Brighton’s original downtempo don, Blue States aka Greek man mountain Andy Dragazis, is releasing his new 6 track EP “Trinity Tapes” on 30 October 2020 alongside the 20-year anniversary reissue of his classic album “Nothing Changes Under the Sun” via Memphis Industries.
“Trinity Tapes” is a collection of never before heard recordings initially started around the original release of “Nothing Changes Under the Sun” in 2000 but which Dragazis has recently been chiselling away at to turn them into shiny nuggets of wide screen instrumentalism. Echoes of Morricone, Roy Budd, Neu, DJ Shadow and Vangelis can all be discerned but the songs on Trinity Tapes retain Blue States’ unique nostalgia infused productions
‘Nothing Changes…’ was created by Andy Dragazis, working in his bedroom, locked away with a rudimental little set up – a sampler, a sequencer, and a few keyboards. Andy confesses that he was far from certain what he was working on, but, encouraged by fledgling label Memphis Industries, he released a series of 12” EPs in 1998-99, each to increasing acclaim. Complete artistic freedom can lead to self-indulgence and musical cul-de-sacs, but by the time ‘Nothing Changes…’ was released in September 2000, the results of Andy’s experimentation had been honed, refined into something very special indeed. A record that held its secrets close, ‘Nothing Changes…’ set Blue States apart from the downtempo contemporaries that were flourishing at the time, full of sweeping melancholia and glorious retro-futurism.