Patrul Devlin: synthesizers, effects, ableton drum and looping programming.
1) Twist & Fret hail from the London Borough of Croydon, birthplace of dubstep, grime and (arguably) the British strain of punk rock. The duo combine these influences with ambience and modern jazz to create a form of dance music that you certainly won't have heard before. Their first album “Rude awakening” is comprised of instrumentals which sound like they could be songs, so hooky and insistent are Sam Burry's basslines and Patrul Devlin's keyboard flourishes. Unlike many other electronica acts their music spans the full range of emotions, taking in blissful ambience, melancholy and even in-your-face humour. Also the perfect soundtrack to a long car journey - give the album a try and you'll see!
2) Their second album, 2020 release “Just leaving now, mate!” is, incredibly, a massive step forward. Although the album contains 2 instrumentals, the appearance for the first time of Sam’s vocals and guitar playing on the majority of the tracks is a game-changer in terms of the meaning and musical richness of T&F’s sound. Rather than singing, Sam uses what could best be described as a beat poetry approach to the expression of his lyrics. The result is a series of urban short stories set to an ever-shifting musical background. From the gym-based obsessiveness of “Working out” to the total dislocation of “Midnight in Romford”, T&F are truly the sound of London’s least fashionable outer suburbs.
1) & 2) reviews written by Andy Callen
Twist & Fret are a musical duo play Alternative Dance, Jazz Electronica, Beat Poetry formed in Croydon during the Autumn of 2018.
Sam Burry comes from a musical family. His father PJ Burry (multi-instrumentalist) and his uncle Andy Callen (guitar) played in Patrul's first band Avant Garde, a folk punk band from Croydon (1978-83). Sam's Mum plays guitar and enjoys singing folk music. Kate self released a few albums, She also performs with a choir. Sam's first musical venture with Patrul was as part the avant pop/post-punk band Burry Callen Devlin who released the album ‘Immortal’ in 2018.
Patrul Devlin’s background is more extensive and battle hardened fought his way through the South London music scene taking in the glamour of the Notting Hill Carnival as well as the glamour of Deptford and Brixton. In no particular order of importance or chronology, he's played with the Mad Professor's Prodigal Son, Humble I And The Educators, eight-piece soul/reggae band Heyoka, singer/songwriter Julia Gallagher as well as arranging a bizarre collusion of Captain Sensible (The Damned) with David Jackson (Van Der Graaf Generator) on Jackson ’s first solo outing. As well as being a member of seminal acoustic folk-punk band Avant Garde, he followed up with stints as a member of indie-popsters My Cat Dances and Callen, playing on TV recordings at the request of legendary producer Mike Mansfield and undertaking European touring support slots with luminaries such as Giant Sand and Robert Forster. In recent years, he was part of Manchester band Theme Park on the album 'Me And Other People Exactly The Same' which brought him to the attention of moody Florida-based indie-electronica outfit, Chiefland Tigers. He was an integral driver of their album 'It's Expected That I'm Gone' which was highly-regarded in the southern alternative music scene.
Patrul Devlin has also released three solo albums, two of these - ‘Driftwood On An Eastern Shoreline’ and 'Clear Light', both impressive ambient works whilst ‘Airbrushing My Personal History’ was a bold leap into more groove based work.
'no small act of kindness is ever wasted'
'We are delighted to have had the opportunity to make music together.'
