For a few days now I’ve been hearing a strange muffled noise emitting from the confines of my flat, and last night I was really struggling to sleep because of it. I was too tired and unsettled to seriously investigate, instead deciding to take refuge under my pillow and pretend like it didn’t exist. This morning, my senses far more acute, I established the sound was coming from the ceiling above my bed. I reached up high and banged my fist against the exterior… the noise increasing tenfold… as did the realisation I was now sharing my home with a gang of bees. I could see them hovering around outside my window, and I felt automatically connected to them.

The humble worker bee is Manchester’s most recognisable cultural symbol; you’ll find them here decorating our brickwork, bridges and bins. It’s fair to say the bee represents the industry and collaboration of our creative scene – just as much now as the mills and factories of our past. People here tend not to make a big deal about what they are up to, all the best art is hidden away like beautiful honey… only when the hive is disturbed will all the bee’s emerge. Paul Blake is the kind of person who reflects this modern landscape – an engaging character, you’ll often find him out with his partner Kyoko Swan (Kyogen/PINS) at local shows, supportive, positive and clearly inspired by the artist’s he surrounds himself with.

Pain Threshold, his own musical project, is a highly personal affair; a slow dissection of his mind and mortality. The song-craft and emotive lyricism found in standout track Being and Nothingness are wrapped in experience and understanding… a world weariness that feels almost inescapable. This bold and beautiful approach is reminiscent of the early MONEY recordings, with all the same raw and poetic qualities to his work. It’s time for this bee to make some noise.

https://www.facebook.com/thepainthresholdband

Phill Young