The initial intent here was a full length album of tracks I have been working on since lockdown, however with the end of the year fast approaching I did not want to go another year without releasing some music into the wild so I pieced together this 5 track EP based off of the strongest and most complete tunes I had completed. In the end I am actually really quite happy and proud of these songs and ll have been received quite warmly.
Inverted Clouds was originally intended to be a full-length album, but it ended up becoming something different. These three tracks were written and recorded around the time my daughter was born, and I sat on them for quite a while before realizing they stood on their own as an EP. Newer material just didn’t quite fit with these tracks, and in many ways, this EP feels like a closing chapter to the work I began with the Ambiveil project.
“7 Year Itch” is still one of my favorite and most delicate compositions, while “Inverted Clouds” stands out as one of my most polished tracks. “Bloem,” on the other hand, is a spacious ambient piece that hints at the direction I was headed in creatively for the future.
In 2014, I set off on an adventure to the Netherlands, but things didn’t unfold as planned. Over the course of ten months, I drifted from place to place. Some felt like home, others were brief stopovers, and a few turned into harrowing experiences. By the end of it, I was more than ready to return.
This album is my attempt to capture the emotions and atmospheres from that time. It begins with the romanticised early days in Boeringwetering, followed by the challenges of starting a gallery and workspace at 331west. From there, I spent time renovating an old farmstead in Vorden, faced the unsettling experience of being detained in Belfast, worked on a horse therapy farm in Krachtighuizen, and even spent nights sleeping in parks like Oosterpark. Finally my journey took me to an international sharehouse on Van Der Pekstraat, each place adding its own chapter to the story.
Upon my return in early 2015, I reworked the concepts and ideas I had gathered during this time into the album. It covers a lot of ground, and while it’s lengthy, it’s best experienced in sequence. Unlike some of my previous work, such as Three Moons, these tracks can also stand on their own.
Three Moons is, in many ways, a concept album. It reflects a period of three and a half months in my life marked by upheaval and uncertainty. During that time, I had countless ideas and emotions swirling around, but much like my state of mind then, I couldn’t separate them into neatly defined tracks. The result is a two-hour epic that pulls in many directions.
At its core, it’s an ambient album, but there are moments of discomfort and sections that demand an open mind to grasp what I was trying to convey. It’s an incredibly personal piece, and while I’m proud to have it in my collection, I know it’s not for everyone. The album feels like a journey through the complexities of that period—at times serene, at times uneasy—capturing the irresolution I lived through.
Written and roughly mixed during autumn 2010 – autumn 2011.
I have intentionally not over worked these tracks in post-production, essentially they are the original session with a few minor tweaks here and there. I wanted to keep them slightly raw so as to keep their original emotion and feel.
All tracks written Summer 2007 – Autumn 2009
Mixed and Mastered Winter 2009
For my Little Elke + The Cats
A collection that spans both the light and dark spectrum, starting from finding out about bubs (jack in the box), through to the complete destruction of my relationship (cranky), and everywhere in between…
This piece came together from samples of [a.i], Moon June Spoon, Moumou, and Titania mashed up across 8 channels, with 8 variants on each and 8 effect channels—up to 32 samples per channel. I was experimenting with randomization using Ableton, cycling through samples on varying follow times, with the follow set to “any” or “other.”
I played with different sample lengths. Most channels followed a set pattern, but some were rigged to “reset” the random loops, while others were set to stop altogether. I hit record, let it run for an hour while I made dinner, and then sat down afterward to listen and edit it for the first time.
The editing process was hands-on, and my controller definitely got a workout. The end result is this rather strange, experimental piece.
Live recording on “Affected” (2NUR FM) for our annual pilgrimage to the church of the subgenius…
Artist: phreaddee
Format: Live recording CD
Release: Limited release
1. Pink / No Tools (intro)
2. Midlight
3. Enjoy the Contour
4. interlude
5. Apache and the Apprentice Chef
6. First Hand Destruction
The genesis of this album was marred by adversity—a complete hard drive failure wiped out 80% of the work in progress, leaving only “Moosebuzz,” “Tinklebell,” and “Simple” intact. The remaining tracks vanished into the digital abyss, lost forever.
Despite this setback, I persisted, with “Tabula Rasa” emerging as the first of the new tracks to surface from the ashes of the disaster.
This album holds a deeply personal significance for me, as it features collaborations with my dearly beloved and cherished friend, Pete, who is sadly no longer with us. Our creativity together infused the project with a special energy that resonates throughout.
The album’s title, inspired by a Henry Rollins spoken word piece I admired, encapsulates a sense of renewal and fresh beginnings. These tracks, some of my most refined work at the time, filled me with pride despite the obstacles encountered during their creation.
Glass Rain and Dreaming of Lounges (part III) were co-written with Pete Bayliss
Tinklebell was co-written with Pete Bayliss and Scott Kirkaldy
If ‘Piles of Granite and Gold’ represents my ethereal moments during the summer of 2001/02, then ‘in/out’ is its turbulent counterpart. The tumultuous aftermath of a relationship breakup serves as the driving force behind this release, reflected in its anguished tone and even some rather melancholic vocals.
The tracks on this release predominantly inhabit the experimental realm and delve into more personal themes, leading to a decision for a limited release initially. However, with time, I opted to make them available on digital platforms.
My first venture into crafting a full-length album began in the spring and summer of 2001, with each track emerging from individual sessions as embryonic concepts reflecting the direction I envisioned for my music. These sessions didn’t yield completed tracks but rather served as foundational ideas awaiting development.
In January 2002, I dedicated two weeks to fleshing out and arranging these tracks, bouncing them down sequentially to form the album. Each day’s work built upon the settings marked before bedtime, ensuring a continuous flow between tracks.
The inspiration for this album was drawn from the immersive experience of the TINA festival in 2001, particularly our “century 21” party that spanned an impressive 276 hours. This event left a lasting impression on my creative process, influencing the direction of the album.
Despite initial apprehension, the album’s release was met with positive reception, prompting a second run. Many of the tracks gained traction in subsequent gigs, with “Swirlybird” and “Dirty :: Pretty” becoming regular features in my sets.
I revisited Ambient Industrialisation with a fresh perspective, aiming for a refined and enhanced version of my previous work. After careful consideration, I decided to remove some of the weaker tracks and replace them with newer, more polished tunes that better aligned with my artistic vision.
What remained underwent a process of remixing and reworking, breathing new life into familiar compositions. The end result was a collection that resonated deeply with me, standing out as one of my personal favourites to this day.
Subsequently, I made the decision to release the album on digital platforms, ensuring that my music could reach a wider audience and continue to resonate with listeners long into the future.
Piano and Arrangements on Piece for Piano and Strings by Paul Smith
Guitar on A Month of Sundays by Anthony Morris
Saxophone on A Month of Sundays by Hayley Crotty
As Iain and I delved deeper into crafting tracks for oniKa, we stumbled upon a few compositions that deviated from our usual style. These pieces took on a more experimental and softer tone, featuring chilled and delicate melodies that resonated more with my own creative sensibilities than with Iain’s.
Feeling compelled to explore this newfound direction, I made the decision to release a trial run of 25 copies featuring these tracks. To my surprise, the response was overwhelmingly positive, with listeners connecting deeply with the subtle nuances and atmospheric vibes of the music.
And thus, out of this unexpected resonance, the phreaddee project was born. It marked a departure from our usual sonic palette, allowing me to delve into a more introspective and emotive space within my musical journey.
Piano and Arrangements on Piece for Piano and Strings by Paul Smith
