Strange Textures

This week I’m travelling through a city that has ominous vibes to it, then overcoming that I’m getting up beat with something that sounds a bit like the riff from Block Rocking Beats but played wrong on acoustic guitar. I haven’t listened to that for a while so I’m not sure whether it’s really that similar.

Then I get submerged in some restless water (maybe that isn’t water that is restless, but a thing on it’s own, Dr Who style, the Restless Water will support you Doctor, we are here to help?).

All just in my head in my room. Imagination is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?

What did I think about the last episode? What did you think? Feel free to tell me, after I explain a bit about what I was trying to do.

I also talk a bit about some books I’ve been enjoying:

The Story of 4AD, this isn’t the version I’ve got but how gorgeous is this limited edition?

Rat Girl by Kristin Hersh

Fingers Crossed by Miki Berenyi also worth looking at their linktree

I then proceed to ramble on about stuff for too long. The background music is tracks 8 onwards from Marchland Stars

Another episode of my favourite improvised guitar podcast that is sort of ambinet, textural music. This one starts with some beat, follows up with acoustic chugging, and then turns into a spice influenced dunescape of alien noise.

Or something.

A quick update on imagined visuals from this week’s episode, plus:

Wishing Greg Proops was still podcasting so I could hear him celebrate David Lynch and Tony Slattery

And a poem by Michelle Joy Gallagher - go and check out her books and follow her social media, really worthwhile.

I went for another three pieces, connected only by time this week - this is what came out. Similar format to last week because I’m into it but I think a bit pastoral in tone…

Week Two - Additional Notes

I’ve just realised I was not well when I recorded this, but I’m sticking with it rather than going back and redoing. I don’t know how it turned out.

A reflection on Tuesday’s episode plus some inspiring things to consider:

Schall und Stille - open letter to Mikey Schulman

Meljoann - website

Kristoffer Lislegaard - friendly experimental ambient musician

Both of these have livestreams coming up and there is a handy calendar that you can use to know when and where.

Oh, and Audio Interface has good shows, and the episode with my collaboration with this occaisional society is on this week’s The Ambient Hour.

Episode Two - three different but connected pieces this week - reflecting what I said in the bonus episode.

Quite enjoyed getting a bit of accoustic texture in this time…

An experiment - as promised, I wanted to try something different and talk a bit about what I’m doing instead of just doing it. So there is no music in this one (skip it if you only want the tunes), I’m just dealing with some admin, some suggestions for online places to check out, giving you an idea of why I’m doing this, and thinking about where it might go in future.

It’s a replacement for blogging really because I’m getting more averse to writing as time goes on. It might be the only time I try it, or it might continue and change over time.

Some of what I’m talking about was prompted by things I’ve seen by Venya (who I have now relooked up their profile address), and Jamie Hill.

Cool that I can add links in here to make it easier!

Ahir Shah’s Seven Blunders of the World

And of course, my main site link Strange Textures.

I also totally forgot to mention that I have a collaboration EP out with this occaisional society. It’s called impossibly impermanent and is available on my website, also Bandcamp and Mirlo.

Any profits from these tracks will be split evenly between young lives vs cancer (formerly known as clic sargent), the yellow door charity, preventing and responding to domestic and sexual abuse and refugee action.

And Season Five is off and running. A clunky start really, but it’s a start.

I’ve put a couple of 2 minute sketches in at the start because it’s different, they are works in progress, unpolished and stylistically varied from a ballady chord progression to a weird noise solo piece. They might come back at some point.

Then we have a more usual Strange Textures piece for the rest of the episode.

I hope you enjoy the variety!

This is me introducing season five before I change my mind about trying to do it. A little rambling about what to expect, the basic message is that Season Five of Strange Textures is coming soon and will include more mistakes than ever, along with more of me talking here and there.