Selected projects

Here are three very different projects I’ve been involved in recently. They’ll give you an idea of the different things that I can bring to yours.

Get in touch if you’d like to know more, or if you’d like to hear about the other things I’ve done during 20+ years working in music and sound.

So…

This project demonstrates how I work with theatre and film—makers to add layers of meaning.

So… is a two-handed theatre show which is a lament on separation and a brexit response.  For it, I created music and sound to imply missed connections and spectral missing persons.  This added layers of meaning to projections of 35mm slides and chemically manipulated 16mm/8mm films, allowing them to relate more in more complex ways to the performances.  I used layered and carefully structured combinations of radio static, ambient music/textures, field recordings of people and canned audience effects.

Drone

This project shows how I help performers, and theatre makers develop initial ideas into successful international productions.

Drone is an electric cabaret about technology, gender and anxiety which has toured internationally and across the UK.  Through extensive collaboration, I have been a vital part of helping it go from rehearsals in my studio to a successful international production.  It had a very successful run at The Fringe as part of Creative Scotland’s Made in Scotland showcase, receiving many four and five star reviews. And, it successfully toured New Zealand.

I composed music using a very wide variety of approaches (drones, textures, lush electronics, cut-up voices, synthesiser melodies, static composition) and created the sound design (for example, making a metal filing cabinet sound terrifyingly loud, close and thunderous).  I perform the music I composed live onstage with Harry Josephine and have a role in the performance.

Desires without form

This project shows how I use my unusual and extensive knowledge and skills to help contemporary artists make complex performances.

Desires without form is a performed installation, improvised within strict parameters by Catherine Street and myself.  It is made from spoken word, plus field recordings, live sounds and synthesised sounds.

Through detailed discussion, technical development and rehearsal I helped Catherine develop this work from her initial ideas to a viable performance.  I combined my research into Catherine’s previous work wiith my knowledge of performance and contemporary art; improvised music; field recordings; noise music; and a wide variety of digital synthesis and sound manipulation techniques.