https://beforeaftersilencerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/ms-v-ms 

Last week I released my latest on CD & Digital.
The title track "MS-V-MS" is a mix of spaced out acid lines, morphing Ambient and ominous analogue swells with intricate
polyrhythmic grooves with moments of industrial intensity that rise and descend through it is fifty minute plus duration.
Two more tracks compliment the main piece with various sonic mood and aesthetics.

MS-V-MS

MS-V-MS [Out now on Bandcamp] CD & Digital

End of June 2021 see's the fourth release on Before & After Silence Recordings. CD & Digital 

https://beforeaftersilencerecordings.bandcamp.com/music 

"Jouhatsu" which translates as "the evaporated people" is the a culture particularly prevalent in Japan where people escape from their lives by creating a new identity and disappear. 

The album was inspired by this fascinating culture and I feel the seven tracks contained, may echo the emotions of so many people effected by this culture.

"Jouhatsu" CD album Teaser forthcoming on Before & After Silence Recordings

The first-year anniversary of my label Before & After Silence Recordings is coming up at the end of this month.

To celebrate this, I've just released a very specially priced digital compilation featuring a selection of tracks from the last twelve months and some upcoming tracks & an exclusive piece some are in excerpt form and some are in original album mix from.

The comp features about 1.5 hours of music, plus I've included a 60-minute mix which I compiled and mixed.

The compilation includes an exclusive previously unreleased track called
"Fragile armour" also a track from a forthcoming CD in 2022 "Urban Nature pt5"

There's also a taster from the very final release of 2022 "Tides Of Melancholy" which will be the sixth CD release on the label featuring all new material.

"Tides Of Melancholy" will be available at the end of December.

The "Year One" compilation is €1.00 or name your price.

Grab the comp here:
https://beforeaftersilencerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/year-one-compilation-before-after-silence-recordings

Plus, this weekend for the one-year anniversary of the label I'm offering 30% off the digital & CD discography until Sunday midnight GMT.

Enter the code year1 at the checkout.

Year One a Before & After Silence Mix

Carpe Sonum records in the US have just launched my new album "Variants Of Perception" to pre order, The CD will ship out at the end of March. 

The tracks on the album were recorded between 2019 & 2020 and I sent Dave at the label a selection of works to choose from, by late 2020 we had narrowed it down to seven pieces and a running order was selected and I set to work to create a sequence which now makes the album flow in a continuous listen.

To achieve this, some additional arrangement/edits were created at the end or beginning of some tracks. 

The album clocks in at over seventy minutes. 
"Variants Of Perception" see's me returning to an often haunting yet melodic mix of Ambient and experimental beats amongst a myriad of my influences yet delivering that Mick Chillage tonal & emotion flair. 


Pre order here:https://mickchillage.bandcamp.com/album/variants-of-perception-2

Variants Of Perception [Album Teaser]

"Hiraeth" is a Welsh word that has no direct English translation, likens it to a homesickness tinged with grief and sadness over the lost or departed. 

Personally, I would consider myself to be apolitical, However, when innocent people are thrown into a war it greatly sadness and angers me. The sense of helplessness is overwhelming, knowing that as one person, nothing I say or do can make a difference in changing the personal plight of so many. 

Watching the events unfold in Ukraine haunted me as families are forced to leave behind loved ones, the homes, the lives, the communities they've built and not knowing if they may ever see such precious and deeply valued parts of their lives again. 

I began to think of ways I could perhaps help by utilising my artistic gifts? 

So, I thought to myself that the next piece of music that I create I will donate all profits to the much-needed aid support agencies.

The artistic challenge was how do I even begin to convey all the emotions that come with such a scale of human tragedy in a single piece of music? I kept coming back to the emotions of leaving a life behind, loved ones and close friends a country you loved and so much more. 

I hope that I have created something that conveys the human side of this tragedy and that you my valued supporters may wish to contribute to. 

It gives some comfort in knowing that I can help in some way and the I have valued supporters to make some difference. 

I'm setting the track at €3.00 or name your price.

Grab the track here: 
mickchillage.bandcamp.com/album/hiraeth-support-for-ukraine

Hireath [For Ukraine] @ bandcamp all profits donated to Unicef & The Red Cross

“Urban Nature” was recorded in late spring/early summer of 2021
and was inspired by a wonderful section of wild land known as the
“The River Dodder Valley Park” that sits between two urban locations near my home. The Dodder river springs from the Dublin mountains, the park is full of wildlife and has a path that runs through it for about 5km, which has recently been expanded.

I’ve always found it fascinating that this thriving natural habitat sits near dual carriageways, the M50 motorway, its flyovers, local shopping centres and even a cement plant nearby. There's a waterfall and a weir and remnants of the old canal system that led from the old developing Tallaght village to the heart of Dublin's city centre.

So armed with my Zoom portable recorder I gathered lots of various recordings, nature and urban sounds and they inspired me to improvise over these elements using keys, mainly virtual piano and subtle synths & effects etc. The music would sit along the lines of modern/minimal classical and perhaps inspired by Harold Budd, Brian Eno etc.

I tried to capture certain locations along this path with certain sonic aesthetics. Part 3 for example was inspired by a large electrical pylon that sits close to the river bank and its heavy cables span across the river. Birds nest nearby and I can imagine the possible electrical interference that the various animals may hear or feel so the piano part modulates and gets almost lost at times with a slightly unsettling level of interference & unnatural noise.

Ultimately I created the album to be listened to in one sitting, trying to capture a soundtrack to the 5-6km walk with the different sounds and feelings you may gather from these polar opposite environments coexisting, so the CD is mixed as one track but each piece is easily identifiable as they start and end.

The individual tracks are offered digitally and come with the purchase of the CD at bandcamp.

The album is dedicated to the memory of Steve Brown.

Mick Chillage
Releases late April 2022 
https://beforeaftersilencerecordings.bandcamp.com/

Urban Nature "Teaser" April 2022  [Before & After Silence Recordings]

A teaser of track two from "Brain oscillations" on Before & After Silence recordings released August 2022. 

"Brain Oscillations" consist of three new long form Ambient pieces composed in late spring of 2022 that are inspired by the passing of Klaus Schulze

https://beforeaftersilencerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/brain-oscillations

Brain Oscillations Pt2 [Neuro Cosmos] Excerpt Out now at Bandcamp.

"FAXology" was originally released on Pete Namlook's cult Ambient/Electronica label Fax +49-69/450464 back in 2011.

In 2021 I was fortunate to find the original audio files and decided that a re-issue of "FAXology" would happen at some point in the future.

In 2022 I began working on the re-issue by creating new mixes and to hopefully make a richer sonic experience by adding further stereo enhancement, panning etc, some subtle changes in mix levels of certain instruments and subtle arrangement changes and effects but being careful not to alter the sentiments of the originals.

The new mix was then mastered by Lorenzo Montana a regular collaborator with Pete with the excellent "Labyrinth" series and also as a great solo artist for the FAX label.
It just seemed right to have someone closely connected with the label to sprinkle that final
sonic magic over the album.

"FAXology 2022" features a brand new bonus remix of "X 202" and an alternative version of "Control Room" which features some new yet subtle sounds.

Overall, I hope this new edition of "FAXology" will give those who are familiar with the original a new and enhanced listening experience & maybe introduce a new audience to one of my personal favourite albums from my discography.

For Peter, I am eternally grateful.

For the full background and details of how this re-issue came about check the
"About this album" section on the release page.

Grab the album on CD & Digital here:
beforeaftersilencerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/faxology-2022

X 202 [ X 202 Remix ] Taken From FAXology 2022

An exclusive track featured on "Year Two Compilation" on 
Before & After Silence Recordings.

https://beforeaftersilencerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/before-after-silence-year-two-compilation

Music For Popular Piano [Exclusive track from Year Two Compilation]

Initial Programs is my alter ego which brings together all of my influences, from Techno, House, Acid, IDM, Ambient etc. 

August 2023 sees the album "Are We Programmed?" on 
Before & After Silence Recordings on CD & Digital. 

The album features twelve tracks recorded between 2017 & 2022 
Three of which were previously released on the 12" "What Tomorrow Brings" on First Cut in 2018, this will be the first time these tracks are available on CD.

https://beforeaftersilencerecordings.bandcamp.com/music

Initial Programs "Are We Programmed? Album Teaser, out now!

I am proud to present my debut for the legendary Fax records, home to some of the greatest names in electronica like Klaus Schulze, Biosphere, Ritchie Hawtin, Anthony Rother, Move D, and of course label boss Namlook himself and many many more.. As the title suggests "Faxology" is a collection of Fax inspired works and is to be released on the eve of the labels 20th anniversary.. 
This is a glimpse of the past the present and the future of Fax.. 
FAXology CD has sold out from <a href="http://namlook.de" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">namlook.de</a> but copies can be found on ebay and discogs and is still available from itunes..
Approaching Antares 20.50 / X 202 3.14 / Hypersleep 5.51 / Control Room 5.06
Corot-9b 8.12 / Gamma Radiation 18.32 / Returning Home 9.19


FAXology PS08/122  Fax [Germany] CD Sold Out!!!

The coming months will see celebrated ambient artist John Beltran jointly release not one but two vinyl compilations on Delsin Records in association with his own Dado label. The compilations, named Music For Machines Part 1 and Part 2, will take the form of two vinyl LPs released apart, with both releases complied together onto one CD. 

Michigan born producer Beltran, of course, has released countless legendary EPs and LPs on labels like Peacefrog, Carl Craig's Retroactive and Belgium's R&S. His music has been licensed to high profile HBO TV series and a number of films, and pulls together elements of jazz, world music, organic soundscapes and electronic textures into compelling listening experiences. Most recently this came in the form of his Amazing Things album in 2013, whilst his career spanning Ambient Selections from 2011 is still a vital listen. 

Part 1 of the compilation pulls together new and exclusive tracks from the likes of Winter Flags, Blair French, David Elpezs and John himself, whilst part two focuses on the likes of Natalie Beridze, Kirk Degiorgio and Vincent Volt. 

Part 1 opens up with the found sound lushness of 'Winterfall Winds' before naturally unfolding through Reinehr's wintry harmonics and the crowning glory of Beltran's own titular track, which is a moving bit of textured modern classical music that sooths your mind, body and soul. 

As for Part 2, it is riddled with sumptuous sonic delights like Greg Chin's icy and alpine 'Dashboard Angels' and Mick Chillage's beautifully suspended 'Only In My Dreams’. Vincent Volt keeps things beautifully beachy with his 'Subway Arp' and A2B2C2's 'Stereometry' is a suitably sombre affair that closes the compilation down in style.

http://www.delsinrecords.com/release/4598/john-beltran-presents/music-for-machines

Only In My Dreams

November 2012 will see the release of a new collaboration project under the "Autumn Of Communion" banner between Myself and Lee Anthony Norris AKA Metamatics/Norken/Nacht Plank etc.. Lee rose from the UK electronica/IDM explosion of the early to mid nineties with his Metamatics alias which saw a series of 12"s and album on the seminal but now defunct yet highly respected Clear records.  Lee also pioneered his own take on House and Techno under the guise of Norken and environmental ambient sounds as Nacht Plank. Lee founded the seminal  Neo Ouija records in 2000.

Autumn Of Communion was born almost as quickly as the seasons themselves change..
In summer of 2012 Lee and I discussed a collaboration which could possibly convey
everything we love about electronic music, movies, the mysteries of nature/life and beyond  by combining each of our own musical idiosyncrasies.

The results are a synergistic kaleidoscope of deeply atmospheric drones, lush synthwork and emotive melody with environmental touches and intricate rhythmic details which reflect a hint of classic 90's ambient/electronica but displays a strong unique identity.  

So the new project "Autumn Of Communion" will be released on the legendary Fax records
run by the highly prolific ambient master Pete Namlook, the label now running in its 20th year and still releasing full CD albums which is a testament to Pete's dedication as many electronic music labels struggle today with digital only releases. So I am absolutely delighted to have been fortunate enough to work with such an influential artist of mine and then to finding a home for the project with Fax has been a dream come true.

"Autumn Of  Communion" album preview on FAX +49-69/450464

"Growth" was born from the inspiration of both nature and my synths.

https://mickchillage.bandcamp.com/album/growth

On a recent walk around my local park and across its rather impressive yet brutal looking suspension footbridge which spans across the river below I noticed the growth of lichen on its fabricated structure, the bridge is only a few years old and I was taken by the bright yellow fungi contrasting against the wine coloured painted metal supports and the black slip resistant walk way, I felt this would make a nice photograph so I took a picture with my phone. 

The image kinda lingered in my brain longer than I expected and I was fascinated how the lichen was taking over the bridge, almost as if it was trying to blend in the alien structure to its natural surroundings.

I began to see a connection between nature's ability to grow in the most unexpected environments and how growth can happen to us in the unexpected situations, particularly poignant in the current pandemic we all find ourselves in, for many this has been a challenging time for sure but also its been a time of growth as we find new ways to cope and perhaps discover that maybe we should be doing things different in our lives. 

The track itself, came about purely through experimenting with the Moog Grandmother initially, a random generative patch I created was the catalyst, by dialling various control knobs it created very varied and unexpected results, I also captured some drones that evolved from this patch and then built more synth parts from the Prophet Rev2, & the Supernova II, eventually the Moog elements became more like background effects and as the track comes to its final quarter I played some improvised keys using the Native Instruments Maverick Piano which I felt complimented some of haunting synth sounds.

The title "Growth" seemed to fit as the track grew from an unusual sonic foundation just like the lichen had grown on the metal of the very industrial and brutal looking footbridge at my park.

Growth [download available @bandcamp]

Coming in late February 2021 my second album on my
recently formed Before & After Silence Recordings. 

Six completely new pieces of deep Ambient music clocking in 
at 76 minutes 

CD & digital will be available from 
https://beforeaftersilencerecordings.bandcamp.com/releases

Celestial Observations Teaser (Before & After Silence Recordings)

Dublin based Mick Chillage has been producing various strains of electronic music since 1996. 
Was one half of Djing duo "The Chillage Idiots" that played a diverse range of music over the Dublin airwaves in the late 90's & into the 00's. 

Mick has released on Pete Namlook's Fax label as a solo artist and in collaborative mode with Lee Norris as Autumn Of Communion. 
Over the years he has built up a prolific collection of releases through solo and collaborations. Most are within the Ambient spectrum on various labels like, 
Txt, Carpe Sonum, Databloem, A Strangely Isolated place, Touched, Fantasy Enhancing & more.. 

In 2020 Mick created his own label Before & After Silence Recordings to handle his steady output, focusing on CD releases.

Mick Chillage

Popular tracks