Welcome to ’The Looking Glass’ 

A podcast exploring the relationship between people and their creativity

I’m Neil Cowley and this week we’re talking to composer, producer and pianist Aisling Brouwer. 

Whilst perhaps best known as being one half of Avawaves, the Nitin Sawhney managed duo with violinist Anna Phoebe, she is also a prolific writer of music for TV and film. Most notably composing the soundtrack for the recently released White Riot, winner of the Best Documentary award at the BFI London Film Festival. 

Being of Dutch and Irish descent and having spent her childhood in a plethora of locations, Aisling is perhaps used to the nomadic artists life. However she is currently based in Berlin and that’s where we catch up with her. 

This interview was recorded in October 2020. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to ’The Looking Glass’ 

A podcast exploring the relationship between people and their creativity.

I’m Neil Cowley and this week we’re talking to American electronic composer and producer Kate Simko.

Chicago born, Kate made her name as an international DJ throughout her twenties before 

settling in London, where she completed a masters in composition for screen at the Royal College of Music. Soon after she formed the London Electronic Orchestra, where she got to fuse her synth based electronic roots with her new found love for lush strings and orchestration.

As well as releasing her own music, Kate continues to be a highly sought after film score composer. 

We catch up with her in her London studio. This interview was recorded in November 2020. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Neil talks to electronic music composer and artist Ben Lukas Boysen.  

Ben has just released his latest album, Mirage on the London based label Erased Tapes. His neo-classical composition and groundbreaking production has gained him fans across the musical divide and I’m particularly interested in his idiosyncratic style of creating piano based music whilst citing himself as a non piano player. 

We speak to him from his home in Berlin in early June 2020

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Looking Glass!

In this episode Neil has a conversation with Georgia Lowe AKA Glowe, a 21 year old singer songwriter and actress from London.

Having spent 2019 being the face of Spotifys New Pop Revolution and filming season 2 of TNT Paramounts The Alienist alongside Dakota Fanning and Luke Evans, Georgia is well placed to reflect on the highs and lows of creativity from a multitude of angles.

2020 has seen her release her new EP entitled Daughter and she now joins me mid lockdown from the safety of her home in North London. 

This conversation was recorded in June 2020.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Looking Glass!

In this episode Neil Cowley talks to British printmaker Angie Lewin.

Having graduated from the Central School of Art and Design in the mid 80’s Angie very quickly carved out a reputation for her unique style of design. Combining a love of Eric Ravillious and Edward Bawden with an intricate talent for creating an alternative and insect eyes view of the flora around her in her Norfolk home. She now divides her time drawing, painting and designing in her home in Speyside and running the St Judes franchise with her husband Simon, which provides an outlet to the work of many other artists and designers. 

This interview was recorded in early June 2020.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Looking Glass!

Neil talks with actor and comedian Alex Lowe. During an illustrious career Alex has taken on a multitude of different roles in TV & film but is probably best known as the brilliant 'Barry From Watford', appearing on Steve Wright's Radio 2 slot amongst other places. Alex is also the man behind the inspired comic invention 'Clinton Baptiste', first seen on Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights.

This conversation was recorded in May 2020.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Looking Glass!

In this episode Neil chats to British rapper Speech Debelle. She famously won the Mercury Music Prize in 2009 for her album 'Speech Therapy' despite being relatively unknown at the time. She subsequently released two more studio albums as well as moonlighting on Celebrity Masterchef thanks to her passion for cooking, as well championing the plight of struggling artists.

This conversation was recorded in July 2020.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Looking Glass!

This is a brand new podcast where composer Neil Cowley explores the relationship with people and their creativity.

In this first episode Neil chats to singer-songwriter Holly Walker. In recent times Holly has been widely recognised as singer and collaborator with Maribou State. Co-writing many of the biggest tracks from their two albums and performing with them at Glastonbury plus extensive tours of the UK & USA. Having turned her attention to a solo record, Holly has spent the last 6 months in a self imposed lockdown honing in a new collection of songs.

This episode was recorded in May 2020.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast musician and composer Neil Cowley explores of the often complex nature of an artists relationship with their creativity. The inspiration for this comes from his own recent experience of putting the piano to one side for a significant period of time and feeling the subsequent repercussions from the withdrawal; at one point even feeling physical pain whilst playing.

Neil speaks with actors, musicians and artists to explore their own creative experiences . How deep is there dependency on the tools they use and what do they become when these things are removed? 

This is a trailer for the first episode, a conversation between Neil and singer-songwriter Holly Walker.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.