Though best known for his work with indie rock outfit Super Furry Animals, Gruff Rhys also sports an impressive list of side-projects and other collaborations on his resume. Neon Neon, Dark Night of the Soul‘s “Just War”, and Gorillaz’s “Superfast Jellyfish” are a few examples that come to mind.
For his latest project, Rhys and Brazilian musician Tony Da Gatorra has teamed up for a collaborative album titled The Terror Of Cosmic Loneliness. Essentially, according to an issued press release, Rhys has been a longtime fan of Da Gatorra, who is a “Brazilian TV and VCR repairman, musical freedom fighter, and the inventor of his own unique ‘Gatorra’ instrument.” Upon finally meeting, the pair undertook their first gig together and booked in to a Sao Paulo recording studio to begin rehearsals. Per Rhys:
“We spent 5 days rehearsing a set of songs to play live at the venue – our only shared language was music itself so there was no small talk, just intense concentration on the music. On the final day, as the rehearsals had been so productive, we hooked up some recording equipment and took about 5 hours out to make this record.
AdvertisementWe recorded several live takes of each song then chose the best versions. I added a harmony vocal overdub on two songs, otherwise it’s pretty much what we recorded at the time. Upon returning to Cardiff I took the songs to producer Kris Jenkins’s studio whose excitement for the album and general encouragement was infectious – then we called in noise legend Sir Doufus Styles to oversee the final mix.”
What’s more, Da Gatorra’s “Gatorra” instrument, which is part drum machine, part guitar, provides the unique sonic style of Tony’s peace-loving protest songs and features heavily throughout. Combine all of the abouve and you get something billed as an “unorthodox, experimental record.”
The duo will support the release with a few U.K. festival appearances this summer.
Gruff Rhys and Tony Da Gatorra 2010 Tour Dates:
07/29 – Cardiff, UK @ Clwb Ifor
07/30 – Dorset, UK @ Camp Bestival
07/31 – London, UK @ Field Day
