a new era for Phew which began with the Japanese only release “New World” (2015). A critical favourite, Phew’s 21st century records “Five Finger Discount” and “Voice Hardcore” have featured highly in The Wire’s top 50 records of the year. In an artfully restless career of sonic adventure and improvisation, Phew has recorded with avant luminaries such as Ryuichi Sakamto, the excellent Oto Yoshihide (in the group Novo Tono), Chrislo Haas, Alexander Hacke, Yuji Takahashi, Dieter Mobius, Jim O’Rourke and Ana Da Silva of The Raincoats. Phew originally rose to notoriety with art-punk combo Aunt Sally (1978-80), before a premiere solo release in 1981, recorded at Conny Plank’s Cologne studio with Can’s Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit. Today’s guest is an artist in the proper sense of the word. “SONG FOR EWE” is the feature where artists & music people beloved by VELVET SHEEP choose an obscure song they’ve been listening to that day.
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