Michael Cashmore - Sleep England

As Nature & Organisation Michael Cashmore released two albums and an EP. The scarcity of work over the years is almost unforgiving. His debut release Beauty Reaps The Blood of Solitude released in 1994 was a beautiful marriage of folk guitars and lush orchestration drawing upon a number of guest vocalists including Rose McDowall, Douglas P. and David Tibet. It remains one of the finest albums to emanate from the stable of World Serpent acts. Death In A Snow Leopard Winter, an unfinished album of skeletal piano based melodies, and a reading of Brel's 'To You' on a Current 93 tour EP and some solo contributions to Current 93's An Introduction To Suffering appear to comprise the entire catalog of Michael Cashmore, alongside some welcome guest contributions to material from Fire and Ice, Backworld, Death In June and Sorrow.

Sleep England is his first album under his own name, a name that will be familiar to followers of Current 93. For the past 15 years Michael Cashmore has imbued the work of Current 93 with majestic chords and pastoral shades. His musical contributions have lent a warm melancholy to David Tibet's armageddon outpourings. Sleep England takes these as its starting point with his beautiful guitarwork left uncluttered, its brittle pluck and strum weaving intricate melodies issuing a steady stream of gently tumbling notes. Sometimes drawing them to the light, othertimes casting them to the dark or graciously seeking out melodies when called for. His deft playing is bold but light with gentle swaying chords and with tremelo, echo and harmonious tones he adds colouring to the pastoral shades.

Cashmore's guitar playing is easily identifiable but working within clearly defined parameters largely set by his choice of instrumentation his compositions have their roots in folk and medieaval musics. Having said that a number of these thirteen tracks feature sweet pop melodies, occassionally even straying into post-rock territory for a moment.

Yet the sheer beauty of Sleep England is to be found in the hazy reverie created. It's a space for reflection, a place to catch sight of half-forgotten memories while Cashmore seeks out his elusive England. And when Michael Cashmore can produce music as staggering as this let's just hope his quest remains unfulfilled. For more information go to www.durtro.com