In the past I’ve reviewed Sean Johnston’s singles while personally lacking a significant amount of context. I, for example, had never been to “ALFOS”. However, having just returned from this year’s Convenanza, I now have a better understanding of how this shit works.*

Sean’s Friday night set was one of several highlights – Vladimir Ivkovic on the Thursday, Holy Tongue, Trystero, plus Lena Willikens’ consistently cracking support – and having witnessed this live, from first to final track, I’ve got more of a handle on how Sean’s music physically fits together. I also experienced how the crowd at these events reacts, as they’re teased and taken to ever higher energy levels – without an increase in tempo. How music’s moods and textures change, flow, while the BPMs stay the same. Taking its cues from David Mancuso’s co-opting of Buddhism’s bardos, a real ritual from “entry” to “re-entry”, I have now felt this, moved my feet, and lost my mind. 

Sean’s latest Hardway Bros EP, across 4 new tunes, references Voodoo, Buddha, the circle / cycle of life, and, to my ears, is more musical than usual. Or maybe experiencing the festival has simply made me hear things differently. 

Maman Brigitte builds around a rock bass riff, congas, and a break-like beat. Adding picked string loops and organ keys, which help summon a sorta electro-psyche vibe. 

Baron Samedi is more tribal, tropical, balancing chimes and squidgy, shapeshifting low end oscillations. Sean eventually filling the space in between with busy bleeps and dramatic synths. Steadily heaping on the heaviosity. 

The Doctor & The Undertaker stays kinda Caribbean and switches from a slow stomp – of sirens, squelches and strange, singing sine waves – to a skank. A hint of Sabres Of Paradise’s Wilmott perhaps in its intent. 

1000 Candles opens and closes with a plaintive piano melody – think Czukay, Liebezeit and Wobble’s How Much Are They? – while rapid hand drums give way to one of Sean’s now characteristic new beat meets Italo rhythmic licks, and an equally trademark uplifting undercurrent. These are topped by a tasty, irresistible, tumbling key hook, and deft twists of dubwise delay are dealt out on the handclaps. The combination creating a highly effective end-of-the-nighter. 

Hardway Bros’ En Outre-Mer EP an be ordered directly from Outre-Mer. 

*A huge thank you to my dear friend Justin Marr for getting me there.