Loving... "Sunprints" by Steve Brand

I've had a bit of a thing for Steve Brand's wonderfully unique version of ambient music lately... and cannot recommend his latest release enough - a rerelease of "Sunprints" on his own label 'Pioneer Light'.

I was really grateful to John Koch-Northrup's email giving me details of this album... and downloaded it almost immediately. It instantly grabbed me and so far hasn't let me go... it is simply sublime!

Brand's use of field recordings is unsurpassed, in my opinion. He uses the sounds of nature... of flowing water and birdsong to great effect... creating something that is wonderfully organic. To this he adds his sounds... subtly... gently... graciously... building upon what's there without seeking to overpower it.

What's more... each track is deliciously long-form and has it's own room to breathe... to grow and develop. I love this. It makes for a truly immersive and all-encompassing experience.

On this release he uses the kora, zither, kalimba, shakers, bells, cymbals, gongs, conch, bone, cane and cedar flutes, didgeridoo, whistles voice, accordion, gutterphone, and keyboards to complement these field recordings and create something truly ethereal and other-worldly... a space to get lost in... a place to forget today.

This is why I love ambient music... it is truly varied, wide and rich genre of music... and this album is tremendously rich. The sounds presented are divine... and truly engrossing. I can not recommend this album enough and would consider it $8 well spent... if it weren't for Koch-Northrup's generosity.

Have a wee listen below and do what you can to support independent music.

Tx

Love me do... is 50 years young

Crazy to think this song is 50 years young... I love this song.

Tx

Artwork for Complex Silence 28 by Cousin Silas

I was honoured to create the album cover for Cousin Silas' second release for Phil Wilkerson and Thomas Park's fab series Complex Silence :: complex silence 28.

For the artwork, I used one of Ade Hodges atmospheric paintings entitled 'Molten'.



In addition to front and back artwork... I created individual track art using a fraction of the whole painting:



I think it works well and gives the listener something that bit more with their download.

I have to say I'd love to see an album cover like this made up as a 12" record sleeve. That would make my day.















The album - complex silence 28 - is available here for free. Please, if you have the time, download the album, check out my liner notes and find some space to just be.

Tx

PS Spot the error on the back cover... only just spotted this tonight.

October 2012's calendar / wallpaper

This month's calendar / wallpaper was taken last week with my iPhone5 whilst in Possilpark, Glasgow. The sun was low in the sky and I was able to get a quite interesting shot (imho) with the sun behind the structure.

Not all the usual flavours are included below... Andrew Berry will be getting an iPhone soon and the Kindle3 is getting a bit old now. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for everyones' willingness to have my photography on their devices... it is appreciated by me.

Enjoy.

Tx

1024x768
1280x800
1600x1200
1920x1200
iPhone with Calendar + iPhone without Calendar
iPad

What I listened to in September 2012

Excludes CDs in the car and on the hi-fi in the lounge... but pretty much covers my iPhone & iPod listening habits over the last month.

Tx

How I designed an album cover for Wolfgang Merx's upcoming release on weareallghosts

I just posted the front cover to Wolfgang Merx's upcoming release on my netlabel - weareallghosts - over on the netlabel's blog. Entitled "Chrome Dreams (waag_rel010)" it contains a series of progressive synth-orientated improvisations that are wonderfully imaginative and expressive... and I was tasked with providing artwork that was equally expressive.



This is the original photo... taken on my iPhone5 using the native Camera App... of the roof of the Mecca Bingo Hall in Possilpark, Glasgow. I cropped it using 'Photoforge' into a 1:1 square.



I then rotated the pic 90 degrees in 'Photoforge' and saved it. I did this twice more:





At some point the photo developed an annoying black border... not sure where that came from.

I then used the 'Blender' app on my iPhone5 to blend the opposite images together as so:






I then blended these images together:



I then used the 'Camera+' app and, in particular, the 'Clarity' setting to bring the picture out a bit and give it more texture:



I submitted this to Wolfgang but it was 'too blue' for him... so I created a black and white version:



I thought this was too dull... so I blended the two images to create what became the final image (less the annoying black border):



At this point I left my iPhone5 and moved to Photoshop on my MBP to finish the image... using Gil Sans for the title and Courier for the waag 'mark'. I'm delighted with how it has turned out.

I use Gil Sans for Wolfgang's lettering because I love the Gil Sans 'G' and think it really makes Wolfgang's name jump out.

This wasn't my first album cover to use a photo taken with my iPhone... and it certainly won't be my last. I am delighted with the quality of the camera and the processing power of the 5 and will be using it more often from now on.

Tx



*Update* 
I posted the wrong images but have subsequently fixed them. Sorry for any confusion.

Another poster for "The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey"

My broadband connection has been iffy over the last few days... yes, I have iffy wiffy... so this has been the first time I've been able to post the latest poster for "The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey".

I can't express how excited I am about this film... and can't wait to get my hands on some of the merchandise which, by the way, goes on sale tomorrow I believe.

Tx

circumambient 002

The latest episode of circumambient is up over on circumambient.co.uk.

Tx

'Stigma (waag_rel006)' by Earlyguard... the sixth release on my netlabel

My wee netlabel released it's sixth album today... 'Stigma (waag_rel006)' by Earlyguard is a single 45 minute ambient drone... that I, for one, absolutely adore.

What's more... Earlyguard has kindly allowed me to keep any profits I make from the 'pay what you want' aspect in Bandcamp... to put towards a Soundcloud account for the label. I am in his debt.



For more... go here.

I have embedded the Bandcamp player below to let you have a wee listen. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Tx

Smells Like Teen Spirit

I can never tire of this song... and the video is simply wonderful. Just showed it to Miriam. It's crazy to think the song is 10 years older than her.

Tx