10 July 2010 was a meeting of creative minds for Jim Wallis (Looking Glass) and Brendan Glasson (Vio/Miré) playing together in London. Recording and touring friends of Parachutes, Alex Somers, Fanfarlo & Deer Tick, London-based Looking Glass and Rhode Island’s Vio/Miré reconvene to split their strangely joyous melancholia.

Jim Wallis is Looking Glass. The drummer for rising UK band My Sad Captains, Wallis has pursued Looking Glass to great acclaim having released the eight-track mini-album ‘Fish Fowl Flood’ in October 2009 before returning with the four-track EP ‘The First Real Target in August 2010’. The releases gained heavy support on BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music with airplay from Lauren Laverne, Marc Riley, Steve Lamacq, Gideon Coe, Tom Robinson, and John Hillcock. Their third physical release leads with ‘Infinite Wisdom’ - a beautiful slow-burner that builds to a cello and drum led crescendo half way through demanding endless repeats. Recalling close friends Fanfarlo and underground emotronic and folk heroes The Promise Ring and Bill Callahan, Wallis’ tracks give notice that Looking Glass won’t remain a side project for long.

Vio/Mire hails from the ever-furtile Providence, Rhode Island scene joining recent successes Les Savy Fav, The Low Anthem, and touring friends Deer Tick. Vio/Mire has two acclaimed albums – ‘March 2007’ and ‘January 2009’ – the latter of which was recorded and produced by Alex Somers of Jonsi & Alex. Both combine glorious ambient instrumentals with perfectly crafted vocal tracks. His two efforts see a shift towards folktronica that digests Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service. Never regurgitating, Glasson takes us on a lo-fi path-finding mission. Classic, almost medieval vocals and guitar, mix with current keys and bass to form an accomplished, spellbinding new folk route.

Listen to the full Release: http://soundcloud.com/tip-top-recordings/sets/looking-glass-vio-mir/