Presenting ... Rex Gentium (waag_aa003) by Scott Lawlor ... Ambient Advent 2016

Over the last couple of years we’ve feature a series of ambient pieces inspired by and intended for the period of Advent … four pieces for the four Sundays in the month or so before Christmas. This year it was Scott Lawyer’s turn but, due to work and other externalities outwith my control, I was unable to upload before now.

Scott’s four pieces were recorded live when he played them, just over a year ago, on stillstream.fm. They are quietly meditative longform pieces that infuse the listener with the most delightful of fragrances, nothing overpowering, just an engaging and, dare I say, entertaining experience that can be instilled with a spiritual significance, like a gentle incense, if that’s your thing.

- Thomas

Waiting is not the strong suit of many of us in our hurry-up culture. Everything is urgent. Hope is foreign to people who expect quick relief, cures, and solutions. We struggle to guard Advent jealously because popular culture short-circuits this season of hope: We are tempted to go directly to celebrating Christmas without getting in touch with the part of ourselves that is longing, hoping, and trusting.

The following pieces, written and performed last year on stillstream.fm, are intended to help with your wait, help you take your foot off the accelerator and just be. Christmas Day will come, just don’t let it come too quickly.

- Scott

Thanks to the support of Cousin Silas and Warren Daly … and the wonderful waag community ... I’m proud to be able to offer a 320kbps version of this release for free over on Archive with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for ‘pay what you want’.

Enjoy.

https://archive.org/details/waag-aa003

Presenting ... "Black Saturday (waag_rel084)" by Scott Lawlor

Thomas

I was deeply intrigued when Scott first pitched his idea for an Easter-themed album earlier in the year … especially considering the darker subject and proposed sound … I was not disappointed. This album is a melancholic delight … one that is perfect for the dark day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

A 320kbps version of this release will be available over on Archive for free with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for ‘pay what you want’ which does include ‘free’. If you decide to download this album here for free, and you can with our best wishes, then all we ask is that you please tell people about it.

Tx

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Scott

This is my interpretation of the legend that Jesus descended into hell during his burial after the crucifixion. This album is a much darker sequel to last year's "Seven Last Words" which was a more meditative approach to the pronouncements made from the cross during the crucifixion itself.

For further reading on the subject matter:

https://vox-nova.com/2012/02/03/descended-to-the-dead-or-descended-into-hell/

Special thanks goes to Wings of an Angel for a superb mastering job.

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https://archive.org/details/waag_rel084

Presenting ... LOOKING BACK moving forward VOL.001

LOOKING BACK moving forward VOL.001 features new music from Cousin Silas, Kevin Lyons, David Gerard, and Brother Saturn; tracks that will either appear on new releases in 2016 or are exclusive to this compilation.

As with last year’s compilation, there will be a small charge for the music featured during the month of January. All proceeds will be donated to HOSPICE UK, a charity based in the UK that supports the development of hospice care in the UK and internationally.

weareallghosts is my main side-project and something I do for the love of it. My main employment is as a Senior Business Analyst in Glasgow, Scotland; my employer actively and generously supports HOSPICE UK and doubles any donation made by her staff - by paying for this album (22p per track) we will hopefully be able to raise some money for a really great cause and give a little good back into the world.

The album will not be available on Archive although you will be able to stream it on Soundcloud.

My sincere thanks to everyone who released their music on weareallghosts in 2015 … and to Cousin Silas and Kevin Lyons for helping me choose the tracks featured.

Here’s to 2016 … we will feature some new names along with all the old favourites this year. I hope you enjoy what’s to come as much as I do!

Tx



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Tracklisting
01. Cousin Silas - Berlin Evenings (edit) 06:11
02. Cousin Silas - Dronescape 028 edit with guitar 20:16
03. David Gerard - Hypnotique 18:14
04. Symatic Star & String Theories - Compressionism (Symatic Star & Stephen Briggs) 11:32
05. Cousin Silas & Kevin Lyons - The Desolation 11:14
06. Kevin Lyons - Learning to Let Go 07:24
07. Cousin Silas - Dronescape 002 edit with guitar 04:28
08. Symatic Star & String Theories - Yearning (Symatic Star & Cousin Silas) 09:19
09. Brother Saturn - Beacons 14:14
10. Cousin Silas - Returning to Dust (January 1974) 07:13
11. Matthew VandeBrook - Metempsychosis 04:20
12. Cousin Silas - Tim Jones - Kevin Lyons - Narcoleptic Summer 05:24
13. Cousin Silas - Dronescape 030 edit with guitar 11:26
14. Cousin Silas - Further East 07:22
15. Brother Saturn - Snowdrift 04:14
16. Scott Lawlor and The Gateless Gate - Lemurian Shores- (a) Pleasure Garden (b) Temple 16:08
17. Cousin Silas & Kevin Lyons - The Backstreets Of Marsport Ain’t No Place For Tourists 04:56
18. Kevin Lyons - Dark Flow 05:16
19. Cousin Silas & David Gerard - Bagatelle for Harp and Orchestra 03:54
20. Brother Saturn - I’ve Never Felt This Way Before 06:41
21. Cousin Silas - Tim Jones - Kevin Lyons - Radio Dunwich 07:22
22. Cousin Silas - The Other Jezebel 04:09
23. Cousin Silas - Old Tin Hat 04:39

+

a bonus track from Gurdonark: "Constellation Blackbird"

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Presenting ... "Ancient Ocean (waag_rel071)" by Scott Lawlor and The Gateless Gate

"Ancient Ocean (waag_rel071)" is a collaboration between versatile ambient musician Scott Lawlor and neo-Krautrock/kosmische act The Gateless Gate (or one half of it, Allister Thompson). Scott’s drones for this piece strongly suggested the ebb and flow of the ocean. However, making yet another oceanic ambient album wasn’t satisfying, so Allister came up with the concept of a primordial ocean, millions of years before the dawn of man. This opened up the door to all sorts of progressive rock influences creeping in, like Pink Floyd and Tangerine Dream.

The first two tracks dive deep into the darkness of this ocean, with choral sounds and organs, as well as guitar mimicking the cries of undersea monsters, playing over Scott’s layered drones and subtle chord and tonal changes, before building up into a space-rock guitar freakout (or two). Allister dedicates his playing on these two tracks to the legendary Dave Brock of Hawkwind, the king of space-rock guitar.

“Lemurian Shores” envisions the mysterious coastal environments of a lost ancient civilization, while “The Deep Ones Call” is a tribute to the maritime mythos of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, being based particularly on imagery from the novella The Shadow Over Innsmouth.

The artists really enjoyed this collaboration and hope that it will be the first of many.

A 320kbps version of this release is available over on Archive for free with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for ‘pay what you want’ which does include ‘free’. If you decide to download this album here for free, and you can with our best wishes, then all we ask is that you please tell people about it.

Tx

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Credits
Scott Lawlor: synth drones, chords and textures
The Gateless Gate: synth, organ, guitar, mellotron and percussion sounds, voices
Allister Thompson: Liner Notes & Cover Design

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Archive: https://archive.org/details/waag_rel071

Presenting ... “Seven Last Words (waag_rel066)” by Scott Lawlor

Easter is, for some, a period of contemplation; a time for stepping back and reflecting on life, love, death, and resurrection.  Whether you observe the Christian faith or not, this time, this Easter time, is precious: from death comes new life, the work is finished, the circle is complete.

“Seven Last Words” by Scott Lawlor is a release that will aid you in this deliberation. It will help you to step away from the busyness of today and give you space to ponder the deepest of mysteries, whatever they are to you. It is a journey that takes its inspiration from the words recorded as spoken by the Christ during His passion; a journey that considers love, loss and redemption;

Whether you are an adherent or not, time out is beneficial. I hope Scott’s exceptional creation will inspire you.

An MP3 version of this album is available for free on Archive or a lossless version available on Bandcamp for ‘pay what you want’ which does include £0 … and remember, paying supporters on Bandcamp also get unlimited mobile access to the album using the free Bandcamp listening app.

If you do decide to download this album for free then all we ask in return is that you tell your friends, tweet a link or post it on Facebook, write a review and spread the word.

- Tx



https://archive.org/details/waag_rel066

Presenting ... drone​​.​​excursion​​.​​006 (waag_dex006) by Scott Lawlor

“Let no two drones be alike must be Scott's motto....at least thus far. Each drone excursion is markedly different from all others.”

So says Brian Bourassa in a comment on Bandcamp. I cannot agree more and with the belated 6th instalment in his drone.excursion series, Scott Lawlor proves, if proof be really needed, this point.

“Unquiet Spirits Crossing the Rubicon” is a deeply immersive, full-on longform piece; one that paints mind-pictures of wide, desolate spaces interspersed with the Cyclopean architecture of another age.

An MP3 version of this album is available for free on Archive or a lossless version available on Bandcamp for 'pay what you want' which does include £0.

If you do decide to download this album for free then all we ask in return is that you tell your friends, tweet a link or post it on Facebook, write a review and spread the word.

I hope you will enjoy drone.excursion.006 as much as I have.

- Tx

https://archive.org/details/waag_dex006

Presenting ... drone.excursion.005 (waag_dex005) by Scott Lawlor

I hope you enjoyed last week's instalment in Scott Lawlor's ongoing journey into post-sixty minute soundscapes?

Due to some movement in the waag schedule, I am proud to present
"drone.excursion.005 (waag_dex005) aka 'quiet passage'" for your listening please.

Scott's 5th drone in his drone.excursion series is another enjoyable longform drone, one that brings a degree of subtly to the table. This is a low key, melancholic soundscape ... one for late nights or for moments of deep contemplation.

I really do hope you will enjoy it as much as I have ... I found it a worthwhile journey to take.

An MP3 version of this piece is available for free on Archive or a lossless version available on Bandcamp for 'pay what you want' which does include £0 ... and remember, paying supporters on Bandcamp also get unlimited mobile access to the album using the free Bandcamp listening app.

If you do decide to download this piece for free then all we ask in return is that you tell your friends, tweet a link or post it on Facebook, write a review and spread the word.

- Thomas



https://archive.org/details/waag_dex005

Presenting ... drone.excursion.004 (waag_dex004) by Scott Lawlor

Scott Lawlor continues on his journey into post-sixty minute soundscapes with the fourth in his drone.excursion series.

drone.excursion.004 (waag_dex004) aka 'harmonic convergence' is a delightful drone that builds in significance in the listener's consciousness. There is a slow evolution in the chords used over the 72 minute duration that together feeds the mind and provides space for contemplation and flow.

drone.excursion.004 (waag_dex004) is another enjoyable longform drone from Scott and I really do hope you will enjoy it as much as I have ... I found it a worthwhile journey to take.

An MP3 version of this piece is available for free on Archive or a lossless version available on Bandcamp for 'pay what you want' which does include £0 ... and remember, paying supporters on Bandcamp also get unlimited mobile access to the album using the free Bandcamp listening app.

If you do decide to download this piece for free then all we ask in return is that you tell your friends, tweet a link or post it on Facebook, write a review and spread the word.

- Thomas



https://archive.org/details/waag_dex004

Presenting ... drone.excursion.003 (waag_dex003) aka 'uncertainty of suspense' by Scott Lawlor

Scott Lawlor continues on his journey into post-sixty minute soundscapes with the third in his drone.excursion series.

drone.excursion.003 (waag_dex003) aka 'uncertainty of suspense' is a fluid piece ... one that has a sense of movement while retaining an impression of artifice and of the man-made, like it's predecessor.

drone.excursion.003 (waag_dex003) is another delightful longform drone from Scott and I really do hope you will enjoy it as much as I have ... I found it a worthwhile journey to take.

An MP3 version of this piece is available for free on Archive or a lossless version available on Bandcamp for 'pay what you want' which does include £0 ... and remember, paying supporters on Bandcamp also get unlimited mobile access to the album using the free Bandcamp listening app.

If you do decide to download this piece for free then all we ask in return is that you tell your friends, tweet a link or post it on Facebook, write a review and spread the word.

- Thomas


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https://archive.org/details/waag_dex003

Presenting ... "drone.excursion.002 (waag_dex002)" by Scott Lawlor

In case you missed it last month ... Scott Lawlor has been inspired by the work of Cousin Silas and is going on his own journey into post-sixty minute soundscapes. He intends to producing a series of these drone.excursion longform pieces and I am proud to support him with this endeavour.

drone.excursion.002 (waag_dex002) aka 'Into the Industrial Complex' is a subtler piece ... less dissonant than the first drone.excursion whilst still retaining the sense of movement that was conveyed by it's predecessor. It gives the impression of artifice ... of the man-made ... and yet is no less relaxing.

drone.excursion.002 (waag_dex002) is really rather a delightful longform drone and I really do hope you will enjoy it as much as I have.

An MP3 version of this piece is available for free on Archive or a lossless version available on Bandcamp for 'pay what you want' which does include £0 ... and remember, paying supporters on Bandcamp also get unlimited mobile access to the album using the free Bandcamp listening app.

If you do decide to download this piece for free then all we ask in return is that you tell your friends, tweet a link or post it on Facebook, write a review and spread the word.

- Thomas



https://archive.org/details/waag_dex002

Presenting ... "drone.excursion.001 (waag_dex001)" aka 'the choral drone' by Scott Lawlor

I have a lot of love for Scott Lawlor's music and was delighted to be approached by him to release his 'drone.excursion' series of longform drones.

Inspired by the work of Cousin Silas, Lawlor is going on his own journey into post-sixty minute soundscapes ... and I am proud to support him in this endeavour.

drone.excursion.001 (waag_dex001) aka 'the choral drone' is an intense vocal-orientated piece that reminds me of György Ligeti's "Atmospheres", a piece that is famous for being featured in Kubrick's '2001: A Space Odyssey'.

On the Wikipedia page for "Atmospheres", reference is made to a comment Harold Kaufman made about the piece:

"Music collapses foreground and background elements of musical structure into a 'magma of evolving sound'". 

I believe this to be also true of the work Lawlor has achieved with drone.excursion.001 (waag_dex001) ... is a rich, intense piece that envelopes the listener with a sense of timelessness and rewards with repeated listens.

I really do hope you will enjoy this piece as much as I have.

An MP3 version of this piece is available for free on Archive or a lossless version available on Bandcamp for 'pay what you want' which does include £0 ... and remember, paying supporters on Bandcamp also get unlimited mobile access to the album using the free Bandcamp listening app.

If you do decide to download this piece for free then all we ask in return is that you tell your friends, tweet a link or post it on Facebook, write a review and spread the word.

- Thomas

https://archive.org/details/waag_dex001

Presenting ... "Abstraction (waag_rel043)" by Scott Lawlor & Earlyguard

I am proud to present "Abstraction (waag_rel043)" ... 45 minutes of longform ambient joy.

I have a lot of love for the music of both Scott Lawlor and Earlyguard, so you can imagine I was very quick to respond in the positive when I was approached about releasing a collaboration that they had in the works ... I didn't think it would be as good as "Abstraction" is.

This is music for both the head and the heart, a late-night hit of somatic bliss that, in equal measure, inspires and comforts.

I hope you will enjoy this piece as much as I have.

An MP3 version of this album is available for free on Archive or a lossless version available on Bandcamp for 'pay what you want' which does include £0 ... and remember, paying supporters on Bandcamp also get unlimited mobile access to the album using the free Bandcamp listening app.

If you do decide to download this album for free then all we ask in return is that you tell your friends, tweet a link or post it on Facebook, write a review and spread the word.

- Thomas


Credits
Released 10 February 2014
Music by Scott Lawlor & Earlyguard
Design by Earlyguard
Logistics by Thomas Mathie




https://archive.org/details/waag_rel043

Presenting ... "The Space Between The Leaves / Meadows of Summer (waag_rel035)" by Scott Lawlor

Scott Lawlor is a tremendous supporter of weareallghosts, playing our music on his show on stillstream. He is part of the waag familia  and I am proud to present two longish ambient drones from him.

"The Space Between The Leaves" - is the first in a series of longer-form drones called "The Space Between" ... this is an ongoing project from Scott and I hope to bring you further instalments in the future.

"...The Leaves" is a darker, noisier drone that almost overwhelms but ultimately rewards the listener with an immersive experience.

"Meadows In Summer" is a lighter longer-form piece with a haunting and rather surprising ending which I found an utter delight when I first heard it.

An MP3 version of this album is available for free on Archive or a lossless version available on Bandcamp for 'pay what you want' which does include £0 (albeit paying supporters also get unlimited mobile access using the free Bandcamp listening app).

Tx



https://archive.org/details/waag_rel035

Presenting ... "Like a pelican of the wilderness (waag_rel024)" by Scott Lawlor

My sincere apologies to Scott for not posting this sooner ... but life got in the way last night with our washing machine packing in.

That aside ... this is a cracking longform ambient soundscape ... a real belter from Mr Lawlor and I am proud to have it within the waag canon.

Here's what I had to say over the weekend:

Sometimes only a longform ambient drone will do. 

This is a thought that I regularly have when I need to be in *the* zone … the special place that I visit when I need to get deep and concentrate.

I am blessed at weareallghosts to have so many options for a soundtrack to this special place … and I am proud to add - "like a pelican of the wilderness" from Scott Lawlor - to my arsenal. 

It is an utterly beautiful piece … full of light. It is the soundscape for a truly open space. There is, however, an air of mystery … a sense of the unknown that underpins this space.

Think Dyer and Danforth as they scale the heights of those mountains in H.P. Lovecraft's seminal classic … "At the Mountains of Madness" … and arrive at that cyclopean city in the sky ... and you'll get what I mean. 

I love it. It makes my heart sing and brings me the sense of contentment I need to achieve and maintain focus ... and I am grateful to Scott for bringing this piece to waag.

As before, a copy of this release will be available as an MP3 for free over on Archive … with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for 'pay what you want'. Have a wee listen below.

Tx


or

http://archive.org/details/waag_rel024

Presenting... "Times Escape (waag_rel016) by Scott Lawlor

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Times Escape was originally recorded between 1996 and 1997 when I lived in the Akron Area of Ohio after years of gigging around playing in coffee houses and being a member of the Very Special Arts group.

My inspirations for the cd range from Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream but especially the sleep concerts of Robert Rich.  I had received one such concert on cassette tape from a friend in the mail and after listening to it while I slept at night, I wanted to try my hand at composing space music.  I had long been a fan of such artists as Jonn Serrie, Tangerine Dream and the like so the Times Escape collection was my first attempt at composing a more ambient flowing work.

I came up with the title after listening to the entire set of tracks because I felt that a sense of time was lost while listening so that title seemed to fit the mood of the music.

It was recorded exclusively on an Ensoniq SQ-1 synthesiser that I had for years and the sequences were recorded to cassette tape.  at the time I didn't know anything about recording audio on the computer so cassette was the way I captured my ideas and songs.  In that regard, the collection has a lost archive feel to it since it was years before I transferred the cassette to a digital format.

I am deeply grateful to Thomas for wanting to release this collection on his internet label and am honoured to be on a roster with so many great artists. I look forward to composing and releasing more music as time allows and I sincerely hope you enjoy the music and it is my hope that you will experience your own journey of the absence of time while listening to Times Escape.

Scott Lawlor

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The collection that is Times Escape (waag_rel016) really does have the lost archive feel that Scott alludes to in his notes above. It spoke to me in a special way when I heard it and I just knew I had to release it. I felt I had uncovered something beautiful and I couldn't keep it to myself. I had to share it.

So here it is: Times Escape (waag_rel016) … an album 17 years in the making. I will say no more for Scott has said it for me, suffice to say, I hope you enjoy this release as much as I do and look out for more music from Scott in the coming months.

As always, an mp3 version of this release will be available on Archive for free (http://archive.org/details/waag_rel016) with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for 'Pay What You Want' ... which does include £0. If you do download it here for free then please, please spread the word & tell your friends. I've embedded the Bandcamp player below for you to have a listen.

Tx

Oh and Scott runs a radio show called "the blind flight" over on MushroomFM (www.mushroomfm.com/theblindflight) … I would heartily recommend you check his show out.