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Back to spool
I found these old tape recorder books a while ago and they’ve proven surprisingly useful. It’s good to see looping was a thing in the ’50s.
- - The All-in-One Tape Recorder Book, Joseph M. Lloyd, Focal Sound, 1959 edition
- - Modern Tape Recording and Hi-Fi, Ken Peters, Faber, 1963
- - Composing With Tape Recorders, Terence Dwyer, 1971 (Joan, 2023 reprint)
Arts Council funding
Some good news: I’ve been awarded Arts Council England funding to expand my field skills, gather new source material and develop conceptual ideas. The highlight will be a short residency at Camp in the Pyrenees. Then in autumn, I'll resume work on the album and other projects. Lots to come!
Gifts
Last year, I finally watched Coda, having previously only caught a few scenes cut into other documentaries or exhibitions. I was captivated watching Sakamoto collecting sounds and trying things; making the music he wanted to make for himself. It’s particularly thrilling to see one of my favourite pieces, fullmoon, come into existence. I also watched Opus, the intimate film of his final performance — he’s so frail and it’s devastating to see his exhaustion.
A few months ago, I prioritised a back-to-basics, curriculum-minded approach to learning the piano. I’ll write more about this later, but it’s going very well.
When I sit down at my (digital) piano and compose myself, ready to do my best, I think about the artists that inspire me. I often think back to that morning with Sakamoto’s digital ghost in Manchester. As I wrote at the time:
I’m self-taught and lack a mentor. It dawns on me that something about this encounter feels like being given something. “Here, Simon… watch me play; watch closely.” And I do. I make sure to take it all in.
Geri recently returned from her latest trip to Japan with a couple of modest gifts — a recent issue of Brutus dedicated to Sakamoto, and /04, the first of two beautifully-designed volumes of his official song notation. She apologised that she hadn’t brought more, but I couldn’t have been happier.
And I can now play an amateurish interpretation of Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, which feels like magic and makes me quite emotional for several reasons.
2024 in music
Here’s my 21st annual roundup. Despite pledging to reduce this obsessive cataloguing, I continue to go all in because exceptional new music just keeps on coming.
Listening stats 2024
I continue to document my listening stats, even though my Year in Music roundups are infinitely more valuable. Tomorrow, I’ll publish my meticulously curated 2024 in Music (update: it’s now available), but if data is your truth, read on.
Paul McCartney
A remarkable journey through an extraordinary life, with an overwhelming emotional connection that brought me to tears. Oh, and Ringo joined him on Helter Skelter.
Rome fan video
As a Cherry Tree fan club member, I receive live recordings from The National each year, but the new Rome public release stands out, capturing the fizz and occasional chaos that surprises first-timers. They’re forever one of my fave live bands, revelling in an energy that recent studio recordings tend to suppress.
A good touring band fosters a loyal community and joyful connection that strengthens with every show (something I’ve also experienced with The Cure). For me, seeing this band each year is a chance to get down the front, jump up and down and sing my heart out. And usually, we’ll grab a few videos.
And so, it’s nice to have a few of our personal moments preserved as an official part of the band’s history. Before releasing Rome, they put out a call for fan photos and videos, so I submitted a few clips. The result is this mammoth scrapbook, featuring several of our videos:
- 0:01:34 — First part of our fave, where Matt grabs Geri’s phone and records an incredible clip, Nottingham December 2020.
- 1:25:33 — Second part of that clip, featuring a lovely close-up of Geri.
- 0:04:38 — From the I Am Easy To Find launch, Royal Festival Hall, April 2019.
- 0:48:50 — A similar clip from that Royal Festival Hall show.
- 1:25:03 — Matt wading through Mancunians, Castlefield Bowl, July 2019.
Djrum
I listen to new music obsessively but occasionally fail to truly connect with artists that have much to offer me. This was the case with Djrum, whose music blends drum & bass, techno, downtempo and more. His 2018 album Portrait With Firewood expanded his palette to include delicate piano alongside guest vocals and cello. It made that year’s top 10, but I let it slip away.
Last month, after a long gap, his new album/EP, Meaning’s Edge, arrived. Though more intense, I was hooked. There’s so much going on, often all at once, and it takes several plays for the beauty to shine through. I especially love the bonkers percussive rhythms that pile up and the shakuhachi and bansuri flutes that appear throughout.
Anyway, it’s led me back to Portrait With Firewood, which is fast becoming one of my favourite albums. If you’re curious, I’m compiling a Djrum playlist (Apple Music) spanning his entire output.
Nala Sinephro
I adore Nala Sinephro’s 2021 debut, Space 1.8, and this year’s follow-up, Endlessness, is equally captivating. I’ve wanted to see her play live for some time and her mesmerising show at The Barbican didn’t disappoint.
Move
One day with Ableton Move and I’m hooked. It’s way more capable, versatile and intuitive than it looks and suits my workflow (sofa, studio or outdoors) perfectly.
I think carefully before buying new gear, and I researched Move’s scope for two days (I think YouToobers are revealing its abilities better than Ableton’s own material does). I made a long list of I/O and setup scenarios to test and so far, it’s exceeding all expectations. Highlights for me are: immediately sampling anything via internal mic or cable, the 256-step sequencer, transferring projects to Note/Live, and connecting a MIDI keyboard to create a mini-synth.
Tip: if you get one, keep wired earbuds and relevant input/MIDI cables in a little pouch and keep it to hand, ready for anything.
Move won’t suit everyone (it’s received some gleeful criticism, largely from outside Ableton’s user base, for only having four tracks) and it isn’t the most feature-rich stand-alone, but Ableton knows its audience and the device’s constraints suit me.
I’m making detailed notes about interesting ways to use it with tape machines, sequencing other gear, etc., and will probably post a deeper dive soon.
Delia’s Fourth Happening
Delia returned to the intimate By Our Own Hands We Make Our Way for its Fourth Happening. The evening began with ambient bliss from C5&C6, followed by a fascinating talk from Caroline Locke about her sound artworks. Headliners, The Low Drift, performed an evocative set of songs about land and place. As ever, host Simon Rudkin tied things together with poetry and storytelling. I love being a part of this community gathering around art and music, and it was fun to see friends old and new and chat about new possibilities.
Spinning around
I’m honoured that Tokyo-born, Berlin-based artist Tot Onyx included my song Paper Cranes in her deeply moving Hiroshima/Nagasaki mix, an hour of “Nuclear Age” music remembering the devastating events of August 1945 while also contemplating the present.
Making this mix gave me a quality of time to reflect the ongoing genocide and atrocities that are taking place right now. It proved to me that sometimes music can tell stories better than the language.
It’s also my first play on NTS. Alongside regular shows and guest playlists, the station excels at deep-dives into specialist topics and archive material. But I discovered I’d appeared via Apple Music for Artists’ new Radio Spins feature. Random Shazam spikes always made me curious but the data only offered a broad location (e.g. “Bellingham, USA”). Now, I can cross-reference with a list of stations that’ve played my stuff (mostly college radio, in my case). I’ll look one up, say KUGS 89.3FM, see that it broadcasts from Western Washington Uni — in Bellingham — and satisfy that curiosity.
I do love that something I’ve made can have this free-floating existence outside of my control, occasionally sending back little bits of data about its travels.
I’m releasing a live album
Live at Delia's Third Happening features six fresh arrangements and two new songs and I’m really proud of it. Months of work went into the show and I was unexpectedly happy with everything captured on the night. The recording has been mixed and mastered with great care, and feels like a fitting conclusion to the first chapter of Site Nonsite.
The album will stream everywhere from 6th September. For now, you can pre-order the download or cassette on Bandcamp and hear a sparkling nine-minute, multi-part rendition of Moss Garden.
I played my second show
On Saturday, I played a 45-minute set at Delia’s Third Happening. The audience, which included many friends old and new, was lovely, and the venue was beautiful. I was extremely nervous, but I did it. The recording needs a little work, but sounds good; I hope to release it later this Summer.
A few days up North
Photos from a short trip to Edinburgh, Dundee and Newcastle. Five days encompassing long drives, gigs, exhibitions, architecture, unrivalled baked goods and plenty of rain.
DJ Shadow
The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Gateshead. Having recently rediscovered a radio edit of his epic Rock City gig twenty-two years ago, I was eager to see him again.
The National
Edinburgh Castle. My twelfth show, but not one of the best, thanks to an exceptionally frustrating crowd. We moved twice, but arseholes were everywhere, and the whole vibe was off.
Delia’s Third Happening
Not long now, Nottingham! Join us in beautiful St John’s, Carrington, on Saturday 20th July and witness The Young Vanish perform the Lost in Translation OST, preceded by a 45-minute set from me, captivating songs from Eleanor McGregor and considered selections from Van Allen. Tickets.
Expanding in Edale
It’d been too long since I’d spent several uninterrupted days in my favourite place. And I needed this trip, because opening myself to the valley’s slow time always leaves me recharged and reorientated.
Outdoor jam
I enjoyed testing my portable setup during our recent stay in Edale, responding directly to the place. Here’s an excerpt from a sketch I like, layering loops over live birdsong, passing traffic and the steady static of the river.