The Athame

In January 2009, I put together a hauntology compilation called Play Safe, initially a CDR limited to 20 copies, which was eventually uploaded it to Mixcloud – listen here. It was subsequently remastered in 2017 as part of my Complete Us The Circle grouping of four historic mixes. I often thought about compiling a sequel to Play Safe, to try and capture the uneasy & menacing vibe of the original. What follows is sort of compromise; The Athame is just hosted on Spotify so has a somewhat narrower scope than its predecessor and obviously lacks the random PIF and VHS soundtrack samples. Hopefully you’ll find something to enjoy in it. The photo below is credited to Conan Power. You are looking at the old Hotel building in Duncannon, Co Wexford taken shortly after it was gutted by fire on 26 May 1977. I clearly remember the once-grand structure getting progressively worse over the next few years. There was also a burnt house – to the left of the green property – which stayed in that condition for ages, a very creepy sight – even in broad daylight.

The Athame
01 Pye Audio Corner – November Sequence
02 Jonathan Parker & Seth Asarnow – Bartleby (Titles)
03 David Cain – July
04 Broadcast & The Focus Group – I See, So I See So
05 Cosmic Dennis Greenidge – Cuckoo Clock
06 Arthur Birkby – Cuckoo
07 Mordant Music – Inn Ohm The Lake
08 Delia Derbyshire & Anthony Newley – Moogies Bloogies
09 Ray Cathode – Time Beat
10 Paul Guiot & Paul Piot – Amour, Vacances Et Baroque
11 Burial – In McDonald’s
12 Ataraxia – The Unexplained
13 Coil – Going Up
14 Plone – Puzzlewood
15 Belbury Poly – Cantalus
16 Moon Wiring Club & Belbury Poly – The Young People
17 Boards Of Canada – Nothing Is Real
18 The Advisory Circle – Lonely Signalman

To accompany The Athame, I have also created a Spotify version of Play Safe. While missing the samples & theme rips, it still hangs together – a rather concentrated take.

Play Safe (Spotify Version 2021)
01 John Baker – Good Morning Wales
02 Belbury Poly – The Willows
03 The Advisory Circle – Civil Defence Is Common Sense
04 Belbury Poly – Lord Belbury’s Folly
05 Cliff Johns – Goofy
06 John Baker – Au Printemps
07 The Advisory Circle – Frozen Ponds PIF
08 Paul Keogh – Dragster
09 Brian Bennett & Alan Hawkshaw – Dossier
10 John Baker – Woman’s Hour (Reading Your Letters)
10 Belbury Poly – Farmer’s Angle
12 Peter Howell – The Astronauts
13 Belbury Poly – Tangled Beams
14 The Advisory Circle – Nuclear Substation PIF
15 Johnny Pearson – Mini Walking
16 Johnny Pearson – Mini Clarinet
17 Johnny Pearson – Mini Movement
18 The Advisory Circle – Mind How You Go