A sonic extravaganza: Alex Paxton's Candyfolk Spacedrum demonstrates his gift for carefully crafted music that has the energy & engagement of a communal jam session.

Alex Paxton: Candyfolk Spacedrum: Alex Paxton, Jennifer Walshe, Riot Ensemble, Dreammusics Ensemble, London Sinfonietta, Belham Primary School, David Ingamells, Jennifer Walshe; Jonah Records
Reviewed 25 March 2026

A sonic extravaganza where Paxton demonstrates not only his remarkable ear for creating richly layered textures where sophisticated hyperactivity dominates, but also a gift for carefully crafted music that has all the energy and engagement of a communal jam session.

Candyfolk Spacedrum is the latest aural extravaganza from composer Alex Paxton. The album, on Jonah Records, features performances from Riot Ensemble, Dreammusics Ensemble, and London Sinfonietta with pieces originally commissioned by the London Sinfonietta, WDR Symphony Orchestra, Riot Ensemble and Zubin Kanga.

First comes Blue Chew Cheerio Earpiece, eight hyperactive movements performed by Riot Ensemble. Things begin in bright, light, 1950s, hyperactive fashion. Paxton continues this vein, varying the material but always multi-layering wildly different lines, including lurching changes of direction. Inspired by sample culture, cartoons and the fragmented listening experience of the internet and 90’s pirate radio adverts, the music channels dance music energy. Something that Paxton does brilliantly well. Despite sounding sampled, the music is fully written out as Paxton likes to keep the decision-making to himself. But there are pause points in the hyperactivity, so that YOUR MOM Still Laughing features moments that are slowed down, dreamy and almost spaced out.

Pullback Hat Biome Dunk features vocalist Jennifer Walshe and Paxton's trombone improvising with Dreammusics Orchestra. Here, the orchestral part is entirely notated and just the solo parts are improvised. There is something orgasmic about the textures that Paxton conjures with his vibrant trombone over an already rich mix of layers, and only gradually does Walshe appear and begin to dominate in a disturbing fashion.

Alex Paxton: Candyfolk Space Drum - children of Belham Primary School (Photo: Orlando Gili)

Candyfolk Spacedrum is an 11 movement work played by London Sinfonietta with children from Belham Primary School, with solos mixed in from Paxton himself (on trombone) and David Ingamells (jazz drummer). Things begin with a fart followed by textures that combine hyperactivity with spareness. But gradually you realise that there is a larger scale complexity of ideas going on. The second movement, Magic Science could be relatively straight-forward, but it foregrounds the children's choir where there is no attempt to aim at perfection. This is simply a group of children singing, creating a community enterprise, though Paxton's community includes all manner of individuals including his own virtuosic trombone. The more hyperactive moments are psychedelic indeed, despite foregrounding the children!

I have no idea what the children thought of the music. As you can see from the photos, they were indeed in the studio with everyone else. And I suspect that they loved it. For all the sophistication of Paxton's music, there is still within it a sort-of childish glee, a love of creating sounds for their own sake.

The final work on the disc, Carpig is the only fully electronic work. Here Paxton is writing for Zubin Kanga and his array of synthesizers. Again, Paxton uses the sounds and multi-layering capabilities to make a hyperactive soundscape appear.

Alex Paxton: Candyfolk Space Drum - London Sinfonietta, children of Belham Primary School, Aga Serugo-Lugo (Photo: Orlando Gili)

One of the fascinating things about these pieces is that though we know Paxton is a superb improviser, and he does indeed write for other improvisers, the overall textures and timbres are carefully thought through. These are random collages where every little pinpoint of sound is predecided, yet overall it has such a superb energy and hyperactive effervescence that the feel is a group of musicians jamming over a groove. And having a great time doing so.

Alex Paxton: Candyfolk Space Drum

1-8 Blue Chew Cheerio Earpiece
Riot Ensemble & Dreammusics Ensemble

9 - Pull Back Biome Dunk
Dreammusics Symphony Orchestra with improvising soloists Alex Paxton and Jennifer Walsh

Tracks 10 - 20 - Candyfolk Space Drum
Alex Paxton, London Sinfonietta, Children’s Chorus of The Belham Primary school conducted by Aga Serugo-Lugo

21 - Car-Pig
Alex Paxton, Zubin Kanga

Jonah Records 

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