Paisiel – Unconscious Death Wishes – LP (Coloured)

The pair first met in 2014, João a Porto record shop employee and Julius a visiting shopper. Conversation revealed a kindred musical spirit, as did a hastily arranged jam session shortly after. The project was christened as Paisiel in 2017, Julius having relocated from Germany in this period, and the Lovers & Lollypops label (run by the same team behind widely acclaimed festival Milhões de Festa, held a little north of Porto) released their first, self-titled album on cassette the following year. UK independent label Rocket  Recordings had their ear turned in due course, pressed it onto vinyl in 2019, and have maintained the partnership for “Unconscious Death Wishes“, Paisiel’s second album.

This latest work represents a progression from what was already forward-facing music. ‘Paisiel’ was comprised of three tracks, two lengthy unwinders and a briefer closing number; “Unconscious Death Wishes” is a single 39-minute piece, laid down live in the studio and subject to minimal edits only.

Though “Unconscious Death Wishes” feels funereal and dungeon-bound as it emerges quietly from the undergrowth, together Paisiel evolve and build.

After the weird-party vibes have taken hold, the beats start to hit harder, more industrial almost; Julius sustains notes for longer durations and then, before you know it, everything’s spinning off into Chaos Central. Ecstasy remains detectable at the core of this music, but is all well? Paisiel play music to transcend such earthly concerns: “Unconscious Death Wishes” is their way of evoking, in Julius’ words, “landscapes, shapes, colours, proportions and movements”.

Lovers & Lollypops/Rocket Recordings