Over the last two years, The Black Dog have photographed their home town and the brutal architecture that sits within. This album of ambient, experimental and down-tempo work was originally conceived as an aid for the creative process but ultimately provides a soundtrack to the artworks.

We've always worked apart. For us, it's nothing new. Large online servers have been in place for years but at some stage, we always meet up while working on an album to pour over the details, tone and running order.

We create storyboards and write text to support and form the ideas. However, this process and the simple ability to sit in the same room just wasn’t possible during the pandemic. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, on this project we believe that it has helped us to capture the isolation a photographer seeks with their subject. It's an attempt at slowing down and finding something internal. When the chatter stops, the creative intentions seep through.

Music For Photographers was first created as a functional tool. For the last two years, we’ve been photographing our city and the brutal architecture that sits within the landscape. Throughout this process many mistakes had been made, resulting in many return visits to repeat work already undertaken. Rushing, aimlessly collecting and near misses are all common problems. Photography, just like any other artform, needs to be practised and the skills need to be attained. Like music, it’s a constant battle.

Something was needed to aid the art being sought.

We created Music For Photographers with two simple rules; to be void of human voices and that it should be played in full when visiting any location. Our approach to composing the music and visiting the locations evolved. It helped the whole process become a more fluid exchange of ideas and we repeated the process later while editing the photographs. The book "Brutal Sheffield" provided a full stop for the creative process, finding that perfect balance between function and form.

Music For Photographers has now become a fully functioning sigil in our creative process. Rather than just invoking, it also evokes and goes beyond being a simple function. Listen carefully and you can hear the bréton brut!

Music For Photographers

01. The Black Dog - Try Pod (Unreleased)
02. The Black Dog - My Life Is Bracketed
03. The Black Dog - Nighthawks
04. The Black Dog - Death Of The Brown Cow
05. The Black Dog - SD Kard (Unreleased)
06. The Black Dog - Sony 7IV (Unreleased)
07. The Black Dog -  Isolation (Unreleased)
08. The Black Dog - Depth Of Future
09. The Black Dog - Autohoaxer
10. The Black Dog - Concrete Concentration (Broken Juno)
11. The Black Dog - [b] They All Live In The Past
12. The Black Dog - Theme From Chip Butty
13. The Black Dog - Vertical Grip On Reality
14. The Black Dog - O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!
15. The Black Dog - Womersley, Line One
16. The Black Dog - Tuckered Out
17. The Black Dog - Norman Foster Knew
18. The Black Dog - Out Of Your League
19. The Black Dog - Dust Bunnies
20. The Black Dog - Tell Mo (Unreleased)
21. The Black Dog - Bokeh Bokeh Bokeh

Brutal Five To One Mix

Full tracklist and stuff here http://www.theblackdogma.com/tbd/2014/02/radiodogma05/ ‎

The Black Dog - Radio Dogma #05

Sometimes, things "just happen". For months, we’d been working away on various projects and then, without really thinking about it, The Black EP just happened. It seemingly appeared from nowhere.

We’d been talking about the old days; making music with friends and dodgy kit, renting small practice rooms and using makeshift recording studios. It was such a common thing back then, you could pick a dusty space in a half-derelict building for as little as £25 a month. In those days, the Cabs and Human League had studios with posh-sounding names, but in reality, they were the same old workspaces long abandoned by the industries they were built for. Nevertheless, the grand names made them sound magical.

Sheffield had thousands of these spaces, and some still exist today, but their abundance and low-cost made Sheffield a very active place. Someone was always doing something. They’d exploded onto the scene in a flurry of excitement before disappearing just as quickly.

There’s something about these little mesters (workshops) that we believe lives in the very consciousness of Sheffield. It’s one of the reasons we never really had big scenes like Manchester or Leeds. The Hacienda would've never been built here.

We don’t really do big gangs or have that kind of mentality. We tend to exist in little pockets, often leaving each other alone. It would be 30 years before any member of The Black Dog talked to Cabaret Voltaire. Sure, we’d stood outside their practice room as kids, trying to listen in, but never felt any reason to approach. Sheffield is like that.

Once we had the first two tracks of the Black EP, we set off to see Jon at Do It Theesen, where he manually cut the tracks to an extremely limited set of 7" singles using a vinyl lathe. It just felt right to go back to the old ways; a small gang creating something special in workshops and sheds. There’s something very satisfying about it, a perfect circle, if you will.

We pushed further by adopting old practices, working with one synth per person and limiting the use of our computers. We only stopped short of putting everything on beer crates. It seems like madness these days, but there is raw creativity within these confines. Pretty much every band started this way. Depeche Mode travelled to the studio on the London Underground for their first appearance on Top Of The Pops, all lugging a synth each. That's how we approached the creation of this album; stripped back, raw and minimal - it just felt so right.

And then there’s the competitive element that was influenced when the original Human League split and became Human League MK II and Heaven 17. Both continued to use the same studio to write what became the albums "Dare" and "Penthouse and Pavement". There is something about that drive that is very Sheffield, just making stuff and hoping everything falls into place.

In Sheffield, we do things differently, because that’s how we are built.

The Grey Album

[dustv049] The Black Dog - Exhibit 1 & 2 

Recording, Mixed and Treated for two exhibitions at Sheffield’s Festival Of The Mind. 

Parts 1 and 1.1 are for unique audio-visual exhibition that recreates the dawn chorus that we did with photographer Shaun Bloodworth. The video will be released shortly. 

Parts 2 and 2.1 are perfect loops used on a speaker system as people walking through the gallery. 

Background 
Have you noticed we don’t hear the dawn chorus anymore? Techno legends The Black Dog have recreated it, using recordings of birds, with visuals by Shaun Bloodworth. The science behind the exhibition, supplied by bird expert Professor Tim Birkhead, is disturbing: Britain’s bird population is in decline. 

Tim Birkhead is an award-winning educator, researcher and author of several books on bird behaviour. Ambient techno pioneers The Black Dog are among the defining voices of the Warp generation. World-class photographer and filmmaker Shaun Bloodworth is a prolific documenter of the international dance music scene. 

Links 
festivalofthemind.group.shef.ac.uk/save-the-birds-exhibition/ 
www.shaunbloodworth.com 
www.theblackdogma.com/tbd/ 

Donate 
www.rspb.org.uk

The Black Dog - Exhibit 1

Crafted to work within the imposing walls of Moore Street Substation during our ten-day residency, these brutalist hymns mark the pinnacle of our creative exploits in 2023. This industrial cathedral inspired a musical odyssey, and within these final four cuts, the profound influence of one of our favourite buildings resonates, intricately woven into the fabric of each composition.

As we unveil these sonic offerings, we invite listeners to experience the depth of emotion, the resonance of architecture, and the transformative power of our musical exploration. Nybrutalism is a definitive conclusion to this fantastic writing period, encapsulating the essence of Moore Street Substation, and completing our artistic journey within those concrete confines.

Nybrutalism EP

Other, Like Me

“Sleep Deprivation” began in 2006, during a time when our sleep patterns were drastically altered by constant travel and late-night gigs. This relentless cycle of broken sleep became a persistent part of our lives, and over time, we noticed something remarkable: our music became more emotional, raw, and vulnerable.

Sleep, or the lack of it, affects every aspect of life, and its influence on our creative process was undeniable. For this album, we chose to embrace that emotional intensity, allowing it to take centre stage over traditional arrangements. Sleep deprivation blurs the lines of logic, and the part of the brain that usually handles structure and order begins to falter. In that haze, deeper feelings rise to the surface, unfiltered and honest.

With this album, we surrendered to that experience, letting the emotional chaos shape the music, and the result is an exploration of what happens when you’re pushed to your limits, both physically and creatively.

Sleep Dreprivation

Sleep Deprivation

[Dustv126] The Black Dog - Sleep Deprivation Preview

04. Krautrock  Return To The Source – DJ Set Mix

We live in dangerous times. We are blinded by control vectors that separate us from reality. And The Black Dog returns with a viral antidote: an album of de-programming material which they’ve called Nether/Neither.

This record continues the work they started with Further Vexations and Radio Scarecrow. Burroughs was right: we are now living in a world that is nothing short of a total information war. We are neither one thing nor another, endlessly on the fence in the face of an onslaught of disinformation. Non-linear hypermedia systems are openly used to control us, their operation being totally exposed, mocking our impotence, yet complete in their power. We are all proles now; all are expected to maintain a mental state of Neither/Neither, of uncertainty and inaction. Even in a world where anyone can be an instant expert on any subject in a single click, we find that all our knowledge is a mere replay of someone else’s script.

We are surrounded and occupied by systems of platitude generation that are empty and self-referential. All is surface and all is hollow. From the Tories’ election propaganda to David Icke, they’re all the same, all meaning filtered to nothing by a lack of substance, science and humanity. Falsehood becomes reason, no matter how ridiculous the proposition. They stand for nothing so they can have no questions to answer.


False prophets and the modern day snake oil salesmen parade their viral vampirism, grasping for our time, money and headspace. Even our ridicule becomes fuel for their trade as they turn ignorance and psychopathic exploitation into received wisdom and public opinion. Ask any sideshow psychic; repeat, pure Barnum bunkum enough times and you can seize the psychology of the masses. Rumours become truth then they become action and policy that in the cold light of the day make no-sense at all. No one’s sure where they heard it but they have. The spectral offer of change, which actually sustains the stasis of confusion. They spin us on a ball of confusion we live on continues to turn and as long as they have us in a state of Neither/Neither they will always maintain control. Fight Back!

Neither/Neither shows the world The Black Dog is reflecting.

Neither/Neither Previews

We always knew we would return to this project because Brutalism remains a profound part of our lives, something we cherish deeply. Inspired by the photographs we have been capturing for a new book, the music emerged effortlessly. Documenting these buildings feels instinctive; this is where we belong.

Our unwavering fixation on symmetry, synchronisation, and repetition endures, but this time we believe the music reveals a more emotional depth. That is the direction we have been moving towards. Some things simply take time, yet this album seemed to take shape of its own accord.

Join us as we walk through these modern day cathedrals, monuments to the people.

My Brutal Life 2

My Brutal Life 2 Preview

This year has been a strong one for us in the studio. We’ve spent more time making music than at any other point since we began. Between the main studio and our own set-ups, we've been working flat out, and the support from you, our listeners and followers, has meant a lot. It keeps us moving and keeps the art honest. Nothing stays still, and that keeps the energy up.

This project is a continuation of our Sleep Deprivation series, and a counterpoint to our recent Loud Ambient work. It's also our way of saying thank you to everyone who has supported us so far. We want you to feel seen, especially if you are skint. We are still fans of music, and we know what it means when someone gives their time and attention. Your support this year has driven us to keep creating. It also allows us to stick to the DiY ethics, because we don’t want to deal with corporations that drain the life out of what we do.

As a thank you, we’ve made this album "pay what you want", so if you are skint, you can pay nowt.

Thank you.

07. Sleep Deprivation 43 - Somnolent Sofa Pulse

06. Sleep Deprivation 42 - White Noise Dissolution

01. Sleep Deprivation 37 - Disconnected Signals

03. Sleep Deprivation 39 - Threshold Ov Wakefulness

02. Sleep Deprivation 38 - Parasitic Dreams

05. Sleep Deprivation 41 - Mental Grit Residue

04. Sleep Deprivation 40 - Hypnagogic Sideboard Echoes

08. Sleep Deprivation 44 - Frayed Edges Consciousness

The Black Dog - Industrial Smokers Behind The Factory Wall.
Barn Owl - Procession Of Golden Bones/Ancient Days - Root Strata
M J Harris & Martyn Bates - Sheaf and Knife - Invisible
Sunn O))) & Boris - The Sinking Belle - Southern Lord
KTL - Estranged - Editions Mego
Boris - Part III - Midi Creative
Earth - Coda Maestoso In F (Flat) Minor - Southern Lord
Eagle Twin - Storytelling of Ravens -  Southern Lord
The Haxan Cloak - Disoder - Aurora Borealis
Black Sabbath - Planet Caravan -  Vertigo

The Black Dog - Industrial Smokers Behind The Factory Wall

R.I.P John Peel. Here's a recording of a show which we featured, please listen to it all to understand why John meant so much to us all. We'll leave this up for a week.

tBd

1997-07-10  John Peel BBC Radio 1 - The Black Dog On Peel

One Hour with The Stars of the Lid

Tracklist http://www.theblackdogma.com/tbd/2017/07/cognitive-dissonance-mix/ ‎

Cognitive Dissonance Mix

The Black Dog - Cognitive Dissonance Mix

Black Daisy Wheel

[DustCD055] The Black Dog - Black Daisy Wheel

1. Antimatter - Underground Resistance
2. Voice Of Electrifying Mojo
3. Afrogermanic - Underground Resistance
4. Mirage - Underground Resistance
5. Windchime - Underground Resistance
6. Talkin2Z - Underground Resistance
7. Final Frontier - Underground Resistance
8. In Or Out - Underground Resistance
9. Maroon - Underground Resistance
10. Death Of My Neighbor - Underground Resistance
11. Baghdad Express - Underground Resistance
12. Inversions - Underground Resistance
13. Technology Gap - Underground Resistance
14. Antimatter - Underground Resistance
15. I Am UR - Underground Resistance
16. Tazumal - Underground Resistance
17. Hunting The Program - Underground Resistance
18. Toxic Broadcast - Underground Resistance
19. Detonate - Underground Resistance
20. Orbit (The Black Dog Edit) - Underground Resistance
21. Riot - - Underground Resistance
22. Base Camp Alpha 808 - Underground Resistance
23. Entering Quadrant 5 - Underground Resistance
24. Adernarlin - Underground Resistance
25. Gamma Ray - Underground Resistance
26. Ambush - Underground Resistance
27. Sea Quake ? Underground Resistance
28. Kill My Radio Station ? Underground Resistance

If you like the tracks in this mix please support the artists by buying their releases/downloads/shows, it's how we pay the rent (almost)!

http://www.undergroundresistance.com/
http://www.submerge.com/index2.htm

UR on Discogs
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Underground+Resistance
http://www.discogs.com/label/Submerge+Recordings


The Black Dog - UR, We Are - One Hour With Underground Resistance

Virgin Prunes - Sweethome Under White Clouds - 1982
Associates - White Car In Germany - 1981
Human League - Marianne - 1980
Alex Fergusson ( featuring Daniel Miller )  - Stay WIth Me Tonight - 1980
Dave Ball - Sincerity - 1983
Crawling Chaos - Sex Machine - 1980
Ultravox - Hiroshima Mon Amour - 1977
Thoma Leer - Private Plane - 1978
The Wolfgang Press - Prostitute - 1983
Dorothy -  I Confess - 1980
Fad Gadget - Coitus Interruptus - 1981
B Movie - Remembrance Day - 1981
Vision - Lucifer's Friend - 1982
The Chameleons - Don't Fall - 1983
Felt - My Face Is One Fire - 1982
UK Decay - Disco Romance - 1980
Sex Gang Children - Into The Abyss - 1982
1919 - The Scream - 1983
Play Dead - Walk Away - 1984
Josef K - Sorry For Laughing - 1981
Test Dept. -  Pulsations 2 -1983
Crispy Ambulance - Drug User Drug Pusher - 1983
Honey Bane - Boring Conversations - 1979
Adam and The Ants - The Day I Met God - 1979
Rudimentary Peni - Dead - 1981
Zounds - Demystification - 1981
Poision Girls - Persons Unknown - 1980
David J & Rene Halkett - Nothing - 1981

We Confess  - 1977- 1984 Compiled By The Black Dog & Regis [Part Two]

The Black Dog Witches Ov (Beatless)

------------------------------------------
 The Black Dog - Live @ Berghain  - Track listing
------------------------------------------

01. Silent Escape
02. Bird Siren
03. Eden 353
04. Bass Mantra
05. Greedy Gutter Guru
06. Only Concrete & Steel
07. Black Chamber Order
08. Single Light Focus
09. Beauty In The Fear (The Black Dog's DOP Mix for  Luke Slater)
10. Distant Kick
11. Dissident Bleep

If you like this set/download please support this page:
http://www.electronicsupperclub.tv/

Give us a Like or Tweet - ta

tBd

The Black Dog Live @ Berghain

'Historically, music only really gets interesting when the British get involved and this was a very British musical revolution.'

1. Depeche Mode - Oberkorn
2. Xerox Girls - Erase Me
3. Human League - The Dignity Of Labour: Part 1
4. Soft Cell - Metro Mr. X
5. Naked Lunch - Slipping Again
6. Robert Rental & Thomas Leer - Day Breaks, Night Heals
7. Clock Dva - 4 Hours
8. Blancmange - Running Thin
9. Patrik Fitzgerald - One Little Soldier
10. They Must Be Russians - Nagasaki's Children
11. Chris & Cosey - Walking Through Heaven
12. Hula - Poison
13. Portion Control - Havoc Man
14. New Order - Temptation Of Evil Dust
15. Nitzer Ebb  - Warsaw Ghetto
16. Final Program - Protect & Survive
17. The The - Cold Spell Ahead
18. Cabaret Voltaire - Why Kill Time (When You Can Kill Yourself)
19. Vice Versa - Stilyagi
20. Duet Emmo - Heart Of Hearts (Or So It Seems)

High-Rise Living 78-86 [Part 1] - compiled by The Black Dog & Regis

Track 11 from our Fragments Album https://www.theblackdogma.com/patreon-downloads/

Cup Noodles

A lot of people love music. A lot of musicians love music, despite it being their job. After all, how many bin men love black bags? How many salesmen love their target? For musicians, work means another day in the studio, another set of A&R men to make happy, another day knowing you‘ve sold your soul for a strapon! Working in music is poisonous. Yet a lot of musicians love music anyway.

The Black Dog

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