I’ve been working out a new live setup using Automatism on my laptop, a collection of effects pedals and a contact mic’d metal tray + various objects.

I’ve played 3 shows since venues started opening up again. The first was Spirit of Gravity in October, second was with James O’Sullivan as Muster at the 100 Years Gallery in London with the excellent Shark Calmer, and finally at Splitting the Atom in Brighton.

It felt great to be playing live again, and it was good to hear the new setup through a big pa when I’ve been listening to everything on studio monitors and headphones for the last 18 months!

Thats it for 2021. I’ve released 2 albums during the pandemic, re-designed my live set up, and used it 3 times at live shows. Not bad really.

Four walks at Old Chapel got its fair share of attention. It got played on the radio and had a few reviews, all of which were really positive. Including, I think, this one from Blow Up, an Italian music magazine, although I haven’t had a proper translation yet and it does mention Deliveroo so who knows. That is Bob on the cover so I’m in good company.

There was a nice review from Frans de Waard in Vital Weekly

It is a most enjoyable release, of musique concrète proportions, but Powell created something quite playful. It is not about some strict rules of composition, nor does it rely too much on granular synthesis as his more serious peers would do. With Powell’s version we hear the field recordings as they were when committed to tape, we hear the cracking and rubbing upon objects, and we encounter small transformations of this, set in a more performance setting, which adds a delicate live electronics feeling to the music.

Graham Dunning played a track on his show on NTS which I was very pleased about, I had some US college radio play, Radio 3 in Spain layed a track on a late night mix, and I was supported by many friends in the UK, including Spirit of Gravity, Lost Property, and Space is the Place.

_am_ by Muster got a few good reviews and plays and we’ve sold some copies but there are plenty more available. Here’s a review by John Eyles in All About Jazz.

Heard blindfolded, one would not immediately say that the music was produced by two players, as the duo produce a rich soundscape full of variety and interest.

Given the abstract nature of my work I don’t expect lots of plays and reviews, but when I’ve spent a couple of years on a project its good to think that other people will be able to hear it.

Absolutely delighted that the new Muster album is out in the world! _am_ was partly recorded at the excellent Horse Improv Club in 2019, back when we were still able to do gigs, and partly recorded during the pandemic via a series of tape swaps. Paul Khimasia Morgan was kind enough to put it on Slightly Off Kilter as a download, and its also available as a CD in a beautiful hand screen printed sleeve designed and made by Sito Press.

The last track is the Horse recording and was taped live by Saint Austral Sound. The remaining tracks are the product of a distance collaboration during lockdown with each of us submitting an improvised track which the other digested over successive listens before recording a response. The two tracks were then mixed together and edited.

If you would like to buy a copy of the CD follow this link

A while ago I posted about the installation by @c which I contributed some small sounds to. The show was organised as part of Porto based label Crónica’s 15th anniversary and I got a booklet and cassette documenting the exhibition in the post on Wednesday.

There are two more releases coming up. Four walks at Old Chapel is a record of visits to a favourite spot in Wales, and is released on Crónica, They released At Cuckmere and I’m really pleased to be working with them again!

_am_ is the second album by Muster, the duo I formed with guitarist James O’Sullivan, and was during before and during the global pandemic.

This Sunday 10th January at 8pm is the next Splitting the Atom which I’ve been fortunate to have played at many times, and will be streamed on Twitch here https://www.twitch.tv/lostpropertycollective

Lots of good stuff, including Gagarin, Martin Chick, Noiseferatu and my Chris Marker soundtrack film.

Four sets in a week, three on the same night no less. I played at Aural Detritus, two Nil sets sandwiching The Static Memories; then Gus and I collaborating with Ripsaw Catfish at The Scope the following Wednesday. All good, I’ve listened back to the Nil set and it sounded great, more of the ritualistic stuff and less comedy which possibly suited a gallery setting and maybe a new direction for a bit. The collaboration with Ripsaw Catfish I really enjoyed, it was an honour to play with Cath and Anton – and Gus of course – and we got a great reception from the crowd at The Scope.

Phew. It was surprisingly tiring though, I don’t know if it’s the festive season but I haven’t plugged anything in and made a noise for over a week. Me and the girls made a Tin foil rustle (that’s what we called it) which is bits of corrugated tinfoil stuck on a willow whithy and blown or tapped.

Plus, Graham Duff gave The Static Memories an honorable mention in his pick of the top albums of the year Here