(10.03.05) In April 2003 Coil played the All Tomorrows Parties Festival curated by Autechre. Staged in the oddest setting you could possibly see a seminal band such as Coil in, the festival was held at the British holiday resort of Camber Sands on the South coast of England. Resplendent in a specially made floor length floral dress, a bearded Balance and the rest of Coil delivered a momentous concert. Tragically however, Balance died in an accident at home late in 2004, a time when the album title had already been decided. And The Ambulance Died In his Arms is the poignant title of this tribute to the late Jhonn Balance recorded live at the Camber Sands on April 4th, 2003. At the time of the concert, a majority of the tracks were unreleased.
Opening with the tense cinematic rumblings of “Triple Sun Introduction” and evolving into the swirling psychedelic ambience of “Snow Falls into Military Temples”, it is some time before Balance appears, initially wailing. After some discussion about “a quiet set” they launch into the gently undulating “A Slip in the Marylebone Road” in which Balance recalls his then recent assault when a book of his personal notes was stolen. As always with Balance’s lyrical journeys “A Slip in the Marylebone Road” is an example of his ability to play with words, twisting them in various ways to great effect. “Triple Sons and the One You Bury” revisits the cinematic tension of the concert opening before launching into Balance’s musings on consuming various poisons. Closing the show is a lengthy rendition of “The Dreamer Is Still Asleep/The Somnambulist in an Ambulance.” Before this however, Balance has a light-hearted conversation with the audience involving various drug related themes. Continuing with the music, the closing track resembles medical equipment and a heartbeat with Balance repeating the words “Somnambulist in an Ambulance” over and over before steadily morphing into “The Dreamer Is Still Asleep.”
And the Ambulance Died In His Arms is a fitting tribute to the sadly missed Balance, who together with Peter Christopherson and more recently Thighpaulsandra along with an ever changing cast of characters formed the legendary Coil. “A Slip in the Marylebone Road” and “The Dreamer is Still Asleep/Somnambulist in an Ambulance” stand out as particularly engaging, the latter being especially gentle and beautiful.
…And The Ambulance Died In His Arms is out now on Threshold House.
