'Water & Concrete' is a collaborative release between myself (SPECIMENS), Composer Daniel Weismayr & Photographer Lucie Rox. 

It was released on ltd edition pro dubbed cassettes by Tenderly Surrender in December 2015.

Accompanying this release was a short film, shot by director Sophie Littman (http://sophielittman.co.uk) in Hong Kong, this was premiered on NOWNESS and can be viewed here: https://www.nowness.com/story/water-and-concrete-hong-kong

Cassettes available here: https://specimensmusic.bandcamp.com/album/water-concrete 

SPECIMENS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Specimensmusic
Website: http://www.specimensmusic.co.uk

Daniel Weismayr
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danweismayrmusic

Lucie Rox
Website: http://www.lucierox.com/

SPECIMENS // Daniel Weismayr // Lucie Rox - 'Water & Concrete'

Releases / Tracks

SPECIMENS - 'Open Opport Unity'

SPECIMENS & Daniel Weismayr - 'Water & Concrete'

Here are 2 tracks taken from my split release with Tokyo based producer Afasia Yuri.

Having met in December 2015 at a show in North London we were both playing at we decided to put together this split release, which is available to by and stream in full here: https://afasiayuri.bandcamp.com/album/specimens-afasia-yuri-d-a

Surface

Track taken from the debut album from UK Ambient/Drone producer Specimens.

Pre-Order LP here: http://smarturl.it/sculptures-bc

MASTERED BY LAWRENCE ENGLISH
ARTWORK BY KIERAN INGRAM

Specimens - 'Touch'

edit navigation bar  JC / Specimens

Location III (Great War Island)

Specimens – Location III (Great War Island)

Exclusive track from ambient experimentalist Specimens' debut album 'Sculptures'...

‘Sculptures’ is Alex Ives (AKA Specimens) most ambitious and daring project to date, following on from releases on underground imprint A Giant Fern, Amsterdam-based Shimmering Moods Records & the collaborative Specimens x Daniel Wiesmayr release, ‘Water & Concrete’ on London’s Tenderly Surrender - the title track of which soundtracked a short from film maker & director, Sophie Littman, premiered via Nowness.

Wearing his influences on his sleeve and with a nod to past and present noise pioneers such as Throbbing Gristle, Leyland Kirby, K.Leimer and Ben Frost, ‘Sculptures’ sonically pans between the dream-like fog heard on the track’s ethereal closer, ‘French Morning’, as well as, ‘Cerulean Forest’, and cold industrial textures prevalent on tracks such as ‘A Marble Hallway’ or ‘Thuvian’.

The lighter, more melodic passages perfectly hold together the record’s jagged, abrasive undertones, occasionally leaning towards a more classical feel in a way the likes of William Basinski and Sean McCann display with regular expertise - best illustrated on the tracks ‘Piano Loops’ and ‘VI.VI.MMXV’.

Ives, who also holds a monthly residency on London’s Radar Radio, said of this release “I didn’t want to make a record intentionally difficult to listen to, but I wanted uncomfortable moments. It was important for me to try and make the record sound as human as possible and in some places distinctly live"

This ‘human’ feel discussed by Specimens is partly achieved through utilising samples of Sudanese wrestling & Tuvan Throat Singing, adding a charm that prevents the record from ever feeling too slick.

'Sculptures' was mastered by iconic sound artist and Room 40 label boss, Lawrence English – a man who also was a key influence in the sonic palette harnessed by Specimens.

“I've been a huge fan of his for a while now, he was probably my first introduction into the ambient/drone world. I wanted to have it mastered by someone I know not only specialises in this music, but someone artistically I looked up to.”

Over the past 18 months Specimens has been collaborating and releasing singles and EPs at a pace that hints at an artist never fully satisfied with sitting on a project. It’s through this process the ambitious producer has not only broadened his creative sphere, but honed in on a sound that is unmistakably his own. The result is a record distinctly individual and unapologetically enjoyable to engage with.

‘Sculptures’ will be available on 13th January via First Terrace Records.

Norman Records: http://smarturl.it/sculptures-norman
Bleep: http://smarturl.it/sculptures-bleep
Juno Records: http://smarturl.it/sculptures-juno

Sculptures

Specimens - VI.VI.MMXV

Experimental / Ambient / Drone producer from South London.

Runs First Terrace Records / Monthly show on Resonance Extra