11/02/15 - Amorphous, Noel and Paul

So, the Noel Gallagher saga continues. Gaz has spoken to the NME about the whole escapade. The front cover of the issue dated 14th February 2015 includes the headline "Noel: Amorphous Androgynous hit back". The article itself is a little more sparse, sadly. A teaser for the interview was made available earlier on NME.com, but that's all you really need to read, as the full content in the magazine merely expands the word count without adding anything new (nevertheless, you can see a scan here if you wish). On the matter of the full interview being stripped down to a few soundbites, Gaz wrote on the Amorphous Facebook: "Omitted all heart , guts of the actual interview but hey what did we expect in a world of millionaire faux rock n roll fist a puffs?" and "Hmmm the NME clearly know which way their bread is buttered - good job we filmed it - wow! Anti inflammatory sedatives and faux rock n roll seems to be order of the day". So now we're all waiting for the filming of the interview to appear online to find out just what Gaz did say, and just why the NME weren't willing to print it (probably don't want to upset Noel too much, given how much time he gives to the increasingly unpopular publication).

In more collaborative news, Brian shared a YouTube video on Facebook a few minutes ago, stating "Heres one me and gaz wrote with Paul Weller - turned out pretty good me thinks......"

Check it out below and judge for yourself. We're guessing it's the lead single from Weller's next record:

28/01/15 - Blackhill Transmitter 3 out now.

As teased yesterday, the third Blackhill Transmitter is now available.

As stated on FSOLDigital:

The third outing from Blackhill Transmitter with there usual blend of Kruat and Granular synthesis.

“Rain struck the tower but we persistted – the broadcast was scheduled, it had to go ahead. Suddenly we were plunged into darkness – silence – nothing – then the noises started – slowly building – the transmission had begun…”

TRACKLISTING:

01 – Cease to Function (5:19)
02 – Battery Room (3:07)
03 – Returning (3:04)
04 – Recovery (3:54)

You can read more about Brian's connection with the transmitter over on the forum, watch a promotional video on YouTube here, and buy the EP in mp3 or FLAC format here.

27/01/15 - Blackhill Transmitter 3 on its way

The third Blackhill Transmitter EP will be available from FSOLDigital tomorrow... watch this space.

14/01/15 - Another new Humanoid compilation track.

Brian has provided a track for a new chiptune compilation on Bandcamp entitled chipspeech AUTOMATE SONGS .01. The Humanoid piece is called Words of the Elders, and is the album opener. Download the compilation for free here!

07/01/14 - MPB4: Wizards of Oz due in March

The fourth volume in the Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble series, the previously mentioned Australian-focused release, has finally been given a release date of 16th March.

FSOLDigital gives the following blurb:
‘The Wizards Of Oz’ is devoted exclusively to the rich heritage of cosmic space music of our Antipodean brothers and sisters and in common with previous volumes traces the lineage from the sixties to the present day with sonic delights from every decade in between.

Across the double CD there is a 2 hour DJ mix of 34 tracks where we are treated to everything from Kiwi Krautrock to Aboriginal space jazz to OZ dream pop to cOZmic funkrok: CYBOTRON / TAME IMPALA / KANGURU / RUSSELL MORRIS / GEOFF KROZIER & THE GENERATOR / HIROSHI & CLAUDIA / MADDER LAKE / ROB THOMSETT / MANDU / DOUG JEREBINE / POND / SONS OF THE VEGETAL MOTHER / RAILROAD GIN & AIR are just a few of the delights contained therein.

Meanwhile, in a short feature on the Mojo website, Gaz adds:
'While previous editions of A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble… saw Future Sound Of London alumni Gaz Cobain and Brian Dougans (pictured) champion a host of their psychedelic favourites, for this mix the duo found themselves stumbling across artists who were completely new to them.

“As the collection evolved the question that arose with increasing regularity was, ‘How and why have we not heard this before?!’” they explain. “And then, ‘If this band had been from the UK or the USA would they have been unheard and unknown?’ The answer to this was a resounding No!”'

You can check the full article, featuring two tracks featured on the mix, here, and you can pre-order the double CD at FSOLDigital.

13/12/14 - News, hints and rumours overload

It's that time again: after going over the Artworks book with a fine toothed comb, myself and FSOLBoard resident knowledge-hoarder Pandemonium - along with some helpful hints from a certain Mr. Dougans - can reveal a number of possible and probable past, present and future projects from the guys.

Environments news! Well, it's been known that the Environments series will continue, and the cover has already been confirmed (the same as the cover of Artworks), but one of the pages has information on an envisaged sound installation in New York, which is labelled as Environments 8. Brian himself has now confirmed that the band have ten volumes in the series planned. Furthermore, Environments 6 is complete and due for release in 2015 alongside Archive 8. Given that the original plan for volume 5 was for it to be a double album, it's quite possible this is the second disc of that (quite possibly the more electronic material as previewed on The Fears and Fantasies of the Unconscious Mind in 2012). Given the installation nature of the proposed eighth volume, it seems the band seem keen to make the series their more exploratory, experimental output - whilst non-Environments material is worked on in tandem.

A lot of interesting historical items are featured in the book, including covers for an Isness-era proto-Archives release entitled Fish Smokin', a Mello Hippo Disco Radio Show CD promo, a video collection, and a test pressing of a 3" CD EP of Zeebox material planned for release on Rephlex ten or so years ago (a vinyl edition was also planned to exist). The number of scrapped releases by the band must be astonishing.

Finally, if you enjoyed Artworks, you'll love Histories. A second FSOL artwork book (or booklet, as they seem to be underselling it), likely to contain seen and unseen art and behind-the-scenes photos of the band's '90s period, is coming in the new year.

There are only ten copies of Artworks left at FSOLDigital, so if you want to see all this for yourself, you'd best get your skates on!

03/12/14 - New Humanoid on Touched Two; E6 cover.

Due to delays in their album being released, Brambles & Nest have had to remove their track from the Touched Two compilation. Thankfully, Mr. Dougans has kept the album fleshed out with a new, last minute addition of a newly recorded Humanoid track, entitled Posthuman. Stream the track here if you so wish, or purchase the album on the main page.

In other news, it turns out the cover of the Artworks booklet is mooted to also be the cover of the forthcoming Environments 6...