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Thinguma*jigSaw music used in the film '43 (yonju-san)
directed by John Curran and Craig Woods.

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Thinguma*jigSaw's DEBUT ALBUM (awakeinwhitechapel)


Order from Deserted Village

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awakeinwhitechapel is this two piece's debut album that takes in their own distinctive and macabre take on folk which they’ve christened splatter folk. Utilizing a striped down and unusual but always haunting and often tuneful instrumental mix of banjo, flute, musically saw, along with both members rich, beautiful and descriptive male and female singing I have to say this is one of the most original and thoroughly enjoyable folk albums I’ve heard over the last year or so, it mangers to be tuneful, macabre, playful and inventive through-out. It’s a sort of vague concept album about Jack The Ripper and the Whitechapel murders- though it never really details the murders or theories, it’s more trying to capture the atmosphere and dread of the time. One might expect with such a bleak and dark subject that this is going to be musically rather dark and sombre, but more often the songs are quite upbeat, jigging and memorable with an often quite awkward pop feeling to them, but still having atmospheric and dark cinematic undertones often played out on the flute.

Lasting just over half – a hour it may sound a bit on the short side, but they put such passion, inventiveness and thought into each and every song it feels twice that length(in a good way). I can really see this appealing well beyond the normal folk crowd- as it’s got a vibrate yet atmospheric and fresh sound. Really if you enjoy tuneful, yet experimental and atmospheric music you have to pick this up. Certainly one of the albums of the year,that I can see myself playing in years to come."

Review of (awakeinwhitechapel) from Foxy Digitalis:

"Thinguma*jigSaw "awakeinwhitechapel"

Deserted Village

10/10

Thinguma*jigSaw are a self-proclaimed “splatter-folk” duo hailing from Norway who now reside in Ireland. They call themselves Little Myth Ephiphanymph and the Severed Headmaster, but are really named Martha Redivivus and Seth Horatio Bunrombe, respectively. With their invented style, they combine elements of folk and avante garde music with horror movie sensibilities. On their debut for the Deserted Village label, they manage to hit all of the right notes and perfectly sum up splatter-folk for the casual listener. By combining an amazing pop sensibility with just the right amount of weirdness and unconventionality, Thinguma*jigSaw makes listening to “Awakeinwhitechapel” an experience not soon forgotten.

The key elements on the album are banjo, saw, and flute with ethereal vocals to top them off. There is a barebones, lo-fi quality to the music, yet the group creatively arranges itself to make the most of its various parts. Even songs with only banjo and flute, for instance, sound surprisingly full-bodied, powerful, and complex. Throughout the album, there is a deep sense of melancholy that is both highlighted and enhanced by the amazing arrangements and careful use of sound.

Musically, the group pays homage to everyone from Daniel Johnston to Philip Glass. Most obviously, they offer a cover of Johnston’s song “Walking the Cow” and an arpeggio-filled, flute and banjo Glass tribute called “thinguma*qatsi.” Elsewhere, in other tracks, echoes of Johnston’s fractured pop and Glass’s dynamic compositions can be heard, yet never compromise the duo’s originality. One of their best tracks is the mostly instrumental piece “a solid severance,” which beautifully combines banjo, both plucked and bowed, with eerie wordless singing and background effects. Another great display of the group’s skill is “(awakeinwhitechapel) pt. 1 - redlightcockfight,” which is a menacing and tense piece with a mix of banjo, flute, saw, and deep background bass from a tone generator.

On top of all this, the lyrics bring an amazing layer of sinister humor and horror to the table. Basing their album on Jack the Ripper, the duo’s songs range from funny to downright scary. A great example of their lighter side comes on “jumping jock flesh,” which is coincidentally about the best Rolling Stones homage in recent memory. On this track, the Severed Headmaster sings, “you’ve popped your naughty nimbus / your spine, your soul, etcetera / your clumsy cunnilingus launched a glandslam brouhaha.” Conversely, the band offers up some dark poetry on the song “(awakeinwhitechapel) pt. 4 - waltzofdeath” with the chilling line “I know you’re frightened / but you’ll be enlightened / before this night is through / you’ll bleed on linen / but you’ll be free from sinnin’ / I’ll eat your sins for you.”

“Awakeinwhitechapel” is an instantly striking album that grows even stronger with each listen. Reoccurring themes and ideas pop up across the album and with each trip through, the master plan becomes all the more apparent. Yet, even as the music grows more familiar, it does not lose its dark and mysterious feeling. Thinguma*jigSaw’s splatter-folk never fails to be surprising, plain and simple. Beg, borrow, or steal if you have to, but just make sure to get your hands on this amazing album. 10/10"

-- Matt Blackall (14 November, 2007) foxy digitalis.

This irresistible, revolutionary folk-duo will tickle your brain and nourish your heart;

Two elusive, exeptional, pivotal personalities - cunningly spinning a web of flamboyant brouhahas within the idiom of their own device: charming, clever, generous, sinister splatterfolk.

Splatterfolk combines elements of traditional Irish/British/American folk with contemporary art music, and spices it up with lyrical and musical components usually associated with horrorfilms, experimental theatre and modernistic poetry. There is also an abundance of filmatic and popcultural references. It's the new revolution within the folk music - scene of today, and you will find no finer exponents of this subversive art than Thinguma*jigSaw. Sensual and subversive - that..s us!

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