Shreeve

Fracture (2007). Ian Boddy & Mark Shreeve have been at the centre of the UK Electronic Music scene since the late seventies and have known each other since they both appeared at the very first UK Electronica festival in 1983. "Fracture" is ARC's fifth album release and their fourth on the DiN label. It features their fabled retro style sequencing, courtesy of Shreeve's giant Moog modular system, coupled with a heady mix of quirky melodic lines and spacy atmospheres. The album is wholly instrumental and the first four tracks constantly morph and evolve with a set of chilled out grooves and sublime melodic themes. The fifth track, "Rapture", is an epic in every sense. Nearly 23 minutes in length it features a central, pounding sequencer riff section cocooned within truly awe inspiring deep space ambiences for a truly memorable track…

Born out of Eugene Chadbourne's Twins band concepts from the 70s, which included over time saxophonist Bruce Ackley, and guitarists Henry Kaiser, and Fred Frith; fast forward to 2018 as Ackley & Frith return to the concept with Henry Kaiser and saxophonist Aram Shelton to revisit the original approach through pieces by those artists plus Steve Lacy, Eugene Chadbourne, and John Zorn.

This studio album, released in 2008 was written, performed and recorded by Mark Shreeve. The cover design broke with the established style of previous covers, even the Redshift logo had gone. The works of Redshift have always been about the exploration of energy. From cosmic quiet to a palpable sense of propulsion, Shreeve communicates an inexhaustible joy in the possibilities of sound. "Turning Towards Us" is more than a room-shaking exploration of sonic properties. The compositions are fascinating, mysterious and even dangerous at times.

Steve Nelson's stunning debut is definitely one for those who fondly remember that EM style known as "Brit Synthrock" as purveyed by the likes of Mark Shreeve et al. The difference being that in this case someone has had the good sense to get it released, that someone being Ash Prema, under whose Champagne Lake label this saw the light of day. The music of Transcieve has been likened to both Mark Shreeve & T.Bass UK although I was also reminded of the German label Shamall, as Transceive, for the most part avoid the rock influences that pervade the UK artists' works & instead goes for a more measured, less direct, sometimes slightly symphonic approach.

Two years in the making, Close To The Noise Floor is a 4CD, 60-track set exploring the origins of electronica in the UK. Featuring tracks from key figures on the cassette label underground alongside early releases by future stars of the movement, this is part primitive rave, part synthesiser porn and part history lesson.