Electronic Music

As a tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto on the first anniversary of his passing, Caro C talks to Richard Barbieri, Natalie Beridze and Carsten Nicolai, aka Alva Noto, three musicians who were fortunate enough to collaborate with him. Here, they share some insights into his mindset and methodologies. Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:44 - Richard Barbieri09:04 - Natalie Beridze 19:45 - Carsten Nicolai / Alva Noto Ryuichi Sakamoto BiogRyuichi Sakamoto was a multi award-winning keyboardist, songwriter, composer and producer who along with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, became pioneers of the electronic music genre in Honsono's band Yellow Magic Orchestra.Prior to his success with the band, Sakamoto earned a B.A. in music composition and worked as a session musician and producer. Alongside his success with the band, he continued his solo work, releasing solo albums and collaborations, experimenting with various genres and fusing traditional with electronic. This work led to him scoring more than 30 films throughout his career, his most famous being Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence and The Last Emperor. In his later career he composed a multimedia opera, sampled a glass building for use in one of his works and traveled to the Arctic to record the sound of melting snow.Richard Barbieri BiogHailing from London, Richard joined the British band Japan in 1975 and saw huge success around the world until they split in 1982. He continued to work with David Sylvian, as well as Sylvian’s brother, Steve Jansen on separate projects. He reunited with Sylvian, Jansen and bass player Mick Karn for the Rain Tree Crow project and continued to play with Steve & Mick as part of ‘JBK’. In the early 1990s, the three of them teamed up with Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson as part of No-Man and it was here that Barbieri and Wilson would begin their long musical association. Porcupine Tree had initially been a Wilson solo project but he recruited Richard in 1993 and over the next 17 years, became one of the shining lights of the neo-prog / pop scene, embracing a more heavy style as the years went on. Reuniting in 2021, they released the first Porcupine Tree album in 12 years with 2022’s ‘Closure/ Continuation’, a critically acclaimed return to form. Richard has a large body of solo work which he started to release in 2005 and still does to this day.http://www.richardbarbieri.co.uk/Natalie Beridze BiogNatalie Beridze is a Georgian music composer and songwriter. Since 2003 Natalie has been performing live concerts worldwide, and has been known as the first female electronic music artist from Georgia. From 2002-2008 she lived in Cologne and produced music under the artist name TBA. She’s released music in Europe on Max.E, Monika Enterprise, CMYK, Laboratory Instinct, CES Records DADO records, Apollo Records Chainmusic, CES Records and ROOM40.In addition to her solo projects, Beridze has collaborated with artists such as Thomas Brinkmann, AGF (Antye Greie), Gudrun Gut, Joerg Follert, Marcus Schmickler, Nika Machaidze aka Nikakoi, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Gacha Bakradze, Alex Kordzaia, Annika Henderson, Antye Greie-Fuchs, Barbara Morgenstern, Beate Bartel, Danielle De Picciotto, Gudrun Bredemann, Lucrecia Dalt, Merja Kokkonen, Mommo G, Natalie Beridze, Pilocka Krach, Sonae. Beridze’s music is part of Adam Curtis’s recent BBC Documentary series “Can’t get you out of my head”. She also creates works for piano, orchestra and choir, which have been performed by a number of artists and the Tbilisi state opera orchestra. Her recent compositions for piano, keyboard, soprano and tape are part of the ongoing program of Zurich based KioskEnsemble.Beridze, alongside Nika Machaidze teaches songwriting and music production at CES (creative education studio).https://natalieberidzetba.bandcamp.com/Carsten Nicolai / Alva Noto BiogUnder the pseudonym Alva Noto, Carsten Nicolai is one of the best-known representatives of contemporary electronic music. Concerts have taken him to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the Tate Modern in London. His various musical projects include collaborations with Ryōji Ikeda, Mika Vainio, Iggy Pop, Blixa Bargeld and Ryūichi Sakamoto. With the latter, Nicolai composed the score for Alejandro González Iñárritu's Oscar-winning film The Revenant, which was nominated for a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a Critics Choice Award and a Grammy.https://alvanoto.com/Caro C BiogCaro C is an artist, engineer and teacher specialising in electronic music. Her self-produced fourth album 'Electric Mountain' is out now. Described as a "one-woman electronic avalanche" (BBC), Caro started making music thanks to being laid up whilst living in a double decker bus and listening to the likes of Warp Records in the late 1990's. This 'sonic enchantress' (BBC Radio 3) has now played in most of the cultural hotspots of her current hometown of Manchester, UK. Caro is also the instigator and project manager of electronic music charity Delia Derbyshire Day.URL: http://carocsound.com/Twitter: @carocsoundInst: @carocsoundFB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Henrietta Smith-Rolla, known professionally as Afrodeutsche, gives Caro C insights into her musical journey, from her introduction to the music industry in Manchester, finding her sound, getting signed to Skam Records and becoming a BBC 6 Music DJ with a prime-time Friday evening slot.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:22 - BBC 6 Music04:05 - Becoming A Musician06:40 - Getting Signed To Skam10:11 - Equipment Used On Debut Album13:59 - Using Synth Pads16:19 - More Recent Projects18:19 - Creating Sample Packs For Spitfire20:11 - Working With The Kyma27:09 - Being Productive32:30 - Balancing Different ProjectsAfrodeutsche BiogAFRODEUTSCHE (Henrietta Smith-Rolla), is a British born Ghanaian/Russian/German artist, composer, producer, and DJ based in Manchester, UK. Her polyrhythmic compositions integrate a wide array of musical genres, including Afrofuturistic electro and techno, classical solo piano and Detroit legacy house; all memorable journeys into deep, abstracted sound.Praised by the Guardian for enacting a new wave of club music, named by Dummy Mag as one of 2019’s most exciting artists, Afrodeutsche’s spectacular debut album ‘Break Before Make’ was released on the legendary Skam label in 2018, followed in 2019 with the debut release on Eclair Fifi’s label River Rapid and a much praised remixes for artists as diverse as Marie Davidson (Ninja Tune), Joep Beving (Deutsche Grammophon) and Nathan Fake (Cambria Instruments).AFRODEUTSCHE has written and performed scores for films and documentaries including the BAFTA nominated ‘Kamali’ about a young girl skateboarder in India, and a live re-score of renowned Earth documentary ‘Baraka’ at The Royal Northern College of Music.The soundtrack for ‘Kamali’ was released by SA Recordings in September 2020, alongside a sample library for Spitfire. The audio library illuminates much of Henrietta’s writing process as a self-taught musician and composer. Inspired by her work with the Kyma sound design environment, it’s a set of tools for composition based around colour. Her aim is to offer a new perspective and a sense of freedom for those delving into the library, no matter their level of experience.In the summer of 2022 she scored Bottega Veneta’s SS2023 collection runway show, during Milan Fashion Week working, closely with head designer Matthieu Blazy throughout the process.In 2023 she premiered a new string ensemble commission for MIF at the prestigious new Factory International venue. Henrietta lent her own vocals and piano playing alongside a sting ensemble from the Manchester Camerata, arranged and conducted by Robert Ames.After years hosting a regular radio show ‘Black Forest’ on the renowned NTS, AFRODEUTSCHE now leads BBC 6 Music’s Friday night schedule with the Peoples Party, a peak time show that entrances listeners with her idiosyncratic combinations of crate dug party tunes from any point in the last 50 years, acid, rave, electro, breaks, footwork, ghetto tech and jacking house. In 2022 she has regularly presented BBC 6 Music live coverage of festivals at Glastonbury and Cardiff. At the end of the summer she curated the 6 Music stage for London festival ‘All Points East’. Her DJ style is a synthesis of Drexciyan and Underground Resistance-inspired selections, intercut with a variety of forward thinking UK techno such as Bola and Lego Feet. Forever evolving a fully live hardware show, AFRODEUTSCHE debuted it at the opening of CTM Festival at Berghain in February 2020, integrating classical piano and hardware along with visuals. https://linktr.ee/afrodeutscheCaro C BiogCaro C is an artist, engineer and teacher specialising in electronic music. Her self-produced fourth album 'Electric Mountain' is out now. Described as a "one-woman electronic avalanche" (BBC), Caro started making music thanks to being laid up whilst living in a double decker bus and listening to the likes of Warp Records in the late 1990's. This 'sonic enchantress' (BBC Radio 3) has now played in most of the cultural hotspots of her current hometown of Manchester, UK. Caro is also the instigator and project manager of electronic music charity Delia Derbyshire Day.URL: http://carocsound.com/Twitter: @carocsoundInst: @carocsoundFB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Richard James Burgess is a man who wears many hats. In a career that spans over five decades, Richard was first and foremost a drummer. In the 1970s, he became a part of the London music scene as a session drummer, as well as with the ground- breaking band Landscape. Richard combined his passion for music, drumming and electronics when he worked closely with Dave Simmons on the Simmons SDS-V drum kit. After Landscape dissolved, he began to work more behind the desk, being one of the first to own a Fairlight CMI in the U.K. He would go on to work with the likes of Kate Bush, Spandau Ballet, Visage and Colonel Abrams.  The 1990s saw Burgess re-enter the world of academia and he would go on to write some of the most comprehensive guides on music production. Recently, Landscape released ‘Landscape A Go-Go’, a comprehensive 5 CD anthology of their work covering their entire recorded output between 1977 and 1983. Richard recently chatted to Rob from his New York apartment, where he talked about his journey with electronic music and his future plans as an author, musician and producer.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:49 - Looking Back On Working With Landscape04:43 - Using New Technology Live On Stage 06:19 - Starting The Journey With Music Technology08:00 - The Threat Of Electronic Drums And Drum Machines10:37 - Working With JJ Jeczalik12:25 - Involvement With The Simmons SDS V16:47 - Modern Electronic Drums18:03 - Using Drum Sample Libraries22:19 - The Fairlight CMI29:00 - The Introduction Of Page R32:23 - The Move Into Production37:51 - The New Romantics39:43 - Working With A Variety Of Artists42:07 - Richard Burgess The Author46:39 - A.I. In Music50:20 - Compensating Musicians For Their Work53:51 - Current Projects55:24 - A Landscape Reunion?Richard James Burgess BiogBorn in London, Burgess’ family emigrated to New Zealand in 1958 when Richard was aged 10. He studied at both Berklee and London’s Guildhall before forming Landscape. His musical career included being a session drummer, producer engineer and inventor.Burgess re-entered academia where he both lectured and advised on music production and the music business in both the U.K. and the United States. His books, ‘The Art of Music Production’ and ‘The History of Music Production’ are considered essential reading for anyone in the industry.Richard remains entrenched in the music business to this day, chairing the American Association of Independent Music, having also served on the boards of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences and the Smithsonian Music Committee.https://landscape.band/Rob Puricelli BiogRob Puricelli is a Music Technologist and Instructional Designer who has a healthy obsession with classic synthesizers and their history. In conjunction with former Fairlight Studio Manager, Peter Wielk, he fixes and restores Fairlight CMI’s so that they can enjoy prolonged and productive lives with new owners. He also writes reviews and articles for Sound On Sound, his website Failed Muso, and other music-related publications, as well as hosting a weekly livestream on YouTube for the Pro Synth Network and guesting on numerous music technology podcasts and shows. He also works alongside a number of manufacturers, demonstrating their products and lecturing at various educational and vocational establishments about music technology.www.failedmuso.comTwitter: @failedmusoInstagram: @failedmusoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/failedmuso/ Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

In May of 1983, the world of synthesizers and electronic music as we knew it would change forever with the launch of the Yamaha DX7. To celebrate 40 years since its launch, Rob Puricelli spoke to Dr John Chowning, the developer of FM synthesis, Dave Bristow and Gary Leuenberger, sound designers for the original DX7 and Manny Fernandez, who has worked on all Yamaha’s FM projects from the Mk.II DX7 through to today’s Montage M series.See the Show Notes for further details.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:55 - First Experiences Of The DX712:49 - Did The DX7 Meet Expectations?16:57 - The Feedback Loop17:51 - Creating And Sharing Sounds22:47 - A Career From Creating Patches27:55 - Sound Design Using FM31:36 - Hearing Your Own Sounds34:26 - Working With Don Lewis44:26 - Demonstrating The DX757:00 - FM Synthesis 40 Years On01:07:12 - Formant Shaping And The Future Of FMDr John Chowning BiogBorn in Salem, New Jersey in 1934, John Chowning spent his school years in Wilmington, Delaware. Following military service and four years at Wittenberg University in Ohio, he studied composition in Paris with Nadia Boulanger. He received a doctorate in composition (DMA) from Stanford University in 1966, where he studied with Leland Smith. Chowning discovered the frequency modulation synthesis (FM) algorithm in 1967. This breakthrough in the synthesis of timbres allowed a very simple yet elegant way of creating and controlling time-varying spectra. In 1973 Stanford University licensed the FM synthesis patent to Yamaha in Japan, leading to the most successful synthesis engine in the history of electronic musical instruments.He taught computer sound synthesis and composition at Stanford University's Department of Music. In 1974, with John Grey, James (Andy) Moorer, Loren Rush and Leland Smith, he founded the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA), which remains one of the leading centres for computer music and related research. Although he retired in 1996, he has remained in contact with CCRMA activities.Chowning was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1988 and awarded the Honorary Doctor of Music by Wittenberg University in 1990. The French Ministre de la Culture awarded him the Diplôme d’Officier dans l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres in 1995. He was given the Doctorat Honoris Causa in 2002 by the Université de la Méditerranée, by Queen’s University in 2010, Hamburg University in 2016, and Laureate of the Giga-Hertz-Award in 2013.Dave Bristow BiogDave was born in London and worked as a professional keyboard player recording and touring internationally with a variety of artists including Polyphony, Slender Loris, June Tabor, Tallis and 2nd Vision. Active in synthesizer development, he played a central role in voicing the Yamaha DX7 synthesizer and is internationally recognized as one of the important contributors to the development and voicing of FM synthesis, co-authoring a textbook on the subject with Dr John Chowning.He spent three years at IRCAM in Paris, running a MIDI and synthesis studio working with contemporary music composers and artists, then moving to the United States in the 1990’s to work for Emu Systems, Inc. on sampling and filter-based synthesizers. In 2002, he began working again with Yamaha developing ringtones and system alert sounds for the SMAF audio chip series used in cell phones and mobile devices.He has been an instructor at Shoreline Community College teaching electronic music production and synthesis for ten years, but still finds plenty of time for composing and playing piano with RedShift jazz quartet and developing his interest in computer arts.Gary Leuenberger BiogGary started in music at a young age and, in 1975, founded G. Leuenberger & Co. in San Francisco. It soon became one of the world’s largest retailers of pianos, synthesizers and electronic keyboards. In 1980 he started working with Yamaha as part of their product development team. It was through this that he was recruited, along with the likes of Dave Bristow and Don Lewis, to create the factory presets for the DX7. Gary’s most famous, or infamous, patch was the legendary E.Piano 1 which became equally one of the most popular and despised sounds ever! Nevertheless, his association with Yamaha continued until 2000, at which point Gary went back into education, gaining his Bachelors of Music and Masters in Classical Piano Performance from San Francisco State University in 2007.Since then, he has taught electronic music at SFSU and gives private tutoring to budding musicians of all ages. Manny Fernandez BiogDr. Manny Fernandez has been involved in synthesizer programming and development with many manufacturers for over 35 years. Initially self-taught prior to traditional university study of analogue synthesis, in the late 1970’s - early 1980’s the emerging digital synthesis techniques caught his attention with their expanded timbral possibilities.He acquired a DX7 in the fall of 1983 and using Dr. Chowning’s original academic articles as a guide began exploring FM synthesis in depth. In 1987 he began his relationship with Yamaha, programming for a wide range of their synthesizers through the years to the current Montage M. Acknowledged as one of the world’s foremost FM synthesists and having extensive experience with physical modelling synthesis as well, his programming approach is to create unique and dynamic timbres with interesting yet useful real-time controller implementations.Rob Puricelli BiogRob Puricelli is a Music Technologist and Instructional Designer who has a healthy obsession with classic synthesizers and their history. In conjunction with former Fairlight Studio Manager, Peter Wielk, he fixes and restores Fairlight CMI’s so that they can enjoy prolonged and productive lives with new owners. He also writes reviews and articles for Sound On Sound, his website Failed Muso, and other music-related publications, as well as hosting a weekly livestream on YouTube for the Pro Synth Network and guesting on numerous music technology podcasts and shows. He also works alongside a number of manufacturers, demonstrating their products and lecturing at various educational and vocational establishments about music technology.www.failedmuso.comTwitter: @failedmusoInstagram: @failedmusoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/failedmuso/ Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

In celebration of Delia Derbyshire Day 2023 and the 60th Anniversary of the Doctor Who theme, Caro C is joined by fellow devotees Mark Ayres, David Butler and Cosey Fanni Tutti to discuss the Delia Derbyshire Day archives and the importance of her contributions to the development of electronic music.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:26 - Delia Derbyshire ArchiveMark Ayres03:15 - Mark Ayres Introduction 07:44 - The Beginnings Of Electronic Music10:12 - Electronic Sound Sources13:10 - The Delia Derbyshire Archives18:40 - Favourite Piece - The Makeup Tape Of Blue Veils22:21 - The Future Of The ArchivesDavid Butler24:38 - David Butler Introduction28:59 - The Contents Of The Archives33:17 - Building A Network Of Collaborators35:03 - Methods And Techniques Revealed36:59 - Manipulating The Voice39:05 - Favourite Piece - Two Houses And Demo Cue Cosey Fanni Tutti41:42 - Cosey Fanni Tutti Introduction 43:42 - Delia Derbyshire Musical Influences45:24 - A Background In Physics48:50 - Favourite Piece - Amor Dei53:34 - The Importance Of The Archiveshttps://deliaderbyshireday.com/dd-archive/Delia Derbyshire BiogDelia Derbyshire (1937-2001) was a key figure in the development of electronic music in the UK. Born in Coventry but evacuated to Preston during the Blitz, Delia cites the sound of air raid sirens as inspiring her interest in electronic sound. She went on to study Maths and Music at Cambridge University and launched her career at the BBC in 1960 as a trainee Studio Manager. She moved to the Radiophonic Workshop in 1962, where she spent the next 11 years developing experimental sounds and music for their TV and radio shows, in addition to working as a freelancer on film, theatre and other live projects. Her most famous work is her electronic arrangement of Ron Grainer’s Doctor Who theme, created in 1963.Delia composed and produced electronic music using tape, plus early synthesis and sampling methods before specific instruments were created for these purposes. Her work has influenced and inspired many modern artists including The Chemical Brothers, Aphex Twin, Portishead, Nainita Desai, Amon Tobin and Cosey Fanni Tutti, while Pink Floyd, Orbital and Hannah Peel have reinterpreted her work.Mark Ayres BiogMark Ayres is a composer, arranger, sound designer, mixer and mastering engineer. Mark wrote incidental music for Doctor Who in the 1980s. More recently he wrote the music for, sound-designed and mixed the reconstructed 'lost' Tom Baker adventure, “Shada”, and a celebratory feature length version of the original 1963 “Daleks” serial transmitted on BBC4 on 23rd November 2023, Doctor Who’s 60th birthday. He has also composed for television and film including scores for 1996 feature "The Innocent Sleep" and the more recent "Scar Tissue".Mark was involved in the BBC Radiophonic Workshop’s final days and went on to become their archivist. A personal friend of Delia Derbyshire, he was entrusted with her personal archive after her death in 2001, which is now on permanent loan to the University of Manchester John Rylands Library and accessible for study. He is a Trustee of the Delia Derbyshire Day Charity.His devotion to the Workshop after Doctor Who ceased broadcasting in 1989 proved vital in regenerating interest in their work, and he is now the driving force behind their live revival on the festival circuit and in the creation of new works including the score for Matthew Holness' disturbing psychological horror film, "Possum". He has produced and mastered many recordings for Silva Screen Records and others, and his work remastering classic television programmes including Doctor Who, Quatermass, and the films of Ken Russell and Alan Clarke for broadcast, DVD and Blu-ray, including 5.1 remixes of many titles, has been highly acclaimed.David Butler BiogDavid Butler is a Senior Lecturer in Drama and Film Studies at the University of Manchester. He helped to bring the Delia Derbyshire Archive  to the John Rylands Library, Manchester in 2007 and is one of the archive's lead researchers and curators. David is the chair of trustees for Delia Derbyshire Day and helped set up the charity in 2016.Cosey Fanni Tutti BiogCosey Fanni Tutti is a musician and writer, best known for her part in experimental electronic bands Throbbing Gristle and Chris & Cosey. Cosey interacted with the Delia Derbyshire Archive when she composed the soundtrack for Caroline Catz's film ’Delia Derbyshire: The Myths And The Legendary Tapes’ and in the writing of her book Re-Sisters: The Lives and Recordings of Delia Derbyshire, Margery Kempe and Cosey Fanni Tutti published by Faber in 2022.https://www.coseyfannitutti.com/Caro C BiogCaro C is an artist, engineer and teacher specialising in electronic music. Her self-produced fourth album 'Electric Mountain' is out now. Described as a "one-woman electronic avalanche" (BBC), Caro started making music thanks to being laid up whilst living in a double decker bus and listening to the likes of Warp Records in the late 1990's. This 'sonic enchantress' (BBC Radio 3) has now played in most of the cultural hotspots of her current hometown of Manchester, UK. Caro is also the instigator and project manager of electronic music charity Delia Derbyshire Day.URL: http://carocsound.com/Twitter: @carocsoundInst: @carocsoundFB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

DJ, Artist and Producer NikNak chats to Caro C about her route into immersive performances and turntablism, from her time as a student through to winning awards and launching her own albums, EPs and singles with the assistance of various funding organisations.Chapters00:00 - Introduction02:12 - What Is Turntablism?03:20 - Source Music06:18 - Supportive Organisations07:50 - Avoiding Copyright Issues10:22 - Equipment Over The Years15:03 - Immersive Performances 23:58 - MIDI Footpedals 25:46 - Performance Challenges 32:26 - Current ProjectsNikNak BiogAs a DJ, NikNak has shared the stage with the likes of Mr Scruff, Lefto Early Bird, Ila Brugal, Jamz Supanova, Craig Charles, Om Unit, Jon1st, Grandmaster Flash and has performed at Berghain, Glastonbury, Outlook UK, Dimensions, Cuidad Emergente in Argentina, FiftyLab Festival in Brussels and many more events. On the radio, NikNak has shown her huge musical knowledge via shows like "Melanin" on Worldwide FM and "Dystopia" on Refuge Worldwide.As an artist/producer, NikNak is the first Black Turntablist to win an Oram Award in 2020. Having taken inspiration from a wide variety of genres and artists, she has worked on various theatre productions and R&Ds as a sound designer, performer, composer/producer and also as a member of Eve'sDropCollective as well as TC And The Groove Family NikNak embarked on her debut tour in Summer 2022 using an 8 speaker surround-sound array for her immersive 3rd album "Sankofa" , has remixed works by Phillip Glass for the Refractions EP by PRS and has releases on labels like Kynant Records, Inventing Waves, Reel Long Overdub, OTONO and more.https://www.niknakdjmusic.uk/Caro C BiogCaro C is an artist, engineer and teacher specialising in electronic music. Her self-produced fourth album 'Electric Mountain' is out now. Described as a "one-woman electronic avalanche" (BBC), Caro started making music thanks to being laid up whilst living in a double decker bus and listening to the likes of Warp Records in the late 1990's. This 'sonic enchantress' (BBC Radio 3) has now played in most of the cultural hotspots of her current hometown of Manchester, UK. Caro is also the instigator and project manager of electronic music charity Delia Derbyshire Day.URL: http://carocsound.com/Twitter: @carocsoundInst: @carocsoundFB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Bristol-based musician and songwriter Hazel Mills talks us through her impressive career, from working as a touring session musician, being a member of the Will Gregory Moog Ensemble, working with UDO Audio and releasing her debut solo E.P.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:30 - Working As A Keyboardist 03:12 - MIDI Controller Of Choice04:04 - Live Arrangements And Sounds 09:36 - Working With A Musical Director10:56 - Collection Of Synths12:04 - Getting Onto This Path16:22 - Synth Secrets Series18:23 - Will Gregory Moog Ensemble24:28 - Releasing A Solo E.P.31:55 - Working With UDO Audio34:42 - Future ProjectsHazel Mills BiogHazel Mills is a Bristol-based musician/songwriter who has toured the globe across multiple genres, with artists including Florence + The Machine, Dave Rowntree (Blur), Goldfrapp, Birdy, Hannah Peel and The Will Gregory Moog Ensemble. Her Classical background, pop sensibilities and passion for 1960s American minimalism and analog synths feed into both her performance and her writing. Alongside her touring commitments, Hazel has been writing material for her own forthcoming project, Violaine, with long-term collaborator and producer/musician TJ Allen (Bat For Lashes, Portishead, Anna Calvi). The music of Violaine evolved from her former post-punk band, Adding Machine and also draws influence from Musique Concrete, 80s pop and the music of Japanese pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto.https://www.hazelmills.com/https://www.willgregorymoogensemble.co.uk/Instagram: @hazelmillsX: @hazelmillsTikTok: @hazelmillsmusicYouTube: @hazelmillsmusicFB: @hazelmillsmusicCaro C BiogCaro C is an artist, engineer and teacher specialising in electronic music. Her self-produced fourth album 'Electric Mountain' is out now. Described as a "one-woman electronic avalanche" (BBC), Caro started making music thanks to being laid up whilst living in a double decker bus and listening to the likes of Warp Records in the late 1990's. This 'sonic enchantress' (BBC Radio 3) has now played in most of the cultural hotspots of her current hometown of Manchester, UK. Caro is also the instigator and project manager of electronic music charity Delia Derbyshire Day.URL: http://carocsound.com/Twitter: @carocsoundInst: @carocsoundFB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Richard Evans has worked in the music industry for over thirty years in a variety of roles, including positions at London Records, Factory Records and MTV Europe. In 1998 he set up marketing consultancy The Fan Base and has been connecting musical artists with their audiences ever since. He is the founder of the This Is Not Retro website and record label and has worked for Andy Bell, Vince Clarke and Erasure since 2009.During the pandemic, Richard set out to create a definitive record of electronic music during its earliest and most defining era, between 1978 and 1983. Instead of interviewing people with rose-tinted and distorted memories of that period, he instead decided to research the very magazines and publications being created as things happened to piece together an accurate record of the movement as it unfolded in real time.See the Show Notes for further details.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:16 - Why chose this 5-year period?04:40 - What made you want to write this book?12:17 - What do you consider milestone songs in electronic pop?17:29 - Were producers and labels more important back then?20:07 - Why was British electronic pop at the forefront of the movement? 28:00 - The impact of Bowie31:29 - The influence of literature and politics on early electronic pop35:05 - Witnessing electronic music live40:00 - Will we ever see a musical revolution like that again? 44:05 - What did you learn about how underrepresented women were in this genre?Richard Evans BiogRichard Evans has worked in the music industry for over thirty years in a variety of roles, including positions at London Records, Factory Records and MTV Europe. In 1998 he set up marketing consultancy The Fan Base and has been connecting musical artists with their audiences ever since. He is the founder of the This Is Not Retro website and record label and has worked for Andy Bell, Vince Clarke and Erasure since 2009. Richard is based in Dorset where he lives in perpetual fear of being asked what his favourite record is. https://inventingelectronicpop.com/ Accompanying Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/ 31rfel5t6akji2obaa3g2bdyhpni Rob Puricelli BiogRob Puricelli is a Music Technologist and Instructional Designer who has a healthy obsession with classic synthesizers and their history. In conjunction with former Fairlight Studio Manager, Peter Wielk, he fixes and restores Fairlight CMI’s so that they can enjoy prolonged and productive lives with new owners. He also writes reviews and articles for Sound On Sound, his website Failed Muso, and other music-related publications, as well as hosting a weekly livestream on YouTube for the Pro Synth Network and guesting on numerous music technology podcasts and shows. He also works alongside a number of manufacturers, demonstrating their products and lecturing at various educational and vocational establishments about music technology.www.failedmuso.comTwitter: @failedmusoInstagram: @failedmusoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/failedmuso/ Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Alan R Pearlman was responsible for some of the greatest sounding and most intuitive synthesizers of the modern age, many of which are still highly sought after or emulated to this day. Inspired, as so many were, by hearing Wendy Carlos’s 'Switched on Bach', he founded Tonus in 1969, a company that would soon become ARP Instruments, and began producing synthesizers such as the legendary ARP 2500, 2600 and Odyssey.Since his passing in 2019 at the age of 93, his daughter, Dina, has been building the Alan R Pearlman Foundation, an organisation that seeks to preserve her father’s legacy and enable as many people as possible to get hands-on with his inventions.As with all not-for-profits, Dina has faced numerous challenges, but with the help of the likes of Jean Michel Jarre, Herbie Hancock and many other fans of Alan’s work, the Foundation is beginning to realise its objectives with great success.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:18 - The Alan R. Pearlman Foundation06:52 - The Main Aims Of The Foundation09:12 - Women In The World Of Pioneering Synthesis12:45 - Childhood Memories During The Early Days Of ARP14:54 - Unearthed Footage Of The ARP Factory23:27 - About ARPS For All30:23 - The ARP Paradigm34:27 - Collaborating With Bjooks38:55 - Google Arts & Culture: Music Makers & Machines40:47 - The Future For The Alan R. Pearlman FoundationDina Pearlman BiogDina is the only child of Alan and Buena Pearlman and grew up with ARP Synthesizers as a backdrop for her childhood, travelling extensively and being exposed to innovative and cutting-edge technology. In her early years, she spent time playing in rock and roll bands, as well as dance and theatre. For the past thirty years, she has worked as a versatile visual arts and design professional, creative director, and educator. She has also worked extensively in photography, graphics and web design for several decades, and has a broad understanding of visual communications media.In the last few years before his illness, Alan Pearlman started to re-examine the brave new world of synthesizers that exists today, many decades after his iconic and groundbreaking 12 years as the inventor and founder of ARP Synthesizers. During this time, he brought his daughter into the conversation. After his death in January 2019, Dina realised the need of keeping his legacy and passion alive, and with the help and encouragement of many of his former colleagues as well as the wonderful Michelle Moog-Koussa, she started the Alan R. Pearlman Foundation and ARP Archives.The Alan R Pearlman Foundation - https://alanrpearlmanfoundation.org/All music composed, performed, recorded and performed by Alex Ball - https:// www.youtube.com/@AlexBallMusicRob Puricelli BiogRob Puricelli is a Music Technologist and Instructional Designer who has a healthy obsession with classic synthesizers and their history. In conjunction with former Fairlight Studio Manager, Peter Wielk, he fixes and restores Fairlight CMI’s so that they can enjoy prolonged and productive lives with new owners. He also writes reviews and articles for Sound On Sound, his website Failed Muso, and other music-related publications, as well as hosting a weekly livestream on YouTube for the Pro Synth Network and guesting on numerous music technology podcasts and shows. He also works alongside a number of manufacturers, demonstrating their products and lecturing at various educational and vocational establishments about music technology.www.failedmuso.comTwitter: @failedmusoInstagram: @failedmusoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/failedmuso/ Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Chris Clark, known professionally as just Clark, reveals how he got signed to Warp Records, his recording and production workflow and how Thom Yorke ended up as a guest vocalist on his latest album, Sus Dog.Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:36 - Getting Signed To Warp Records03:45 - Recording Workflow 05:08 - Updating Equipment07:35 - Early Musical Influences09:35 - Switching Over To Software10:40 - Hardware Still In The Studio12:37 - Limiting Plug-in Use16:52 - Collaborating And Working Solo19:21 - Sus Dog And Thom Yorke23:33 - Live Performances27:47 - Learning About Other Producers 30:07 - Additional Projects33:49 - Preparing The Next AlbumClark BiogChris Clark signed to legendary British indie label Warp Records at an early age and has to date released thirteen albums as well as a multitude of EPs and singles. His recent studio album ‘Playground In A Lake’ for the legendary classical label Deutsche Grammophon, fused his trademark electronics with strings from acclaimed cellist Oliver Coates, violinist Rakhi Singh and the Budapest Art Orchestra. Following his 2015 debut score for Sky / Canal+ TV series ‘The Last Panthers’ (John Hurt / Samantha Morton, dir: Johan Renck, written: Jack Thorne), he scored ‘Rellik’ for BBC1 / HBO (Richard Lancaster dir: Sam Miller, written: Harry & Jack Williams) and breakout Channel 4 / Hulu drama ‘Kiri’ (Sarah Lancashire, dir: Euros Lynn, written by Jack Thorne).Recently he scored Apple TV+’s ‘Lisey’s Story’ (Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, dir. Pablo Larraín) based on Stephen King’s novel, as well as ‘Daniel Isn’t Real’ (Patrick Schwarzenegger, Miles Robbins, dir. Adam Mortimer) a psychological horror feature film by Spectre Vision, producers of cult Nick Cage hit ‘Mandy’. The film’s OST was also released by Deutsche Grammophon.Chris has collaborated with choreographer Melanie Lane, scoring no less than twelve contemporary dance projects including the performance of her solo project ‘Tilted Fawn’ at the Sydney Opera House and most recently ‘Personal Effigies’ which won the Kier Choreographic Prize in March 2018 and ‘WOOF’ for the prestigious Sydney Dance Company.Chris’ extensive inventory of remixes for the likes of Thom Yorke, Massive Attack, Depeche Mode, Max Richter, Battles and Nils Frahm were collected in 2013 on the ‘Feast / Beast’ double album.https://throttleclark.com/Caro C BiogCaro C is an artist, engineer and teacher specialising in electronic music. Her self-produced fourth album 'Electric Mountain' is out now. Described as a "one-woman electronic avalanche" (BBC), Caro started making music thanks to being laid up whilst living in a double decker bus and listening to the likes of Warp Records in the late 1990's. This 'sonic enchantress' (BBC Radio 3) has now played in most of the cultural hotspots of her current hometown of Manchester, UK. Caro is also the instigator and project manager of electronic music charity Delia Derbyshire Day.URL: http://carocsound.com/Twitter: @carocsoundInst: @carocsoundFB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts