This compilation, artwork and notes below were produced by Andrew Ciccone for Navel Gazers: blog.navelgazers.co.uk

All tracks mastered by Martin Clarke.

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In 2020, to celebrate one year of the Navel-Gazers blog, a 'Navel-Gazing' compilation album was produced featuring new and otherwise unheard sounds from all twelve artists who had participated in the monthly interviews. Twelve gazes later, here's Volume 2: an enchanting mix of lost recordings, new material, remote collaborations, live snippets and - this time - even a couple of audio clips from the second round of interviews which have transpired over this past year of the project. A wild ride...

All proceeds from Navel-Gazing will be donated to the Mind charity for mental health which is a cause that is interesting and important to me. You don't need me to tell you what Mind does, you can read all about them: www.mind.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/

Once again I'd like to thank all the artists for these contributions and for talking to me about their work. Below are my brief thoughts on each track and a link to each artist's Navel-Gazers interview and their own webpage.

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Zhu Wenbo, Li Song, Yan Jun - blue square, he said
The concept here is that no one's doing their usual thing. Electronic Wenbo, Vocal Li Song, Acoustic Yan Jun. Next up, Groucho on the harp!
blog.navelgazers.co.uk/2020/11/various-artists-there-is-no-music-from.html
zoominnight.bandcamp.com, notimportant.org, yanjun.bandcamp.com

Aurélie Nyirabikali Lierman - (interview excerpt)
Memorable passages from one of the most interesting conversations I've ever had! if you've not read this one, brew up a hot green tea and check it out at the link below.
blog.navelgazers.co.uk/2020/12/aurelie-nyirabikali-lierman-anosmia.html
aurelielierman.be

Sharon Gal - The World Between Us
The track listing of our compilation is incidental - it's the order in which the interviews were done. Sharon's piece, which is so dramatic, just fits perfectly here.
blog.navelgazers.co.uk/2021/01/sharon-gal-garden-of-earthly-delights.html
www.sharon-gal.com

Bablicon - Banana
Apparently this is from Bablicon's unreleased live album 'Pastor of Muppets'. Like all things Bablicon, it dates back to sometime around Y2K.
blog.navelgazers.co.uk/2021/02/bablicon-flat-inside-fog-cat-that-was.html
www.pickled-egg.co.uk, davidmcdonnellmusic.com, griffinrodriguez.bandcamp.com, lmduplication.bandcamp.com

Breaking Up In The Atmosphere - horizontality alone cannot defeat capitalism
Nathan getting a bit political there! he backs up his statement with a delightfully vertical production. I am ready for the overdubs, Mr. DeMille.
blog.navelgazers.co.uk/2021/03/breaking-up-in-atmosphere-line.html
breakingupintheatmosphere.bandcamp.com

Fossil Aerosol Mining Project - Emergency Excerpt (lost mix)
Although this track has no discernable melody, it's weirdly infectious and has been creeping in my head for weeks. Shall we speculate on its origins...?
blog.navelgazers.co.uk/2021/04/fossil-aerosol-mining-project-day-1982.html
www.fossilaerosol.com

Beatriz Ferreyra - (interview excerpt)
Another interview excerpt... I ask all Navel-Gazers what images they'd like to use for their interview - well, Beatriz had the best answer for this.
blog.navelgazers.co.uk/2021/05/beatriz-ferreyra-grm-works.html
beatrizferreyra.odavia.com

Cheer-Accident - Excerpt (Wroclaw 5_9_09)
No shortage of "excerpts" around here. If you trust the American date format - and I'm not sure I do - this bit of Wrock was from a May 2009 European tour.
blog.navelgazers.co.uk/2021/06/cheer-accident-enduring-american-dream.html
www.cheer-accident.com

Goh Lee Kwang - DeliciousBlues
If you're not paying close attention you'll think Lee Kwang's track is a continuation of Cheer-Accident's, it flows perfectly from it. Then it gets very very loud!
blog.navelgazers.co.uk/2021/07/goh-lee-kwang-nerve-center.html
becomingshadow.bandcamp.com/music

Constance/Nyoukis - Where Grunt Lays
Stunning track from Dylan and Karen, no idea what's going on here but it seems to have some strange internal logic, beknownst to them and them alone.
blog.navelgazers.co.uk/2021/08/constancenyoukis-whit.html
bloodstereo.bandcamp.com

Kate Carr - water dripping on leaves, me and my mics in a rainforest in Mexico
The birds are really going for it on this field recording. I love the sound of rainforests teeming with life. Here's hoping Kate's gear was not damaged!
blog.navelgazers.co.uk/2021/09/kate-carr-thing-itself-and-not-myth.html
katecarr.bandcamp.com.

The James Worse Public Address Method - wigfingerer
Our twelfth contribution is from Jim, he's really putting his voice through the blender! Sounds pretty painful but then I remember these are recordings. Nothing is real..
blog.navelgazers.co.uk/2021/10/the-james-worse-public-address-method.html
www.jamesworse.com

Omphalopticon - uNrAVELed
Finally it's my own contribution which is an unholy mix of all twelve! See if you can spot each of our second-wave Navel-Gazers wafting through the din...
omphalopticon.bandcamp.com