Industrial Growth

Industrial Growth is the seventh album from Gordon Chapman-Fox, as Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan. Departing drastically from the earlier ambient albums, this is designed to unleash sonic distortion and dissonance.

“My music has been getting heavier and heavier over the years”, says Gordon Chapman-Fox, “as my music often reflects my feelings on the outside world, this is very much a visceral response to our current times.”

This is a dark and snarling album. “There’s always been a darkness to my work, but this felt like the time to unleash it all,” says Gordon. “The Growth of the title isn’t about economics, this is something far more organic, eating away at our society.”

The majority of the album is part of a suite that was commissioned by Roadburn Festival for the 2024 outing in Tilburg, Netherlands. The recorded album version of it has been in gestation since then, with tracks being further honed on a tour of the UK. A few of the tracks originally performed at Roadburn have been lost along the way, to be replaced by newer tracks more in keeping with the rest of the album’s mood.

From the opening crash of the first track This Machine, you will be aware that this is an angrier Warrington-Runcorn from ever before. From the industrial beats and white noise of this track, the album settles into an oppressive mood with The Wire and Warrington Bank Quay. Side A closes with Heavy Industry, a rare moment of light on the album, before returning to the claustrophobic machine sounds of Parkside and Astmoor. Post Industrial Policy channels hints of early kosmische music into a swirl of melodies, but the levity is brutally cut short with the noise-scarred album closer Industrial Unrest.

The album is complimented on Bandcamp by a bonus remix of the lead track, This Machine, by TVAM. “I’ve worked with Joe from TVAM in the past, we grew up in the same area, and he’s an absolute joy”, says Gordon.

Artwork throughout the album is by Michael Cooke, whose previous illustrations have appeared on Districts, Roads, Open Space and Your Community Hub. Michael grew up in Runcorn and much of the artwork is based on his first hand experience of living in the town.