By love-89.com As we reflect on the final release from Birmingham’s Broadcast, under the poignant leadership of the late Trish Keenan, we explore the haunting and evocative soundscapes that have shaped their musical legacy. Here are some standout tracks that encapsulate their unique artistry.
**In Here the World Begins (2009)**
Originally a limited-edition mini-album released during their tour, *Mother Is the Milky Way* arrived just before Keenan’s tragic passing in 2011. While it may lean more toward sound collages than traditional songs, tracks like *In Here the World Begins* showcase Keenan’s ethereal vocals over a murky, slowed-down tape loop, revealing a hauntingly powerful experience.
**Where Youth and Laughter Go (2000)**
Broadcast consistently delivered exceptional B-sides, as evident in *The Future Crayon*, a collection of non-album tracks that rivals their studio work. *Where Youth and Laughter Go*, which debuted on the *Extended Play* EP, transitions from a frosty melancholy to an unexpectedly funky extended drum coda.
**Message from Home (1996)**
Emerging seemingly out of nowhere, Broadcast’s sound took a sharp turn from mid-90s alt-rock trends. With jazzy drums, quirky samples, buzzing analogue synths, and what sounds like a harpsichord, *Message from Home* envelops listeners in a chilling mystery.
**The Be Colony (2009)**
In partnership with Julian House, co-founder of Ghost Box, *Broadcast and the Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age* perfectly embodies the band’s adventurous spirit. Although best appreciated as a whole unsettling album, *The Be Colony* distills the essence of their avant-garde explorations.
**Unchanging Window/Chord Simple (2000)**
This remarkable non-album track artfully intertwines a reimagined version of *Unchanging Window* with the instrumental *Chord Simple*. Over its seven-minute runtime, it emulates a live-recorded sensation that ebbs and flows, building toward a resonating impact.
**Michael A Grammar (2005)**
From the more straightforward electronic sound of *Tender Buttons*, this track features a playful 8-bit synth, a drum machine, and scratchy guitar beneath Keenan’s sweet but perplexing lyrics: “Come on, your father was a teddy boy… There’s nothing written on your fingernails.”
**Lights Out (1997)**
Described as “eerie,” *Lights Out* creates an ominous atmosphere where even the simplest lyrics, such as “My brother’s back from holiday, he’s been chasing girls in Spain,” carry a weight of unsettling significance.
**Lunch Hour Pops (2003)**
Despite lacking overt psychedelic sounds, *Lunch Hour Pops* crafts a disorienting experience. Its simplistic melody, paired with turbulent lyrics, captures a particular turmoil: “I wait on the stairs for a break in my mind.”
**Papercuts (2000)**
Unearthing a jazz-influenced twist on 60s easy-listening pop through a psychedelic lens, *Papercuts* offers off-kilter, creepy vocals that create a fascinating disconnect between the music and its themes.
**Come Back to Me (2024)**
Posthumously released on the demo collection *Distant Call*, this treasure was discovered by Cargill after Keenan’s passing. Featuring only fingerpicked guitar alongside her voice, it offers deeply emotional resonance.
**We’ve Got Time (1996)**
Broadcast’s debut single, *Accidentals*, caught attention with its sampling and home-computer production, but its B-side truly captivated fans. This beatless ballad, layered with shivering electronics, showcases Keenan’s distant vocal delivery.
**I Found the F (2005)**
In a duo format, Keenan and Cargill refined their sound on *Tender Buttons*. The careful spacing around unusual sounds in *I Found the F* crafts a melody that dances on the edge of silence.
**Pendulum (2003)**
A thrilling exploration of contrasts, *Pendulum* delivers aggressive musicality through a distorted synth riff, counterpointed by Keenan’s aloof vocals that blur the lines between sensuality and menace.
**Follow the Light (2024)**
In the wake of Keenan’s tragic death, the lingering specter of potential fills the air around Broadcast. The tracks in *Spell Blanket*, a demo collection for an unfinished album, hint at lost opportunities, especially in *Follow the Light*, with its intimate synth tones and layered vocals.
**The Book Lovers (1996)**
This title track from their EP released on Stereolab’s Duophonic Super 45s label signifies a pivotal moment for Broadcast. *The Book Lovers* is a mesmerizing, echo-drenched piece of baroque pop, influenced by 60s electronic pioneers.
**Black Cat (2005)**
With a hypnotic essence, *Black Cat* features a frenetic synthesizer riff, a vintage drum machine, and Keenan’s detached vocal delivery, crafting an atmosphere that is both eerie and captivating.
**Echo’s Answer (1999)**
Simplicity is the hallmark of *Echo’s Answer*, characterized by a two-chord piano sample wrapped in effects. This minimalistic approach allows Keenan’s vulnerable voice to resonate profoundly.
**Colour Me In (2003)**
Cargill believed that the *Haha Sound* album captured their original vision best. The opening track, *Colour Me In*, shines with airy vocals piercing through bursts of industrial noise and discordant strings.
**Tears in the Typing Pool (2005)**
This track has crossed over to a broader audience, marked by its simplicity—a haunting blend of Keenan’s vocals, an acoustic guitar, and Mellotron-like electronics, embodying both beauty and melancholy.
**Come On Let’s Go (2000)**
Broadcast’s sound springs from an eclectic mix of obscure soundtrack albums, electronics, and psychedelic pop. Yet, among these intriguing sonic textures, *Come On Let’s Go* stands out as a remarkable showcase of their songwriting skills, merging a memorable melody with empathetic lyrics to create an experience that is simultaneously haunting and uplifting.
The collected demos, *Distant Call – Collected Demos 2000-2006*, is set for release on September 28 through Warp Records.