Ghost Box at Further, May 6th

FurtherGhostBox15_MartinLeSantoSmith
Jim Jupp (Belbury Poly) and Julian House (The Focus Group) from Ghost Box graced us with a 90 minute AV set for the first Further on May 6th. With Julian DJing off vinyl and CD and Jim playing with a small suitcase of tricks it was a rare treat to host them and project their visuals around the hall. Martin LeSanto-Smith took the photos. I’ll be posting photos of each of the acts each day here and we’ve set up a new Facebook page for the venture where you can get an early peek at the photos right now, please ‘like’ our page if you do that sort of thing whilst you’re there.

FurtherGhostBox2_MartinLeSantoSmithFurtherGhostBox7_MartinLeSantoSmithFurtherGhostBox6_MartinLeSantoSmithFurtherGhostBox13_MartinLeSantoSmith FurtherGhostBox17_MartinLeSantoSmithFurtherGhostBox12_MartinLeSantoSmithFurtherGhostBox14_MartinLeSantoSmithFurtherGhostBox16_MartinLeSantoSmith FurtherGhostBox20_MartinLeSantoSmith FurtherGhostBox21_MartinLeSantoSmith

Posted in Design, Music, Photography. | No Comments | Tags: , , ,

Further at the Portico Gallery

Further Neil Mason
The reason it’s been a bit quiet on here recently is because of a little (big!) thing called Further that’s been occupying my time for the last few months. Myself and Pete Williams hatched this idea last summer, started talking about it seriously in the autumn and stockpiling equipment over the winter. A studio space was found early in January and we started planning an event that brings together lots of the things we love into one space. Music, visuals, records, food & drink, analogue techniques and leftfield artists. After a test run a couple of weeks ago, at the behest of Alex from The Orb, at the Royal Festival Hall we unveiled the first evening at the Portico Gallery in West Norwood on Saurday May 6th.

Further@Portico1webNathanAdams
Featuring guests Jim Jupp & Julian House from Ghost Box records playing an AV set and Howlround presenting the premiere of their live rescore to Steven McInerney‘s film ‘A Creak In Time’, we opened and closed the night with our own multi-projection slide / oil / video sets. Local café/deli Pintadera came over to provide delicious Italian food and Michael Johnson from the Book & Record Bar down the road set up a record stall selling records by the artists and music sympathetic to the event. The whole thing wouldn’t have been possible without the support of John Price at the Gallery who let us use the building as our own for the night and Martin LeSanto-Smith who helped set up on the day and managed to take amazing photos all night whilst simultaneously being on a date!

Further @ Portico 2web Nathan AdamsI’ll be posting photos of each of the acts each day here and we’ve set up a new Facebook page for the venture where you can get an early peek at the photos right now, please ‘like’ our page if you do that sort of thing whilst you’re there. There should be a video by the end of the week too but there’s a lot of footage to go through. To give you a taste, here are just a few of the photos harvested from social media, Tuesday I’ll post Ghost Box images, then Howlround, then us on Thursday with the video to follow by the end of the week.

Further Spectrascopic18342671_513331884279_8691603012027892354_nFurther Spectrascopic2

Photo credits: Top: Neil Mason (Electronic Sound), 2x panoramas: Nathan Adams, slide stills: Spectrascopic, Howlround silhouette: Zoe Plumb, video: Tony Coleman (London Electricity)

Posted in Design, DJ Food, Event, Music, Photography, Records. | No Comments | Tags: , , ,

Blade Runner 2049 new trailer

Looks gorgeous, sounds decent, a bit too ‘action packed’ in places but I’m assuming that’s the edit for the trailer rather than quite how the film will ultimately play out. I took some screen grabs of favourite scenes. The Atari logo, the new Spinner design, the old Spinner in Deckard‘s home, the epic architecture, deep colour grade, sumptuous neon.
BR2049Screen Shot1 BR2049Screen Shot11BR2049Screen Shot2 BR2049Screen Shot3 BR2049Screen Shot4 BR2049Screen Shot5 BR2049Screen Shot6 BR2049Screen Shot7 BR2049Screen Shot8 BR2049Screen Shot9 BR2049Screen Shot10 BR2049Screen Shot12

Posted in Film. | No Comments | Tags:

FourFromFoodFridays #17.18

FourFromFoodFridays 17.18

Four From Food Fridays – a weekly look at four things that have been doing it for me. They can be new or old, any style so long as it’s been getting some rotation in the studio. These are some selections for the first Further event this Saturday. From top left:
Psychick Warriors Ov Gaia – Obsidian (Deconstructure) (KK Records) 12″ – a 20 minute ambient trance classic and Further anthem if such a thing existed
Stereolab – Come And Play In The Milky Night (from ‘Cobra & Phases Group Play Voltage In The Milky Night’) LP (Duophonic UHF) LP – Fabulous album closer from the ‘lab.
Sheila Chandra – One and Mecca (from Roots & Wings) (Indiepop) LP – beautiful vocal drones and harmonies.
Markey Funk – JLM 1913/1921 (no label) – as yet unreleased album of music for two silent documentaries about Jerusalem

Posted in Music, Records. | No Comments | Tags:

FourFromFoodFridays #17.17 (Record Store Day Edition)

FourFromFoodFridays 17.17
Four From Food Fridays – a weekly look at four things that have been doing it for me. They can be new or old, any style so long as it’s been getting some rotation in the studio. As with all record store day releases, there’s a period of time that shops who didn’t order have to wait until the releases are officially available so some of these aren’t immediately easy to pick up. From top left:
The Future Sound Of London – Archived : Enviromental : Views (Jumpin & Pumpin) 3xLP – Triple collection of new and old material never before on vinyl (not available until next Friday)
The Comet Is Coming – Death To The Planet (Leaf) 12″ – New cosmic jazz from the trio on orange vinyl
Vanishing Twin – Dream By Numbers (Soundway Records) 10″ – incredible new 6 track EP on red vinyl
The The – We Can’t Stop What’s Coming (Cineola) 7″ – New song from the live broadcast last summer with etched B side (it doesn’t appear to be on the web yet but you can hear it open my 5hr set last Sunday at Spiritland)

Posted in Music, Records. | No Comments | Tags:

RIP Leo Baxendale

willy-the-kid-leo-baxendale

I was never a Beano or Dandy reader, but this book, Willy the Kid Book 2, as well as Sweeney Toddler when I was a kid, was poured over by me and my brother, we knew every little detail. It took me years to find a copy of Book 1 (and I only just found out there was a Book 3!) and his book, Thrrp! for Knockabout probably wins the stupidest comic ever award.
RIP Leo Baxendale

2230001-willy1

Posted in Art, Comics. | No Comments | Tags:

Five vocal The The songs from the last 10 years you should hear

Spiritland1 23-4-17With the release of ‘We Can’t Stop What’s Coming’ by The The, widely touted as the first new pop material from Matt Johnson in 15 years, it’s as good a time as any to highlight five vocal performances that HAVE seen the light of day in the last decade. After quietly ‘leaving’ the music business (without telling anyone) with two new tracks tacked on to the end of a singles collection and a one-off performance with JG Thirlwell of radically reworked versions of old songs at David Bowie‘s Meltdown Festival at The Queen Elizabeth Hall in 2002, it’s great to hear material in the traditional song format resurfacing. Over a decade of quietly making soundtracks for independent films has bought a wealth of material under the The The moniker, some as yet released, but not all of it has been instrumental.

The The – Mrs Mac (Lazarus) A download only single from 2007

The The & Deadly Avenger – Darkness Cannot Exist In The Presence of Light (Radio Cineola broadcast March 2010) Only available as part of a 15 minute podcast

The Inertia Variations – Various verses from John Tottenham’s writings, read by Matt, are scattered throughout the Radio Cineola broadcasts, an ongoing series of podcasts made from 2010-1012 containing works in progress, alternative mixes, interviews and archive songs. Only available from TheThe.com and now the title of a new documentary that details what Matt has been up to over the last few years.

DJ Food – GIANT feat. Matt Johnson (Ninja Tune) 2012 *cough*

The The – Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven (But Nobody Wants To Die) (Cineola / Death Waltz Originals) from the Hyena soundtrack, 2015. Brother Gerard Johnson has directed two films that have been scored by Matt now, this lyric-less track from the soundtrack nevertheless contains Matt’s distinctive voice.

Posted in Music. | No Comments | Tags:

What a weekend part 3 – Spiritland

Kev@spiritland
The weekend ended with a 5 hour set at Spiritland in Kings X on Sunday evening, using their new rotary mixer for the first time, sampling some of their delicious food and seeing more friends along the way. I took far less music than before this time and still didn’t manage to play everything. In a nice coincidence the DJ before me was finishing with The The‘s ‘Uncertain Smile’ and I planned to open my set with the new single, ‘We Can’t Stop What’s Coming’. (above photo taken from around the day in 80 whirls‘ Instagram)
The full mix is here too, less than 24 hrs after I played :) Full tracklist (I think) below…

Spiritland1 23-4-17Spiritland2 23-4-17Spiritland323-4-17Spiritland4 23-4-17

The The – We Can’t Stop What’s Coming (Cineola)
Sterling Roswell – Kicks (Sterling Roswell London Recordings)
Blur – Out Of Time (EMI)
Neotropic – Sunflower Girl (Ntone)
The Stepkids – La La (Stones Throw)
Botho Lucas Singers und die Sound Masters – Zigarillo (Crippled Dick Hot Wax)
The Karminsky Experience – Summer Storm (Patterns of Behaviour)
Stringtronics – Tropicola (Peer)
Bill Plummer & The Cosmic Brotherhood – Journey To The East
The Indo-British Ensemble – Yaman (The Colonel’s Lady (MFP)
Prophets Of Soul – Changing Things
Vanishing Twin – Oblique Smile (Sound Way)
The Soundcarriers – This Is Normal (The Great Pop Supplement)
Mordy Laye & The Group Modular – Hunters of the Coral Reefs (Audio Montage)
The Simonsound – Nautilus (First Word)
John Murtaugh – Slinky (Polydor)
Bobby Hutcherson – Rain Every Thursday (Blue Note)
Marc Moulin – Stomp (Counterpoint)
David Axelrod – Holy Thursday (Capitol)
Mike Samms Singers – He Who Would Valiant Be (Action Records)
Jayson Lindh – Your Own House
The Karminsky Experience – Everything Is Cool (Patterns of Behaviour)
Vanishing Twin – Truth Is Boring (Sound Way)
Tortoise – Wait (Bundy K Brown remix) (Thrill Jockey)
Fridge – Of (Dub) (Go Beat)
DJ Food – Consciousness (Ninja Tune)
Manuel Gottsching – E2-E4 (MG.ART)
Scarper – Afterglow (Plexus Records)
Ulrich Schnauss & Jonas Munk – (Azure Vista Records)
Remi/Rough – Unconventional (Va Va Records)
Pye Corner Audio – End of All Eras (Boomkat Editions)
Jan Hammer – Darkness / Earth In Search Of A Sun (Atlantic)
John Abercrombie – Lungs (ECM)
Neil Ardley – Prologue / Rainbow One (Gull Records)
Vanishing Twin – It Sends My Heart Into A Spin (Sound Way)
Jane Weaver – I Need A Connection (Bird)
Visioneers – Come And Play In The Milky Night (BBE)
Thundercat – Them Changes (Brainfeeder)
The Pattern Forms – Don’t Let Me Dream (Ghost Box)
The Stepkids – Suburban Dream (Stones Throw)
Izit – Stories (Jackanory mix) (Perfecto)
Andre Previn – Executive Party Dance
The Sandals – Nothing (Dub)
Leftfield – Release The Pressure (The Rough Dub) (Hard Hands)
Belbury Poly & Spacedog – Find Me (Ghost Box)
Billow Observatory – Plum (Azure Vista Records)
David Sylvian – Camp Fire (Virgin)
John Abercrombie – Timeless (ECM)
Thundercat – Show You The Way (Brainfeeder)
The Stepkids – Brain Ninja (Stones Throw)
The Stepkids – Suburban Dream (Stones Throw) (Yes, again, someone was talking to me and I got distracted)
Joe Walsh – Theme From Boat Weirdos (DJ Food re-edit) (Asylum)
The Dandelion Set – The Tone Garden (Children’s programme version) (Buried Treasure)
Steve Moore – The Moon Occults Saturn At Dawn (Ghost Box)
Ulrich Schnauss & Jonas Munk – Anywhere But Here (Azure Vista Records)
Future Sound of London – Viewed Through Apertures (FSOLDigital)
Kosmischer Läufer – Die Kapsel (Unknown Capability Recordings)
Floating Points – Silhouettes (I, II & III) (Pluto)
Marc Moulin – Inner City Blues (Counterpoint)
The Heath Brothers – Smilin’ Billy Suite Pt.II (Strata-East)
The Beatles – Goodnight (EMI)

Posted in Uncategorized. | 5 Comments | Tags: ,

What a weekend part 2 – Record Store Day

B+RBwindow

Saturday was Record Store Day 2017 and dragging myself out of bed and down to Rat Records in Camberwell was well worth missing a lie in for. The shop was heaving when I got there after 10.30am with one punter reportedly spending £1,400 already!! The bulk of a huge collection from a Scottish indie collector was making its debut in the shop and there were multiple copies of some sought after items flying out the store. I spotted the 10″ Rephlex 4×10″ Radiophonic Workshop compilation on the wall, a couple of copies of the JAMMs ‘1987′ LP and multiple 45s of The White Stripes’ ‘Seven Nation Army’. I ended up spending far too much and all of it secondhand, no official RSD releases at all. Sadly I don’t have any photos of that but it was a blast and it’s always a pleasure to chat to Philippe, Pete and a rare sighting of owner, Tom.

B+RBpan
After a quick lunch break it was over to West Norwood to The Book & Record Bar to score some new releases and play a set in store after Alex Paterson, Andy Higgs, Mr Parker, Dave Laine and Pete Williams. I decided to play something quite ‘up’ and plowed through a pile of beaty hip hop and classic house/acid/rave 7″s to a bustling shop. I also managed to score all my wants and start going through a small collection of German 45s that had just come into the shop before giving way to Oliver Sudden on the decks.

B+RBpan2
All in all a fantastic day, not chasing crazy limited editions up in town but staying local and going to the record shops and hanging out in them which is what we should be doing first and foremost. People buying and selling records on the web are missing the point of RSD, it’s called Record STORE Day, go and support yours on more than one day a year. Shops like the ones above are hubs for people to come together and connect, form alliances and get creative, I’ve met so many good people through them, long may they flourish.

RSDhaul17

Posted in DJ Food, Event, Gigs, Music, Records. | No Comments | Tags: , ,

What a weekend part 1 – The Orb at the RFH

OrbscreenRFH Friday saw myself and Pete Williams as part of the bill for the Orb‘s extravaganza at the Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank, doing a test run for our Further event on May 6th. Upon being asked to play on the 5th floor balcony area by Alex Paterson, we decided to use a load of our equipment to projection all along the roof of the outside area overlooking the Thames. We got in around 1pm and were just about set up by 7pm when Michael from The Book & Record Bar and DJ Dadaist aka George Holt arrived. Teething trouble with getting the lights turned off or down so that we could see the projections were dealt with as were security who suddenly roped off the public space and would only let ticket holders for the gig in the main auditorium in. As the daylight faded and the projections along the balcony pointing across the ceiling appeared, everything clicked into place.

FurtherRFHMichaelFurtherRFHInsideGeorgeHighFurtherRFHGeorge FurtherRFHInsideHigh FurtherRFHInsideLength FurtherRFHInside4 FurtherRFHInside3 FurtherRFHInside2 FurtherRFHInside1 FurtherRFHBalconywheel FurtherRFHBalconyFurtherRFHBalcony 2FurtherRFHOutside2FurtherRFHBalcony3FurtherRFHOutsideFurtherRFHPete FurtherRFHInsideKevHighFurtherRFHKev
Tons of friends turned up and we managed to get a lot of great photos and footage before the 11.30pm curfew. I even managed to see a bit of The Orb with Youth painting a huge canvas live onstage, walking in just as one of my favourite tracks, O.O.B.E. was playing. Strip down of the equipment took two hours by the time we were loaded out, then driving back to unload and retiring to our beds saw that it was 3am by the time I hit the sack. All worth it though, a very memorable night and a success in terms of what we wanted to achieve.
(Many thanks for the photos above: Martin Le Santo-Smith, and below: Mike Oscar)

FurtherRFH-MikeOscar1 FurtherRFH-MikeOscar2 FurtherRFH-MikeOscar3

Posted in Design, DJ Food, Event, Film, Gigs, Music, Records. | No Comments | Tags: , ,

FourFromFoodFridays #17.16

FourFromFoodFridays 17.16Four From Food Fridays – a weekly look at four things that have been doing it for me. They can be new or old, any style so long as it’s been getting some rotation in the studio. From top left:
Various Artists – Radiophonica – (Electronic Sound) CD – Unreleased / unheard Radiophonic Workshop gems both old and new – available only from the ES shop.
Various Artists – Electric Psychedelic Headswirlers (Rubble) 11xCD box – totally bootleg collection of psych wonders with sitar present in the mix
Andy Partridge – Powers (Ape House) CD – finally reissued, his alien soundworlds inspired by Richard Powers’ artwork.
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity (Heavenly) LP/CD/DL – Yep, still listening to this on loop, gets things done

Posted in Music, Records. | 2 Comments | Tags:

ToiToiToi album on Ghost Box

TTTLPfront
Up for pre-order and released next month, the latest on Ghost Box is from ToiToiToi – Sebastian Counts from Berlin – who has previously had a single on the label’s Other Voices 7″ offshoot. Fans of the Ghost Box output won’t be disappointed, it’s a beautifully assembled work with layers upon layers to discover.

Label heads Jim Jupp (Belbury Poly) and Julian House (The Focus Group and overall GB design) will be some of our guests at Further on May 6th at the Portico Gallery, West Norwood, where they’ll be playing an multi-projection AV set with a ton of label-related visuals. Tickets can be bought here

TTTLPbackTTTinside1TTTinside2

Posted in Design, Music, Records. | No Comments | Tags: ,

Electronic Sound magazine ‘Radiophonica’ CD

RadiophonicaCDfront
Who says CDs can’t look beautiful too? The Radiophonica compilation CD of new, old and unreleased Radiophonic Workshop material is a lovely piece of minimalist design, bound by a tiny tape loop – lovely touch. It’s only available with Electronic Sound magazine from their online shop, no more free cover mounts I’m afraid, but worth every penny. The 12-track album of never-before-heard collaborations, mixes exclusive to this collection of tracks from their forthcoming album of analogue improvisations, and some Delia Derbyshire archive material that has been worked on by the likes of Tom Middleton (Global Communication) and Dot Product.The same issue has a little ad for something only a few weeks away too…

RadiophonicaCDinsideRadiophonicaCDback ESmagRWScoverESmagRWinside

Posted in Design, Magazines, Music. | No Comments | Tags: ,