Sleeping States has been an ongoing musical project for ex-Midlander, ex-East Anglian, ex-Londoner and current Bristolian, Markland Starkie, since 2004. Originally inspired by the energy and DIY ethos of labels such as K Records in the US and Slampt in the UK, Markland has released a slew of records of various formats and lengths on numerous micro- and independent labels, both in the UK and abroad over the past five years. These releases, embracing the more lo-fi end of the recording spectrum, skip from genre to genre, from introspective folk to synth pop to choral doo wop, though always at the heart of his experimentation and exploration are confident melodies, minimal arrangements and a strong sense of romance.
Sonic Youth / Schizophrenia
A blast of one of the most innovative guitar bands of the last 25 years, at their best. With its lyrics influenced by pulp science fiction, chiming guitar reaching a squalling climax towards the end, and a surprisingly melodic breakdown for a band so focused on discord, it never fails to please. Plus, the opening drumbeat sets my spine a-tingling every time I hear it.
Fleetwood Mac / I Don’t Want To Know
First time I remember sitting through Rumours by Fleetwood Mac, I actually asked if it was a Best Of, as every song on the album was so familiar to me. Up to that point I’d always considered the band to be cheesy and so un-punk. Which they are. But they also wrote damn good songs. I Don’t Want To Know is probably one of the lesser known album tracks, but it’s so uplifting, with that simple, circular guitar riff and all those vocal harmonies. Killer use of handclaps, too.
Laurie Anderson / O Superman
Laurie Anderson holds a huge maternalistic power over me, and this song feels like a big, soft, electronic hug. Which is weird when a lot of the lyrics are so cynical and foreboding. But her voice is so calming, I think she could tell me anything and I would feel relaxed about it. I love the way the vocoder and keyboards and other sounds all continually mix in to and out of each other, too. Very subtle and beautiful.
Galaxie 500 / Fourth of July
I’ve never been a huge fan of Galaxie 500, except for this song, which has always had a special place in my heart. I think it was always Dean Wareham’s nasal vocals that put me off the band, but when he starts speaking the lyrics in Fourth of July, it just gives me that warm feeling. ‘I wrote a poem on a dog biscuit’, such a goofy opening line. But in context, it carries a lot of emotional weight. Also, the wandering, high bassline and the overextended outro make this song a joy, and a total classic.
Patty Waters / Moon, Don’t Come Up Tonight
Albert Ayler’s free jazz vocalist protege, Patty Waters, became more known for her more experimental vocalisations on songs like Black Is The Colour Of My True Love’s Hair, on which she whispers, moans, shrieks and coos over a pattern of discordant instruments. Which is pretty wonderful stuff. But for repeated listens, I prefer her simpler songs like Moon, Don’t Come Up Tonight, which is a simple piano ballad, but utterly haunting. Her smokey voice is subdued rather than histrionic, and it’s heartbreaking.
Huggy Bear / Her Jazz
Angry, political, loud and really fun, Huggy Bear’s gender equality Riot Grrl anthem always makes me wanna get up and run to the nearest indie disco. Not the indie-electro clubnights that are mostly found nowadays, but the good old fashioned ones where it was more about po-going and shouting along to the lyrics than about throwing shapes.
Aaliyah / More Than A Woman
I was a big fan of Aaliyah and was genuinely sad when she died. Even though she didn’t have the strongest voice in the world, there was something about her that was just effortless and cool and classy. Ok, maybe on another day this might not make it into my top eight songs of all time, but I was just listening to it and I’d forgotten how good a song it is. So right now it’s pretty much up there.
Robbie Basho / Rocky Mountain Raga
This song is so pretty it makes me so happy and also envious that I didn’t get to write it myself. On a live album recorded in the ’70s, Basho introduced this song by saying ‘this is will give you a feeling of the mountains of America’. And he’s totally right. Starting with a couple of minutes of beautifully chiming 12-string guitar interlaced with little motifs on violin, the guitar eventually settles into a pattern before Basho, in his deep, operatic baritone, starts singing, ‘All my life I’ve been riding the ranges of your heart’. Huge and captivating.
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