Here's Five: Muzai

Despite living on the opposite side of the globe, Muzai label boss Benjii Jackson has been busy organising an epic showcase to take over Whammy and Wine Cellar bars this Saturday. Bringing together Muzai acts of the past, present and future, the one-night event will feature appearances from Girls Pissing On Girls Pissing, The All Seeing Hand, She's So Rad, god bows to math, Instant Fantasy and Westley Holdsworth. In anticipation of the show, UnderTheRadar got in touch with Benjii at his Leeds home and asked him to share a handful of his favourite songs that have come out on the label over the years...

1. God Bows To Math – Yr Kids Aren't Special But I Am
From the album god bows to math (MUZAI Records, 2011)
It's pretty difficult to nail a god bows to math song that is head and shoulder above their other content, mainly because the wealth of Martin's and the gang's songwriting is so varied it'd be unfair to judge one to another. However, 'Yr Kids Aren't Special...' is my own personal favourite. Just because it treads along dissonant noise and melancholic, old school emo. That eerie little break in the song around the 3:00 mark just makes it ever more emotive.

2. She's So Rad – Say The Word (featuring David Dallas)
From the album TANGO (From The Crate/MUZAI Records, 2015)
I remember chatting to Jeremy when we were in Australia (and just general bonding, talking shit and having a blast), and he was discussing about the next She's So Rad album, when he alluded to the fact he had a track which involved rapping on it. I could be wrong about the exact quote he came out with, but it was along the lines of “I'm not sure if the world is ready for hip-gaze or shoe-hop... or rap-gaze.” Cue the release of TANGO, and I reckon he pulled it off really well; helps he had David Dallas as that person rapping, but man it really doesn't take away from the dreamy quality.

3. Craig Elliott – Au Revoir Psycho
From the EP Abandoned Theme Parks(MUZAI Records, 2015)
Craig and I couldn't be with you all this November. We've been busy plotting how two ex-pats can take over Europe with erratic noise-pop. Craig does send his apologies by way of this track as part of the reissue... wait... this is verging onto advertorial now (almost Groove Guide territory). Sorry.

I've been fortunate meeting Craig; he's been hiding out in London and Amsterdam and periodically sending me through tracks, which have been great and at times picked up by places, but not as much as they should have been. Which fundamentally is what the label is all about; acting as a platform. Reissuing his last two EPs as a cassette tape was a no brainer but the plans he has coming up are where it gets more interesting. Enjoy.

4. Girls Pissing on Girls Pissing – Scrying

From the album Scrying In Infirmary Architecture (MUZAI Records, 2015)
I don't think I can say enough about these individuals that hasn't already been said in the public domain before. It's borderline fan-boy verging into hero worship. It's sickening; I'm sure they would all tell me to fuck off if we were on a Mario Kart session. If I was to have any release bankrupt the label, I would have no regrets if it was this one. At all. Thankfully that is not the case and they've been getting a fair amount of notice over in Europe and, now, the United States. Not bad for a band that I was told once wouldn't get anywhere with a name like that. 'Scrying' has been my favourite off the new album for a while – pretty hard to choose, yet again though.

5. Climate Change – P$ in Am

 From the EP Climate Change Is A Band (MUZAI Records, 2015)
He has, at times, the venomous tongue of Bill Hicks (sans all the Tool fans) as he cuts into modern society and, most of the time, nails it. We've butted heads (as we all do from time to time) in the past but he's always made solid music – so much other bands have been, shall we say, “influenced” by his work (Shane would no doubt say steal – allegedly, so our lawyers have informed we must say). To get an email from Shane asking if I wanted to do something with a band called Climate Change, with the song titles and the lyrical content it offered.... kind of hard to say no. Then again – we're MUZAI. We sign everyone. #MUZAIIsKillingMusic

The Muzai Annual showcase featuring Girls Pissing On Girls Pissing, The All Seeing Hand, She's So Rad, god bows to math, Instant Fantasy, Climate Change and Westley Holdsworth is being held this Saturday 28th November across Whammy and Wine Cellar. Head over here for more information and to buy tickets.