Hello
Summer feels as if it’s drawing to a close and the days are getting darker in the morning. As some of you know, I’m a super early riser and love to be awake as early as possible, so it’s not so encouraging in the dark!
Interestingly, I’m currently mentoring three different people with regards to their careers and general well-being, and it’s been very rewarding indeed. It’s a joy to share my experience and knowledge with others, and indeed, if you ever fancy a chat about such things, simply respond to this mail. I’m always happy to talk (and make new friends too).
Columns Signing Session at 180 Strand
I spent a day at 180 Studios in London last month, sitting in a dark basement, signing copies of my forthcoming release with designer Ben Kelly. It’s meant to be out on sale any day now at The Vinyl Factory. Unfortunately, I won’t have copies of this rather beautiful vinyl LP for sale, but they are each hand-made, hence the potentially high luxury price. I hope I can update you next month!
Working through the archives recently, I chanced upon an album released just before my debut Scanner release in 1992. Fans of superheroes always enjoy a good origin story, so here’s a little part of mine.
Koven Oe, the reemergence of a 1992 album
Koven-oe was a fire that burnt brightly for a short time, until I departed to focus on my own solo work. It featured a group of South London oriented fellows keen on making wild, often improvisational sounds together, led by Tonal D.
We played a handful of shows in London at the time, most of which exist on my hard drive archive, and recorded this one album which I’m still so proud of. I was still working in my full-time employment in a music library in London at that point in time, so these sessions were recorded in the evening after work, or on sleepy Sunday afternoons.
Listening back to it today, I can hear strong elements of my own work as Scanner, with the tapes, voices and abstract sounds sitting beneath the rest of the ensemble. If you dare dig deep enough into the internet, there’s also a live video of us performing at the time. The album is FREE to everyone, so there’s no risk involved either. Happy listening, you might be surprised! Download it here.
Star’s End DiN Mix
More free music is available on this massive FIVE hour set from DiN in the UK. It was originally an expansive ambient radio broadcast from Chuck van Zyl, who hosts Star’s End in Philadelphia.
Star’s End is, with the exception of Music From the Hearts of Space, the longest running radio program of Ambient Music in the world. Since 1976, this show has been providing the Philadelphia broadcast area with a music mix meant for contemplation, sleeping and dreaming.
To celebrate 25 Years of DiN, the label and artists all agreed to let all sales proceeds go directly to Chuck for his support over the years. The broadcast features my music alongside that of Robert Rich, Polypores, Loula Yorke, Ian Boddy, Bluetech, Benge, Hélène Vogelsinger and many more. Pick it up here.
Another exclusive Fan Club offering
My Fan Club offerings at Bandcamp continue, unabated, with new material regularly shared for exclusive listening. During the pandemic I returned to older works of mine and reinvented them.
This new work takes Exhale from my critically acclaimed album Fibolae (2017) and processes it through my modular synth system, treating the music like grains of rice and shaking them around into an entirely new shape. At 23 minutes long it’s an expansive and dreamy new interpretation.
For just £5.00 a month you have access to FIFTY exclusive releases (so far, many more to follow!), unavailable anywhere else, plus lots of classic back catalogue and all new releases when they come out. For less than the price of two cups of coffee a month too. Now, isn’t that a fine deal? And believe me, in a time when music sales are at an all-time low, any support is very warmly welcomed! Join up here.
Chatting about Modular Synths
I had a lovely chat with Will Stokes for Sound on Sound magazine recently, and you can now listen to the full podcast online. You can even download it there if you wish. The conversation begins with how I first met Lou Reed and the ridiculously comical tale of that moment, and then we dig deep into some of the technology I’m using to make my music.
The podcast finishes with a short live performance using a very restricted number of Eurorack modular synth modules to create a freely improvised new work. All timings for these are on the website, so you can just skip directly to the performance if you wish too. Tune in here.
And then I had a fun conversation with Joe Reilly at CKCU FM 93.1 in Canada, where we chatted for about 30 mins about all manner of things. We spoke in detail about my new album with Neil Leonard, The Berklee Sessions, which is continuing to prove popular, as well as stories of working Colin Newman on the Nanocluster Volume Album, amongst many other things. Listen back in full here.
EarSpace Episode 13 on Slack City Radio
EarSpace Lucky Episode 13 hit the digital airwaves recently and I encourage you to take a listen. It’s a chance to enjoy all manner of sonic delights from the realm of electronic music. This time I bring you new music from Throwing Snow, Polypores, Joseph Branciforte, Giraffe, Cornelius, mHz, Grand River and Abul Mogard. We also slip back in time for early Brian Eno and Hans-Joachim Roedelius, and enjoy some rhythmic joys from Andrea Belfi, Jack Dangers and Murcof, and much more.
I’m currently occupied developing my very own musical instrument with a UK software company which I’m super excited about. It’s something very accessible and simple and harks back to my earliest days of recording. More on that once it is finished!
Behind the scenes so much more is going on too. Studio time is occupied with a host of projects, including several new albums out this year, on vinyl, CD and digital. In December of this year I will be installing a huge artwork at Centre Pompidou in Paris, with an accompanying free talk, so that’s also occupying many hours in my days.
So, I hope your summer has been relaxing and I look forward to bumping into some of you in the real world one day soon, as that’s always a nice surprise!
As ever, thanks for your support.
Warmest wishes
Professor Scanner
::: listen :::
Section 25: Always Now (Factory Benelux)
Polypores: The Album I Would Have Released In An Alternate Universe (Castles in Space)
Étant Donnés: Bleu (Penultimate Press)
Nurse with Wound: Backside (United Dairies)
::: read :::
The Esopus Reader (Esopus)
Marion Harris: Family Found The Lifetime Obsession of Morton Barlett (M Harris)
Anne Atik: How It Was (Shoemaker)
Erik Kessels: In Almost Every Picture Petripaselli (Kesselskrammer)
::: watch :::
Rams: Gary Hustwit
In a Violent Nature: Chris Nash
Greedy People: Potsy Ponciroli
Alien: Romulus: Fede Álvarez
