A journalist and author who documented, and took active part in, the late `70s cross over of reggae and punk, Vivien Goldman wrote for most of the UK’s music press, and worked for Island Records doing Bob Marley’s PR. 

Punk / post-punk royalty, and now a professor at NYU and Rutgers, as a vocalist Goldman collaborated with David Cunningham’s Flying Lizards, and her debut solo single, Launderette was produced by John Lydon. Adrian Sherwood dubbed the B-side, Private Armies, and Goldman had strong ties to Sherwood’s On-U Sound. Recording for the label as a member of New Age Steppers and Chantage. 

Goldman’s new EP with Hamburg-based duo Cloud Management definitely doffs its cap to On-U, both lyrically and in terms of production. Judge Judge arrives on dread dub bass. Rattling its percussion around echoes of Vivien in a rich, warm sonic space, with Sherwood-esque levels of separation. While critiquing a society of closed minds, its twisted organ tones then tilt toward Elijah Minnelli’s mutant cumbia. Feel Free Hi-Fi’s remix brings the roots B-line to the fore. Adds haunting whistling, orchestral stabs and drum crashes caught in delay. All but losing Vivien, except for chants of the title.  

Quick Cover Up is quite a bit more abstract. Built out of loose orbits of popping, percolating and low-end boom. The song is a direct spiritual successor to the aforementioned classic Private Armies, as it details fake news, media manipulation and state propaganda. Equiknoxx’s Time Cow’s version introduces a mournful melody, plus a more defined beat and structure, but also a rising, angry buzzing. 

Whoops Wrong Planet, again, is pretty experimental. Like a dubbed-out desert, a dustbowl drift of disembodied , ringing guitar and Sun Ra-like keys. Another of Equiknoxx’s extended family Pat Orburn then swaps this for gentle bells and chimes. A second, male vocal mumbling narration while serenaded by melodica and strings. 

Cloud Management & Vivien Goldman’s Whoops Wrong Planet can be ordered directly from Altin Village & Mine.