The new single from Black Market Karma and Tess Parks is ‘The Sky Was All Diseased’. It is a collaboration borne of friendship and spontaneity and is a primer for BMK’s eleventh album Friends in Noise.
End time harmonies
BMK’s main person Stanley Belton said, “Tess and I first met in 2014 when she reached out and sent a very kind message about my music. I dug what she was doing to so, upon her arrival to the UK, we met up and became friends, touring a fair bit together in the following years around Europe. During the downtime, we would often hang out at my studio.”
“I had the groove and music to this song floating around in my brain for a while, but had no lyrics or vocal part. I happened to play it one time we were at the studio together, but after a while I noticed Tess out of the corner of my eye scribbling down lyrics. She started humming a melody to herself and I loved what she was doing so we went with it. I added in one more verse with a different vocal melody and a few lines at the end of the song and there it was ‘The Sky Was All Diseased’. I laid the music down a few days later and recorded Tess’s vocals, which became the track as you hear it now.”
Torontonian Tess Parks said, “I guess this was written in 2014? 2015? While I was living in Dartford, a few doors down from Stan. We had a few nice sessions at Stan’s studio, where we pretty much instantly wrote a few really cool songs. It’s been eight years and the time has finally come!!!”
Friends in Noise
Technically nine years in the making, Friends in Noise is a series of collaborations between BMK and friends. The LP also features The Underground Youth, Les Big Byrd/Joakim Ahlund, The Confederate Dead, and Ruari Meehan. More recently, Stan has been collaborating with Pete Kember (aka Sonic Boom/Spacemen 3).
Conclusion
With the global pollution rate going only upwards the sky is, indeed, diseased. The only consolation is the euphoric soundtrack provided by Stan and Tess.
‘The Sky Was All Diseased’ is available now. Friends in Noise can be ordered via Flower Power Records.