Brian Lavelle

There’s a very nice little review of ‘Avalonian’ in the latest issue (number 23) of Rock-a-Rolla magazine, by the ever-diligent Scott McKeating:

Thank you Scott!

I still have a handful of copies of the album left (the label has sold out of them), so get in touch if you’d like one.

I’m really delighted to announce that Matt Shaw of the superb UK label Apollolaan Recordings has released my new album Avalonian today.

Recorded over the summer months of this year, and completed (in Avalon) in September, it comprises two long tracks which I hope capture the feel of that astonishing, inspiring place: its atmospheres; its idiosyncracies; its mysteries. The album is a little different in focus from what’s gone before; but I hope those who hear it will enjoy something of the contents.

The disc – limited to only 60 copies – comes packaged in a white digipak, with beautiful vinyl-cut, handprinted front and back covers, and with an insert. Each one is slightly different. More details of this edition are on the Apollolaan site.

Matt’s label is easily one of the most unique and diverse projects of the last two years. It’s hard to believe that in only 18 months or so, he’s been able to produce 22 individual releases which cross the boundaries of experimental, folk, rock, electronic and improvised musics, often mixing all those genres seamlessly. The aesthetic of the label is well captured in this quotation from Dion Fortune:

There is a spiritual quality in the hand-made thing that is lacking to the machine made, however good may be the design, for the man who makes with his hands the thing which he has himself planned, weaving into it his dreams and the many sacrifices for the sake of his art, giving to it of his best, cannot help loving it by the time he has finished it; and the well-loved thing, warmed and worn by human hands, becomes ensouled with a life of its own.

I couldn’t agree with those sentiments more. It’s perhaps fitting that, as I stood close to the house where Fortune once lived, by the red mineral spring at the foot of the Tor, I thought that Matt would be the ideal person to consider sending what was, at that stage, an unfinished and untitled Avalonian. Suffice to say that Apollolaan is one my favourite labels; and Matt is one of the loveliest people you’ll encounter. I’d encourage you to get a copy of the disc from him while they’re still around!

Today brings a superb review of the debut Space Weather album by Scott McKeating, on the ever-great Foxy Digitalis site:

With Space Weather’s music you can either choose to descend into the gentle flicker patterns of Lakia’s cabin or float above the nightscapes of Scotland’s glittering and smoky towns. Alistair Crosbie, Brian Lavelle and Andrew Paine, a trio of Glasgow/Edinburgh experimentalists, have created a disc of synth/bass/guitar works that summon up (the best parts of) mid 70s Eno back with an affecting centre. The most striking element here is undoubtedly the synth work, and even with Lavelle credited solely on synthesizer, it’d still be presumptuous to place that instruments melodies as his sole creation. “Space Weather” has the feel of a truly collaborative effort, neither of the players overwhelming the project’s music with ego or easily identifiable contributions. With much synth lead stuff that’s doing the rounds nowadays, it’s possible to become inured to predictable passages of sound; this isn’t an issue here. The title track brings to fulfilment a sea-shanty ambience, synths shifting from true string instruments and back again – even the track’s drum machine can’t settle the virtual roll of the waves/sounds. There’s more observable guitar drone work on “Ardrahan Battalions”, but it owes more to the blissful end of progressive than pretension. They also make way for motornik fuzzed-out-pop on “They Turned Left”, Andrew Paine doing a gentle bass line that positions the piece and its momentum. “Another Green World” might well be a comparatively distant relative, but there’s little anyone/thing can do to pull the stars from this album’s trails. 10/10

Thanks Scott!

A nice little review of the first Space Weather disc, courtesy of Daniel Spicer, is featured in the new issue of The Wire (Issue 308, October 2009):

Space Weather is a different kind of collaboration entirely, the debut from an improvising trio with [Alistair] Crosbie playing guitar alongside Brian Lavelle’s synthesizer and Andrew Paine’s bass, making weightless space-Prog reminiscent of Ash Ra Tempel’s more dreamy excursions, such as “Traummaschine”.

Daniel also kindly featured Space Weather in his radio show, The Mystery Lesson (part 38), on 11 September 2009. The track he played was Copper Mountain.

Thanks Daniel!

August already: it’s been a while since I posted something other than news of new releases here, and in the last week I’ve taken the opportunity to merge my previously separate blog (‘Hundreds of Things’) into this site: it seemed to make sense to do that, given that I’m not good at the whole split personality thing. It’s tidier too, I suspect.

One reason for this post is to announce that I’m starting work on a series of limited releases, which have yet to take form, but which will I think be entirely guitar-borne pieces; attempts to distill what I normally do, which is labour-intensive, multi-layered and, ultimately, the source of much metaphorical wringing-of-hands, into something more immediate. I’d also like to do more with the physical form of these releases, which are likely to be fairly limited in nature, but which should be on CDR. I’ve been inspired to do more with packaging recently and I’m hoping these items will be a little more special than what has gone before. More on this as the project takes form, but if you’re interested in getting hold of these releases, let me know.

I’m also glad to report that work is gathering pace on a trio of connected releases which are made up only of live Theremin and effects, with no subsequent processing, layering or overdubs. This trilogy is called Aegean Sea Blue and I like to think it will be finished shortly. If others don’t feel keen to release these discs, they will come out on Dust, Unsettled. Again: more soon.

Also, my first ever LP, Magdalena, which is again a guitar-only album should be out this Autumn on my good friend Kyle Wright’s excellent label, Diophantine Discs. I’m very excited and honoured that Kyle wants to put this out as an LP; it was written for that format and I hope it works over two sides of vinyl. (Having said that, Supernaturalist was originally intended as a double LP set, but the financial implications of that were, shall we say, a steep climb…)

The first Space Weather album has got some very nice comments from people and seems to be doing well. Of course, it’s still available from me (and from Alistair and Paz) if you’d like to get a copy. Although I have difficulty sometimes with the intent behind the write-ups on the Volcanic Tongue site, David Keenan was kind enough to name-drop Popul Vuh when describing the album, which made me smile.

That’s all for now, but I’ll have more news very soon including details of two new releases (not by me, I should say!) on Dust, Unsettled. Keep listening; and thank you for lending your ears thus far.

I’m delighted to announce that the debut Space Weather album is now available on the group’s own label, Space Weather Recordings. The group, which consists of Alistair Crosbie (electric guitar), Andrew Paine (bass guitar) and me (synthesizer), play a kind of improvised experimental krautrock/space rock. You might enjoy it…

There are a number of excerpts from the album on our MySpace page and you can buy the album from me on the Shop page.

Further recordings are in the works. More on those soon.

Ian Holloway’s wonderful online experimental music review Wonderful Wooden Reasons has a new review of Ustrina in its latest online edition:

At almost 70 minutes in length Ustrina from Scots dronist Lavelle is a significant investment of time and focus on both the part of the composer and the listener. Lavelle operates predominantly in the realms of warm and slightly fuzzy drone music. Narcotic tones and washes that gently shroud the audience with a vaguely clammy sense of unease. You’ve got to admit that’s an enticing prospect especially as Lavelle is very, and I do mean very, accomplished at this sort of thing. Like a darker version of Chalk & Heeman’s Mirror project, Ustrina is one of the best things I’ve heard from this side of Lavelle (the other side specialises in superbly forceful psychedelic cosmic-drone) and should be sought out without delay.

Thanks Ian!

Here’s an interesting review that appeared this month on the Heathen Harvest website:

Brian Lavelle is a project that is easily said to be hard to define. Desperation inevitably leads one to coin the experimental / avant-garde electronics tag but what I hear is something more deep and sensual than a simple frolic around the world of strange sounds and experimentation. Brian’s music isn’t a simple recording of jabbed buttons and crossed wires. There’s an apparent, intriguing skill and masterful art put into this release. The production follows a distinct flowing nature and does more to emphasize the fact that a great deal of time was spent on this recording than just about anything. It’s not dull and drab, overly compressed, or flat in any way. Supernaturalist sings to you in fragrant Earthly tongues without ever having or needing the presence of a vocalist. It breathes the tonal intricacy of our planet and has as much to do with the world through its field recordings as it does through its experimentation through manipulation and electronics. Strange and wonderful it is.

EE Tapes has seen quite a transformation over the years. From a modest tape label that saw its beginnings far back in the late 80′s, it grew towards the acceptance of at least the CD-R medium in the late 90′s, only to finally accept CD’s as a whole in in 2002-2003 (as well as changing its catalogue numbers from “ET##” to “EE##”. This release is an actual CD without the presence of a jewel case or typical CD artwork. Instead, the band / label opted for a white paper/plastic sleeve inside a folded 7”-styled artwork encasing. The paper is high-quality (recycled?) and has a natural graininess to it that suits the eerie artwork that was meant for a title such as Supernaturalist (though a pun on words may be intended here.) Brian Lavelle himself has done all of the photography and layout for this release so there is indeed a further artistic experience meant for the listener here simply beyond the music.

To whom I owe the leaping delight
That quickens my senses in our wakingtime
And the rhythm that governs the repose of our sleepingtime,
The breathing in unison

Of lovers whose bodies smell of each other
Who think the same thoughts without need of speech
And babble the same speech without need of meaning.

No peevish winter wind shall chill
No sullen tropic sun shall wither
The roses in the rose-garden which is ours and ours only

But this dedication is for others to read:
These are private words addressed to you in public.

—T.S. Eliot, A Dedication to my Wife