March 2024
Hello
It’s the 61st day of the year and there’s plenty going on, so let’s dig in!
February was absorbed by studio time, almost entirely, in between frequent trips to the post office to mail out packages to all my wonderful supporters. Believe me, this means a lot too, thank you!!
From Alchemeia to The Phenol Tapes
So, Alchemeia, my tribute to electronic library music of the 1960s and 1970s was released in January, and reviews are continuing to arrive. There’s a lovely one in the most recent issue of Electronic Sound Magazine, where they enthuse about the “plinky-plonky ‘Sestinea’, the warmly overdriven ‘Comtesea’, and the opener, ‘Chimaera’. That last one in particular does double duty in setting up the journey, as well as highlighting a bridge between those long-lost tracks of the corduroy era and 1996-style Richard D James/Aphex Twin.” Pick up a copy of the CD or digital here.
But what does March bring along? Well, the second release on my new label, Alltagsmusik. I told you there’s no time for sleep around here! This time it’s a special album recorded in 2017.
The Phenol Tapes. One small synthesiser. One guitar pedal. Recorded in a wooden fisherman’s hut in Captiva, Florida. As simple as that, at heart.
Back in 2017, I spent six weeks on this isolated island, at the invitation of the Robert Rauschenberg Residency. This is an interdisciplinary artists’ residency programme, based on Rauschenberg’s belief that art can change the world, nurture and facilitate experimentation, collaboration and innovation.
In the morning, I worked on a book I’ve been writing, then in the afternoon I recorded, every day, for the duration. The results are this series of serene and fluid soundscapes, where I used only the Kilpatrick Phenol synth and an Eventide H9 effects pedal.
The surrounding landscape remains crucial, with osprey, woodpeckers and pelicans accompanying some pieces. Life literally outside the window!
The Phenol Tapes is a muted, mediative collection of works, cosy, shimmering and hypnotic. Two pulsing dubbed out works take a darker grainy direction, but overall, it’s an ambient, sunlit bliss-out session.
Pick it up on limited CD here, as well as digital. It will also be available on all streaming services too. It’s available for pre-order on 1 March, and out everywhere on 15 March 2024. Sharp eyed folks will quickly spot how the design is developing in the series too, although the next release in the summer is completely different, as it’s the first album in the collaboration series.
I am considering setting up a special online performance to accompany the release so stay tuned for details of that on social networks and my here. There will also be a very limited special edition with a fine-edition print available accompanying the release.
ILKECTIK: This is Not the End
For those of your quick enough off the mark, you can pick up this new compilation from celebrated British label, Castles in Space, This Is Not The End: Music For Iklectik.
This generously ambitious 33-track album has been put together to offer financial support for London venue Iklectik, which has been a vital force in music and creative performance for the last decade and was recently forcibly closed. And yes, once again lost to property developers for more ’boutique’ apartments and ‘essential’ office spaces. Sigh…
I have performed there on numerous occasions in the past and the friendships I’ve made are one of the highlights of recent years. They are currently fund raising to ensure they can continue their programme in all manner of ways, to support artists and creative people out there in the community. Indeed, their future plans include taking the Iklectik experience to other venues around the UK and beyond.
Their fund-raising campaign expired on 1st March, and this album was meant to evaporate on the same day, but at checking again it still seems to be available. So, please embrace this opportunity to not only pick up a fantastic collection of unreleased music, including an exclusive live track of mine from an Iklectik show in August 2023, but to help towards a positive future for everyone. At this moment of writing, they literally just met their funding target, so it’s positive news indeed! Buy it here.
Be the Coolest Person in the Room
Now, here’s a chance to look like the coolest person in the room, with these handsome new badges, not dissimilar to the badges that your school librarian might have worn in the past. They are made from hardwearing raised nickel metal, with butterfly and brooch clips and I must admit, look fabulous. It’s been a joy to see photos of supporters wearing these on their jackets. You can buy them individually or take advantage of the deal with a discount for them both. Pick them up here.
Neumusik – the Complete Edition
For those of you who have known me for some time you will be aware of what a keen reader I am. I sometimes review books for magazines too. Back in November 2023, I reviewed this wonderful Neumusik fanzine, which explores European experimental music between 1979-1982, for the Wire Magazine.
Since people had asked about this, I added the review to my website, so you can read it in full now. Published by Frans de Waard and written by David Elliott, it’s a wonderful retrospective journal that captures this special moment in time.
The naïve enthusiasm is beguiling, with every issue growing in size and distribution. We learn where he photocopies each edition, beginning in the back office of fashion retailers Miss Selfridge, with the final issue duplicated in a ‘proper’ print store.
By the end of the first issue, we’ve been introduced to Edgar Froese, Art Boyd, Michael Rother, Steve Hillage, Cluster, Nurse with Wound, SAB, and Ash Ra Tempel. No, I’ve never heard of any of them either, but I imagine they have some pretty rocking tunes in their arsenal. Just kidding, don’t worry.
World Dream Conspiracy
Sometimes magical things happen very quickly. On Wednesday last week, I received an invitation to work with American artists World Dream Conspiracy on a track. They sent me an audio file later that day. On Thursday, I worked with this file, adding, processing, treating, looping, exploring all kinds of little sonic manoeuvres.
I sent it over on Friday. They mailed me later that day to say they loved it and had made a video for it. And so, here we are, at the time of writing, with a finished track for the album and completed video, which never existed at all just a week ago.
The Joy of Fan Clubs
It was a joy to chat with Wendy Morrill at Blank Mood recently, all about the idea of fan clubs and my own patron network at Bandcamp. It was interesting to discover how unforthcoming some artists can be too, regarding such things, and declined to answer her questions. Having said that my interview is an enjoyably light and positive conversation and hope that you will be inspired too. Read it in full here.
I wrote in detail about the origins of my Fan Club here, and how being a member of the Dennis the Menace Fan Club was an inspiration for me! Read it here. And, of course, join up to the Fan Club here, which features an absolute wealth of exclusive material! At present this totals over 45 releases, completely unavailable anywhere else, including live material, soundtracks and much more. And all for the price of two fancy coffees a month too!
Getting Weird and Wired on EarSpace 7
Episode 7 of my EarSpace radio show was broadcast on Slack City Radio on 29 February, and you listen back to all the previous episodes on Totally Radio. This episode features music from Noémi Büchi, Donato Dozzy, Tom Jenkinson, Loula Yorke, Jonsi of Sigur Ros and many more. Plus, an exclusive radio mix from Merzbow with Meat Beat Manifesto, a special tour CD from Loscil/Lawrence English and surprising electronic music from Lou Reed, Butthole Surfers and Devo. Listen to the show, and all the past broadcasts here.
Split with Lucy Guerin
Split, the award-winning dance piece by choreographer Lucy Guerin, returns to the stage this month too, in Lima, Peru. It’s the most extraordinary piece of contemporary dance. Two outstanding female dancers – one clothed and one naked – are framed by ever-diminishing dimensions of space and time with escalating intensity, accompanied by a pulsing electronic score that I composed.
The full score will be released on Alltagsmusik in the next year, as part of the series of dance works on the label. There are 66 full-length works to follow, so there’s quite a collection to follow.
A few live shows will be taking place in 2024, beginning in Brixton London on 21 March at Loki. Rather amusingly, I was invited to headline, but given how late the event was going to be, I requested to play at the beginning of the evening, at 20.30, so just be aware if you were thinking of coming along. I’ll be playing a whole bunch of new, unreleased material, as ever, there! And then I, and you, can get to bed early. Not necessarily together, don’t worry 🙂
There are also some very special events scheduled for this year, in Spain, Whitby, Brighton, and Paris, but more on these in the next update.
As ever, thanks for your support.
Warmest wishes
Professor Scanner
::: listen :::
Loscil & Lawrence English: Tour CD Sea (Room40)
The FLK: We Know Where the Time Goes (Utter)
Fred Frith: Guitar Solos/Fifty (Week-End)
Nurse with Wound: Revenge of the Selfish Shellfish (Nihilist Recordings)
::: read :::
Julian Schnabel (Taschen)
Mark Rothko (Fondation Louis Vuitton)
Larry Goodell: Letters Ann Quin (Duende Press)
Sarah Lucas: Happy Gas (Tate)
::: watch :::
The Zone of Interest: Jonathan Glazer
American Fiction: Cord Jefferson
Sick of Myself: Kristoffer Borgli
The Parallax View: Alan J. Pakula
