hello my lovely friends,

this occasional society update

Feeling somewhat in low power mode currently, but I’m going to push myself outdoors and work on music in the fresh air which will hopefully help.

Various collaborations edge forwards slowly but there’s nothing specific to announce at the minute. Prepping for a gig in Reading next month.

This month’s music sketch is a long one, but I quite like it and might develop it further. It’s here if you want to check it out.

the next newsletter will be with you 5.5. as ever, if you want anything included in the ‘updates from friends of the society’ section, just let us know.

updates from friends of the society

The Gravitons 3rd W3dn35day online gig this month is (strongly resisting the urge to use the phrase ‘synth wizard’ here) gribbles on 15 April. Expect everything from pastoral electronica built around archival recordings of the Lincolnshire dialect to dancier material. There’s then a ‘NHAM in concert’ gig on 16 April from Alex Glow and an album listening party for Carnival for little creatures by Nigel Harpur on 17 April. Go to the Gravitons Calendar for the various timings and downloadable reminders.

The latest release from Bricolage records is Tetsuo II by Jilk. ‘Fix your hearts’ was one of my favourite albums of last year. This is very different, yet equally great. Moving deftly between glitchy and atmospheric, at times frantic, at others calm, it’s a wild and densely packed ride, and another classic from Jilk that rewards many repeated listens.

Having been enjoying it as a subscriber pre-release for months, it’s great Salix by Loula Yorke is now officially released. A collaboration with clarinetist Charlotte Jolly, it sees Loula utilising an antique reed organ alongside her usual modular synths. Everything interlocks beautifully and, as ever, I’m in awe of Loula and her compositional skill and creativity.

hot off the press, ‘Comic Capers’ is the latest ep from inpc. It’s another enjoyable slice of dubby, noisey, breakbeat, expertly crafted as ever. Funky Ramsgate indeed.

Another seasonal wave of bonk is incoming. There are listening parties on 10, 17 & 24 April (calendar reminders here) as there is so much in the latest compilation that it has been split into three albums. As usual, genre’s will be obliterated and the word bonk will be inescapable for a while.

Dr Graham Dunning (PhD now completed - congrats) has just released Quern, an album of studio recordings of the Mechanical Techno setup that formed the basis of his doctorate. Marvelously off-kilter stuff. On my list to see live too.

Jessica Tomlinson has released Rise to the Occasion, Fall into Bliss an ep devoted to tracks emerging from challenges to only use one synth plug in on a track, with a focus on creating music that’s relaxing and meditative. Lovely stuff.

Cut from an entirely different cloth but equally enjoyable, nula.cc has a new release ‘from a book of silent stories’ that blends field recordings, sound art, experimental and ambient strands beguilingly, bringing a sense of calm (to me at least) when listening.

Finally, after a brief debate with a friend (i.e. I got corrected), it turns out the Haiku Salut album I mentioned last month was a re-release (soz). They do though, have an actual new, new album out. The Lost Score is a collaboration with Meg Morley and weaves her expressive piano playing through the existing Haiku Salut sound in a way that enables both to shine even more brightly.

aob - things that have replenished our creative wellspring recently

I am making very slow hesitant steps towards modular synthesis and as such, have been finding The Modular Handbook and The Modular Cookbook, by Omri Cohen a massive help in moving me to a state of some enlightenment. They aren’t cheap, but are sensibly laid out, clearly written and straightforward to understand (I class myself as one of life’s ‘perpetually bewildered’, so this is a big deal for me) and I suspect I’ll be referring back to them for quite some time.

TTFN