Clear cassette, Colour printed j-card, 2022

The latest release from Joe Howe, whose previous incarnations include Ben Butler & Mousepad, Germlin and Sunbutler (with Momus). On his second long player for the label, the Scottish producer, sound-artist and composer ventures out onto a more upbeat, piano-laden affair, which is the direct result of installing both acoustic and electronic pianos at his home studio in Glasgow. Rhythmically speaking, Wyped Out finds Howe stepping out into more breakbeat territory, while continuing with the fun and frenzied KPM-esque, library music laughs of his last long player (Plastic Thought). The new record also sees a welcomed collaboration by way of the Tokyo based producer and artist Ryota Miyake, whose expressive MIDI voicing and glassy FM synthesis can be heard giving light and shade to Joe’s tough electro beat on ‘Plug’. The cherry on the cake then is Josh Aitken’s playful and inspired animations and album artwork, which depict a seemingly innocent home office bod being terrorized by various bugs, viruses and digital demons.

Illustrations & album design by Josh Aitken

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