Electronic Music – Details, episodes & analysis

In this first part of an occasional series exploring modular synthesis and live performance. William Stokes talks to experimental electronic musician Scanner about his career, the choice of his favourite modules he'll showcase in his closing performance and the friendliness of the modular community.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:13 - The Tate Modern Installation
02:52 - Working With Laurie Anderson
06:40 - The Origin Of The Name Scanner
10:47 - Module 1: Morphagene
14:30 - Module 2: Mimeophon
18:52 - Module 3: Equation Composer
24:08 - Module 4: QU-Bit Prism
26:51 - Finding Your Sound With Modular
29:22 - Module 5: QU-Bit Nano Rand
31:16 - Module 6: Instruō øchd DivKid
33:12 - Modular Social Community
35:31 - Modular Aesthetics
38:38 - Module 7: Bela Gliss
42:37 - The Performance

Morphagene - https://www.makenoisemusic.com/modules/morphagene/
Mimeophon - https://www.makenoisemusic.com/modules/mimeophon/
Equation Composer (discontinued)
QU-Bit Prism - https://www.qubitelectronix.com/shop/p/prism
QU-Bit Nano Rand - https://www.qubitelectronix.com/shop/p/nano-rand
Instruō øchd - https://www.instruomodular.com/product/ochd/
Bela Gliss - https://uk.shop.bela.io/products/gliss

Robin Rimbaud Biog
Scanner (British artist Robin Rimbaud) traverses the experimental terrain between sound and space connecting a bewilderingly diverse array of genres. Since 1991 he has been intensely active in sonic art, producing concerts, installations and recordings, the albums Mass Observation (1994), Delivery (1997), and The Garden is Full of Metal (1998) hailed by critics as innovative and inspirational works of contemporary electronic music. 

To date he has scored 65 dance productions, including the hit musical comedy Kirikou & Karaba Narnia, Qualia for the London Royal Ballet, and the world’s first Virtual Reality ballet, Nightfall, for Dutch National Ballet.

More unusual projects have included designing sound for the Philips Wake-Up Light (2009), the re-opening of the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam in 2012 and the new Cisco telephone system used in many offices around the world. His work Salles des Departs is permanently installed in a working morgue in Paris whilst Vex, the residential house by Chance de Silva architects, featuring his permanent soundtrack, won the RIBA London Award 2018.

Committed to working with cutting edge practitioners he collaborated with Bryan Ferry, Wayne MacGregor, Mike Kelley, Torres, Michael Nyman, Steve McQueen, Laurie Anderson and Hussein Chalayan, amongst many others.

http://www.scannerdot.com

William Stokes Biog
William Stokes is a producer, writer and artist in three-piece avant-psych band Voka Gentle. As well as being a critic and columnist for Sound On Sound, conceiving the popular Talkback column and heading up the Modular column, he has also written on music and music technology for The Guardian, MOJO, The Financial Times, Electronic Sound and more. 

As an artist in Voka Gentle he has made records with producers from Gareth Jones (Depeche Mode, Grizzly Bear, Nick Cave) to Sam Petts-Davies (Radiohead, The Smile, Roger Waters), has had songs featured on franchises from FIFA Football to The Sims and has toured across the UK, Europe and the USA, playing festivals from Pitchfork Avant-Garde in Paris to SXSW in Austin, Texas. He has collaborated with artists including the Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne, Morcheeba, Panda Bear and Sonic Boom. 

Alongside being a guitarist and pianist, he is a synthesis enthusiast with a particular interest in sampling and explorative sound manipulation. As a producer and engineer, he has made albums with acclaimed avant-garde musicians from composer Tullis Rennie to Mute Records artist Louis Carnell. “I’m always seeking out the most ‘out-there’, experimental, risk-taking musicians I can find to work with,” he says, “to capture vibrant, detailed recordings and create three-dimensional mixes of music that might otherwise struggle to know where to begin in the studio environment.” 

Stokes currently lectures in Music Production at City, University of London.

https://www.vokagentle.com/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Jason Singh is a sound artist, producer and performer. His creative output is an exploration of the natural world, voice and a wide range of music technologies. Works include live performance, immersive installations, studio recordings, broadcasts and sound walks. 

In this show he talks about how he makes music using the MIDI Sprout interface, a device that senses the electrical voltage of plants and converts it into MIDI information. He then uses the notes to control Ableton to produce the sounds he used in his recordings and immersive installations.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:48 - Getting Started in Audio
06:17 - Collaborating With Other Creatives
09:46 - Studio Toys
12:48 - Custom Built Instruments And Interfaces
14:08 - Live Performances
19:41 - Collaborating With Nature Using Biofeedback
25:07 - Using The MIDI Sprout and PlantWave
29:47 - Experiencing Nature Sounds In Real-Time
31:44 - Creating An Immersive Installation For Womad
40:54 - Opening Your Ears To Everyday Sounds

Audio Credits:
Afternoon - a commission by National Trust to create an entirely vocal piece which mimics the sounds of a woodland area in Tatton Park in Cheshire.
Passing Light - an Ambient Jazz piece featuring trumpet player Yazz Ahmed.

Rhubarb  - is a biosonfication track from the latest release "The Hidden Music of Plants and Trees", created in collaboration with a Rhubarb plant.

MIDI Sprout - https://www.midisprout.com/
PlantWave - https://plantwave.com/en-gb

Jason Singh Biog

Jason Singh is sound artist, nature beatboxer, producer, dj, curator, facilitator and performer. Jason’s life and work is rooted in listening - he follows a multi-sensory and cross-species approach to sound and music. His creative output is an exploration of the natural world, voice and a wide range of music technologies. Works includes live performance, immersive installations, studio recordings, music for film and theatre, deep listening and well being experiences, sound walks, broadcasts, music workshops, podcasts, soundtapes and immersive DJ sets. 

Collaborations and commissions include a diverse range of organisations and artists including BBC, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, V&A Museum, Earthshot Prize, WOMAD, Kew Gardens, Chester Zoo, SONOS, Luke Jerram, BFI, Celtic Connections, RNLI, National Trust, Tate Britain, Nitin Sawhney, George Ezra, Big Narstie, Yazz Ahmed, Shabaka Hutchings, Sebastian Rochford, Leafcutter John, Graham Massey (808 State), Natacha Atlas, Sarathy Korwar, Talvin Singh and Rokia Traore to name just a few. Jason is an associate Soundscape artist with D&B audiotechnik.

https://jasonsinghthing.com/

Credits:
Afternoon - was a commission by National Trust to create an entirely vocal piece which mimics the sounds of a woodland area in Tatton Park in Cheshire, England. 

Passing Light - Ambient Jazz piece featuring trumpet player Yazz Ahmed 

Rhubarb  - is a biosonfication track from the release "The Hidden Music of Plants and Trees" created in collaboration with a Rhubarb plant.

Caro C Biog
Caro 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: @carocsound
Inst: @carocsound

FB: 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.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
02:12 - What Is Turntablism?
03:20 - Source Music
06:18 - Supportive Organisations
07:50 - Avoiding Copyright Issues
10:22 - Equipment Over The Years
15:03 - Immersive Performances
23:58 - MIDI Footpedals
25:46 - Performance Challenges
32:26 - Current Projects

NikNak Biog
As 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 Biog
Caro 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: @carocsound
Inst: @carocsound

FB: 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.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:30 - Working As A Keyboardist
03:12 - MIDI Controller Of Choice
04:04 - Live Arrangements And Sounds
09:36 - Working With A Musical Director
10:56 - Collection Of Synths
12:04 - Getting Onto This Path
16:22 - Synth Secrets Series
18:23 - Will Gregory Moog Ensemble
24:28 - Releasing A Solo E.P.
31:55 - Working With UDO Audio
34:42 - Future Projects

Hazel Mills Biog
Hazel 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: @hazelmills

X: @hazelmills

TikTok: @hazelmillsmusic

YouTube: @hazelmillsmusic

FB: @hazelmillsmusic

Caro C Biog
Caro 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: @carocsound
Inst: @carocsound

FB: 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.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:16 - 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 Bowie
31:29 - The influence of literature and politics on early electronic pop
35:05 - Witnessing electronic music live
40:00 - 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 Biog
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. 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 Biog
Rob 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.com
Twitter: @failedmuso
Instagram: @failedmuso
Facebook: 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.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:18 - The Alan R. Pearlman Foundation
06:52 - The Main Aims Of The Foundation
09:12 - Women In The World Of Pioneering Synthesis
12:45 - Childhood Memories During The Early Days Of ARP
14:54 - Unearthed Footage Of The ARP Factory
23:27 - About ARPS For All
30:23 - The ARP Paradigm
34:27 - Collaborating With Bjooks
38:55 - Google Arts & Culture: Music Makers & Machines
40:47 - The Future For The Alan R. Pearlman Foundation

Dina Pearlman Biog
Dina 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/@AlexBallMusic

Rob Puricelli Biog
Rob 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.com
Twitter: @failedmuso
Instagram: @failedmuso
Facebook: 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.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:36 - Getting Signed To Warp Records
03:45 - Recording Workflow
05:08 - Updating Equipment
07:35 - Early Musical Influences
09:35 - Switching Over To Software
10:40 - Hardware Still In The Studio
12:37 - Limiting Plug-in Use
16:52 - Collaborating And Working Solo
19:21 - Sus Dog And Thom Yorke
23:33 - Live Performances
27:47 - Learning About Other Producers
30:07 - Additional Projects
33:49 - Preparing The Next Album

Clark Biog
Chris 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 Biog
Caro 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: @carocsound
Inst: @carocsound

FB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Paul White takes us on a sonic journey as he explores the endless possibilities of sound design using a guitar as your sound source. Through the use of foot pedals and effects plug-ins he demonstrates the synth-like sound and textures it can bring to your electronic music.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
00:55 - Guitars As A Sound Source
03:55 - Sustaining Notes
06:10 - Using an EBow
07:09 - Adding Vibrato
07:48 - Emulating Multiple Oscillators
08:54 - Adding Plug-in Effects
10:16 - Using Granular Delays
11:40 - Creating Percussive And Rhythmic Effects
13:43 - The Completed Soundscape

Paul White Biog
Paul White joined the Sound On Sound team in 1991 where he became Editor In Chief, a position he held for many years before recently becoming Executive Editor. Paul has written more than 20 recording and music technology textbooks, the latest being The Producer’s Manual.

Having established his own multitrack home studio in the 1970s he’s worked with many notable names including Bert Jansch and Gordon Giltrap. He’s played in various bands over the years and currently collaborates with Malvern musician Mark Soden, under the name of Cydonia Collective. Paul still performs live claiming that as he has suffered for his music he doesn’t see why everyone else shouldn’t too!

http://www.cydoniacollective.co.uk/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Julie Campbell, known as LoneLady, is a musician, songwriter, singer and producer from Manchester, England. Here she tells Caro C about her writing and recording process and how she secured a deal with Warp Records.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:19 - Former Things
06:08 - Influences For The Album
08:55 - Curating The Ideas
12:19 - Touring The Album
15:21 - Warp Records
17:12 - The Album Cycle
19:20 - Supporting Peter Buck
23:38 - Building The Live Show
28:27 - Technical Development

Lonelady Biog
Inspired by British post-punk Julie first started making recordings in the early-mid 2000s on a 4-track cassette recorder. As her name indicates LoneLady writes, performs and records all the components of her music, building up her own soundworlds in a solitary creative process.

Her debut album ‘’Nerve Up’’ was released on Warp in 2010 and her second album ”Hinterland” was released in 2015, with both receiving widespread critical acclaim. Julie recorded, mixed and produced Hinterland to near-completion in her home studio in Manchester, travelling to Keyclub Recording Co, Michigan, for some finishing touches and additional production with Bill Skibbe.

Created on electronic sequencers, synths and drum machines in a basement bunker beneath Somerset House, London, LoneLady’s 3rd studio album FORMER THINGS is a tour-de-force of punch-and-crunch electro, r’n’b and pop, shot through with mournful eulogies to the lost golden age of childhood and youth.

https://lonelady.co.uk/

Caro C Biog
Caro 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: @carocsound
Inst: @carocsound

FB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

As part of Japan, Richard Barbieri soon became the thinking person’s synthesist, famous for his rich and textural electronic backings that beautifully complemented the work of other band members to forge what is still a unique sound to this day. Disbanding at the height of their fame, Richard went on to work on a wide array of projects, some with fellow members of Japan, one of which introduced him to Steven Wilson. He joined Porcupine Tree in 1993 and, aside from Wilson, is their longest serving member to this day. After a twelve year hiatus, Porcupine Tree reconvened to write and record ‘Closure / Continuation', their 11th and, some would say, best album to date. Rob Puricelli managed to catch up with Richard during rehearsals for the first leg of their tour to support the album and began by asking him about his first exposure to, and experience of, electronic music.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:16 - What was your first experience of electronic music?
03:33 - The Non-Musician
06:44 - Synth Heroes
10:05 - Do the old synths still have a place in your work?
12:37 - Sound Design and your go-to synth
16:26 - Sampling
19:36 - Using Reason
25:37 - The live rig and touring with Porcupine Tree in 2022/23
32:11 - Getting the band back together
33:55 - Spatial Audio
38:26 - The new album
44:57 - Regurgitating the past
46:30 - What gear excites you today?

LINKS/CREDITS 

Music clips provided by Richard Barbieri
Richard Barbieri’s Artist Page - https://kscopemusic.com/artists/richard-barbieri/
Porcupine Tree Website - https://porcupinetree.com 

Richard Barbieri Biog
Hailing from London, Richard joined Japan in 1975 and saw huge success around the world until the band 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.

Rob Puricelli Biog
Rob 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.com
Twitter: @failedmuso
Instagram: @failedmuso
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/failedmuso/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts