These gently experimental ambient pieces are constructed around hastily captured loops of original source material, layered with loose melodic improvisations and piped through my favourite effects units.

Their hazy resolution and imperfections are the result of a spontaneous and casual approach to recording which I believe lends them a nostalgic charm. I hope you enjoy the music.

Digital available on Bandcamp and streaming on all your favourite platforms now.

Sorry I Missed You EP

Altogether Elsewhere EP

Over the last decade, Bantam Lions (AKA Liverpool producer Mike Carney) has devoted much of his spare time to “playful experimentation”, channeling 30 years of musical inspirations and adventures to create electronic music that sits somewhere between hazy nostalgia and far-sighted futurism.

Along the way, he has crafted dozens, if not hundreds, of snapshots of this personal musical journey. Some of these have appeared on his previous 12” singles for Scenery Records, while others have been featured on cassettes from the admirably experimental Cleaning Tapes and Videogamemusic imprints.

Now, he’s gathered together some of his favourite moments to create Short Stories, a debut album – and Scenery’s first long-form release – simply overflowing with page-turning musical narratives.

Listen carefully to the album’s 12 tracks, and you’ll begin to understand the myriad twists and turns associated with a lifetime’s worth of musical obsessions.  Some may detect echoes of afternoons spent daydreaming to electronic futurism in the sparkling, intergalactic breeze of opener “Now’s The Time”, or messy mornings after spent listening to early ambient house and IDM in the fluid electronica of “Passing Doubt”, the dreamy “Journey To Fon”, or the Boards of Canada style bliss of “Golden Circle Sun”.

The producer’s dancefloor adventures, and most specifically countless imaginary excursions to Liverpool’s legendary late ‘80s/early ‘90s rave venue Quadrant Park, in the restless energy of “Up To You” (a track created, in part, from sampling and manipulating passages of a live recording from the club, given to him by a friend in 1991) and the fizzing, multi-coloured dancefloor hustle of “Checkout Your Mind”. 

Throughout, his multitude of influences – from vintage Motor City techno, Larry Heard and Pal Joey, to Actress, Rhythm & Sound and Stockhausen style tape manipulation – shines through, but Short Stories never sounds like a tribute act. 

It’s the Scenery regular’s unique musical vision, rather than that of his inspirations, that shines through on each of his perfectly formed instrumental ‘stories’. This vision is colourful, bright and vibrant, with subtle shifts in mood and focus that change with each successive narrative.

These are Short Stories to savour, to get lost in, and to revisit time and time again. They’re Bantam Lions’ stories, but happily he’s shared them for others to enjoy.

Words: Matt Anniss

Double vinyl LP with limited edition 20 page booklet available from good record stores 25/11/2016

Distributed by Lobster Distribution
distribution@lobstertheremin.com

Buy LP on Bandcamp

Short Stories LP clips

TRACKLIST
Karl Lindh – Jag. Mitte Kaffe
Kraftwerk – Rhythm Salad
Dominique Dumont – Rituals
Conjoint – Earprint Nr 3
Koss – Jumoku
Inoyamaland – Mizue
Bantam Lions – Illusory Thinking
Panoram – Cyclo
Sam Gendel – Tape Tiger
Shine Grooves – Above Fuji
Hiroshi Yoshimura – Teevee
Dominique Dumont – Back to Everyday Life
Bantam Lions – Blundar 9.1 Parallel Pathways
Kraftwerk – Franz Schubert
Kraftwerk – Endless Endless

'Sunday Drive' mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, April 2021.

'Three gentle ambient vignettes' released on new label Out of Bounds (OoB 001). Digital only available on Bandcamp. Mastered by Barry Gardner. © Mike Carney / Bantam Lions 2021.

Views From My Room

View From My Room

Buy on Bandcamp

'Views From My Room' EP clips (OoB 001)

TRACKLIST
The Humble Bee – P209
Dugong – Thaw
LOG – LOG 7
OL – Let’s Speak (Gost Zvuk 003)
Koss – Dreamworld
Niko Tzoukmanis – Free Hugs
Andrew Tuttle – Ascending Spring Clean
Josiah Steinbrick & Sam Gendel – Mouthfeel 4
The Humble Bee – A Century of Sea Stories (Xmas 1936)
LOG – LOG 9
Suemori – Mekashikomu
Terrence Dixon – 8th Chance
Vapour Space – Paradox Of Time Dilation
Ben McElroy – The Silence Has Spoken
Duke Ellington & John Coltrane – In a Sentimental Mood
Stump Valley – Sound D’amore

#melodicdistraction
#bantamlions

'Sunday Drive' mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, June 2021.

Recollections (clip)

Many Years Later (clip)

'Sunday Drive' mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, 12.06.22

TRACKLIST
Civilistjävel! – Järnnätter LP
N. Kramer – Casa
Lowtec – Old Economy LP
Monopoly Child Star Searchers – Prince of Parrot Shooters
I. Wyatt – Spicy Dream
Francesca Heart – Argentosfere
Aleksi Perala – F13AC2271090
Various – KWALK LP
Best Available Technology – Very Hungry Database
Marceau Bore – Theme Port
Lowtec – Old Economy LP
Alva Noto & Ryuchi Sakamoto – Duoon

#experimental #ambient #techno
@melodicdistraction

'Sunday Drive' mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, June 2022.

TRACKLIST
Tsegue Maryam Guebrou – The Homeless Wanderer
Branko Mataja – It’s Hard To Forget You
DJ Food – Dark Blue (MLO remix)
Sacred Grove – Untitled
Finis Africae – Segundos, Segundos, Segundos
Herbie Hancock – The Kiss
Aphex Twin – Piano un10 it happened
Freddie Fresh – Return To Phantazia
Gabriel Yared – Cargo Voyage
Underground Resistance – Abandoned Building In Mono
Icons – Stratosphere
Richard H. Kirk – East of Nima
DJ Plead – RT5

'Sunday Drive' mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, August 2022.

TRACKLIST
Terekke – Soft G
H Takahashi – Drift
Wally Badarou – Awa
Finis Africae – Danca Do Corpo
Pink Floyd – Main Theme
Bandulu – Phaze in Remix
A5 – Raw Abstractionism
Plastikman – Lasttrack
Choice – Acid Eiffel
Huerco S – Untitled
LOG – LOG 9
Terekke – Need U

@melodicdistraction

'Sunday Drive' mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, October 2022.

'Sunday Drive' mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, December 2022.

TRACKLIST
Snp 500 – Rec 2020
Brian Eno – Becalmed
E Ruscha V & Peter Zummo – H Dialog
DJ Krush & Toshinori Kondo – Tobira 2
Best Available Technology – Oneiricon Ident
Lamin Fofana – Erosion - Whispers -a laminated shout-
Jon Hassell – Last Night The Moon Came
DJ Krush & Toshinori Kondo – Mu-Chu
Xnut Jonas Sellevold – Complete Works
Tomago – Intimate Immensity (Floating Points & Marta Salogni remix)
Stella Vander – Ondes
SnP 500 – Dus
Bantam Lions – Out Of Steam

@melodicdistraction

'Sunday Drive' mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, December 2022.

Sorry I Missed You

02 Brilliantrot (clip)

Bantam Lions 'Flow Slow' (clip)

© Bantam Lions 2024.

03 Flow Slow (clip)

04 Lapis (clip)

01 Flicker Flight (clip)

TRACKLIST
Midori Takada – Tan Tejah
John Surman – Holding Pattern 2
Carmen Villain – Silueta
Samb_rules – Welcome! Hi!
Sarah Davachi – At Hand
O Yuki Conjugate – Shintone
As One – Descent Module
Keiichi Suzuki – Satellite Serenade (Trans Asian Express)
John Cameron – Training Kes
Robbie Basho – Pavan India

#ambient #experimental #techno

'Sunday Drive' mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, February 2023.

TRACKLIST
The Grateful Dead – Dark Star
Terry Riley – A Rainbow In Curved Air
K. Leimer – Shallows
Dan Hayhurst – Mono Sketch 10
Ryuichi Sakamoto – Hane No Hayashi De
Convextion – New Horizons
Elodie – Le Néant Flottant
Taming Power – 27-7-00 / 31-8-00
Bantam Lions – Broken Voices

@melodicdistraction
#melodicdistraction

'Sunday Drive' mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, April 2023.

TRACKLIST
John Celona – Music in Circular Motions
Sam Gendel – Zerozero
Bantam Lions – Drift
Alberto Lizarralde – Langsam
MinaeMinae – immer wieder Situationen geben, bei
Alberto Lizarralde – Haizetxean, Gauez
Mr Y.T. – Souvenir
The Evening Circle – Untitled
Lamin Fofana – Oily (resurfacing)
Sam Gendel – Final Chamber
Air Liquide – Twice Zero is Zero
Jake Meginsky – 2521

#ambient #experimental #electronic #techno 



Originally broadcast on Sunday 11 June 2023 on @melodicdistraction.

'Sunday Drive' mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, June 2023.

Flowers aka Bantam Lions
Features on 'Ancient Fires' album by various artists (Stadt Moers Records 2011). Available on limited edition cassette and digital download from Bandcamp. Free digital download code with cassette purchases.

www.stadtmoersrecords.tumblr.com

Flowers 'North to the Tundra' (Stadt Moers Records)

03 Altogether Elsewhere CLIP

Altogether Elsewhere

02 Endless Acres CLIP

01 Paradise 1962 CLIP

Short Stories

Passing Doubt

5. Passing Doubt CLIP

Up To You

4. Up To You CLIP

South Of The Border

3. South Of The Border CLIP

The Principle

2. The Principle CLIP

Now's The Time

1. Now's The Time CLIP

Bantam Lions 'Thinking Twice' featured on various artists EP for Dutch label Infinite Pleasure. Available on lilac coloured vinyl and digital.

http://infinitepleasure.net

https://www.juno.co.uk/products/nathan-melja-willrijk-taylan-alan-va-i/667989-01/

https://www.discogs.com/Various-VA-I/release/11219345

Thinking Twice

Bantam Lions 'Thinking Twice' (clip)(INPL 003)

'Romantic Views' LP clips. Limited edition chrome cassette + digital available exclusively via East Wall Recordings, Dublin.

All tracks were made over a short period during May / June 2016 on a stripped down studio setup consisting of JVC KB 700 keyboard, Boss ME5 effects, Ibanez analogue delay plus sequencing and processing on Reason. 

Enjoy.

Romantic Views

Romantic Views (clips)

Buy via Bandcamp

'Romantic Views' LP Clips

A1. Bantam Lions 'One To One'
A1. Bantam Lions 'One To One' (John Heckle mix)
B1. Bantam Lions 'Control Tower Observations'
B2. Bantam Lions 'Control Tower Observations' (John Heckle mix)

Available from Juno, Phonica and loads of others.

Checkout the videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/sceneryrecords

Enjoy and spread the love.


Buy this EP from Juno

One To One EP (+ John Heckle mixes (Scenery Records))

Live mix recorded for Liverpool's Melodic Distraction Radio, Sunday 13 October, 2019.

TRACKLIST:
Fila Brazillia – Soft Music Under Stars
Pink Floyd – Party Sequence
Pontiac Streasor & Ulla Straus – Item 7
Richard Proffitt – Late Morning
Best Available Technology – Session 4190
The Grid – Crystal Clear (The Orb Remix)
Eddie Harris – Electric Ballad
Laraaji – I am Ocean
Phenomyna – Objectives
Yoshihiro Sawasaki – Magic Dome
Syd Barrett – Golden Hair (Instrumental)
Mood Hut – Peace Out
Bantam Lions – Journey To Fon
Richard H Kirk – The Number of Magic

https://melodicdistraction.com

'Sunday Drive'. Live mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, October 2019.

Bantam Lions 'Sunday Drive' mix recorded live for Melodic Distraction Radio, 8 December 2019.

TRACKLIST
Roger Eno – Stasis Affected
Donarra – Track 4
Ariel Karma – Sister Echo
Geoffrey Landers – Overhead Glass
MinaeMinae – Vorwegnahme
Wino D – Untitled
Mica Levi – Hosting
Best Available Technology – Body Pill
Aardvarck – Everything is Nothing
Floating Points – Birth
Andrew Peckler – Sunshower at Sandy Island
Mohammad Reza Mortazavi – Roaming Pulses
Bantam Lions – Red Streaks in the Sky
Pete La Roca – Bliss
Atypic – Henkhisesui
Kelly Moran – Radian
The 7th Plain – Grace
Susumu Yokota – Kirakiraboshih

https://melodicdistraction.com

'Sunday Drive'. Live mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, December 2019.

Another Sunday Drive live mix recorded for Liverpool's Melodic Distraction Radio on Sunday 9 Feb, 2020.

TRACKLIST
SnP 500 – SnP 500
Blake Hargreaves – Nocturne at Bazilika sv Petra a Pavla, Praha
Pink Floyd – Crying Song
Beverly Glenn-Copeland – Old Melody
Hiele – Susumus Theme
Ulla – I Think My Tears Have Become Good
Jan Jelinek – They, Them
Yoshio Suzuki – Meet Me In The Sheep Meadow
Underworld – Ess Gee
Bantam Lions – I’ll Always Think About You
Special Forces – Trilogy
Pan American – Dark Birds Empty Fields
Cloudface – Twin Guides

@melodicdistractionradio

'Sunday Drive'. Live mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, February 2020

Recorded at home under lockdown conditions for Melodic Distraction Radio.

#bantamlions #melodicdistraction

TRACKLIST
Ulla Straus – Sister
Brian Eno – Slow Water
Kelly Moran – Helix 2
Paul Horn – Nexus
Fernando Falcao – Amanhecer Tabajara
Mohammad Reza Mortazavi – Exploring
Iridescence – Untitled
Panda Bear – Search For Delicious
Kilchofer – Plyn
STL – Untitled 
Benjamin Brunn – Untitled
Gigi Mason – If
Nuages – Apres Les Larmes
Inoyamaland – Apple Star
MinaeMinae – Algenuberzug

'Sunday Drive'. Live mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, April 2020

TRACKLIST
IIVA – She’s One Brave Lady
Jon Hassell – Moons of Titan
As One – The Specialist (Nuron rmx)
Haruomi Hosono – Down to Earth
Lowtec – Untitled (Blundar 1.1)
Duckett – But My Mind
Pole – Heim
SVN – The Mechine’s Frequency Memory
Kraftwerk – Tongebirge
Santana – Future Primitive
Bobby Konders – The Poem
Pink Floyd – Love Theme Version 4
Bantam Lions – Golden Circle Sun
Ron Geesin & Roger Waters – Bed-Time-Dream-Clime
Nightmares on Wax – Gambia via Vagator Beach

melodicdistraction.com

'Sunday Drive'. Live mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, August 2020.

Live mix recorded for Liverpool's Melodic Distraction Radio, Sunday 11 October, 2020.

TRACKLIST
Pink Floyd – Heart Beat, Pig Meat
Sun Ra – Sun Song
Tara Clerkin – The Reek
Harold Budd – Little Heart
Mac-Talla Nan Creag – Grugraig Perc
The La’s – Dovecot Dub
Love – Emotions
Jaco Pastorius – Portrait of Tracey
Yone-Ko – Strip Down To E
Deepside – French
William Grant Still – Summerland
John Carroll Kirby – Son of Pucabufeo
Eddie Harris – Carnival
Jimi Hendrix – Villanova Junction
John Hartford – Crystallia Daydream
Meftah – 6 Minutes

@melodicdistraction

'Sunday Drive' mix for Melodic Distraction Radio, October 2020.

My Sunday Drive mix show for @melodicdistraction 13 Dec, 2020.

TRACKY
Pontiac Streator – Triz Cohors pt. 3 
Sly & Robbie – Zen Concrete 
Ryuichi Sakamoto – Slat Dance 
Hotspring – An Item 
STL – Untitled (Blundar 3.1) 
Actress – Gliding Squares 
Sacred Grove – Untitled 
Jack Wilkins – Naima 
Vangelis – Mechanical Dolls 
Satoshi & Makoto – Kaas 
Polygon Window – If It Really Is Me 
NAP – Intima 
The Orb – Spanish Castles in Space 
Bantam Lions – Untitled

Bantam Lions

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks