Back in 2007 we met up with legendary comic-book writer Jeffrey Brown, he of such incredible books as Clumsy and Unlikely, at a book signing in Bristol. We gave him a handful of records we were working on as a gesture to say thanks for the positive effect his books have had on all of us, and to give him something to listen to on the long ride back home to Chicago.

When Mewgatz turned in his finished full-length album in June 2008 we where all taken a back. Over the past year Mewgatz has managed to hone his art of circuit-bending, creating a much more coherent piece of thoughtful electronica. 14 tracks in length the album is an incredibly introspective piece of work that documents Mewgatz struggle with relationships, the injustices of a modern world, and the evaluation of his place on this earth. While heavy in subject matter the record carries an overall feeling of optimism and leaves you with the positive feeling that “it’ll all work out”. It’s a complex record that demands attention and offers rewards way beyond the cheap thrill of danceable electronica.

Lyrically and musically the record is very reminiscent of the work of Jeffrey Brown. If you’re not aware of Jeffrey Brown’s work, he’s most famous for his auto-biographical novels documenting his life’s relationships and their various pitfalls. His brutal honesty is a wonder to beyond and an inspiration to us all. In much the same way that Mewgatz balances the demanding and sometimes aggressive electronics of his recordings with his untrained and unconfident yet humble and inviting vocal, Jeffrey Brown brings his stories to life through his lo-fi and humble drawing technique, you get the sense that Jeffrey makes these books as much as a release for himself as for entertainment for the reader.

It was therefore natural that we approached Jeffrey Brown with the idea of having him draw the artwork for the forthcoming Mewgatz album. Much to our giddy excitement Jeffrey Brown accepted our invitation and is currently working on a 16 page booklet, CD face and tray card for the album. I can’t really tell you too much yet as it’s still in the planning stages but I can tell you that Jeffrey will be doing the entire record and the front of the sleeve and back of the CD case will both be in colour. We will also be releasing the album in a special limited edition digipak format.

The Mewgatz album is scheduled for a February 2009 release.