Brian Eno - Kraftwerk - Pembrokeshire - Harold Budd - Patagonia - Jim O'Rourke
Sounds Like
Edwin Pouncey in The Wire likened the debut album to that of La Monte Young concluding ‘The listener is invited to envision the ruined hut at various stages of the year, as his electronic windstorm howls rhythmically around the flimsy structure. Bizzare as it sounds, the music is curiously moving and empathetic’, whilst Stewart Lee in The Sunday Times likened the album to 1997’s ‘Dutch Harbor’, the Boxhead Ensemble’s portrayal of an Alaskan fishing town.
On ‘Mynydd Preseli’, Stewart Lee in The Sunday Times wrote ‘But this isn’t some Eno-style exercise in ambient moods: Morgan’s minimal music demands to be heard’. The Wire added ‘The synthesized sounds are kept bubbling to a point where they draw the ear and the added ingredients are often well-judged’. Careless Talk Costs Lives stated ‘If this was the soundtrack to all the slow-motioned sequences in Apocalypse Now, it could’ve been a good movie’.
STYLUS – A BIOGRAPHY. As at 26th October 2009. Please note top half in English. Scroll down to read in Welsh the press release from Eisteddfod performance from August 2002.
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STYLUS is the experimental project of Llanbadoc (Wales) based musician DAFYDD MORGAN.
Dafydd has had eleven albums released to date as STYLUS of which the first three albums formed part of a Pembrokeshire influenced trilogy. The albums take in influences based around the last remaining seaweed collecting hut at Freshwater West, Skomer Island and the Preseli Mountains. All three albums received critical acclaim in the national press as well as being championed by John Peel on his show on BBC Radio One. The sixth album ‘Exposition’ (Ochre Records October 2003) is one long 55 minute re-mix album by Experimental Audio Research, the experimental project of Spaceman 3 and Spectrum founder member Sonic Boom. The last four albums have been released on Dafydd’s own Stylus Recording Company label.
The music on the debut album ‘The Last Seaweed Collecting Hut at Freshwater West’ (Ochre Records October 1999) was influenced by the last remaining seaweed collecting hut at Freshwater West in Pembrokeshire. The Seaweed Hut is the last remaining one of it’s kind on the Pembrokeshire coast, built by families at the turn of the century where they collected high quality seaweed from the beaches to dry in the huts before selling it to be cooked as laver bread. Morgan explains that “Time and tide, and in particular strong Atlantic south westerly winds, have destroyed all its companions. The huts were built by local families who used them to dry out the high quality seaweed they collected from beaches before selling it to be cooked as laver bread”. The tracks on the album have attempted to evoke the feel of the hut at various times of the year and at various times of the day and night. Dafydd adds ‘The hut though has recently been restored and has lost a lot of it’s character of the state it was in when it influenced the writing of the album, however I accept the restoration work was much needed as the old hut was on it’s last legs’. Edwin Pouncey in The Wire likened the debut album to that of La Monte Young concluding ‘The listener is invited to envision the ruined hut at various stages of the year, as his electronic windstorm howls rhythmically around the flimsy structure. Bizzare as it sounds, the music is curiously moving and empathetic’, whilst Stewart Lee in The Sunday Times likened the album to 1997’s ‘Dutch Harbor’, the Boxhead Ensemble’s portrayal of an Alaskan fishing town.
The follow up album ‘Skomargraph’ (Ochre Records November 2000) musically draw’s it’s inspiration from Dafydd’s field trips onto Skomer Island and it’s surrounding area. ‘Skomargraph’ saw Dafydd attempting to conjour up emotive, reclusive and haunting feelings within the music that is so evident from witnessing the Island and the beautiful landscape that surrounds it.
The third album ‘Mynydd Preseli’ (Marino Records April 2002) completed the trilogy. Dafydd states “ ‘Mynydd Preseli’ is at times just downright and eerie – I have attempted to portray the feel of the mountains at their highest point, the ancient tracks, the wildlife, igneous rock outcrops, raw material through to the vegetation’. ‘Mynydd Preseli’ drew inspiration from Dafydd’s visits to the Preseli range of mountains situated in Pembrokeshire, West Wales and it’s surrounding areas. On ‘Mynydd Presli’ Dafydd attempted to conjour up the reclusive haunting emotive feelings within the music of Stylus that is so evident from witnessing the beautiful landscape that has inspired the tracks on ‘Mynydd Preseli’. At times isolate, desolate and sometimes downright eerie, the tracks portray everything about the region from the highest point in the Mountains, ancient trackway’s, wildlife, Igneous rock outcrop’s, raw material through to the vegetation! Some would argue Morgan is as much a geographer as a musician!
On ‘Mynydd Preseli’, Stewart Lee in The Sunday Times wrote ‘But this isn’t some Eno-style exercise in ambient moods: Morgan’s minimal music demands to be heard’. The Wire added ‘The synthesized sounds are kept bubbling to a point where they draw the ear and the added ingredients are often well-judged’. Careless Talk Costs Lives stated ‘If this was the soundtrack to all the slow-motioned sequences in Apocalypse Now, it could’ve been a good movie’.
The fourth album, ‘Pedwar’ was released on Fourth Dimension Records (June 2002) and included tracks devoted to Stack Rock in Pembrokeshire and also a couple of tracks about Patagonia.
The fifth album ‘Archif:01’ (October 2002) was the first album in the Ochre Records Archive Series and collated together all the Stylus non-album material released up until the end of 2000. Included on the disc are tracks that have only previously been available on vinyl or released on other labels. ‘Archif:01’ contained the now deleted ‘Kinski 2000’ 7” on Bearos Records, a tribute to the late great German actor Klaus Kinski which was a re-mix of the Stylus debut recording ‘Kinski’ from a split 10” on Ochre in April 1997. Also included on the CD are tracks that have appeared on compilations on Space Age Records, Oggum Records and Blue-Flea Records, the label run by Windy & Carl in America. Incidentally, the track ‘Angle’ off the debut album appeared also on The ‘Wire Tapper 5’ front cover CD of the March 2000 issue of The Wire Magazine.
May 2002, also saw a Stylus Session broadcast on Slobodan Vujanovic’s Show on B-92 in Serbia. The three tracks ‘Wooden Milk’ Parts 1 to 3 were influenced by Dylan Thomas’s ‘Under Milk Wood’. Thomas had previously inspired Morgan on the ‘Pluen Eira’ track, which was the Ochre Christmas single from 2000 and received healthy Peel play on Radio One. ‘Pluen Eira’ is included on ‘Archif:01’.
August 2002 also saw Dafydd perform only the second Stylus live performance, which was at the National Eisteddfod at St David’s in Pembrokeshire on August 8th. The performance was in the Cyngor Sir Benfro Arts Pavilion. The Pavilion exhibited work by artists who promote and are influenced by Pembrokeshire in their art. Dafydd also recorded a Stylus Session for the Welsh Internet Radio station, Radio Amgen who also broadcast on 25th September 2002 the live rehearsal Dafydd had recorded for the Eisteddfod. (Incidentally the rehearsal tracks and the session for Radio Amgen was released as Stylus album seven titled ‘Eisteddfod’ on the Oxfordshire based Irrational Arts label in December 2004). Another Stylus Session was broadcast at the beginning of May 2002 featuring the tracks ‘Little Dafydd Needs To Fly Parts One & Two’ & ‘Finistere RIP’ were broadcast by the radio stations Radio Torino Poploare (May 3rd) and Radio Capodistria (May 4th) in Italy.
Dafydd recorded four exclusive Stylus tracks for the Ochre Records compilation release ‘Seasons’ that came out in June 2003 based on the seasons of the year. The Stylus tracks were titled: ‘Summer Has A Spring In It’s Step’, ‘Icicle Tricycle’ and ‘Dreaming Of The Sun’. The first two tracks both received airplay on John Peel’s BBC Radio One & World Service programmes.
October 2003 saw the release of the ‘Exposition’ album (Ochre Records) an album of Stylus material re-mixed by Experimental Audio Research. EXPERIMENTAL AUDIO RESEARCH is the experimental project of SONIC BOOM who was a founder member of the legendary SPACEMAN 3 and also of SPECTRUM. This was Stylus album number 6.
Sonic states about the remix CD “It’s about 10 or 12 of Dafydd’s tracks made into a 52+ minute soundpiece with me doing extra sounds & processing alongside & joining tracks. You'll dig it. It's mainly using the electronic pieces (only 1 has the trademark minimal guitar lick thru-out ). I also included both versions of the "zero Z-E-R-O " track with the french vocalist”. Sonic has only used tracks taken from the Stylus Ochre releases.
Dafydd also collaborated with Cardiff based musician Siôn Orgon of Thighpaulsandra of which the track ‘Orb Of Indifference’ appeared on the 2004 Siôn Orgon CD album ‘Orgonised Chaos’ on Experimental Seafood Records.
The seventh Stylus CD ‘Eisteddfod’ was released in December 2004 on the Oxfordshire based Irrational Arts label. This release comprised of rehearsals for the Eisteddfod performance in Pembrokeshire.
December 2006 and the release of ‘Listen, Time Passes’, the first release on the SRC (Stylus Recording Company) label. A release that brought the Stylus story up to date, fills the missing gaps. The album featured lost recordings, radio sessions and exciting re-mixes not only from K-188, Siôn Orgon of Thighpaulsandra, The Groceries (the solo project of Ectogram’s Alan Holmes) but as well as a from French experimental artist Properol Y Colargol with whom Dafydd also contributed a remix to their 2006 CD ‘Ode To Roger’ on the Autres Direction label.
‘Listen, Time Passes’ was well received by Verity Sharp on BBC Radio 3’s ‘Late Junction’ programme in which Sharp played four tracks off the album in one week! Tom Ridge in The Wire stated about the ‘Wooden Milk’ trilogy of tracks that ‘the sounds are alternately affecting and strangely menacing, with the original narration preying to a series of viral sonic disturbances. It sounds torn between being an affectionate nod to Morgan's own heritage and a playful deconstruction of it’. The Fold meanwhile stated “For all it's downplayed nature, this is one of the best Stylus releases to date”.
The release of ‘N T B’, the second release on the Stylus recording Company label. The album has been two years in the making and four tracks are written and inspired by the Newport Transporter Bridge which was completed in 1906 and is one of only eight transporter bridges left standing in the world today. The tracks include recordings of four crossings across the River Usk which provide the backings. ‘N T B’ is the ninth album release by Stylus.
The tenth Stylus album release, ‘Last Night Before The Colour’ was released in March 2009 and was a collaboration between Dafydd and Gloucester artist NATHAN SWENSON. Dafydd explains: I was introduced to the work of Nathan Swenson by my label manager. He suggested and came up with the idea that I write some music whilst studying this one piece of art. I agreed. What do I see in the painting. It evokes feelings to me of desolation and isolation. It has been an intriguing and challenging project. I have never met Nathan Swenson. There is no need to. I think all I have to say to him is here, in the music. – DAFYDD MORGAN. The album received airplay from Verity Sharp on Late Junction on BBC Radio 3.
Dafydd has now put the final touches to a special remix project that commemorates ten years of the first Stylus album that was released on Ochre Records back in 1999,‘The Last Seaweed Collecting Hut At Freshwater West’. The new album is titled ‘Re-mixing: The Last Seaweed Collecting Hut At Freshwater West’ - A 10th Anniversary Stylus Remix Project. The album is released in November 2009 and is the eleventh Stylus album to be released!. Dafydd is quite excited about the project in which he began mixing the original recordings from scratch having not listened to those recordings for a good year or so. Some of the tracks are nearly two minutes longer than the originals! The history of Stylus has gone a full circle and with a ‘Best Of’ on the horizon to be released on Ochre Records in 2010 it will be interesting to see where Dafydd takes the Stylus project next!
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ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY:
01: ‘The Last Seaweed Collecting Hut at Freshwater West’ (Ochre Records October 1999)
02: ‘Skomargraph’ (Ochre Records November 2000)
03: ‘Mynydd Preseli’ (Marino Records April 2002)
04: ‘Pedwar’ (Fourth Dimension Records June 2002)
05: ‘Archif:01’ (Ochre Records October 2002)
06: ‘Exposition – Stylus re-mixed by Experimental Audio Research’ (Ochre Records October
2003)
07: ‘Eisteddfod’ (Irrational Arts December 2004)
08: ‘Listen, Time Passes’ (Stylus Recording Company December 2006)
09: ‘N T B’ (Stylus Recording Company August 2008)
10: ‘The Last Night Before The Colour’ (Stylus Recording Company March 2009)
11: ‘Remixing: The Last Seaweed Collecting Hut At Freshwater West’ (Stylus Recording
Company November 2009)
Other tracks released yet to appear on any of the above albums:
‘Seasons’ Compilation Album (Ochre Records June 2003) featured exclusive tracks from Stylus, Longstone 90° South and the Land Of Nod. The Stylus tracks were ‘Summer Has A Spring In It’s Step’, ‘Icicle Tricycle’, ‘Dreaming Of The Sun’ and ‘Goodbye Michelle’.
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Prosiect arbrofol yw STYLUS sy’n eiddo i Dafydd Morgan, y trefnydd byrfyfyr o Lanbadoc, a fu’n treulio cyfnod helaeth o’i febyd yn Sir Benfro.
Hyd yma mae Dafydd wedi rhyddhau pum albwm o dan STYLUS, ac roedd y tair albwm gyntaf yn rhan o drioleg a gafodd ei dylanwadu gan Sir Benfro. Sail y dylanwad hwnnw yw’r cwt casglu gwymon olaf sydd ar ôl yn Freshwater West, Ynys Sgomer a’r Preseli. Cafodd y tair albwm glod mawr gan y beirniaid yn y wasg genedlaethol yn ogystal â chael eu cefnogi a’u hybu gan John Peel ar ei sioe ar Radio Un.
“Sir Benfro – man ysbrydoledig, sy’n fy llenwi ag edmygedd ac awydd i archwilio’r dirwedd ysblennydd ac yn sgîl hynny mae’r awen yn cael ei hysgogi. Mae’r awyr- iach mor lân, iachusol a bywhaol yn y rhan hon o Orllewin Cymru, lle mae’r cefn gwlad irlas yn arwain at yr arfordir ac mae’r golygfeydd yn ardderchog. Mae heddwch yma, yn wir mae bywyd yn fwy hamddenol, mewn ardal sy’n llawn hanes yn dyddio’n ôl i Oes Newydd y Cerrig ac amser maith cyn hynny,” meddai Dafydd.
Bydd y gerddoriaeth yn y set heddiw yn dechrau gydag ‘Angle’ sy’n rhoi naws y Cwt Casglu Gwymon yn ei gyflwr mwyaf unig a llwm yn ystod y gaeaf yn ei leoliad ger y môr gyda gwyntoedd y de-orllewin yn dolefain o’i amgylch. Mae gweddill y perfformiad yn cynnwys darnau am y cwt yn ogystal â ‘Gwymon’, ‘Pluen Eira’ a nifer o adrannau a gafodd eu hysgrifennu’n arbennig ar gyfer heddiw, sy’n sôn ychydig bach am Ynys Byr hefyd!
Cafodd y gerddoriaeth ar yr albwm gyntaf, ‘The Last Seaweed Collecting Hut at Freshwater West’ (Ochre Records Hydref 1999) ei dylanwadu gan y cwt casglu gwymon olaf sydd ar ôl yn Freshwater West yn Sir Benfro. “Mae amser a llanw, ac yn enwedig gwyntoedd cryfion y de-orllewin o Fôr yr Iwerydd wedi dinistrio’r holl gytiau eraill. Cafodd y cytiau eu hadeiladu gan deuluoedd lleol a’u defnyddiai i sychu’r gwymon môr o safon uchel yr oeddent yn ei gasglu o’r traethau, cyn ei werthu er mwyn iddo gael ei goginio yn fara lawr.” Mae’r traciau ar yr albwm wedi ceisio creu naws y cwt ar wahanol adegau o’r flwyddyn ac yn ystod amryw adegau o’r dydd a’r nos. “Er bod y cwt wedi cael ei atgyweirio yn ddiweddar, ac er ei fod wedi colli cryn dipyn o’i gymeriad o gymharu â’r cyflwr yr oedd ynddo pan ddylanwadodd ar ysgrifennu’r albwm hon – serch hynny rwyf yn derbyn bod gwir angen gwneud y gwaith atgyweirio oherwydd roedd yr hen gwt ar fin mynd â’i ben iddo,” ychwanegodd Dafydd.
O ran ei cherddoriaeth mae’r albwm ddilynol ‘Skomargraph’ (Ochre Records Tachwedd 2000) wedi’i hysbrydoli gan y teithiau i’r maes yr aeth Dafydd arnynt i Ynys Sgomer a’r ardal o’i hamgylch. Yn ‘Skomargraph’ roedd Dafydd yn ceisio deffro teimladau cynyrfiadol, meudwyaidd a hiraethlon gyda’r gerddoriaeth, ac mae hynny’n dra amlwg o edrych ar yr Ynys a’r dirwedd ysblennydd sydd o’i hamgylch.
‘Mynydd Preseli’ (Marino Records Ebrill 2002) oedd y drydedd albwm a’r olaf yn y drioleg. Yn ôl Dafydd, “Ar adegau mae ‘Mynydd Preseli’ yn hollol iasoer – rwyf wedi ceisio cyfleu awyrgylch y mynyddoedd wrth eu copaon, y llwybrau hynafol, y bywyd gwyllt, y creigiau igneaidd, a’r deunydd crai hyd at y llystyfiant.”
Yn ddiweddar mae Stylus wedi rhyddhau albwm o’r enw ‘Pedwar’ gyda Fourth Dimension Records (Mehefin 2002) sy’n cynnwys traciau wedi’u cyflwyno i Ben-y-holt a Phatagonia a bydd pumed albwm, ‘Archif:01’, yn cael ei rhyddhau ar Ochre Records yn Nhachwedd 2002. Ar hyn o bryd mae Stylus wedi cofrestru gyda Ochre Records a fydd, yn 2003, yn rhyddhau’r albwm o’r enw ‘Stylus re-mixed by Experimental Audio Research’. Prosiect Sonic Boom (Spaceman 3 a Spectrum)yw EAR.
Thanks for connecting to myartspace. The sinister image doesn't fit the music though, have a think about it. I'll be happy to make suggestions if you like. With best wishes - James
sinner dc | montage new remix ep on ai records (london)
CAT NO: AI017EP DISTRIBUTOR: SRD
sinner dc have invited friends and peers to remix tracks from their critically acclaimed debut album "Mount Age". The result is a incredible limited "montage" ep on ai records featuring sonic boom(spacemen 3,ear,spectrum), piano magic, future conditional, water lilly, mjuc (hideaki takahashi) and dave apple completed by a digital download version (with extra tracks )on bleep.com
