I've haphazardly written 'These Things' over 15 years in three bedrooms and across two countries,riding the wave of timidity and confidence, clarity and brain-fog.  Written as a journey to be played end to end on good headphones or a lovely set of speakers.

Gonna thank the lovely folk at Hobgoblin music London and in Bristol for their advice and excitement on all the nice little things featured - Mandolin, Uke, Flutes, Dulcimer, Toy Harp.

Stuffing all of my favourite instruments into every song.  Sure it's a mouthful, but I've chewed on these tracks long enough😂.  The glockenspiel is the oldest thing I own, a present from parents when I was 7 and I solemnly swear to get that good-boi into every album I lay my hands on.

These Things

Hello Soundcloud - it's been a while so here's a track from upcoming album, 'Winter Cities' - 'Mercy Cloud' is a conversation about a vulnerability and trust.  Beautiful improvised vocals by Anil and a Thom Brown sneaking into the background. 

Geeks:
Rain, sand and clouds… Thematically it's all about grains, so there's some deep use of the GR-1 granular synth and Form on vocals, bass and pads.  I've been in love with that texture since the 90's.  

Dulcimer, Ukelele, Granular, NI Razor, Vocals, Treated vocals, Accordion, Djembe, Toms, Ocean drum and shakers. All the reverb.

Mercy Cloud ©andrewrbird2019 
Vocals by Thom Brown, Anil Sebastian, and Andrew R Bird.
Improvised vocals and lyrics by Anil Sebastian. 
Produced and musicianed - Bird.

Winter Cities

Mercy Cloud

Written from a marimba and KYMA experiment in my London flat on a day of torrential rain in 2013.  I was in love with this texture which can be heard in 'Shine' featuring Esther Mitchel. 
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Finally found the confidence to finish vox on this rather old track. So vintage that I was still using KYMA to play the vocal at the start. Absolute love for that texture.

Soul Rush

Written in 2012 was never satisfied with this track - but a couple of mandolins and percussion session later… I'm happy.

Scatter - Track 3 on the upcoming album, 'These Things'. Written a few years back but finally have the confidence to unleash my voice on the world. Poor world.

Scatter

221230 First Signs DEMO

Violent Seas. An experiment with with storyteller/singer Thom Brown in 2018.

Violent seas

Violent Seas (Bird & Thom Brown)

Mercury

WAITLESS

I'm putting it up here… Love the vibe though. Thanks to Rich at Rich T Customs for my beautiful Welsh drum kit (which was double-tracked on this ditty for those listening in stereo).

THESE THINGS

Fire in the air (demo)

So far so good. Written in 2013 and featuring the incredible vocals of Sian O Gorman :) The reprise of this song was featured in the film, The Drycleaner (Chris Carr) and inspired me to finally finish this song 14 years later. L O L.

So far So Good (Short Version)

Breath In The Echoes

Andrew R Bird (UK).  Bristol-based, London-born, and internationally-bred composer and sound designer.  

Collaborations and friends:  Anil Sebastian, Joy Ramirez, Lewis Peake (Director), Matthew Smith (Director), Chris Carr (Director), Rebecca Whitbred (Lovelace), Sian O'Gorman, Esther Mitchell, Animesh Raval.

Film and other media: The Wellcome Trust - Unseen Ideas, Cephalopod (Peake, 2016), The Drycleaner (Carr, 2019), Maria Heidemann (Activist-Promar), Secrets and Spies podcast, Warships IFR podcast.

These Things

Andrew Bird. (UK)