Scrimshire is not an alias. It is the last name of Adam Screamshire, who doubles as an artist and as the founder of the record label Adam’s Favourites, which released Scrimshire’s latest album Paroxysm.
If unfamiliar with the term that serves as this album’s title, its definition basically means a fit, attack, or sudden increase or recurrence of symptoms (as of a disease) and a sudden violent emotion or action.
This certainly indicates that here the thematic background of the album has political connotations – Scrimshire through his music here gives “a direct response to the absurdity of the breakdown in the UK government, the horror of the treatment of refugees arriving on our shores and the callous disregard for the trauma being caused to low-income people or anyone considered “other”.
Heavy thematics for sure, but Scrimshire envelops his thoughts on the subject with some well-thought both instrumental and vocal sounds (courtesy of singer Faye Houston) that range from rhythmic ambient, through jazz to hip hop (London-based poet and emcee Repeat Beat Poet).
And it is both interconnected and quite moving, as Scrimshire is actually able to fully transfer his emotions and thoughts into the music here which is both varied and exciting.
