Beautiful cinematic electronix on this full length album by Lord Of The Isles inspired by the beauty of the islands of Scotland. Neil McDonald's love of the outdoors is a constant feature in his music, hence his Lord Of The Isles moniker, a direct reference to the Highlands and islands of his native Scotland. His vivid, effervescent and blissfully cinematic sound paints a soundtrack to unmade films, building imaginary worlds inspired by his childhood passion for science fiction. It is therefore no coincidence that the closing track 'Subtle Thoughts' samples the inimitable voice of Carl Sagan and is also the name of his forthcoming album on Lapsus Records. Subtle Thoughts' is an album of sumptuous melancholic electronica that, like all his previous works, avoids being pigeonholed. In it we find ambient and IDM, but also breaks and down-tempo 4x4 beats with deep ruminations, and even passages akin to new age and Balearic. In Neil's own words, the real concept behind 'Subtle Thoughts' is "The spaces in between. Listening to the quiet voices. Freedom of expression and being open. It also contains my hopes and fears for the future of our world, but mainly hope and love". Subtle Thoughts' will be released on 8 December with two advance singles: 'Open Mode' accompanying the album launch on 7 October; followed by 'Return to Yourself' on 4 November.

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'Night Of The Endless Beyond', the sophomore album by Lord Of The Isles AKA Neil McDonald for the ESP Institute, had almost become a mythical piece of work. The tracks very slowly crept into formation from the lowest depths of 2021, and once the completed album finally made the leap from creation into manufacturing, an entirely new onslaught of follies and delays awaited at the pressing plant. We began to laugh, for not only did Mario Hugo’s otherworldly sleeve artwork visually translate this music so well, but it was an uncanny premonition to the album being lost in space, falling through a black hole, evaporating into the aether like a dream that never really happened. But, at long last, ground control has confirmed contact! It did happen, it will arrive, and it’s not a myth. Listening to 'Night Of The Endless Beyond' now feels like the return of a strayed friend, one whose distance left us pining for an embrace. Although this Techno relies on unassuming means, there is a remarkably complex and persuasive emotional statement embedded here, insisting we learn to endure the long game and allow ourselves patience to investigate and appreciate the minutiae contained not only within the notes, but their negative space. From its introduction, through its mellow crests and valleys, there is a conveyance of restraint — subtle dynamics that quietly beg for attention, repetition so hypnotic that imaginary melodies are inescapable, transient peaks so deliberately scaled that we mourn the subsequent decay. In accordance with Neil’s ESP debut, 'In Waves', we never feel attacked by instrumentation but shielded from sharp edges, able to step inside the music, breathe the air it occupies and know its true intentions, whether bright or bleak.
Just prior to the album close, a film dialogue excerpt summarizes everything quite honestly by proposing, “The truth of the universe is waiting … the truth of what is … it’s all going to go away … everything … into blackness … the void … and nobody is in charge.” “…and what do you do with that?” We stare long into the 'Night Of The Endless Beyond' and answer… “You smile.”

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The third installment on the Lord Of The Isles DFSANT series.

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Restock

Our man Neil aka Lord of the Isles drops another face-melter for his recently birthed label Dfsant. Don't ask us what that means by the way, we have no idea. Here on the second 12". the laird treats to a further three tracks of sublime techno / house hybrids: the opener "Synth Plus" is a kosmiche throbber with a lick of motor city melodrama, whilst "To Here" comes on like a decidedly less shit-scary Black Merlin, and to close things out we have a slo-mo acid disco cut in the form of "Heyta Hota". Real nice stuff folks.





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DSFANT is a new label from Lord of the Isles

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McDonald’s long-standing relationship with Firecracker boss Lindsay Todd – dating back a decade to their joint residency in Edinburgh – has seen Lord Of The Isles records appear on both UNTHANK and Shevchenko, whilst he also contributed to the Scotch and field recording shenanigans of last year’s Mac-talla Nan Creag album. Now, McDonald will now graduate to the main Firecracker label for a full Lord Of The Isles debut due in December under the name Parabolas Of Neon. Taking shape as a six-track 12'', the record features glacial techno and downtempo, cinematic melancholia; a fitting tribute to peaks conquered, whisky-drenched travelogues, warehouse parties, long drives and fried afters.



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Lord Of The Isles, a.k.a. Neil McDonald, has spent the better part of a decade steadily producing and releasing beautiful music.The ESP Institute has always wholeheartedly believed in Neil’s work ethic and his journey as an artist who constantly refines his vision, and when we inevitably approached in hopes of working together, we were enamoured by the sheer breadth and depth of work he had 'in progress’. There are two types of artists. One internalises their process, endlessly perfecting their work while finding the endpoint a massive hurdle, in turn they produce immaculate yet very little art.The other is continuously inspired, so full of ideas they can barely work fast enough to articulate them all.The art becomes by-product of their larger trajectory and not just a collection of endpoints. Lord Of The Isles seems to be both, always in an evolving state of process where the work is constantly shed to make way for the new layer growing beneath, yet he holds his cards closely, cherry picking when and with whom he releases his art into the world. Neil is simply prolific. He shared with us a vast catalog of unheard beauty, which over a long span of time was collaboratively shaped into his debut album “In Waves”.The title speaks to Neil’s process both intimately and from afar, it speaks to the emotional ebb and flow of the music itself, and ultimately it speaks to the listener. This album will gift you with something new upon every listen, a concept that is
also gracefully interpreted into the album’s artwork by New York City artist, Hassan Rahim.The visceral aesthetic Neil portrays throughout these 15 songs is most certainly a landscape, an assemblage of intimate stories that, as a whole, give us this wider view of his intense drive, his multi-faceted quiver of skill, and his ultimate obsession... beauty.

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Lord Of The Isles, a.k.a. Neil McDonald, has spent the better part of a decade steadily producing and releasing beautiful music. The ESP Institute has always wholeheartedly believed in Neil’s work ethic and his journey as an artist who constantly refines his vision, and when we inevitably approached in hopes of working together, we were enamoured by the sheer breadth and depth of work he had 'in progress’.Ahead of the album’s release, we are proud to share with you the single ‘Weh-In’, a mesmerizing arpeggio melody that opens and closes, purrs and barks, and plays nicely with its percussive accompaniment over more than 10 minutes. This lengthy single version of the track is joined by a dark and stormy, exclusive non-album cut entitled ‘Pik’, as well as a big room rave remix by ESP Institute resident Ian Blevins, which take us to a slightly more frantic place while retaining the euphoric essence of the original.

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Scottish producer Lord Of The Isles surely dropped some jaws in the last couple of years with some widely praised releases on excellent labels such as Ene records, Firecracker, Phonica, Cocktail d' amore or his own label Little Strong. Permanent Vacation welcomes him now with an expansive five track ep that shows his talent in the full monty. Cinematic soundscapes between Planet E-styled Techno, Bubbling Electronica, floating ambient and analog warehouse roughness that fits into the amazon jungle as well as into the Scottish high lands. Strike your weapons resistance is futile.

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It's been nearly two years since the shadowy Lord Of The Isles began his own Little Strong imprint, and though this is only the second release on the label the man's been far from idle. With releases on ENE Japan, Phonica, and the Firecracker offshoots Unthank and Shevchenko, to name but a few, his name has earned plaudits from connoisseurs across the planet. Now he reappears with a package of delights showcasing still more of his signature sound, which simultaneously manages to evoke both colourful tropical climes and barren northern landscapes. 'Timeless' is a much misused word, but here it is truly applicable with the likes of 'Ossian's Hall' calling to mind ancient folk melodies and rhythms, post rave sunrise soundtracks, and utopian future visions. Meditative synth passages which are fast becoming the Lord's forte are present once more also, with 'Fey Folk' and 'Xatsiv' providing the calm which is so welcome in this world of quick fix rhythm tracks. Finally, 'Nustron' exists in that zone between the outer and inner worlds, between the dancefloor and the sofa, both very fine places to find oneself.

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For the second release on Lord Of The Isles’s Dusk Delay imprint we see the Kimochi Sound and Hanagasumi regular, Shine Grooves deliver one of his best organic electronic odysseys to date. Spanning 6 tracks; it masterfully traverses an exciting intergalactic sonic landscape. Aptly titled ‘Pictures Of Mood’, the EP conjures vivid imagery through evocative deep experimental introspection, soul enhancing optimism and eyes-closed dancefloor dreaming.

Limited vinyl run with Riso print.

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