End Beginnings

Description

Following a greatest hits compilation retrospective of the techno-man-band on the 2024 collection Where Next?, Sandwell District re-form with trusted new members Monic and Rivet, to produce their first new material in over a decade. The release comes about a year after the tragic passing of their legendary member Juan Mendez, aka Silent Servant, who left us far too soon. Rest in peace, friend. End Beginnings is a majestic fusion of cinematic techno and hypnotic, dancefloor-ready drive; an album that marries the Drexciyan idea of techno as an act of seditious innovation with a jubilant insouciance, an essential imperative for O'Connor. "Having a good time is pretty much why you get into it in the first place," he sagely notes. "And it's fun. I think we feel a lot luckier now, especially after what happened to Juan. We're grateful." Thus, End Beginnings is also a poignant requiem for a fallen soldier—Juan Mendez. In early 2024, Mendez tragically passed away, just as things were looking good for the collective. His stunning visual and artistic work was always a central pillar of Sandwell District; he was even working on a piece titled End Beginnings, which was intended to be the album's artwork. This project was never completed, but O'Connor and Sumner chose to repurpose the title to honor their friend's contribution. A poignant tribute to the chaotic and discontinuous nature of this rebellious alliance.