Amorphic Music presents one half of ATP Records’ mid 2000’s ulta – soundscape / new wave / power electronics duo FUCK BUTTONS, Andrew Hung on Thursday the 14th of December at The Kazimier Stockroom with support from Liverpool’s finest new soul electro – maestro, GERMANAGER.
Hung’s work with Fuck Buttons brought about three critically-acclaimed albums, headline slots at festivals such as Glastonbury, Green Man and All Tomorrow’s Parties, and their music soundtracked key moments in the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony. Hung went on to work with cult director Jim Hosking and his films: “The Greasy Strangler” (winning best comedy at the Empire awards), “An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn” and the Adult Swim series “Tropical Cop Tales”.
Hung’s third album Deliverance follows the critically-acclaimed Devastations. Deliverance is the aftermath of celestial collisions, where life sparks and shadows roam. His deeply emotive voice is cocooned by whirlpools of soaring electronics, distorted guitars and driving rhythms sounding like the last bastion of hope crying through waves of technicolour noise. Deliverance sees Hung pushing what has been an overarching facet in all his music to the fore: hope. Rhythm, melody, voice and noise all serve to amplify hope like a lighthouse at the edge of an ocean. This is Hung’s most sublime creation to date; a colossal statement given the extent of his past iconic work. Deliverance is the action of being rescued or set free. Hung describes the album as “the end of the chrysalis stage, like breaking free from a previous life. ”Of ‘Ocean Mouth’, the first single to be taken from the album, Hung says “A revelation comes forth that the parts of humanity that I’m trying to run away from are me. The final repeating lines are a realisation that the fear must be faced, but it can be guided by the love that is also real. ”Water, dreams and love are recurring themes throughout the album, with hope as the central tenet acting as a thread weaving everything together. On ‘Find Out’ (a song about isolation) Hung says: “I’ve never really felt part of any particular tribe, yet I know it exists because belonging is a deeply-ingrained need. The name of the album “Deliverance” alludes to this; I have finally found my tribe and I am finally delivered. ”These themes continue through ‘Too Much’. Hung says: “This song is like a turbulent river that carries me to wherever it would take me. I’m crying for help in this song. This is the moment the floodgates are released; a moment that feels too much.” In ‘Soldier’, war is a metaphor for change; an act that is both violent and inevitable. “‘Soldier’ sounds like a singular soul wading through a raging war-zone, surrounded by desolation and destruction but still forging ahead. There’s a desperation in these instances; I accept the inevitability but just make it quick.”
Hung continues his punk ethos by writing, performing, producing and mixing the album. He also painted the self-portrait that adorns the cover of the album; his face staring back at you amongst a maelstrom of burning light and whispering shadows.
Hung continued his collaborative streak through writing and producing with artist Beth Orton on her career redefining album Kidsticks (Described by The Skinny as “…an exceptional return to form.”) and daughter of a rock god, Aimée Osbourne on her incredible debut album Vacare Adamaré (Released under the name ARO). Hung now turns his attention to delivering his own expression.
Venue
Liverpool L1 4BE
UK