Factory Floor offer up a substantial distraction while the band put the finishing touches on their debut album, due out on DFA Records in early 2013. Their last single ‘Two Different Ways’, named Best New Track by Pitchfork, is remixed by two different electronic music leaders. Richard H Kirk, co-founder of both Cabaret Voltaire and Sweet Exorcist, puts his own warped spin on the single, while Perc aka Ali Wells, takes the original and piles on his signature throbbing bass for the main remix. Perc also offers up a ‘Noisy Mix’ taking avant waves of feedback and noise and shaping into something unexpectedly beautiful. The 12″ is out now August on DFA.
The Perc remix comes complete with an immersive, jagged video. Created by Dan Tombs, artist behind visuals for the likes of Gold Panda, Nathan Fake, Luke Abbott, Walls and Jon Hopkins, the video is a remix of the original for the track.
Over the past two years, Factory Floor have emerged as the most potent and original live force in contemporary British music. Based in their own studio in a former sweat shop in North London, the trio of Gabe Gurnsey, Dominic Butler and Nik Void construct a new form that builds on the pioneering rhythms and sonic textures of early industrial groups, the heavier end of techno, and contemporary electronica.
Just as they were becoming infamous as a group who delivered pulverising noise in an all-engulfing assault, Factory Floor evolved yet again. Despite an increasing lightness of approach, their music has lost none of the relentless energy and focused aggression.
‘Untitled’, their first release on Blast First, was voted one of NME’s best albums of 2010, and a subsequent 12″ series saw remixes from New Order‘s Steven Morris and Chris Carter of Throbbing Gristle. This was then followed by the Optimo release, ‘R E A L L O V E’, and further remixes from Liars‘ Angus Andrew and No Age‘s Dean Allen Spunt.
As Factory Floor move ever onwards in practice and methods as much as sound, they continue to compliment traditional single and album releases with one-off performances, films (fff), art installations and collaborations.
The first of these came when Chris Carter joined Factory Floor for their performances at Barcelona’s Primavera Sound Festival and the London Roundhouse, and the live set has progressed to include the Factory Floor Electronic set, which debuted at the ICA in London and will shortly appear at the Berghain in Berlin.
They have remixed the likes of Grinderman (producing their own Factory Floor Film to accompany the release), Swing (Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert‘s project) and Forward Strategy Group and, as Artists In Residence at the ICA, a series of future live collaborations are planned, with Peter Gordon (Love Of Life Orchestra) confirmed for Autumn 2012.
Factory Floor are currently in the studio working on an album planned for release in early 2013, and will perform at festivals throughout Summer, including Fujirock and Bestival amongst others.
Formed around three, an indestructible triangle, Factory Floor’s human machine is the very sound of progress.
