If you’ve spent any time around here at all, you know that, in the beginning, there was Maestro Echoplex, which begat John Guilt. Eventually, John Guilt faded, leaving Andrew Spencer Goldman, solo, who, late last year, picked up the name Fulton Lights, and then promptly finished the album he’d been working on for the last three years. With help from a very large cast of very talented associates, including Oktopus and DJ Still (both of Dälek), Andrew has put together a debut that, as the press release puts it, “is a cycle of songs that are deceptively sweet-edged, but indelibly tough.” Here’s one example of that “sweet-edge,” this simple, smoldering slow-burner:

::: Fulton Lights - Fire In The Palm Of My Hand :::

And on to the “indelibly tough:”

::: Fulton Lights - Thank God For The Evening News :::

Fulton Lights’ s/t debut is pretty much a product of Andrew’s trademark quiet/lovely sensibility, with a booster shot of John Cale strings, multiplied by the RZA, on a bed of fresh Isaac Hayes ‘tude. I believe that everyone sort of has “their own” New York, you know? And Andrew’s New York may not be pretty, but it’s darkly sublime and beautiful, and damn, the boy captured that perfectly on this record.

Oh yeah: And so I’m really happy to announce that Catbird Records is releasing a special, limited-edition (150) version of the album, complete with some really cool packaging and a 4-track bonus disc which includes one non-album track, plus remixes from Still, Strategy, and Nick Forte. Should ship just prior to the release of the regular edition (on Android Eats Records) on March 6th.

Related: SPIN, CMG, Silent Uproar, Fingertips Blog, Kinky Origami