Description
Giving the vast and slightly daunting discography the Downwards label has built up since it’s foundation by Karl ‘Regis’ O’Connor and Peter ‘Female’ Sutton in 1993, it makes for little surprise that this 20th Anniversary Compilation does not opt for the traditional ‘greatest hits’ route. Of course wouldn’t be the Downwards way either, such is their mischievously contrary nature. Instead this 9 track double LP opts to slip in a few rare curios from the label’s early years alongside a selection of tracks from its current roster. O’Connor naturally features heavily; there’s an unreleased Substance remix of a track from his debut LP, a track recorded along with Sutton under the rarely used Mark Farmer alias and his more recent Concrete Fence project with Russell Haswell features too, getting a typically loopy Sleeparchive remix. For long term Downwards fanatics it will be the inclusion of tracks from Antonym and Fret (aka ex Napalm Death drummer Mick Harris) that will really excite – with the latter’s “Untitled” sounding particularly ahead of it’s time. Music from OAKE, Kerridge and newcomers Talker hints at Downwards future.
