Originally intended to be released as our side of a 10" split single, the recent economic climate meant that it couldn't go ahead; we're instead releasing it here, hoping one day to have a nice physical form for it.

Joy is a little different from our normal material- there's a piano part in there (played by Nicole, on Kings College's Steinway grand), underscored by growling bowed guitars and mallet-beaten drums, all swathed in smoky reverb. It opens with a D dorian viola melody that meanders over a constantly changing time signature, before swelling and being joined by massed strings, bowed & screwdrivered guitars. 'Cello takes up the viola melody in a quieter mood, before the whole band swells in again; a solo guitar melody takes over, changing to the major key as it does, repeating over an ascending progression of keys, before being joined by strings to restate the melody. The penultimate section begins with a succession of heavy string phrases backed by pounding drums and bowed guitar, before the strings take up the previous guitar melody. Finally, bowed guitars and strings pulse and fade together before looping away into infinity.

Reviews

'Not to be outdone the twelve and a half minute ‘joy’ is the star attraction here - makes no bones about that. A transfixing spectacle of noir orchestral atmospherics, bleakly beautiful, both pensive and brooding and darkly vivid as though the scarred romance of Black Heart Procession and the unbridled passion of GSYBE had somehow been tethered and teased into some senses enrapturing supernatural symphony by a minimalist minded Sakamoto where amid the arcing alleyways of forlorn shadows the momentary parting of the unfurling tear stained drama evaporates to reveal cresting hazes of brief euphoria - absolute crushing stuff - we need to hear more and soon' (Losing Today)