It is becoming a habit now to find comfort, inspiration and strength in one or two favoured albums - and again this evening I am drawn to play Heart On Snow. Amazingly, Trx likes this album too so we were able for the first time in a million years sit together reading and listening to the same piece of music.
There is a track Always and Everywhere which has a really clever little melody in the background, just a few repeated rising notes and a soft bassline that breathes in the background.
I explained my theories about remixing and how isolated I feel in my position of liking what I have heard of John's work that has been remixed. Almond less so, but he tends to sing on other peoples DJ stuff, which I find irritating and crap.
Listening to Metamatics last night, I was reminded of a bassline on there (I think the track is Saint Ever that is not unlike parts of Always and Everywhere . What I'd like to do is remix somethng by stripping it down, not working it up.
Taking the vocal out fAlways and Everywhere and hearing just the music. Then working that up with some bleeps and whistles, a mix of drum and bass - and then overdubbing the vocal back in. Or very distantly in the back ground.
I absolutely adore the first track on the album, with the Naval Choir of St Petersburg. The Russian militray backing works really well, and again suggests to me I should look for more of this stuff.
Cathedral Oceans has its roots in liturgical hymns and medieval chant.

I think this is my starting point:

or at least somethng similar. I know so little about it I am bound to shoot in the dark for a while. At the same time I am going to purchase MindMushingGit.

Trouble is, where on Earth I am I going to find this music without resorting to buying online...And its £50 dollars for that 4disc pack.
Must do some rummaging around. It's not as if I could ask anyone for a loan.

Funnily enough - and this DOES impress me – those discs are released on the 'Harmonia Mundi' label!!
It's amazing stuff. Don't tell me there's no link here. i KNOW what I'm talking about.

This year's compilation could be very interesting.

So long the path
So hard the journey…

Moods pass. A walk to work is a good solution.
Mustn't forget tho - being late home from work tonight wouldn't be very clever.
Everything is slowly drifting back into focus, but the atmosphere at home for the last couple of days isn't something I want to generate again in a hurry.

Not quite sure why I'm writing just now. Felt I wanted to update but haven't much to say.
Last night I was awake until 2am - listening to music.
Lying in bed not sleeping scares me.
Sat on the back step with my friend Jack.
The door open looking out at the night.
Confused the cat.

A great opportunity to clear my head, and for a change I found exactly the right album to do it.
3 Jak and Dive by Metamatics. Beautiful melodies and such clever, complicated tunes.
It reminded me of those times on Scilly, walking around in the woodland surounded by warblers and sounds. Every so often you pick up the distant call of a Parula, which you know is in there somewhere. Ears straining - there it is again. Faintly, just tickling the back of my right ear.
Sounds come and go all the time, but you are always listening for that exciting but familar melody that might return - might not.
In places, the album is like trying to listen to three different songs at the same time and gave me an idea.
Can I put CO on through iTunes and then stream some drum and bass beats over it maybeusing GarageBand?

Looked in HMV and Virgin today but couldn't find anymore of his albums anywhere.
Did get a very exciting email from him a day or three ago tho, when I realised, for the first time, that 4am on Spectre canal (as remixxed by Foxx) is THE SAME SONG as Trinity's Ghost which appeared on the B side of the Free Robot12".
No-one at the forum can confirm this as it appears no-one is interested in remixes. They're all far too busy getting excited about the imminent or not release of the new album.
This is now put back until at least 26 May as the artwork isn't finished, tho the seller (Fulfill) on ebay is still promising pre-orders will be delivered on 10th.
It is going to be well worth the wait I think and promises to be a classic - John's first solo electronic album for 20 years, and made up of filmic instrumental pieces in the style of Glimmerand film One

Wrote a ton more stuff last night, and have almost moved into 1981.
Found a superb essay on the development of post-punk electronic music in Europe which gives lots of ideas and useful theories to pad out the work I am beginning to get quite attached to.

Trx has taken LC back to the hospital for a routine assessment. She is Still well below the 5th centile for her age, and the doctor is still 'a little concerned' that she is just so small. Completely ridiculous, when he himself was impressed with her speech development and her potty-trained -in-a-week experience.
She's funny now, and has got the idea of the toilet already too. SO proud of herself!
We have decided that we won't be going back for any mor eof these checks. She's just little.
My parents are both only just 5', and my Nan never got over about 6 stone in her life.
Let's here it for little people!

Not so Stan of course. He's the Incredible Eating Machine - but only as far as pasta and pies are concerned. He would still rather not eat anything green (except apples and peppers). Just packs it into muscle development I think - he's much heavier than Alice! – and so becomes more like his Uncle Dave every day.

Which reminds me. Is it this weekend we're going up to the farm? I know D's gone away now until the end of June and there's a ton of paperwork to do.