David J. Boswell, alongside Nick Eastwood, is one half of production partnership Hiem. While undoubtedly best known for that duo’s electro / house / techno dance floor creations, appearing on labels such as Nang, Eskimo and Crosstown Rebels, solo he’s also recorded gear for imprints like Relish and Throne Of Blood. 

Boswell’s latest offering, however, is self-released, and showcases his very different singer / songwriter side. The long-player, Going Down Slow, is similar, say, to James “Crazy P” Baron’s JIM project, but more raw, way less polished, and perhaps more personal. 

The album’s spoken, intro sitting somewhere between a old fashioned, plummy BBC announcer and Richard Burton’s reading of Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood, could well be a parody of beloved 1970s children’s TV programme, Bagpuss. Immediately hinting at the self-depreciating humour on display. Several of the highly likely tongue-in-cheek story-telling songs, such as Tall Skinny Girlfriend and Heavy Load, are rooted in the blues. Acoustic picking and drum machine rattling backing tales of hell hounds, black dogs and loose women. Casual Encounter shares details of a wild west (Yorkshire) outlaw-like fling. 

Big Star, a highlight, has Boswell, still acoustic, hammer out a 12-bar boogie, while hidden behind a vocoder, his voice howls like a lonely harmonica. Bittersweetly asking, “Can you see my name in lights?” On the also unplugged On The Right Track his rock ’n’ roll riffing recalls the glam of Marc Bolan, T.Rex and Bowie’s Spiders From Mars. 

As the vinyl spins, the arrangements gradually get more electronic. Better Days, a ballad accompanied by the sound of field recorded friends and a bubbling, gurgling like wine being poured, recalls early Eno. The UFO-spotting, sky-watching I Know What I Saw introduces squelchy synths and laidback electric axe. The title track’s strung, spaced out, Ziggy Stardust-esque lyrics ride hypnotic zoned, stoned, gentle ticking, subtle acidic squiggling and synthetic Morse code-like ringing. The results reminiscent in tone to Keith Tenniswood’s remix of Deeply Armed’s The Healing. Step by step, tune by tune, the album slowly charms, draws the listener in, and is no doubt destined to become a cult, collectable item.

David J. Boswell’s Going Down Slow is set for a January release. The album will be promo’d by the single I Know What I Saw, which comes with a disco mix – boasting live bass and beefed up beats – plus a rework from Tom The Cosmic Cowboy.