greeting fellow travellers on this journey we call life,

this occasional society update

The EP, A Gift of Time, with Samatha Dubs is out on Bricolage on Friday and available for pre-order now. I’ve written a bit of background about it here.

If you want to skip past the gig news, all the details I can get my hands on for all the events t.o.s. are at will be found at thisoccasionalsociety.com/live

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Gig news

t.o.s. has two outings at Southampton Music in the City on 12 September.

I’m delighted to have been selected to play a track at Marine Remixed as part of the British Science Festival at The Stage Door, Southampton 18 Sept.

I’ll be doing an improvised drone/noise/experimental set at A Night of Noise and Drone at at IO in Southampton on 2 October.

Finally, I’ll be doing a short DJ set as part of the Sonic Armada vs Shambotic Day / Night gig - which looks like it’ll be a real laugh, at Kola on 3 October.

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This month’s music sketch is the track I’ll be playing at the Marine Remixed event and is here.

the next newsletter will be with you on 10.10.

as ever, if you want anything included in the ‘updates from friends of the society’ section, just let us know.

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updates from friends of the society

In addition to our joint EP, Samatha Dubs has put out an accompanying ‘sister’ release. the nibbidā ep is another beautiful collection of glitchy gems that drift in and out of view - the shortness of the tracks encouraging repeated listens to uncover new aspects hidden in its many layers.

The 3rd W3dn35day online gig is back with a bang on 16 September with Kid Pochoclo, who will be live looping, layering and improvising. All the details and a calendar reminder here.

The NHAM in concert on 17 September is me:she. You can put it in your calendar from here.

I’ve really been enjoying the Lost Futures EP from Visionary Lines. Inspired by the brutalist architecture of post war Coventry, it absolutely reflects it’s origins with vast obelisks of retro sounding synth spiraling ever skyward. I’ll enjoy checking out their back catalogue soon.

There’s a new 7 inch vinyl single from The Music Liberation Front Sweden (The MLFS). “I Said / She Said” is out on Astra Solaria. It’s another epic slab of timeless space / garage / motorik madness and the world is all the better for it.

More details about the above mentioned Sonic Armada / Shambotic event. 3 October at Kola, Portsmouth, 3pm - 3am, acts include The Silver Biplanes, Paul Groovy and the Pop Art Experience and more. DJs include Pete Voss of Campag Velocet, The Music Liberation Front Sweden, Keith Seatman, Simon Heartfield, t.o.s. and more. No sign of a booking link for tickets yet, so it might just be pay on the door (£15).

If you are near Ramsgate, this weekend, you would do well to check out the Ramsgate Festival of Sound - which includes a work by our old chum INPC.

I’m gutted to miss Woodbridge Ambient Festival again this year. Finances just can’t sustain a road trip of that length currently, but there’s a bunch of great acts on, including GWFAA and Digitonal, and it’s very reasonably priced.

I am however excited to be making it to the Moonbuilding / CIS event on 1 November in London. Combining a label market in the afternoon and live sets in the evening from Danalogue, Field Lines Cartographer and Loula Yorke

I’ve been very much enjoying gribbles, new album ‘Agatewards’, blending archival Lincolnshire dialect recordings with his usual beautiful electronica.

Re:play is a series of events in and around Portsmouth reconnecting communities with wild spaces, recentering creativity, community and the environment through electronic music. They run through until April next year. I’ve really enjoyed the ones I’ve been able to go to.

Sine Waves on Sunday radio show for the month ahead will features a bunch of highlights including a 3 song pick by beau selector Ordos Mk 0, Synth East 2026 live highlights and in depth celebrations of electronic legends Pauline Anna Strom and Steve Reich.

Videos seem to be making a comeback - no doubt having an outlet like TIBTV where they can be shown has helped spur that. Anyway, Trium Circulorum are going large with a series of video releases on their techno album remixes channel on Youtube. Coming out over the next 7 Saturdays, you will find them here. They also have a couple of Jungle Cuts going live from 10 Sept here. Wire Tripping was one of my faves of 2025 so I am really looking forward to seeing what they cook up.

Finally, I swear down that a few months ago I said that Simon Heartfield’s new release was my favourite from him, and now he’s only gone and done it again! Last Year At Marienbad is a real departure, delivering nine pieces for piano, strings, woodwind, organ and electronics, inspired by the 1961 film of the same name. It’s absolutely exquisite - I hope he explores this vein further.

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aob - things that have replenished our creative wellspring recently

This month I’ve been hugely inspired by two great compilations which, across their hours of tracks, don’t have a single duff one in them. I was lucky enough to go to the event where various artists album on Evergreen, Ambient Afternoon 2 was recorded and it does a wonderful job of invoking the dreamy, hazy nature of the gig itself. Additionally, the Volume 1 compilation by The Synthesis Coop (TSCOOP) contains both well known names on the scene and relative newcomers and again, it’s brilliant from start to finish. Highly recommended.

On a more basic level, I’ve altered the route of my walk to work so I go through the park and along the side of the River Itchen for a bit and I take my headphones off while I go through the park and try and take everything in, and I tell you what, it’s genuinely made my life a wee bit better.

Until next month folks. Keep up the good work.