Cosmic Quark And The Morning Lark

Description

Two Headed Emperor return with their 13th album Cosmic Quark and the Morning Lark, continuing the Ashby & Lamb five-decade collaborative journey. The album features acclaimed violinist Ric Sanders (Fairport Convention, Soft Machine, The Albion Band, Stomu Yamash'ta's Red Buddha Theatre), whose career includes work with Rick Wakeman, Robert Plant, Jethro Tull, Roy Harper, Pentangle and John Etheridge. The Ashby/Lamb partnership spans 50 years, with origins in the UK cassette culture scene under names including Frenzid Melon, the insane picnic and Ermin Grud, before evolving through decades of independent work across experimental, post-punk and progressive music. Their collaborations include Keith Levene (Public Image Ltd, The Clash), Jasun Martz (Frank Zappa, Michael Jackson), Tor Cesay (Mongrel, Flying Lotus, Arrested Development), Wavis O'Shave and Alessandro Monti (Unfolk). They have also contributed to major retrospective projectsincluding the 40th anniversary celebration of Morgan Fisher's Miniatures and the 50th anniversary honouring of the mythical abandoned Pink Floyd album Household Objects. Occasional member Georgia Lamb contributes vocals that bring an ethereal counterpoint to Barry Lamb's raw, unhinged delivery, adding a distinctive dynamic to the work. Working from a fiercely independent ethos, Two Headed Emperor draw on a wide palette of influences ranging from progressive rock, psychedelic folk, post punk and experimental elements without settling into any single category, shaped by a wabi-sabi sensibility-- embracing imperfection, transience and the incomplete. The album reflects the tension between everyday life and deeper realities, balancing fragmentation with moments of clarity.