Jimmy Roberts’ work utilises photography, movement, text and subtle architectural intervention to discreetly interrogate ideas of inclusion and exclusion, belonging and identity, intimacy and distance. Here, Roberts asks how performance work can continue to be shown outside of an exhibition context, whilst still maintaining the feeling of an event.

The record layers Robert’s ‘live’ breathing, spoken works and soundscapes, occasionally performed in collaboration with other artists and musicians. The title references a kind of call-and-response arrangement that is often used in the French West-Indian tradition of dancer and drummer in dialogue.

This idea of dialogue continues through the design of the record. Words wrap the music in the form of a booklet wrapping the record. Hiding and revealing details of image text as you open the pages, and playing with alternating papers to create compositions.

The staircase motif is present in many of Roberts’ performances, and makes an appearance within the publication as a bespoke character indicating a pause.

Texts are set in two languages, English and German, separated through a paper change that interweaves together throughout.