Browsing Tag

composer

Interview: Bruce Cohen on Ambient Explorations, Creative Evolution, and Synth-Centric Collaborations

Posted on 7 December 2024
Bruce Cohen

Bruce Cohen continues to redefine the boundaries of electronic music with his evocative and introspective soundscapes. In this interview, Cohen opens up about his latest ambient album, 8 BC, a deeply personal project shaped by improvisation and reflection. He discusses the influences of his medical journey, his connection to Miles Davis, and the innovative process behind his next album, 9 BC. With insights into his film scoring for Manhunter, his career with The Reds, and his recent synth collaboration, Birdhouse Invitational, Cohen showcases his dedication to pushing musical boundaries while staying grounded in authenticity.

Bruce Cohen, we loved discovering you through your latest album, 8 BC. Could you tell us a little more about the creative inner workings and ambitions behind it?

When it was time to work on 8 BC, I decided to try making it a lot different from my previous albums. So, where my other BC albums had a variety of electronic explorations, 8 BC went full ambient. No percussion or drums, making it my most personal endeavor.

There aren’t many artists who can disarm an audience with electronica compositions which are as unsettling as they are cathartic, did this happen organically as you weaved the synth lines into melody?

Everything I do is total improvisation. Nothing is thought out or written down beforehand. All I knew was it would be an ambient project. The music dictates where I go with it. Now, I will say that this year, I had a medical crisis, and I was lucky to be around to see 8 BC finish. So maybe, unconsciously, I was more reflective than I’ve been with my earlier albums. The melodies come to me while improvising, and melody-wise, Miles Davis is a big influence on me. The video for track 3, Dance of The Siren, provides a short glimpse of my creative process. A mini-documentary, if you will.

It’s fascinating to hear your sound evolve through your LPs in an almost linear fashion as though you are marking personal aural epochs; are your motivations and inspirations as in flux as your sound?

Each album is approached differently from the last. The earlier ones were pretty much experimental, but as I went from album to album I got more daring and didn’t worry about the outcome. Also, as I progressed from album to album, I used different synths on each one for inspiration. As I’ve grown as a musician and a human so has each album.

With every album it almost appears that you are travelling through sound in the same vein as someone discovering the world by stamping their passports and finding themselves in the process. Does your writing, composing and producing process feel reflective?

Especially so with 8 BC. My previous albums were approached as if I was recording an album if that makes sense. At the time, I was reflecting on my life, so 8 BC became more of a confessional. Once I got the sound that I wanted, the music just flowed out of me. Each album has been an exciting and strange journey, and I hope when one listens to my music it takes them on their own journey.

With your next album, 9 BC, already in the making, can you give us an inside view into the innovations and expressions you hope to make with this release?

All I can say for 9 BC is I’ll be using synths that I haven’t used before. It’s probably a year away for that one, so who knows what it will become. I have started recording some tracks and 9 BC may even become a continuation of 8 BC. As I mentioned, the music dictates where it will all go.

How have writing scores for theatre productions shaped your solo projects?

Scoring for theater productions helped me with discipline and playing to a scene. Playing in The Reds shaped me the most doing solo work where I was more like an Eno to the rest of the band, especially in the later albums with composing mate, Rick Shaffer. And, of course, working on Manhunter was a great catalyst.

Would you consider scoring the film Manhunter, directed by Michael Mann, the zenith of your film composing career?

It was an amazing time when Rick and I worked on Manhunter.  I think we would agree it was a highlight of our music careers. We both love motion pictures, so scoring for a film was the ultimate experience, especially working so closely with Michael Mann. Actually, working on Manhunter was probably my main inspiration to create solo projects.

You’ve made some massive waves in The Reds, what was the highlight of your career as part of this project, and can you confirm if the rumours are true and there’s a new EP in the works?

Yes, The Reds had some great highlights, but for me, Manhunter was the top one. We recorded half the score in NYC, then the remainder in LA on a scoring stage with Michael Mann.  Mr. Mann has the highest respect for musicians, so you really couldn’t ask for anything better. As far as new releases by The Reds, it’s possible that instrumental tracks Rick and I recorded in between earlier Reds albums may end up being released as an EP. The big hindrance is always Rick and I being able to sync our schedules.

What can your fans expect from your new performance project, Birdhouse Invitational?

Birdhouse Invitational is the brainstorm of Jeff Cain (The Ghostwriters) a great synth player who invited me to play with four other synth players, collaborating in a Philadelphia studio jamming on two pieces. One was producing bird like sounds, and turning them into something musical. The second was an all-out synth jam. Each person had a different synth and playing approach. It was a blast to work on and, hopefully, we’ll do a live performance sometime next year.

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Stream Bruce Cohen’s latest album on Spotify and connect with the artist on X and Instagram.

Interview by Amelia Vandergast

Interview with Finger-Style Guitarist Samaël: Exploring the Ancient Civilizations and Contemporary Acoustic Landscapes in ‘Cascadia’

Posted on 4 September 2024

In this interview, we sit down with finger-style guitarist Samaël to discuss his upcoming LP, Cascadia, set for release on September 5th. Samaël shares the mind-bending concept behind the album, which tells the tale of a lost ancient civilization and its lingering entity which lurks through the modern ages.

We also explore his unique creative process, the challenges of being a solo instrumentalist, and how he’s evolved as a musician since his debut album, Shadow. Samaël reflects on the balance between technical skill and emotional storytelling, offering insights into the future of his music career.

Samaël, welcome to A&R Factory! Thanks for sitting down with us to discuss your upcoming sophomore LP, CASCADIA, which is due for release on September 5th. What’s the concept of the LP, and what kind of sonic world does the album open up to listeners? 

The concept of the LP Cascadia is the storyline of an ancient civilization that we lost a long time ago. I’m not saying that’s a true story. I’m just saying that’s a story that inspired me a lot to write this album; the only remnants left of that civilization is an Entity that roams the earth to this day, trapping modern souls in his grip.

This is the storyline that you’ll be able to see in the music video trilogy; part one came out in July. Part two, The Mask, will come out on August 30. So, basically, this new album is a contemporary solo acoustic album which blends minimalism and metal into a fingerpick style.

Can you walk us through the creative process of composing the pieces?

Sure, so basically, I took a drastically different approach to the last album. I composed on software without the guitar in my hand because I felt at that time that my compositions were getting predictable and that I was starting to be stuck in a mould if you will and I didn’t feel like I had my sound yet.

So, I composed something that was purely off of my ears and I was not limited by what I could do or not do technically on the guitar and so that was a creatively rewarding process. However, the problem is that you have to learn the pieces and the more you get ambitious during the composition phase the harder it is to learn and perform them because they become so weird technically for the physical movements of how to play them if that makes sense

Does being a solo instrumentalist feel isolating at times? 

No, not at all, I played in a band for 10 years in Montreal before embarking fully on my finger-full project. There are positives and negatives of being in a band and being a solo musician but what I specifically love about being a solo artist is the independence, autonomy, and full control I have over the creative process. However, solo projects can often feel like a mountain of work that I have to scale alone, but apart from that, I like it, I like his approach.

What other challenges does being a solo artist present? 

I think for me the biggest challenge is what I just hinted at. It’s trying to manage the musical project as a label would as best you can. I compose the music, learn the pieces and practice them to perform live – it can be a lot! I also promote the shows, run marketing campaigns, manage my social media pages, and reach out to publications, so it’s difficult to make sure I don’t forget anything and I am giving myself the best chance possible.

You’ve got an incredibly intricate guitar style, how immense is the pressure to execute each composition flawlessly while playing live? 

Thank you. The pressure was at its highest when I started playing live solo shows. I have played in bands for years, but anyone who has played solo knows that playing in a band and playing by yourself is a whole different experience on stage and you feel you really feel naked. If you’re playing in a band and you make a small mistake on guitar often it does not show, it’s not obvious to the crowd because there are other instruments in the mix, but when I’m by myself, every little detail is heard and missed notes can’t be forgiven. That kind of pressure forces you to really up your game, but I have been doing this for several years at this point so I would say that I am reaching a point of confidence.

Who are your main influences as a guitarist and composer? 

I have a lot to name, but the first artist that pops to mind is Erik; I will be getting the chance to play a concert this summer with him and Antoine Fool as a trio. His music made a huge impact on me years ago; he taught me that sometimes there’s a visual dimension to the music.

As a composer, it’s easy to get carried away with technical aspects, and I speak from personal experience. When I was younger, I often found myself focusing too much on the visual or technical side of things, rather than the core reason we create music—the sound, the emotion, and the story it conveys. I remember hearing a piece for the first time and realising that the musician wasn’t trying to show off his technical prowess, even though he was incredibly skilled. Instead, he was focused on communicating a story with deep emotion through his guitar. That had a profound impact on me. It taught me that sometimes the simplest actions, like playing just two notes, can be more powerful than any technical display. The key is not letting your ego interfere with your creative process.

Your debut album, Shadow, was released in 2018, how have you spent the years between your two LPs? 

Well, Cask took a lot longer to finish than I had anticipated so that definitely took a lot of time but since 2018 a lot has happened since then, when I finished my master’s in musicology in Montreal, I moved back to where I come from in New Brunswick and started working at a music school there; that was my first real experience in the job market after being a full-time student. I also took a lot of time to try to own certain skills that I felt were lacking like, for example, music recording, video editing, and other skills which are really important for a self-employed musician.

What else does the future have in store for Samaël? 

Well, I have several things in mind, I will see how things unfold but just to give you a little glimpse, there won’t be another solo finger-style album in the future. But as I mentioned earlier, I got carried away in the composition process, and when it came to time to learn those pieces it was clear that we needed to retreat to actually learn them because there’s so much going on in the music just for one person. Apart from that, I’d like to start another album with some other artists.

Stream the official video for Samaël’s latest single on YouTube.

Follow Samaël on Facebook, Instagram & TikTok.

Interview by Amelia Vandergast

Jeff Goldsmith – Before Dawn: Stillness in Electronic Neo-Classic Motion

Posted on 2 September 2024
This Beast by Jeff Goldsmith

Ahead of the release of his This Beast EP, the award-winning Minneapolis film composer and sound designer, Jeff Goldsmith teased the reflective ambience to come with the unveiling of ‘Before Dawn’.

The instrumental score captures the beauty of the stillness before dawn breaks and the humdrum of modernity unfurls. The electronic synthetics reverberate around the softly plaintive keys which keep the momentum quiescently pushing forward through the layers of ethereal reverb which border on ominous as the single progresses reaches a subtle crescendo.

The track then winds back down through an installation of artfully composed neo-classic trip-hop, exhibiting Jeff Goldsmith’s versatility as a musician and engineer. His ability to beguile through electronic sound design fused with treated samples and evocative acoustic instrumentation has earned him several accolades in the industry.

When he’s not composing for the airwaves, he’s scoring soundtracks for horror and thriller films. His most recent project, This Beast, may be a departure from his industrial leanings, but for the sonic sanctuary it delivers, it is more than worth your attention.

Stream and purchase Before Dawn on Bandcamp now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Barry Slorridge – Why? Avant-Garde Whovian Electronica

Posted on 21 August 2024

Any artist who uses the vocalisations of an existential Dalek in their tracks is an icon in our book, and that’s just the tip of the ingenuity iceberg in Barry Slorridge’s slice of Whovian avant-garde electronica.

With Why? the UK-based composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist didn’t use his Bachelor’s Degree in Classical Composition by any conventional means; instead, he chose to score his cultivated composition chops into an installation of delicious discordance which reminisces with nuances of The Beatles and Kraftwerk.

The synth lines carry echoes of The Phobophobes, introducing a dark, reflective undertone, interwoven with kaleidoscopic effects, allowing distorted waves of psychedelia to cascade through the music. Meanwhile, sweet psych-pop harmonies offer a stark contrast to the monotonal menace of the Dalek samples.

The track epitomises revolutionary art, achieving a rare feat—it unsettles those comfortably ensconced in their auditory preferences while providing solace to those who find beauty in the bizarre. Once Slorridge finds his niche, he will be an unreckonable force in the alt-electronica scene; his ability to orchestrate sensory experiences which bend the mind and electrify the pulses is unparalleled.

Why? was officially released on August 5th; stream the single on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tact rendered ‘Catharsis’ in their neo-classic homage to human resilience

Posted on 15 July 2024

Tact, led by the visionary Franco Tartaglia, has earned a revered reputation for kindling their compositions with heightened emotion since their 2009 formation. With their latest jazz-infused neo-classic soundtrack, Catharsis, they reached the pinnacle of evocative poignancy while celebrating the resilience of the human spirit.

Ensuing from a diaphanously ornate feat of cultivated ambience, the instrumental arrangement, as suggested by its name, leads the listener over the brink of emotional release through a strikingly thematic crescendo of jazz-instilled rhythmic complexity.

Leading up to the crescendo, the delicate touch of minor key piano notes hit deep, stirring the senses before the addition of fluid, finger-picked classical guitars injects palpable warmth into the piece. Wordlessly, the piece reflects the often-overlooked beauty within humanity; our ability to physically, psychologically, and spiritually endure atrocity in the tumultuous human experience and take it within our stride.

Catharsis stands as a vibrant testament to the band’s journey and evolution; recorded at Temple Studios and accompanied by a film crafted by Kenneth Scicluna and Klara Vassallo, the release is the ultimate homage to inner strength and dignity.

Stream the official video for Catharsis on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Didier Recloux painted what it means to be human in an inhumane world in his cinematic score, First Walk

Posted on 21 April 2024

Didier Recloux’s single, First Walk, from the album Monsieur Linh and His Child, submerges listeners into a sombre, war-torn universe, showcasing humanity’s struggle against unimaginable atrocities. This profound composition, hailing from a Belgian-born composer with roots deeply embedded in a rich musical lineage, speaks to the resilience and spirit of the human condition.

A veteran of various musical influences—from the progressive rock echoes of Maurice Jarre to the iconic cinematic scores of Ennio Morricone—Recloux’s work reflects a diverse palette of sounds and emotions. Having mastered multiple instruments and the art of orchestration, his compositions carry a unique signature that resonates with the mind, body and soul.

First Walk itself is a poignant reminder of this versatility. The orchestral arrangement, carefully cultivated under the tutelage of experts across continents, delicately weaves a tapestry of humanistic progressions that evoke deep emotional responses. The dual essence of purity and torment reverberates through the very core of the release, engaging the listener in a deeply immersive cinematic experience.

The crescendos, striking in their clarity and impact, build a pensive atmosphere that transcends mere auditory experience; they demand contemplation of what it truly means to endure in an inhumane landscape.

Stream the official music video for First Walk on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

An aura of introspection resounds through Alexander Grenville’s neo-classic piano score, Fragile

Posted on 10 April 2024

Alexander Grenville echoed the beauty of fragility through his standout neo-classical composition, Fragile, which carries a touch of the introspective flair of Nils Frahm and the cinematic scope of Ramin Djawdi’s Westworld scores.

Known for the contemplative character of his evocative work, the English musician excels in allowing technically explorative pieces to resound as fragments of deeply personal reflections. In Fragile, the open space between the piano keys becomes an ethereal terrain as the brief quiescent interludes become as integral to the piece as the piano keys he strikes with gentle intuitive tenacity.

The synthesis of mournful repose and lively exploration culminates in a deeply profound aural experience which speaks of the composer’s close relationship with his muse. Drawing inspiration from Ludovico Einaudi, Ola Gjeilo, Erik Satie, and folk artists in the vein of Karine Polwart, Alexander Grenville’s sonic signature is more akin to an eloquent calligraphy; one that distinctively scribes through the mind delivering cathartic solace and inviting you to look at the world through a more introspective lens.

Fragile is available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Robert Prester & Adriana Samargia gave jazz a sophisticated edge with ‘Altar Ego’

Posted on 2 April 2024

Two major talents collided for the creation of the superlatively cultivated jazz-pop score, Altar Ego; with Robert Prester in deft charge of composition, lyrics and piano & Adriana Samargia lending her cinematic vocal timbre to the number, it unravelled as a standing ovation-worthy triumph.

Sophistication spills from every note in the sublime, bordering on baroque, score which exhibits Robert Prester’s virtuosic flair when his hands find harmony over piano keys while Adriana Samargia’s vibrant-with-zeal contribution to the single infuses Altar Ego with swathes of commercial appeal. With a voice which wouldn’t be out of place on Broadway, Adriana was the perfect fit to add even more vigour to this exhilaratingly distinctive number.

Stream the official music video for Altar Ego on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Supernova Goldfish narrated ‘Forgotten Love Stories’ in his orchestral score

Posted on 2 March 2024

Supernova Goldfish’s latest standout composition, Forgotten Love Stories, the opening single from the album Beautiful World, is a poignant exploration of the soul’s emotional depths. Alexis Walter Blaess, the Argentine-American composer behind the Supernova Goldfish moniker used the delicately compelling piece to capture experiences of Earth; not solely through a humanist view, but a deeply naturalistic one, by removing any sense of ego from the narrative.

The piece begins with tender piano keys, their softness mirrored by the gentle caress of orchestral strings. This introduction sets a tone of introspection, inviting listeners into a world where emotions are heard and felt. As the narrative unfolds, the tempo quickens, echoing the exhilaration and loss of inhibition which comes as a courtesy of affection.

Blaess, drawing inspiration from pianists like George Winston and film composers such as Dustin O’Halloran, crafted an intimately affecting composition through heart-stirring violins and a contemporary orchestra with an exotic vibe, adding layers of complexity to the piece.

The climax of the composition is a masterful depiction of the strife and wounds inherent in love and war. The music swells, capturing the intensity of these emotions before gradually resolving into a reflective calm, leaving listeners with a sense of catharsis. Blaess’s ability to convey moods and emotions through melodies is evident in every note.

Forgotten Love Stories will be available to stream on all major platforms from March 1st; stream it on SoundCloud first.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Stelios Kyriakidis created a passport to ‘Copenhagen’ in his seminal ambient classical guitar composition.

Posted on 17 January 2024

Stelios Kyriakidis staked his claim as one of the most evocative neo-classical guitar composers of his generation upon the unveiling of his debut album, 508 Days. The opening single, Copenhagen, pays a fitting ode to the titular destination; each note, a breath taken at the profoundly inspiring scenery, a moment stolen within the rich culture, a step taken through the enriching streets.

The serenity within the instrumental soundscape constructed by the London-based Greek guitarist and composer echoes his influence of neoclassical, folk and film music elements. If the soundtrack to the film Her made an ever-lasting impression on you, expect the very same affecting experience from Stelios’ intimately composed score which undoubtedly resounds as well in a live performance as it does on record. The connection he feels to the guitar in hand is comforting throughout, echoing his own familiar and fond acquaintance with the instrument he uses to make highly visual mirages from melodies.

Prior to the release of 508 days, Stelios Kyriakidis performed in prestigious venues globally and has been featured by BBC Radio London, The Music Dances When You Sleep, and the Minor7th. Since releasing Copenhagen, the single entered the iTunes Classical Charts at no.34. We can’t wait to see where he takes his sound next.

Visit Copenhagen via Spotify and explore the rest of Stelios Kyriakidis’ debut LP,

Review by Amelia Vandergast