The Colour Out Of Space (Pt V/V)

Opening to "Resonances" a multi-genre concept album centred around the foundation of human creativity!

Imagine you're an early human foraging through a forest when you hear this. Subtle at first, but slowly drawing you into it's path. Before you comprehend what's happening, you have been caught in a sonic event horizon!

The Call Of The Cosmic Sirens

What better a way to introduce myself to the world of soundcloud than good old fashioned rock 'n' roll so enjoy y'all!

A Storm Coming

Witchkraft

This is the first movement of my three movement guitar suite 

Dancing Shadows on the Lake Movement one

This piece is solely based around a musical conversation between tenor (madman) and alto flute (cuckoo). This conversation overgos various emotional interactions, there are elements of seduction, manipulation an and agression between the pare to name but a few of these interactions. I have much more to say about this piece but as this should only be a short description I shant digress. Enjoy

Songs for a Madman and his Cuckoo

"If you want to know all about Andy Warhol, just look at the surface of my paintings and films and me, and there I am. There's nothing behind it"-Andy Warhol 

Beneath the surface was written in response to the artwork of Andy Warhol displayed at the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester. It deals with the conflict between contrasting soundworlds; the supposed superficial, meaningless surface that Andy Warhol claimed of his art work, and the real emotional depth that exists beneath the surface. Expression starts to organically grow from the repetative, minimalist music of the start, but in true "Warholian" fashion, these ideas are finally subdued before they get a chance to fully develop, as the emotional depth of the work is once again swept underneath the superficial.  
 

Performers: Clarinet Tom Campbell 
Violin Libby Sherwood
Cello Xander Baker 

Picture: Andy Warhol-Shadow (let me know if its a problem)

Beneath The Surface

Pathway through an abstract forest is a dysjunct piece for solo alto flute. It takes influence from the scenery near my original home of Worcestershire, collaging contrasting materials together giving the impression of an overall image

Alto Flute- Gavin Osborne 
Photo-Hanley Dingle (credit Harry Green)

Pathway through an abstract forest

Rainfall was written for the Cardiff Guitar festival.The essence of the work is solely based upon the movement from localised drops of rain towards a violent downpour. 

This is the first work which starts to focus towards my interest with music and time, more so the perception of time in music.

Guitar 1: Callum Binns
Guitar 2: Stuart Ironside 
Guitar 3: Daniel Whitting 
Guitar 4: Christopher Roberts

Rainfall

Distortion

noun: distortion; plural noun: distortions

1. the action of distorting or the state of being distorted.

2. the action of giving a misleading account or impression.

3. change in the form of an electrical signal or sound wave during processing.

This piece was commissioned by the Manchester University Music Society and performed on the 17 February 2018. When writing this piece I was interested in finding ways in which the piano and guitar timbres could be "distorted" together. Both materials interweave in and out of this sort of relationship, which create different shades of distortion. 

This piece was a new step into a different musical direction I've never been before, Maybe I'll continue on, or maybe I'll end up lost and having to ask for directions!

Distortion

Skyggen was commissioned by Dance Moves of Charleston Youth Company and takes inspiration from the danish fairytale of the same name.

Performed by the composer.
Recorded at Hope Mills Studios, Manchester
Mixed and mastered by Tomos Williams

Skyggen

This guitar improvisation was based on Steve Reichs 'Proverb' after the Wittgenstein Proverb 'How small a thought it takes to fill a whole life'.

How Small A Thought (Improv After Reich)

Recorded in my living room 20/04/2020.  Guitar, Voice, Mugs, Cups and Cans all performed by the composer 

Dead Earth takes influence from the imagery in Konstantin's play in The Seagull, playing on ideas of a play inside a play one might say! The text is from the play (in a play) itself and draws the atmosphere and colour of our planet far into the future devoid of all life: Something so alien yet a frightening reality in the face of climate change.

Photo: The Amazon on fire.

Dead Earth

Composer for ensembles and mixed media, performer of jazz and experimental music. Conductor of orchestras, bands and choirs. Extraordinaire of sorts.

Dominic Matthews

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