simonsound

I just finished this package of branding for online radio station totallyradio.com. The station, which has now been online for over 10 years, features loads of interesting programmes including some spoken word - in fact it’s where I cut my teeth creating music and sound design for radio! The new branding is heavily inspired by the kind of experimental electronic/tape material that organizations such as the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and Raymond Scott’s Manhattan Research Incorporated pioneered in the late 50’s and through the 60’s.

I’ve been doing a bit of synth programming for UNKLE over the last few months (some of which features on their upcoming album) and in return I’ve been lucky enough to borrow a bunch of really nice synthesisers. The best of these has to be the Synthi VCS3 which was created by London based EMS (Electronic Music Studio) in the 60’s. The first commercial synthesiser to be used by the highly influential BBC Radiophonic Workshop, it went on to be used by bands such as Pink Floyd, Hawkwind and The Who.  But it is the work of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop that really made the most of this experimental electronic FX machine. Used by composers such as Delia Derbyshire and John Baker who coaxed other worldly rhythms and textures out of the little box of magic, its sounds turned up in many television programmes from the late 60’s onwards, the best known of these being Dr.Who.

Futuristic doors sliding open and closed, sonic screwdrivers, Dalek ray guns and many more futuristic sounds were created by this machine and its perfectly suited for such things. The Battleship style pin matrix system allows any of the VCS3’s different sound generation, modulation, control or treatment elements to be routed in a multitude of different ways which make for an almost unlimited number of sounds.

I have created a pack of EMS Synthi VCS3 ring-tones that will be launched around the release date of The Simonsound album in May. Everytime your phone rings you can imagine its The Doctor calling or that you’ve just been exterminated by a Dalek or that rather than your mum calling to see what you want for tea its an interplanetary message of goodwill from an unknown galaxy.

For more on EMS listen to the special EMS Tone Generation show

I just finished sound design and post production on the 4th episode of Lance Dann’s mysterious radio drama The Flickerman.

Praised by The Guardian as “new and amazing”, “fashionable compulsiveness”  and ” a strange and exhilarating project”, The Flickerman tells the story of Cornelius Zane-Grey as he tries to unravel the strange events that have seen his girlfriend go missing and moments in his life captured and uploaded to photo sharing website Flickr.

Episode 4 is an exhilarating ride with new characters, further plot twists and turns and lots of intricate (and some over the top) sound design that I’m very happy with.

The first transmission is on the 12th January 2010 on Australia’s ABC radio network. I’m pretty sure it will be available at the Flickerman website shortly after. Episodes 1, 2 and 3 are available now, also at The Flickerman website.

The latest Tone Generation explores electronic compositions created using the British based EMS range of electronic synthesisers. As always Ian Helliwell has picked out some excellent recordings including some great archive material - of particular note is Tristram Cary introducing the EMS range on a promotional flexi disc.

THE TONE GENERATION
Programme 17: EMS
Selecting tracks as usual from his record and cd collection, Ian Helliwell explores electronic music generated with EMS equipment, including the Synthi A, VCS3 and Synthi 100. Featuring pieces by Tristram Cary, Pink Floyd, Andrzej Dobrowolski, White Noise, Harrison Birtwistle and Priscilla McLean.

Listen

Ian Helliwell

For some random iPhone recorded audio snippets go to audioboo. It’s a bit like Twitter but with audio and thus all the better for it! I often record bits and pieces when I’m out and about or working in the studio. Listen.

Just completed this package of branding and music for Heineken.

Heineken Green Synergy 2009 branding and music by mynoisymatchbox

The Tone Generation has evolved beyond its initial 10 part run for Resonance FM, and as we prepare to make episode 16 available there are plans for many more episodes and even a Tone Generation live show. I’ll keep you posted on the live show but for now get the latest episode here.

Every year Heineken run a huge DJ competition across the Caribbean islands. I have been involved in the Green Synergy DJ competitions for a number of years and one year I was even lucky enough to run music production workshops with the finalists and ‘A Tribe Called Quest’s’ Phife Dawg.

This year I was commissioned to create the branding and music beds that would be used across radio, tv and online to promote the event.  I spent time immersing myself in the latest music of the Caribbean and had a lot of fun exploring the quite different approach to production and mixing. The package is due to go live very soon and I’ll post some clips as soon as I can.

The Tone Generation series is now back online. Listeners who have been following the series for a while and are subscribed to the old podcast stream will need to re-subscribe to the new stream to continue getting the latest shows automatically. Do that here.  New listeners can subscribe following the same link or if you prefer to download MP3’s go here.

Sorry for the small glitch but hopefully everything should run smoothly from now on. The latest Tone Generation show will go live early next week.

The first 3 episodes of The Flickerman are due to be broadcast on Resonance 104.4 FM over the next 3 nights at 8PM. I produced episode 3 and was really excited to be involved in such a well written drama, especially since it has hints of Lost (of which I’m a big fan) in its mysterious twists and turns. If you don’t catch the Resonance broadcasts see the link below to go to the official Flickerman website where you can download the episodes.

Cornelius Zane-Grey is being stalked. He is being photographed. Pictures are appearing on the web for anyone to see. Pictures of him, his loved ones - of his life as it falls apart. Who is doing this to him? And why? The Flickerman is a ground-breaking, cross-platform drama in which the dividing line between the real and the imagined is increasingly hard to distinguish. It unfolds through radio broadcasts, audio downloads, on line movies, blog entries and multiple internet channels. A ground-breaking new radio drama written and directed by Lance Dann. 

The Flickerman website