Now (9)

now was founded in 1998 by songwriter Justin Paton with the aim of bringing together adventurous multi-instrumentalists who are as much in love with electronics as guitars, tambourines and classical instruments. To date, the band’s line-up has varied from a duo to double-figures and has involved collaborations with such noted underground musicians as Damo Suzuki (Can) and Charles Hayward (This Heat). Live, now are capable of effortlessly switching between melodic songs and energetic, noisy improvisation. This versatility has led to them performing in a variety of venues both inside and outside the UK, from outdoor rock festivals to gallery-based sound-art and live film-scores, as well as shared bills with such acts as Stereolab, Andrew Weatherall, Faust, Hans-Joachim Roedelius, Insides, Plaid and Gavin Russom. As Plan B magazine says, “pursuing their offbeat, off-kilter and occasionally off-the-wall mashup of lo-fidelity experimental pop music and uptempo kosmik grooves at the fringes of underground and overground success, now continue to demonstrate the tireless heart of their being is something close to an unsung national treasure.” Since releasing their debut album ‘Frisbee Hotpot’ in 2006, now have released more than 60 albums and written specially commissioned music for compilations and exhibitions. A new album is always being recorded. now could be described as catchy, exotic, messy, mercurial, bountiful, pragmatic, harmonious and disharmonious 21st century experimental pop.