Midwich Bandcamp

Pip-pip... Just a quickie to alert you good folk to the fact that Lord Robert of Hayler of Midwich Mansions has seen fit to start up a Bandcamp page.

http://midwich.bandcamp.com/

A mere month after its inception, there's delights aplenty to feast on. Including this gem (below), previously only available as part of a super limited edition box set on Striate Cortex. Enjoy...

Daniel Thomas Bandcamp

Hey there, just a quick note to say that I've created a Bandcamp for Daniel Thomas stuff;

daniel-thomas.bandcamp.com

There's a couple of things there, including 'Delighted in Isolation', which was originally released on the wonderful Striate Cortex and sold out a while back...

New album coming soon on (the equally wonderful) Kirkstall Dark Matter...

RFM : The Zellaby Awards

And so, as one year ends and another begins, Radio Free Midwich takes a look back at the last year, with The Zellaby Awards. I'm pleased and honoured that SLI makes a few appearances in some very prestigious company...

There's awards for Aqua Dentata, Petals, Striate Cortex and even some chap named Daniel Thomas. And, if such honours weren't enough, three SLI discs (and my solo release on Striate Cortex) make the top twenty releases list. Wonderful!

"From watching Mel O’Dubhslaine reinventing music in Kieron Piercy’s basement through to laughing out loud on the bus as I listened to BBBlood’s breaking glass tape, the year in music has been remarkable."

Click on the quote for the full list of honours...

I guess this is as good a spot to say thank you for all the support that I've received since starting SLI. Thanks...

A Closer Listen Review Delighted In Isolation

A really amazing review of from Delighted in Isolation, from A Closer Listen.

"It may, in some instances, be possible to revel in isolation, but with Daniel Thomas at the controls, any easy ride is purely a hopeful hallucination. In drone and dark ambient circles, Delighted In Isolation is an impressive feat."

Click on the quote for the full review...



(Photo by Andy Robinson)

Avant Music News Talk SLI & Striate Cortex

A really nice article on / review of the Victorian Electronics box-set and Sheepscar Light Industrial from the fine people of the Avant Music News blog.

"Here, we shall concentrate on a couple of acres in the network´s busy corner of northern England, Leeds to be exact, where a hub including the label Striate Cortex, Radio Free Midwich and a number of other actors has recently expanded with the emergence of Sheepscar Light Industrial."

Click on the quote for the full article...



(Photo by Andy Robinson, of a photo taken by me...)

Idwal Fisher Reviews Victorian Electronics

A wonderful review of Victorian Electronics, from the equally wonderful Idwal Fisher blog.

"The only thing left to do is to tell you that these four discs are all essential and will probably go on to be seen as a landmark release in the history of experimental music in Leeds."

Click on the quote for the full review...



(Photo by Andy Robinson)

MuhMur Review Victorian Electronics

Nice review of Victorian Electronics on the MuhMur blog, even if he doesn't seem to be a fan of my disc. The swine.

"All in all a great release, worthy for the Ashtray Navigations disc alone....ASC + Midwich tracks are bonus."

Click on the quote for the full review...



(Photo by Andy Robinson)

SLI.WC.28072012

So, I guess the first thing to do is to thank all the lovely folks who came along and gave the night such a great atmosphere.

Thanks to all at Wharf Chambers for hosting us and Andy (from Striate Cortex) for making the journey over and bringing lots of wonderful stuff; including the simply delicious Victorian Electronics box set - order your copy now!!!

And, of course, many, many thanks to Neil & Seth (Astral Social Club), Mel, Phil & Mark (Ashtray Navigations and Mel O'Dubhslaine), Rob (Radio Free Midwich), Dave & *ahem* me (Hagman) and Paul (Foldhead) for amazing performances.

You can listen to the first four minutes of each set (using the fancy little gizmo below) or download the full recordings of all six performances by visiting the Downloads page...

Victorian Electronics Sound Bites!

Andy (from Striate Cortex) has posted some samples from the Victorian Electronics box on SoundCloud. If features a couple of minutes of each disc; with contributions from Astral Social Club, Daniel Thomas, Midwich and Ashtray Navigations...

Igloo Magazine Review Running Repairs

Thanks to Stephen Fruitman for the super nice review of Running Repairs by Midwich over at Igloo Magazine...

"The opening, twenty-one minute ”New Territories” sounds like an engine being given a vigorous test-run after having undergone a major overhaul. It’s a humming, heated, oily drone, pistons, rods and crank shafts all revved up to full effect."
Click on the quote for the full review...

Victorian Electronics

Wow! Wow! Wow!

"Victorian Electronics" (S.C.50.) is now available from the wonderful, wonderful folk over at Striate Cortex, with full details "here!". This will be available, this Saturday, at Wharf Chambers; more details on Facebook.

(Photo by Andy Robinson)

http://striatecortex.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/s-c-50-various-artists/


(Photo by Andy Robinson)

Final Line-up & Poster for the 28th

Now, with added Foldhead!

More details on Facebook.

Poster for the July 28th Gig

More details in the post below or on Facebook.

July 28th - A Date For Your Diaries...

Sheepscar Light Industrial and Striate Cortex present...

An evening of celebration to mark the release of the Victorian Electronics box-set on Striate Cortex and the launch of Sheepscar Light Industrial, featuring Ashtray Navigations, Astral Social Club, Hagman, Mel O'Dubhslaine, Midwich and more t.b.c.


Since 2009 Andy Robinson has been releasing limited runs of beautifully packaged experimental, ambient, drone and noise on his Striate Cortex label. To mark a half century of releases, he is releasing the Victorian Electronics box-set: packaged in a hand-decorated box, this release will contain four 3" discs, one each from Astray Navigations, Astral Social Club, Daniel Thomas and Midwich.

More on Striate Cortex - http://striatecortex.wordpress.com/
http://amour-discipline.org/zine/why-striate-cortex-is-my-favourite-label-and-why-it-could-become-yours-too/


And, as Striate Cortex reaches a milestone, Sheepscar Light Industrial is born. Daniel Thomas' Leeds based label has been bubbling under the surface for a few months and is now ready to deliver its first three releases; Daniel Thomas & Midwich, Mel O'Dubhslaine and Azores. The latter will feature remixes by Ap Martlet, Daniel Thomas and Phil Todd.

More on Sheepscar Light Industrial - http://sheepscar.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/SheepscarLightIndustrial


All three Sheepscar Light Industrial releases and the Victorian Electronics box-set will be available on the evening, there will also be live performances from Ashtray Navigations, Astral Social Club, Hagman, Mel O'Dubhslaine, Midwich and, hopefully, a couple of others too...

Ashtray Navigations
Originally started as a solo project back in 1994, Phil Todd's Ashtray Navigations have been consistently turning out high quality, psychedelic, experimental, noise. Here, longevity is most definitely an assurance of quality.

More on Ashtray Navigations - http://ashtraynavigations.wordpress.com/
http://www.facebook.com/AshtrayNavigations


Astral Social Club
Astral Social Club is the (usually) solo project of former Vibracathedral Orchestra member and veteran experimental musicalist Neil Campbell. As was recently said - "The undisputed granddaddy of underground noise/improv/drone/whatever who has been exploring these murky waters for close to 30 years."

More on Astral Social Club - http://astralsocialclub.wordpress.com/
http://soundcloud.com/astral-social-club


Hagman
Mere babes in comparison to the aforementioned stalwarts of the experimental noise underground, Hagman are Daniel & David Thomas (no relation); two men with a variety of noise making devices, effects pedals and lots of wires...

More on Hagman - http://www.facebook.com/HagmanHagmanHagman
http://soundcloud.com/hagmanhagmanhagman


Mel O'Dubhslaine
Mel explores extended vocalisation and non-verbal language using real and synthesised breath.

More on Mel O'Dubhslaine - http://melanieodubhshlaine.wordpress.com/


Midwich
Midwich is the noise of Rob Hayler; former Fencing Flatworm Records head honcho, documenter and veteran of the no audience underground...

More on Midwich - http://radiofreemidwich.wordpress.com/


Hopefully news of further additions to the line up soon.

Doors 7pm, £4


Wharf Chambers is a members' club and you need to be a member, or guest of a member, in order to attend. To join, please visit wharfchambers.org. Membership costs £1 and requires a minimum of 48 hours to take effect.

Rottenmeats Review Delighted in Isolation

Lovely review of Delighted in Isolation over at Rottenmeats...

"A beautiful occultist origami of time spans groaning with oscillatory majestics, rifling deep into your psyche with a chemistry of grainy concretes, tectonic shifts, and funnelling hypnotics…"
Click on the quote for the full review...


(Photo by Andy Robinson)

Vital Weekly Review of Delighted in Isolation

Hey hey, the good people of the Vital Weekly podcast have included a track from Delighted in Isolation and written a nice review;

(Photo by Andy Robinson)

"DANIEL THOMAS - DELIGHTED IN ISOLATION (CDR by Striate Cortex)
On the recently reviewed CDR by Midwich, see Vital Weekly 829, we found a track recorded in collaboration with Daniel Thomas, which apparently was liked by Striate Cortex that they invited him to do a CDR on his own. Like Midwich, Thomas is from Leeds and like Midwich his music owes a bit to the world of drone music. But a difference is that Midwich works clearly with a background of organ like sounds and for Thomas its less easy to say what he does or what his sound sources are. His drone music is then a bit different too. Occasionally a bit more pulse like, such as in the second or the seventh tracks (all untitled), but then also, at other times a bit more oriented towards to the more heavy, noisier drone clusters such as in the eighth piece. Its not always the most refined voices in drone music Daniel Thomas uses here, although the fourth piece shows he can. Sometimes however things are quite loud and dirty and its never easy to tell what Thomas want with his music. Set forward to please people, lull them to sleep, or perhaps give them a perfect nightmare. Whatever it is, he does it quite well. In the crowded of even noisy drone makers, Thomas shows quite a promise for the future. (FdW)
Address: http://striatecortex.wordpress.com"

(Review by Frans de Waard for Vital Weekly)

Delighted in Isolation - Review

(Scan by Rob Hayler)

So, having been privy to an advance copy of the album, the delightful Rob (or, is that rob?) at the equally delightful Radio Free Midwich (or, is that radiofreemidwich?) has unleashed his thoughts on Delighted in Isolation in to the world...

"there is a dinosaur eating landfill"
Click on the quote for the full review...

(Scan by Rob Hayler)

Daniel Thomas - Delighted in Isolation

I'm very happy to say that "Daniel Thomas - Delighted in Isolation" (S.C.48.) is now available direct from the wonderful folk of Striate Cortex by clicking "here!".

(Photo by Andy Robinson)

http://striatecortex.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/s-c-48-daniel-thomas/


(Photo by Andy Robinson)

Striate Cortex: Rob's Favourite Label

Morning all, here's a lovely article by Rob Hayler (of Radio Free Midwich fame and friend of S.L.I.) for the collective driven webzine Amour & Discipline, focussing on the wonderful Striate Cortex label.

“Why Striate Cortex Is My Favourite Label And Why It Could Become Yours Too”

(Scan by Rob Hayler)

Another Running Repairs Review

Hello all, the good people of the Vital Weekly podcast have chosen to include a track from midwich's running repairs, about which they have also said nice words in their review;

(Scan by Rob Hayler)

"MIDWICH - RUNNING REPAIRS (CDR by Striate Cortex)
Although around for a considerable amount of time, Midwich has not always been the most prolific artist when it comes to 'commercial' releases, but on his blog you can these days download pretty much everything he ever did. For the last four years there wasn't much new music, but now its time to start again. Rob Hayler used to run his own CDR label, Fencing Flatworm but these days he mainly releases on other labels, such as Striate Cortex, who are now up to catalogue number 46 (which means I may have missed a few for review). From the vast amount of music I only heard a few, but drone like capacities they all seem to have. Here we have three pieces, two quite long and one very short, 'Pennine Interlude'. In the opening piece 'New Territories', which we could regard as a programmatic title, the drones are a bit louder and more forceful than before. Its recorded with one Daniel Thomas and it sounds like a bunch of toy organs being recorded with an open microphone in a small space. Lots of van/motor sounds and the organs filling up the small, confined space. The 'Pennine Interlude' sounds a like radio collage of voice and field recordings, driving you into 'Bosky', at just under twenty six minutes the highlight of the release. Here the organ drones are picked up from the mixing desk, being processed by some sound effects but to great minimal effect. With more variation than 'Opening Territories', but with an equally loud effect at some point, after a long and slow build up. The new territory is there, and its slightly different than the old one, but unmistakably its there. A fine return to a new form. (FdW)
Address: http://striatecortex.wordpress.com"

(Review by Frans de Waard for Vital Weekly)