If you look at some of the most exciting, innovative & critically acclaimed music that has come out of Sheffield – nay the beautiful North of England in the past 10 years – from the psychedelic-electronic rock of The Moonlandingz, to the folkloric radiophonic avant-garde of The Eccentronic Research Council ft Maxine Peake, to the party electro of International Teachers of Pop – at the heart of all these projects (and many more) is a man called Adrian Flanagan.
After ploughing his own path for more than a decade working on the fringes of alternative music as a songwriter, wordsmith, musician, producer, DJ and cultural agitator – working with artists as diverse as Maxine Peake, Yoko Ono, The Human League’s Philip Oakey, Fat White Family, Sean Lennon and many more – Adrian returns this year with a new solo moniker, Acid Klaus, and a conceptual, collaborative solo album to be released on Yard Act’s Zen F.C. (Baba Ali, Benefits) record label this coming autumn.
The first single taken from the album is called Party Sized Away Day – it features solo artist and one half of Sink Ya Teeth, Maria Uzor on vocals and comes produced by Ross Orton (Working Men’s Club, Amyl & The Sniffers and many more).
Watch the video clip for Party Sized Away Day via YouTube below or listen via all platforms here.
Acid Klaus elaborates on the single: “During the period when our leaders were telling us not to party but they themselves were partying, I was sat in my back bedroom making little tunes up on my own and sending them out to new and established artists that I liked -seeing if they wanted to collaborate on a track with me. Maria Uzor was the first person I approached who came back with this really cool oblique vocal & lyric about a late-night coach journey, which got me thinking about coach trips with mates in the 90’s to free festivals and raves in weird places – those twilight journeys where you haven’t a clue where you are going to but you’re with your crew so everything’s gonna be alright. Once I got the vocal back off Maria I waited impatiently till I could sit within 2 meters of my good friend and producer, Ross Orton in his studio from where he produced my little home collaboration effort up into a more palpable track for the ears of a nation of sassy clued-up radio listeners and outlandish future club goers. I truly envision this track to be soundtracking all the best garden parties this summer, just not the ones at Downing Street!”
Acid Klaus on signing to Zen F.C.: “I’m always happy to take cash off West Yorkshire for the benefit of South Yorkshire!”
James Smith of Yard Act says on signing Acid Klaus to Zen F.C.: “Me and Ryan have loved so many of Adrian’s previous projects that when we caught wind of another newie in the works we were very keen to hear it as no more than fans. The first track we heard was the one you are hearing now, and it got us buzzing immediately, but it was as Adrian revealed more about the project we realised he was on to something a little bit more special than just some banging club tracks (not that that’s not ace in itself). Party Sized Away Day is the first taster of an ace concept and evolving piece cooked up in the head of Acid Klaus. Me and Ryan have heard, seen and read his grand plan and that’s why we are pumping our money into it. Because it’s art and that. Proper art and that, that deserves to be heard, seen and read. Keep your ear to the ground please, this is just the beginning of the Acid Klaus odyssey.”
Acid Klaus tour dates
Jul 22 | Standon Calling
Sep 22 | St Lukes, Glasgow (w/ Yard Act)
Sep 23 | NUSU, Newcastle (w/ Yard Act)
Sep 24 | Academy, Leeds (w/ Yard Act)
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