Radio Spartak 1.0

Hiya, long time no see! Sorry for the extended break, anyone who's still checking up here, I've got something  extended for you to make up for the gap. 2 & a half hours of eclectic beats starting up slow then speeding up then slowing down again then speeding up again (you get the idea) 
Check out Mixcloud for the tracklist - http://www.mixcloud.com/spartakmixtapes/radio-spartak-10/

Or go right click & save as here - Radio Spartak 1.0

Radio Spartak 1.0 by Spartakmixtapes on Mixcloud

Amen Andrews

Vol 01 - 05 is a series of 12" vinyl recordings by UK-based electronic music artist Luke Vibert released under the alias Amen Andrews. It is considered interesting by many electronic music fans, as the series features music reminiscent of early 1990s hardcore/jungle music, yet with much more modern and complex production techniques used in the construction of the tracks  - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amen_Andrews_Volumes
  
Luke Viberts Amen Andrews series owns, and owns hard. If you like your drum n bass more 'ardcore then this is the mix for you. Volumes 1-5 smashed together in 51 mins of furiously cut up amen breaks, rubbery basslines and ridiculous samples. Mentals.


Amen Andrews - Right Click & saveas

Beastie Boys - MP3s & 1DJ

RIP Adam Yauch. The Beasties have been one of my favourite bands for the best part of 20 years. Pauls Boutique is still my favourite record, I know it inside out, every lyric, every sample, every goofy pop culture reference. Its hard to believe that this true icon of not just hip hop, but music & culture in general has left us. I did this mix 4 or 5 years ago and track 3 was the first thing I blogged. As my little tribute to the legend that is MCA I am uploading all 3 tracks, Its a mix of Beastie tracks & accapellas with other instrumentals and tracks from the likes of MF Doom, Kanye West, Talking Heads, Dr Dre, Aphex Twin & many more. Hope you enjoy it. Peace.

Track 01 

Track 02

Track 03 - Right Click & Saveas

Slammin

Every music bore reckons that dance music was better when they were a kid and I am absolutely no different. As far as i'm concerened Tom's Diner is definitive proof. I bought this cheeky dance chart compo circa 1990 last year from a ThatsEntertainment shop for 99p and its mint. How good do The KLF still sound? I've been slightly obsessed with Mr Drummond & Mr Cauty since I first heard What Time Is Love when I was 11, buying smash hits to read interviews with them. The rest of the CD is really good but maybe a touch dated(??) yeah whatever, Tricky Disco & Naked In the Rain would still destroy a good dancefloor and anyone who says they don't like I'm Free is just lying to themselves.

I've mixed it all together on the laptop and although its a little rough and ready at times its still pretty banging.

Or crucial or something.

Slammin - Right click & Saveas

Tracklist -

DNA – Tom's Diner

Young MC – I Come Off (Southern Comfort Edit)

A Tribe Called Quest – Bonita Applebum (7" Why? Edit)

Soup Dragons, The – I'm Free

Maureen* – Thinking Of You

Primal Scream – Come Together

Bocca Juniors – Raise (63 Steps To Heaven) - Redskin Rock

Sting – Englishman In New York

Dream Warriors – Wash Your Face In My Sink (Radio Mix)

The KLF – What Time Is Love? (Live At Trancentral)

Awesome 3 – Hard Up (Willy Nilly Mix)

Technotronic – Rockin' Over The Beat

49ers – Touch Me (Sexual Version)

Tricky Disco – Tricky Disco

Jazzi P – Feel The Rhythm

DNA – La Serenissima

Yazz – Treat Me Good

Blue Pearl – Naked In The Rain (Radio Mix)

House Revival 2012

After a big 2011, 2012 is the year of house. All over clubland and the broadsheets, even your favourite dubstep producers are dropping the tempo below 130 BPMs and going four to the floor crazy. The focus is back on big tunes primed for the floor with hooks to get the girls dancing. This mix is a sort of best of 2011 with some other notable additions. After 3 attempts to live mix this and messing up the recordings I decided to smash it out old school. Hope you enjoy, I've included a tracklist cos I'm a nice guy.

House Revival 2012 - Right click & saveas

Spiritualized - I Think I'm in Love: A Cappella

Boards Of Canada - Olson (Midland Edit)

Space Dimension Controller - Transatlantic Landing Bay

Crazy P - Smoovin' Groovin' (Ray Mang Dumpy Re-Rub)

Azari & III - Into The Night

6th Borough Project - Iznae

Homework - I'm Into This

Miguel Campbell - Something Special (Original Mix)

The 2 Bears - Be Strong

A Made Up Sound - Wire

Guti - We Shall Overcome

Maya Jane Coles - Little One

Julio Bashmore - Battle For Middle You

Boddika - Soul What

Pierre's Fantasy Club - Mystery Girl (Set Me Free) (Seiji's Bassrub Mix)

Blawan - Peaches (Freestone)

Benoit & Sergio - Walk And Talk

Crookers - Dushi

Joe Goddard - Gabriel (Seiji Remix)

Boddika & Joy Orbison - Swims

Untold - Little Things Like That

West Norwood Cassette Library - Get Lifted

Modeselektor - Evil Twin feat. Otto von Schirach

FaltyDL - Jack Your Job

Scuba - Adrenalin

Maurice Donovan - Call My Name

Pariah - Safehouses

Peaking Lights - Tiger Eyes (Laid Back)

Julia Holter - Tragedy Finale

POST

A little bit more of the dark stuff. Exploring the crossover point between rumbling industrial style techno and ultra spare, expansive post dubstep. The second part is a selection of classic post punk that mines a seam of heavy funk bass and scratchy guitars with some brainmelting electronics.

Dark sounds for long nights.

POST - Right Click & Save As

Tracklist!

Andy Stott - Dark Details

Regis - Blood Witness (M.J. Harris / Karl O'Connor Live Version, 8.2.11)

Vessel - Wax Dance

Raime - This Foundry (Regis Version)

Louderbach - One Hundred Reasons

Silent Servant - Sampler 2

G.H. - Earth

Frozen Border - Untitled

Dettmann - Motive

Anstam - In The Bull Run

Miles - Primer

Raime - Retread

The Normal - Warm Leatherette

This Heat - 24 Track Loop

The Fall - New Puritan (Peel Session)

Cabaret Voltaire - Nag Nag Nag ('79 original)

The Pop Group - We Are All Prostitutes

Public Image Ltd. - Poptones

Throbbing Gristle - Walkabout

A Certain Ratio - Knife Slits Water

Halloween Mix - Danse Macabre

To celebrate Halloween here's a 2 hour descent into hellish dark ambient, modern classical & OST, screaming noise, & deathly droning metal. Not for the squeemish! Best listened to alone in an abandoned mental asylum at 4 in the morning. Tracklist on request.

Danse Macabre - Right Click & Save As

Blawan Mix

I've had another mix removed thanks to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act so I'm going to have to go back to (that's a lot of to's) tracklists on request which is hella annoying if i'm perfectly honest. I'm fully understanding of the reasoning behind pulling links down and fair play to them, but when there's blogs by the dozen that give away entire records in their hundreds then its frustrating that my little corner of the internet is getting hit.
So just to be extra awkward i'm putting up a mix of tracks by UK producer Blawan because he doesn't have an album out. Blawan is ace by the way, got that proper fresh UK post dubstep/funky/techno/house sound down to perfection and added a drizzle of classic acid. So anyways bollocks to the DMCA and whichever record company lackey thoughtlessly crushed my blogosphere dream, download this fucker, stick the volume up to 11 and get your goddamn bogle on.

BLAWAN MIX - Right Click & Saveas

Spartak Mixtapes Presents Dr Dre & Eminem Vs Blawan - Forgot About Vee

BEAT GENERATION - REMOVED

In an unwelcome first for the Blog I've had a mix removed due to copyright infringement. I presume the infringement in question was Lone's Radiohead remix (as it appears they are hammering any links to the RMX CD) but because the notice was sent to Google and the service they send their notices to is not up to date I can't confirm that its defo them. Its a shame really because the mix was fair solid and I would have thought that it was exactly the type of context that the song worked well in, but due to the way record companies try to keep records offline its been caught in a blanket attack on all leaks of the RMX stuff. Once again I'm presuming its the Radiohead track that has caused the problem as the rest of the mix is by producers/on labels that I have used before with no issues.

Never mind, I'm going to redo the mix without the offending track (maybe live mix it for a change) and Re-up ASAP, we'll see if it stays up this time.
More stuff to follow as well so keep em peeled.
Peace out
Bill

I See A Darkness

Pace change ahoy, this right here is a mix of sadcore songs from the likes of Bonnie Prince Billy & Smog, some post rock & modern classical all mixed together with drones and dark ambient. I've tried to keep an Americana feel running throughout, its the perfect soundtrack for a long midnight drive down route 66.

This has been RE-UPLOADED as of the 12/07/11 due to a botched mix, Its no longer botched!!!

I See A Darkness - Right Click & Saveas

Tracklist -

Thomas Köner - [La Barca #03] 45° 26' N 12° 20' E Hour Three

Low - [The Curtain Hits The Cast #12] Dark

Papa M - [Live From A Shark Cage #11] Arundel

On - [Your Naked Ghost Comes Back at Night #02] Erotique

Smog - [Supper #01] Feather By Feather

Stephan Mathieu - [Radioland #05] Auf der Gasse

Ennio Morricone - [Il Grande Silenzio #03] E L'Amore Verra

Labradford - [Mi Media Naranja #01] S

William Fowler Collins - [Perdition Hill Radio #05] Slow Motion Prayer Circle

Godspeed You Black Emperor! - [F# A# (Infinity) #01] The Dead Flag Blues (Intro)

James Stephen Finn - [Homecoming #09] Subterranean Passages

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - [I See A Darkness CD1 #03] I See A Darkness

Pawn - [A Hum Of The Library #03] The Creak Of The Chair

Mogwai - [EP+6 #07] stanley kubrick

Thomas Köner - [Permafrost #04] Permafrost

Lambchop - [Is A Woman #03] My Blue Wave

On - [Your Naked Ghost Comes Back at Night #04] Oh Run Slowly

Low - [The Curtain Hits The Cast #03] Over The Ocean

Jóhann Jóhannsson - [And in the Endless Pause There Came the Sound of Bees #01] Theme

Hybernation - [E2 & E8 #01] Lock 7

The Kills - [Keep On Your Mean Side #11] Monkey 23

Thomas Köner - [Teimo #05] Nieve Penitentes 2

Earth - [The Bees Made Honey In The Lions Skull #06] Hung From The Moon

Papa M - [Hole Of Burning Alms #03] Vol De Nuit

Mountains - [Choral CD1 #06] Sheets Two

E and I - [An Inch Of Air #07] balloonman

Zelienople - [Give It Up #07] Flurry

Thomas Köner - [La Barca #06] 33° 31' N 36° 19' E Hour Six

Slint - [Spiderland #06] Good Morning Captain

Thomas Köner - [Permafrost #06] ...

Smog - [Supper #05] Vessel in Vain.

Ø - [Metri #13] Kentta

Disco Sucks

Disco most definitely does not suck. This is some cheeky disco style house, with loads of stuff from the new king of the disco edit, The Revenge, who rules. Loving his stuff and the new Tiger & Woods record as well. Download the mix, stick on your white suit & strut your stuff on down to the ground!!

Disco Sucks - Right Click & Saveas

6th Borough Project - Deep C

1000 Names - Before sunrise

Kassem Mosse - 2d

De La Soul - Keepin' The Faith (12" UK Mix)

Boards Of Canada - Nlogax

Q-Tip - Breath & Stop (The Revenge Redd Version)

Mark E - Quatro

Isley Brothers - Between The Sheets (The Revenge Rework)

Chicken Lips - Right On Up For Love

White Light Circus - Rocket Ride

Fudge Fingas - Gettin' Together

Tiger & Woods - Curb My Heart (Radio Edit)

Sister Sledge - Lost In Music (The Revenge Rework)

Hackney Colliery Band - Africa

The 2 Bears - Church (Midlands Sunday Service Dub)

Double Hill - Wanna Get

6th Borough Project - B.U.R.T. (The Journey)

Hot Natured - Leectric Feel

Tiger & Woods - Don't Hesitate

Chicken Lips - Move Groove (Album Edit)

Crazy P - Omega Man (Yam Who Edit)

Matthew Dear - Elementary Lover (DJ Koze Rmx)

Crazy P - Drop Your Weapon (Faze Action Edit)

Tiger & Woods - Time

Mark E - Deny This

Matias Aguayo - Minimal (DJ Koze Radio Edit)

6th Borough Project - If The Feelings Right

Roman Fluegel - Pianopiano

Spartak Mixtapes - Moombahcore

Moombahton rocks. Its the sound of the Summer, get involved before it gets ruined. Did I mention it rocks? I'll add a tracklist ASAP.

Go Moombah crazy.

Big shout out to Big T for putting me onto the Moombah bandwagon.

Moombahcore - Right Click & Saveas

DANCE DANCE DANCE

Speaks for itself, check the tracklist in the comments bit, if you like classic dance music you should find something to enjoy. Lots of layering going on, a song playing by itself is rare, 80 odd tracks in just over an hour. Hope you like it! DANCE DANCE DANCE - Right Click & Saveas

Spartak Mixtapes Presents - Panda Bear - Panda-tape

Panda Bear (Noah Lennox to his mother) is great. He makes classy pop music. His tracks are always wildly experimental recalling a swathe of influences from 60's pop to minimal techno, but they're always catchy and his voice, reminiscent of Brian & Carl Wilson on the harmonies, always adds to any song he applies it to. He's own tracks are where it truly shines though.

In celebration of the imminent release of the new Panda Bear album here's a mix of old and new Panda tracks (nothing pre Person Pitch though) some Animal Collective tracks and some notable guest appearances.

Panda-tape Right Click & Saveas

Panda Bear - Comfy In Nautica

Atlas Sound - Walkabout

Ducktails - Killin the Vibe

Animal Collective - My Girls

Panda Bear - Take Pills

Panda Bear - Slow Motion

Pantha Du Prince - Stick To My Side

Animal Collective - Also Frightened

Panda Bear - I'm Not

Panda Bear - You Can Count On Me

Panda Bear - Surfers Hymn (Actress Remix)

Animal Collective - Derek

Panda Bear - Last Night At The Jetty

Panda Bear - Ponytail

Spartak Mixtapes Present Usher Vs Mr Oizo - OMG Flat Beat!

Spartak Mixtapes Presents - Biggie Vs BBC Snooker Theme - Hypnotised & S...

Ice Cube - It Was A Good Day - Spartak Mixtapes Remix

Spartak Mixtapes presents Jay Z Vs Dave Allen - 99 Problems At Large

Radiohead - The King Of Limbs review

Everyone else seemed to go Radiohead mad at the weekend so I thought I'd put my oar in.

Disclaimer - the whole review is IN MY OPINION, please add those 3 words before every sentence to save me the bother of writing them. Also there is a reference to geeky fans. This isn’t meant to be disparaging, I am a geeky fan too, just not a geeky Radiohead fan.

First off the packaging and release of the album seems highly exploitative. To position themselves as against/outside the profit driven nature of the major labels is fine, to then make the 1st physical release of the record (the normal CD edition won't be available till March) £30 in a package they must know their quite geeky fans will buy in droves is slightly hypocritical. They know their fan base are the box set generation, a mate of mine bought the In Rainbows "discbox" edition containing the CD & double vinyl despite not having a record player. Is this a ploy to cover costs or a sincere attempt to create a memorable package? My slightly cynical guess is that it covers both bases, Thom having his cake and eating it (or throwing it against the wall and sampling the splat sounds for a drum break).

Also The King Of Limbs website claims the physical release is (perhaps) the world’s first 'Newspaper Album' which suggests none of the band are very familiar with the work of progressive rock titans Jethro Tull whose classic 1972 concept album 'Thick As A Brick' came wrapped in a full scale 12 page newspaper, complete with written articles with allusions to the music contained within (I've got my dad's original copy of 'Thick...' and it's great, although he has filled in the dot to dot, which, it transpires, is a picture of duck salivating at the sight of a topless lady!).

Phil Selway - Missing, if anyone has seen Phil please contact the band.

Onto the music!! First question to ask is has Phil Selway been sacked? Has he died and been replaced with a lookalike, McCartney style?? If you play 'Feral' backwards does it say "Phil is dead, and his replacement can't play drums" All of the drums sound programmed or quantized, leaving none of the space or feeling of live drums. It’s obvious from the first track 'Bloom' that Flying Lotus, whose record 'Cosmogramma' Thom guested on in 2010, is a massive influence on the rhythm of the record. But where Flylo's J-Dilla influenced beats have a messy swing, the beats on TKOL sound too intricate and clean, programmed to within an inch of their life, particularly on 'Morning Mr Magpie' a jazzy loop groping for a tune. The first 5 tracks all follow the same basic template to varying degrees of success, 'Little By Little' with its looser funkier percussion and intertwining guitars probably being the pick of the bunch, even if it appears to be a riff on 'While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks'!

The record starts to step forward and open up during the last third, 'Codex' with its plaintive piano and simple unfussy arrangement harks back to 'How To Disappear Completely' or even 'The Tourist' for atmosphere and feel. 'Give Up The Ghost' opens with field recorded birdsong (which I admit I am a sucker for) with multitracked vocals and a lovely folky guitar line, building stealthily before Thom's lead vocal soars above the tune for a moment. Often when the band do this type of track they can sound quite whiney, 'Give Up...' manages to avoid this, sounding resigned and melancholic rather than morose. Final track 'Separator' is back to sound of the first half of the record, but midway through a cheeky soul lick is introduced to save the day, the whole track raises from that point and could almost be called funky (almost).

Oh happy Thom.

Overall though, the record is a disappointment, and feels like part of a holding pattern. I can't help but compare it to 'OK Computer' and, like everything else they've done since, it comes up short. The range of experimentation aligned with beautifully written, catchy and exciting music on 'OK...' is staggering and I sympathise with anyone trying to follow it. 'Kid A' was an interesting side step but I can't help but feel it diverted the band into a narrow alley approaching a dead end. Following 'OK...' in 1999 its reported that Ed O'Brian wanted to strip the band’s sound back and do an album of 3 minute guitar pop songs, maybe this is still a direction the band could take. I for one would love to hear that record and I doubt I’m alone in that sentiment. They could release it in tasteful, minimal packaging and price it as cheaply as possible, make a killing without selling out and really stick two fingers up at the major labels. If they want they could get a bunch of top name underground producers to remix it and you'll have the best of both worlds. If only life was so simple!

Chemistry

First post for a while, sorry about that, I've been busy I promise. Not sure what to classify this as other than melodic house, although I have seen a couple of the tracks described horribly as "progressive house" but don't let that put you off. As you can tell I've been loving this stuff lately particulary Midlands stuff, I'm really looking forward to what he does in 2011. All the tracks are tuneful, soulful & funky, but never cheesy, enjoy!


Chemistry - right click & saveas


caribou - hannibal
nicolas jaar - keep me there
david's lyre - in arms (pearson sound remix)
lone - the birds don't fly this high
james blake - i mind
nicolas jaar - time for us
pantha du prunce - a nomads retreat
midland & furiku - leitmotif (midland remix)
superpitcher - friday night
gold panda - vanilla minus
julio bashmore - ask yourself (midland remix)
caribou - sun (midland re-edit)
roman fluegal - how to spread lies
lone - once in a while (midland remix)
the field - foals xIII remix
dj dom - plastic people
moderat - out of sight
mount kimbie - maybes
james blake - the wilhelm scream

The Four Eyed Groove Monster

Dance music peoples!
2:02:58 of 127BPM grooves in fact. Covers plenty ground as well, fairly eclectic and quick moving for the 1st hour then stretched and pulsing for the 2nd. Throw in some leftfield turns along the way and you've got gold!


The Four Eyed Groove Monster - Right Click & Save As


Solar Bears - Twin Stars (Lone Remix)
Homework - Fissa Tune
Redinho - Boy Racer
Zombies For Money - Kolkata (Dirty Version)
Giorgio Morodor - The Chase (Original Midnight Express Mix)
19.26.1.18.5 - Horizontal Ground 02 Side A
Liquid Liquid - Optimo (An Optimo (Espacio) Mix
John Spencer Blues Explosion - R.I. Got Soul
Simian Mobile Disco - Aspic
Herve - I Can Get Down
Super Furry Animals - Inaugural Trams
Oni Ayhun - OAR004-A
The Boats - Maps Of Nowhere
Sparks - Beat The Clock
The Emperor Machine - You Clapper
Consistant - Instant
Linkwood And House Of Traps - Barely Eagle
Kelis - Acapella
Silent Servant - Silent Servant Regis Edit
Tara Cross - Tempus Fugit
Dettmann - Irritant
Sandra Electronics - It Slipped her Mind
Crash Course In Science - Flying Turns
Cold Cave - Life Magazine
Pantha Du Prince - Stick To My Side
Carl Craig & Moritz Von Oswald - Villalobos "Uli, Mein Ponyhof" Rmx
Capracara - Opal Rush
Substance - Relish (Shed Remix)
Shed - Hello Bleep
Oni Ayhun - OAR003-B
October - That Placid (Ewan Pearson Remix)
NDF - Since We Last Met
Matias Aguayo - Minimal
19.454.18.5.25.5.18 - Ghosts On Acid
Cologne Tape - Render 2 (Magazine Edit)
Rasmus - Tonto's Release

The Occult Mixtape

To quote wikipedia "Drag (also referred to as witch house, screwgaze or crunk shoegaze) is a debated term used to describe a genre of dark electronic music"
To hell with the pigeonholes! In the last year or so a group of mostly unrelated producers from both sides of the Atlantic have struck on a sound that combines the production techniques of modern electronica, Dub, Hip hop & RnB with a more post punk, goth & shoegaze/drone outlook. Adding more than just a little touch of the occult & references to horror films & soundtracks, they have grown out of the Hauntology movement, creating atmospheric & heavy psychedelic music for dark nights.
The 1st of the 2 mixes is unbeatmatched & more esoteric with the tracks flowing nicely into each other, I've added a few samples for atmosphere and some tracks from (IMO) the illegitimate godfathers of the sound Boards of Canada, V/Vm, Burial & Shackleton.
Mix 2 is a straight out Haunted House megamix, 68BPM for maximum drag.


Occult Mixtape 1 - Right Click & Saveas
Balam Acab - Big Boy
Aleister Crowley - The Call Of the Second Aethyr
Forest Swords - Glory Gongs
oOoOO - No Summer4u
Boards Of Canada - In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country
The Jonestown Death Tape
Babe Rainbow - Popcommon
These New Puritans - Hologram (SALEM Remix)
MF Doom - Gazzillion Ear (Babe Rainbow Remix)
Demdike Stare - Bardo Thodol
Shackleton - In The Void
Forest Swords - Hjurt
Balam Acab - See Birds
Oneohtrix Point Never - LL (Stresswave Edit)
Dark & Lonely Water Information film
Burial - Homeless
oOoOO - Mumbai
The Stranger - Over The Moor, I Am On The Moor
Mater Suspiria Vision - Call Of The Witches
Moon Wiring Club - Living Furniture
Blair Witch Project Ending
The Caretaker - False Memory Syndrome
Babe Rainbow - Care
GR†LLGR†LL - if u cAn dR3Am - pRinc3ss3s
Aleister Crowley - The Poet
Demdike Stare - The Stars are Moving

Occult Mixtape 2 - Right Click & Saveas
Babe Rainbow - Demon
Salem - Redlights
▲▲▲\\\ - Beta-Tape-Warp
White Ring - IxC999
Balam Acab - Regret Making Mistakes
GR†LLGR†LL - 07 - SaiLoRsbLaCKvirGiNmiLFs
Gucci Mane - Round 1 SALEM Remix
Gucci Mane - Bird Flu SALEM Remix
oOoOO - No Summer4u
Mater Suspiria Vision - The Witch House of Hansel and Gretel
Laurel Halo - Something I Never Had
SALEM - Whenusleep
GR†LLGR†LL - 8myh (Ariel-LittleMermaid Ocean Version) feat DirtyPrid3
SALEM - Tent
▲▲▲\\\ - Spit Shine
Balam Acab - Heavy Ling Things
Mater Suspiria Vision - eXorcism of the hippies
oOoOO - SedSUMTING
Mater Suspiria Vision - The Afterlife (hypnagogic remix)

Interview With Kyle Bobby Dunn

Kyle Bobby Dunn is a Brooklyn based, Canadian born minimalist composer & sound artist. His 2CD set "A Young Persons Guide To..." is available now on Low Point Records (check the review).

Here is my interview with the very amenable Mr Dunn.

Could you tell me a little about your background.
Musically? Very little traditional background, aside from loving a lot of classical and traditional instruments like horns, strings, and piano. My method of composing is not easily comparable to someone who went to music school for composition. I used to sneak into music schools and recruit members creepishly and randomly for my works though.

What were your early influences that made you want to get involved in music?
From as far back as I can remember, the first musical ventures were because of what was happening for me in life and how I related to a lot of soundtrack composer's music. I was that weirdo who often liked the musical scores to films almost more than the films themselves, at times. But it was a real concoction of things. I grew up in some odd places, and I think places and faces have probably had the most heft and influence to my work.

What are the processes you go through when creating a piece of music?
The piece starts like a scrap or fragmented idea and even if its all my playing in a piece, it grows in a very small and sluggish way. If I work with other players they are presented the formula and asked to play to it or I dictate how I want it played rather than have them freely improvise over it. When the chunks are in the right places I can spend a great deal or a short time at the computer reprocessing and arranging the piece.

Do you see yourself primarily as a composer or a producer?
I've been heavily both for several years now, but I've been working with better engineers and sound people recently on fresher recordings.

Is there an ambient scene in New York or any sort of underground scene you are involved with?
There might be, I'm not aware of one. I don't really like to consider myself an ambient person or anything like that. The musical zones and people working in New York are spread out but there is a general community that is nice. I really like what has been done with Issue Project Room in Brooklyn, Doron Sadja at Shinkoyo and the Paris London West Nile bunch that recently went under in Williamsburg, and whoever is brave enough to host these ridiculous performances of us idiot kids. New York can be a very disgusting place, so its nice to meet passionate un-disgusting people from time to time, but its hardly a scene.

What led to you releasing your compilation on a British label?
Gareth is a really nice dude and actually recommended doing a release as a 2 CD after he heard the Fervency recordings and some other stuff. I like that he's doing stuff he actually likes and cares for. It's cool that he's up in Nottingham too, I hope to visit England and Europe soon.

What are your thoughts on the modern ambient/avant-garde scene? Are there any particular labels or artists you'd like to work with?
It's kind of disturbing and I don't know if I really fit in anywhere. I've been to a lot of events and shows, but would honestly just rather go see classical performances at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln center, if I had the money. A friend of mine works at the New York Philharmonic and is hooking me up with some tickets for Ligeti's obscure Opera, so that should be nice. I saw Feldman's six hour String Quartet No. 2 recently which was absolutely fantastic. I think I've been lucky to work with who I have worked with and don't know of anyone really special until I meet them. That goes for labels too.

What do you think of the music industry as a whole? Do you think there are enough outlets for producers like yourself?
I think it's pretty awful. Maybe it'll get better in time, but I'm just not that perky or enthusiastic about the music world we live in or what's 'thriving.' I think other people are getting pretty nauseous from it as well. The product that is music is also pretty disgusting at this point and its nice that there are people keeping music alive how they want it, it's also just kind of sad. It's hard for me to talk about because music is almost equal parts negative and positive for me and trying to deliver that in my work is both frustrating and refreshing.

Are you interested in other creative outlets, multimedia or art installations for example?
I've done some. In Canada I did outdoor sound processing of ice, snow, wood, fire, alienated human emotions and tried to cultivate other mental states.

Do you play live? If so what sort of set up do you use?

Play live too often lately, but it's mostly me on guitar or piano and I have a nice crew of string players that have joined me more and more. That's all processed.

Can you list 5 artists or songs or records (or even films or whatever you want!) that have influenced you, or just stuff you like at the moment!

Really into Wagner's masterworks at the moment, a lot of old cheesy soundtracks including Henry Mancini and the 'Wave' album by Antonio Carlos Jobim, a lot Mozart, Brahms, really boring classical stuff and I've been strangely revisiting the Beavis & Butt-head episodes... something strangely static and depressing and faded about that cartoon. The landscapes are usually more interesting than what's being said, even if it's just their living room wall.