The title of this piece is a homage to the short story of the same name by David Eagleman which forms part of his mind-boggling yet thoroughly endearing collection of 40 tales about the afterlife, entitled Sum. I've recently been re-reading this incredible little book and it's fair to say that it's had a considerable influence on my mental meanderings while I've been working on this tune.

The music itself is a chilled piece of electronica set against a landscape of bustling percussive activity which gradually takes form around a simple piano melody. It was produced entirely in Ableton Live 11 during Spring 2021.

Apostasy

Taking its title from a fascinating book of the same name by writer, publisher and ultra-runner, Robin Harvie, this tune attempts to give musical expression to the reasons why I regularly lace up my running shoes and leave the house to pound the country lanes and footpaths near to where I live when there are arguably a thousand-and-one more "important" things I could be doing with my precious time.

Robin's book is both an intriguing study of his own personal journey to the start line of one of the toughest ultra races on earth: the Spartathlon, and a pleasingly detailed history of the act of distance running itself. This, my first electronic music release for several months, is much more modest in scale - very much like my running ambitions (at least when compared to Robin's) - but it could be said that it attempts to capture and articulate the same, natural urge.

Why We Run was made entirely in Ableton Live v11 using Spitfire Audio's LABS plug-in for some of the component sounds. It was composed and recorded during spring/summer 2022.

Why We Run

Watch the Biped video, produced by Rainbow Zemo, on YouTube... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNv6x6-RY40

"Are we less kind than we were?" asks the man. No need to answer that right away but you'll be pleased to know I've slowed-down the tempo quite considerably on this, my first release of 2023, thereby giving you ample time and breathing space to ruminate on that particular conundrum. In doing so, I hope you discover something, not only about yourself but also about the collective mass of bipeds that make up the human race.

Massive thanks to Jason Ross for the very kind use of his photograph, "Das Eisen".

Biped was produced entirely in Ableton Live 11 during the winter of 2022/23.

Biped

This is a piece I recently put together with my son, Oscar. We were both reflecting on the mysteries of time after watching one too many episodes of Doctor Who when he suddenly announced, "Dad, time is atmospherical." This impressive statement kind of stopped me in my tracks and so, right there and then, we decided to fire up the laptop and began creating a song around it. Over the next few days, Oscar added a few avant-garde keyboard parts plus some live drums and Timeworks was born. We sincerely hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it...

Vocals, keyboard lines and live drums: Oscar
All other parts: Observatory
Photograph: Oscar

Timeworks

Timeworks (featuring Oscar)

The tune you hear before you now was inspired by warm summer mornings, spent catching up over cups of tea with a good friend in his enchanting garden against a backdrop of birdsong.

Hortus began life as an oddly-matched jumble of bleeps and quirky beats, and was given shape and clarity when I stumbled by chance upon the sitar sample that you'll hear clips of throughout the piece. From that point on, the track steadily came together over a period of several weeks but, as with all of my song ideas that I eventually see through to completion, the original vision that inspired it remained with me right throughout the creative process.

Hortus was written and recorded during the summer of 2023 and was made entirely in Ableton Live 11, running on a Windows 11 laptop.

The artwork is by another good friend, the very talented collage artist Karl Vint, and is entitled, Looking Out For You.

Hortus

Forget everything you know about how best to listen to audio. This useful and practical broadcast will demonstrate to you a whole new way of experiencing sound. It will explain the equipment you need in order to maximise your binaural enjoyment and, provided its instructions are followed meticulously, it will enable you to unlock sonic delights, the likes of which you never previously imagined possible. Prepare to be amazed...

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my good friend, Phil Pinder for allowing me to use his untitled artwork to accompany this recording.

A New Way of Listening was created in Ableton Live 11 during winter 2023/24.

A New Way Of Listening

A reimagined version of Erik Satie's Gnossienne Number 1, mashed into a synth electronic sound.  Stand back and enjoy the fireworks.  If you like it support and buy a copy https://2psoldiers1.bandcamp.com/track/gnossienne-no-1

Gnossienne No 1

Inspired by late-night conversations and assembled over many months from disparate musical fragments, Love! Love! Peace! Beauty! is an ode to freedom, tolerance and bliss.

I owe massive credit to Mike B for providing the wonderful electric guitar stylings on this piece and to Jason Ross for sourcing the spoken word sample and the photo image. Brilliant work, gents - I owe you both, big time.

Love! Love! Peace! Beauty!

Vinyl Dreams

Falun Dreams

The evocatively named Cold Wold is an area of arable high ground, located roughly between the villages of Millington and Warter in the East Riding of Yorkshire. This relatively unspoilt chalkland region is great for walking, running or whatever else takes your fancy at pretty much any time of the year. I'm constantly inspired by the quiet, gentle landscapes of the Yorkshire Wolds and I only hope I've been able to do them some sort of justice with this relaxed piece of electronica.

The photograph is by Peter Church.

Cold Wold

An independent artist writing and recording electronic instrumental music with a cinematic feel.  We rely totally on your support.  Good music produced for your Leisure and Pleasure.

Gnossienne No 1

2p Soldiers

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