new album
New album artwork
02/08/13 09:55
Carl at Aleph Studio has excelled himself again with the artwork for the new Darkroom album. More release details soon!
Os, August 2013
Os, August 2013
Unexpected drum recording
09/11/10 20:56
A very long time since the last blog entry - you would be forgiven for thinking that all was quiet here in the Darkroom. No so - things have been chugging along behind the scenes, though slower than usual, mostly due to me devoting a huge amount of my time to recent developments at Expert Sleepers.
Since I last posted, work on the new album has continued, and we also undertook a rather unusual project which has resulted in a single release and couple of videos - more on that later.
Here I wanted to post some photos of a recent recording session for the new album. Until a few weeks ago it was a thoroughly electronic affair, but after putting together the almost-final sequence of the album we decided that two tracks (the first and the last, oddly) needed some ‘real drums’. So we roped in long-time Improvizone collaborator (and Some Of These Numbers Mean Something contributor) Andrew Booker for a recording session at London’s Bally Studios.
The Flickr set is here.
Andy was playing his beautifully refurbished 60’s Ludwig kit.
Microphones used: Rode NT-2-A, Rode NT-1, Yoga BM-38 PZM, AKG C1000, Audio Technica AT4033a
Recorded through my trusty Metric Halo Mobile I/O 2882.
Os, November 2010
Since I last posted, work on the new album has continued, and we also undertook a rather unusual project which has resulted in a single release and couple of videos - more on that later.
Here I wanted to post some photos of a recent recording session for the new album. Until a few weeks ago it was a thoroughly electronic affair, but after putting together the almost-final sequence of the album we decided that two tracks (the first and the last, oddly) needed some ‘real drums’. So we roped in long-time Improvizone collaborator (and Some Of These Numbers Mean Something contributor) Andrew Booker for a recording session at London’s Bally Studios.
The Flickr set is here.
Andy was playing his beautifully refurbished 60’s Ludwig kit.
Microphones used: Rode NT-2-A, Rode NT-1, Yoga BM-38 PZM, AKG C1000, Audio Technica AT4033a
Recorded through my trusty Metric Halo Mobile I/O 2882.
Os, November 2010
New album progress
27/01/10 20:18
The new Darkroom album is progressing well. The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed that my last.fm profile shows me listening to some cryptically named Darkroom tracks in various orders over the last few days - that’s me trying to get the play order right. I think I’ve nailed it.
It should be said that Mike hasn’t heard much of this yet, so it could be all back to the drawing board soon.
But I like it.
Os, January 2010
It should be said that Mike hasn’t heard much of this yet, so it could be all back to the drawing board soon.
But I like it.
Os, January 2010
SOTNMS now released
05/10/08 17:18
You can order the CD from Burning Shed, or buy the download from most online retailers e.g. iTunes.
os, Oct 2008
New album now available for pre-order
09/09/08 08:01
Some Of These Numbers Mean Something is now available for pre-order from the Burning Shed online shop. Buy now while stocks last!
os, Sept 2008
os, Sept 2008
Some Of These Numbers Mean Something
03/09/08 16:18
So here it is - the new album. Entitled "Some Of These Numbers Mean Something", it's 9 tracks of guitary synthy goodness.
Release date is 3rd October 2008, and with any luck you'll be able to pre-order it before then.
From the press release:
Darkroom's new album - Some Of These Numbers Mean Something - is their 8th to date, and marks the 10th anniversary of their first (Daylight) released by 3rd Stone in 1998.
The original brief for the new album was: guitar under a microscope.
In places it's the heaviest Darkroom album yet, but also the most accessible, combining 70s space rock, 80s Sheffield electronica, 60s guitar instrumentals and 90s post rock.
Mixing classic synthesizer & guitar tones with contemporary post-production,
this album combines improvisation with carefully crafted and layered arrangement, and rewards repeated listening.
From Santana & Tangerine Dream to Cocteau Twins & Tortoise: file under ambient stadium rock.
(full text here)
os, Sept 2008
Release date is 3rd October 2008, and with any luck you'll be able to pre-order it before then.
From the press release:
Darkroom's new album - Some Of These Numbers Mean Something - is their 8th to date, and marks the 10th anniversary of their first (Daylight) released by 3rd Stone in 1998.
The original brief for the new album was: guitar under a microscope.
In places it's the heaviest Darkroom album yet, but also the most accessible, combining 70s space rock, 80s Sheffield electronica, 60s guitar instrumentals and 90s post rock.
Mixing classic synthesizer & guitar tones with contemporary post-production,
this album combines improvisation with carefully crafted and layered arrangement, and rewards repeated listening.
From Santana & Tangerine Dream to Cocteau Twins & Tortoise: file under ambient stadium rock.
(full text here)
os, Sept 2008
New album - more progress
23/08/08 17:42
The lack of updates here belies the behind-the-scenes goings-on here in Darkroom-land. It's been mastered by a big name mastering guy (more on that experience from Mike at some point), we've got a great sleeve from our good friend Carl at Aleph Studio, and it's been sent off for manufacturing.
Expect to hear release details soon. It'll be available from Burning Shed initially, and in digital form somewhat later. I heartily encourage all to buy a physical copy from Burning Shed, so you can appreciate the majesty of the fold-out CD booklet.
os, August 2008
Expect to hear release details soon. It'll be available from Burning Shed initially, and in digital form somewhat later. I heartily encourage all to buy a physical copy from Burning Shed, so you can appreciate the majesty of the fold-out CD booklet.
os, August 2008
New album progress
14/07/08 20:53
Some news on the new Darkroom album - it's nearly done! The track listing is finalised (there are 9 tracks - two sides of 4 tracks each, with an 'intermission'), and the tracks are all named. On Thursday it's being professionally mastered - a first for a Darkroom album - and then we need to see about some cover art and getting the thing made. From which you'll gather that we're not throwing in the towel on physical delivery of music just yet. (I still buy CDs myself, so I feel other people must do too.) This time however we'll be doing our best to get a vaguely simultaneous release on iTunes etc.
What's the music like, I hear you ask. Well, it's something of a departure if you know us from recent stuff, like the podcast, or the Fallout series, but recognisably the work of the same people. Only one track on the album would class as 'ambient', which is the first word I've chosen to describe what we do for years. In a way it's back to the song-type music we explored on Seethrough, though obviously without a vocalist this time. The inclusion of a live drummer on several tracks lends it some post-rock accessibility, but I don't think anyone's going to confuse us with Tortoise. The brief for the album was "guitar under the microscope". It's not the album I thought we were going to make, but it took on a life and direction of its own, and I'm very pleased with where it ended up.
We took some new photos too, with a view to using them on the sleeve, or in related publicity material. I quite like this one - we look adequately enigmatic, without looking suicidal or homicidal.
What's the music like, I hear you ask. Well, it's something of a departure if you know us from recent stuff, like the podcast, or the Fallout series, but recognisably the work of the same people. Only one track on the album would class as 'ambient', which is the first word I've chosen to describe what we do for years. In a way it's back to the song-type music we explored on Seethrough, though obviously without a vocalist this time. The inclusion of a live drummer on several tracks lends it some post-rock accessibility, but I don't think anyone's going to confuse us with Tortoise. The brief for the album was "guitar under the microscope". It's not the album I thought we were going to make, but it took on a life and direction of its own, and I'm very pleased with where it ended up.
We took some new photos too, with a view to using them on the sleeve, or in related publicity material. I quite like this one - we look adequately enigmatic, without looking suicidal or homicidal.
os, July 2008