A Christmas Ditty...

There's a new Silas track appearing on BFW Recordings Christmas Album 2010! The Silas track is called December On The Dunes and is unashamedly Ballardian in style, I make no apologies. Anyways, more info on the album and where to download from here: http://www.bfwrecordings.com/releases/Christmas/2010/

I love the way the cover picture of the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas of the human body suggests patterns in the sand.

"I’ve always loved ambient music since I first discovered it (in the 1980s) through the pioneering work of Brian Eno, a musician who I greatly admire. Recently I’ve been introduced to the work of Cousin Silas, partly through my good friend Thomas Mathie (aka @headphonaught). Cousin Silas is not so well known as Brian Eno, but he produces some wonderfully evocative soundscapes. His album Adrift off the Islets of Langerhans is a great introduction to his work and can be downloaded free here! Apart from the music itself, I love the way the cover picture of the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas of the human body suggests patterns in the sand.

John Ager

You know... I learned something tonight. I honestly thought the cover of Adrift off the Islets of Langerhans was patterns in sand. Thanks for the post, John.

I've now added Thomas Mathie (Headphonaught) as the main contributor to the Blog. He's done so much to help and assist. Actually, he more or less runs it!

Featured in :: "Tribute to Gleaners" mixcloud by Clutter

My friend Shaun from Earth Monkey Productions and Clutter has included my track :: A Cathedral Arch of trees, Lincolnshire :: in his latest mixcloud :: Tribute to Gleaners.

According to the blurb...

"A distillation of a DJ set I did in support of Gleaners - http://gleanersarchive.wordpress.com/... at Lanternhouse in Ulverston, December 2010 as part of Abandon Normal Devices Festival.

The mix also features field recordings by Clutter."

Thanks Shaun! I've embedded it below if you fancy a listen.

Tribute To Gleaners (Dj Set - December 2010) by Clutter on Mixcloud

Featured ib :: alight here vol.0005 ...in celebration of cousin silas by headphonaught

My dear friend Thomas Mathie aka Headphonaught has dedicated one of his mixcasts to my music.

When he floated the idea passed me... I thought I'd give him some previously unreleased tracks to sweeten the mix and thank him for his fab artwork.

So on his mix... and nowhere else... you will find the following tracks:

• Warlock Hill (original version)
• Engines Of Solitude
• M. R. James (The Ghost Of)
• Sunrise Behind Strange Hills
• Nightside
• Cara Paints no3

Thanks Thomas

alight here #0005 - 1hr47mins - 147mb - 192kbps

a couple of reviews...

"A sonic suspense film, UK ambient music artist Cousin Silas’ twelfth album Canaveral Dreams (on the innovative and intriguing Acustronica label) is tremendously captivating and often absolutely creepy. It works best on good headphones, yet it’s equally good as a late-night passout album. The record label calls this stuff “dark Ballardian soundscapes,” a terrific way to describe these minimalist, nebulously cinematic pieces. Lynchian would be another way to characterize the way these soundscapes build and maintain suspense, vividly finding the menace in the mundane.../"

Chilling Soundscapes by Cousin Silas Evoke J.G. Ballard and David Lynch by Lucid Culture

"For me, Cousin Silas‘ brand of ambient music is like comfort food, you know, meat loaf and potatoes, macaroni and cheese, et cetera. It’s not something I want all the time, but when I need that feeling of familiarity, there’s nothing like a nice warm slice of Cousin Silas.../"

Cousin Silas – Adrift off the Islets of Langerhans by Disruptive Platypus

Thank you both for your kind comments.