Terraform by Novo Amor & Ed Tullett

Terraform and Freehand were the last two songs written for the record, which I wrote on Ali’s piano at his old house, but Terraform was the only one recorded at his new place. We both think it sounds a bit cleaner and generally better because of that – but I guess if records are in some way moments in time, Heiress really does capture those countless weeks spread over 4 years in Ali’s humble bedroom studio. He didn’t really ‘get’ Terraform until we started recording it – I was immediately super excited about it when I wrote it, and convinced him it needed to be on the record.

It’s now one of his favourites on the album, and was probably one of the most fun/least stressful to make. It’s about the end of a relationship, platonic or romantic, that you then realise you’re better off without. Becoming aware that you yourself are ‘hospitable’ again, that you can support human interaction once more – in a sense ‘terraforming’ yourself, metaphorically. Like you’re back on your own earth. The end is really angry and celebratory at the same time, which is a feeling that’s hard to articulate.

Novo Amor & Ed Tullett. Our Saturday music video. (Official Music Video). METALOCUS MUSIC PROJECT in Spotify.

Directed by Jorik Dozy and Sil van der Woerd
Produced by New Frontier Pictures
Ijen Assistance.- https://ijenassistance.com

Behind the scenes of Terraform, the latest single of Novo Amor & Ed Tullett, lifted from their album Heiress. Filmed on location in Banyuwangi, Java, Indonesia.

Mining Sulphur in Ijen

One of Earth's most dangerous jobs

The Sulphur Porters of Ijen work in some of the toughest conditions you can imagine, doing the most physical of jobs: mining. Every day they face highly toxic fumes, a treacherous landscape and carry an immense weight up an almost vertical rock wall, all for one single purpose; to provide a future for their loved ones.

Imagine a thick cloud of toxic sulphur gas engulfing you, your eyes burn and itch, you are unable to breath, protected merely by a piece of cloth, but you have to keep going, keep working. These are the realities the Ijen sulphur miners face everyday. Around 200 miners work in the heart of the volcano chipping away solidified pieces of sulphur from the mine and carry loads of up to 95 kilograms (209 pounds) up 300 meters (980 feet) to the crater rim. A two hour hike down the side of the mountain follows before they finally reach the delivery station. All this without any modern equipment or tools.

The work environment is beyond tough and many of the workers have inadequate protection against the harsh conditions. Thick clouds of toxic sulphur gas are blown through the crater by strong and ever changing winds, causing respiratory problems for the miners. The heavy loads of sulphur they carry out of the crater and down the mountain leave thick scars on their necks and shoulders and many suffer from joint injuries in their knees.