Labels
Burning Harpsichord Records | Ash International | The Tapeworm | Mikroton Recordings | Cafe Oto Otoroku | Hundred Years Gallery | verz imprint | Linear Obsessional | and/Oar | Phonography.org | 1834 | Spectral House Records | Ecoli Records | PorkBonEs Records | throat | Bremsstrahlung Recordings | Autumn Leaves Records | State Sanctioned Recordings …
Burning Harpsichord Subscription
Burning Harpsichord Records Archive Subscription includes monthly downloads from a 20+ year long archive of unreleased compositions, installations and improvisations, out of print works, recordings of live performances, demos and alternative versions, videos and other subscriber exclusive content.
You also get 5 downloads from the back catalogue immediately upon subscribing, 20% off physical releases and free downloads of new releases.
Check out the free Subscription Sampler for a preview.
More information Burning Harpsichord Records Subscription
18.4.23
18.4.23 (171) Released August 14th on Cafe Oto’s in-house label OTOROKU.
Featuring solo Moog guitar and electronics recorded live at Atonal Kat’s inaugural event Ear Walkers, Cafe Oto, April 18, 2023.
An enthralling set from Texas-born sound artist and composer, Bill Thompson, recorded at OTO in April 2023 and utilising an oruroborosic setup of guitar and electronics.
From the start, Thompson sets the mood, a melancholy pulse establishing an inexorable momentum, around which he weaves a semi-organic machine chatter evoking Ovalcommers-era Markus Popp, or Jim O’Rourke and Peter Rehberg’s trailblazing laptop forays, in a heavy-lidded, crepuscular reverie.
As the atmosphere builds, splinters of guitar notes emerge from the gloaming, not so much piercing through the fog as expanding it. Gradually the dreamlike opening ambience is singed and scorched, restlessly growing into a searing conflagration; gnarled, charred tones blistering and contorting until they burn themselves out.
Out of the smouldering embers Thompson leads us softly back full circle to the set’s moonstruck beginnings, but this is no longer the place we set out from.
Asarco Towers
Asarco Towers continues the Blackout project initiated in 2020 and released on Ash International:
https://ashinternational.bandcamp.com/album/blackout
The compositions are constructed using material drawn from an archive of sounds collected over a 20 year period; any sounds used in these compositions are permanently removed from the archive, eventually resulting in a ‘blackout’.
Five Improvisations on the Destruction of Opera
Five Improvisations on the Destruction of Opera re-release, Burning Harpsichord Records
Notes to re-release: ‘This was the first CD I ever released (2002) on my label – ecoli records. Back then, my email address was noise@texas.net and I was composing computer based works and writing for instrumentalists as much as I was playing live with electronics and field recordings or doing one off experimental works like this one.
As a student, releasing a CDr was quite expensive back then and this was perhaps the most anti-commercial release I’ve ever done. Essentially I found an old opera record and recorded it straight to minidisc as I slowly destroyed it using found objects, molten candle wax, solder, lighter fluid and fire (obviously) eventually setting the record player alight. All inside my living room no less – yep, that was me in back in the day.
Original notes from ecolirecords (cat. 001) in 2002
‘From the inner sleeve: “Live recordings of opera records being destroyed via molten soldering wire, nails, screws, pennies, hairspray, rubbing alcohol and matches.”
Note – I have decided not to remaster the audio material – it is a straight rip from the original CD. I did change the tracks titles, however, based on the acronym of the CD rather than the original “1, 2, 3” etc.’
Drones, Phases and Alchemy
DRONES, PHASES AND ALCHEMY re-release, Burning Harpsichord Records
Originally released on Brent Fariss’s PorkBonEs label in 2002, this album features four tracks by Clark Crawford and one by myself. My contribution (Mysterium Drone) was performed with a Stratocaster guitar played flat on the ground with a looper and EBow (I hadn’t discovered tables at that point in my career). It was the first time my work as a solo guitarist had been featured on a release and serves as an early precursor to my current work with Moog guitar. Once the original short-run sold out, Crawford hosted the album on his website Cadaocao; he and Fariss have generously allowed me to rerelease it on BHR.
Incidentally, within the BHR catalogue this album has the the largest number of tracks by someone other than myself.
the gates ensemble – 16 october 03 re-release
the gates ensemble – 16 october 03 re-released, March 3rd on Burning Harpsichord Records
The gates ensemble was formed in 2001 to perform my composition Gates and remained together for several years.
This album is one of the few releases documenting our time together. Recorded live at Ballet Austin in Austin, Texas in 2003, it was released on spectral house that same year.
This re-release has been completely remastered from the original source recordings and includes a new bonus track based on the final improvisation (download only).
There are a limited number of the original CDr release available.
Available here.
Reflections (2004)
Reflections (2004) released December 14th on Burning Harpsichord Records.
Based on several weeks recording made in Aberdeen, the installation featured hours of treated and untreated field recordings installed across 6 speakers in the artist led gallery Limousine Bull.
The release is from archival recordings of the original installation, remastered as part of Burning Harpsichord Records subscription service.
A shorter render is available as pay-what-you-like with a longer render also released for £6. Both come free with a paid subscription.
More info available here: Reflections (2004)
And via the newsletter: Burning Harpsichord Records Newsletter
Untitled Bass Piece no 1
Untitled Bass Piece No. 1, Burning Harpsichord Records
Written in 2002 for bassist Brent Fariss, the work is for any number of contrabasses including solo. This release features a multitrack version recorded over several days and mixed by Bill Thompson.
Subscribers receive two bonus tracks: a solo performance recorded live in concert by bassist Thomas Helton and a recorded excerpt from a sound installation version by sound artist Mark Ragsdale.
Available on Burning Harpsichord Records.
October
Burning Harpsichord Records’ seconc subscription release – October is now available to subscribers and purchase on Burning Harpsichord Records.
Considered as a follow up to august/september, October differs in that it was recorded as a single take improvisation and arranged, mixed and mastered over 10 years.
The work explores field recordings, live electronics, deep bass / high frequencies and noisy electronic textures over an expansive 58 minutes.
Featuring Brent Fariss on Moog synthesizer and no-input mixing desj and myself on live electronics and field recordings.
Free for paid BHR subscribers or available for purchase on Burning HarpsichordRecords
august/september Re-release
Burning Harpsichord Records’ first subscription release – august/september – with Brent Fariss.
The album was composed, performed and recorded by Bill Thompson and Brent Fariss in 2006 and features live electronics, field recordings and contrabass. The new release has been completely remastered but otherwise is true to the original.
Additionally a few remaining copies of the original CDr release have been discovered and will be available for purchase.
Available on Burning Harpsichord Records.
Quiet Ascent
Quiet Ascent is the first double Moog guitar album.
Featuring 2 tracks of improvised music by Bill Thompson and Matthew Sansom using Moog guitars only.
Includes bonus download track, In Convergence (48:49) from the live performance at the Ivy Arts Centre, 16 Sept 2016.
Available as a limited edition cassette and download.
Black Earth Tongue (The Tapeworm)
Black Earth Tongue – Limited edition cassette available December 3rd from The Tapeworm.
Solo table top electronics and found objects, 7 tracks (51:51 minutes) based on music composed for In the Making dance ensemble for the production of Mushroom! at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2016.
Available here.
Ocean Into Light (Burning Harpsichord Records)
Ocean Into Light – Solo Moog guitar and electronics, 52 minute composition. The release includes a bonus track from solo Moog and electronics performance at The Old Hairdressers in Glasgow.
Limited edition CD with download. Available as pre-order on Burning Harpsichord Records from January 15th, released on February 12th.
More info here.
Summiting (with Richard Sanderson)
Summiting is a Limited Edition Cassette release on Linear Obsessional Imprint featuring Richard Sanderson and Bill Thompson. The release features three extended duos for amplified melodeon and prepared Moog guitar. Available February.
More info here.
Blackout on Ash International
Blackout is the first release of an extended series in which I retire my composition/improvisation palette. Over the years, it has functioned as a sort of living archive, containing close to 500 sounds from previous works, as well as new ones developed as part of an extended composition and improvisation template. I’ve used this for almost 20 years for all of my pieces.
At a certain point, however, I transitioned away from performing with a laptop. Rather than retire the palette outright I decided to work my way through it one final time. I developed a new template that ‘blacks out’ any sound once it’s been used, and thus permanently retires it from future use.
Blackout, and its two tracks, within and without, are the first works in this series.
More info here.
ruimte
New release with Phil Maguire on the verz imprint. All proceeds go towards supporting Hundred Years Gallery during the shutdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Blue Sun
New release – Blue Sun – with zerøspace (Lucia H Chung, Ian Stonehouse, Bill Thompson) on the Hundred Years Gallery label. All proceeds go towards supporting Hundred Years Gallery during the shutdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Intraspect
Limited Edition Double CD Release:
Mouthful of Silence (2018) [Burning Harpsichord Records]
Mouthful of Air (2019) [Burning Harpsichord Records]
Live at the Brunswick Club, Bristol (2017) [Touch Radio]
Strike/Slip (2014) [Burning Harpsichord Media]
SOLACE (2013) [Burning Harpsichord Media]
SHIFTING CURRENTS (2013) [Mikroton Recordings]
Tripartite Collision/feb 23rd (2006) [state sanctioned]
of memory and dreams (2006) [Seven Things]
august/september: w/ Brent Fariss (2006) [Spectral House]
For untitled (mcalpine) (2005) [bremsstrahlung records]
Out of Print
mcalpine construction site, footdee; Limited release, Autumn Leaves Records (2005)
hogmanay on the north sea; Limited release, Phonography 7, and/Oar (2005)
gates: 16 october 03, (Gates Ensemble) Spectral House (2004)
mu, Spectral House Records (2003)
Five Improvisations on the Destruction of Opera, ecolirecords (2002)
X’mass 99, Limited release, Phonography 2, and/Oar (2002)
gates: first meeting, (Gates Ensemble); Spectral House Records (2001)
homage to the new york school, Spectral House Records (2001)
quartet for cell phones, ecolirecords (1999)
V (five), ecolirecords (1999)
19 one minute pieces, Limited release with several artists, Throat (1999)
Selected Works
Installations
Resonant Fields (2010-2011), sound and video installation (3 TV/DVD players, 7 sound media players) for Testing Trenches Project, Piers Art Gallery, Orkney.
shifting currents (2010), live performance and installation (3 sound media players, 9 speakers, and 3 performers (Keith Rowe, Rick Reed, and Bill Thompson)) for the PRS for New Music Three Festival Commission. Performed at Le Weekend, Stirling; November Music, s’Hetogenbosch; sound, Aberdeen; Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Huddersfield. (Subsequent performance at Goldsmiths Phonography Colloquium with Lucia Chung and Claire M Singer, 2011).
Thainstone Installation (with Claire M Singer) (2009), sound and interactive video installation (two speakers, video projection, computer, joystick), for 24 Fragments (ala Fragmented Orchestra Project), Aberdeen.
nursery songs (2007-08), sound installation (6 sound media players, 12 speakers, dozens of stuffed animals) for Nexus project, Limousine Bull. Exhibited at Limousine Bull Gallery, Aberdeen; Antuireann, Skye; An Tobar, Argyll.
liminal passage (2006), live performance and installation (computer, 4 speakers, mechanical organ, performer – Dr. Roger B Williams), for sound festival, Aberdeen.
HARPSICHORD:BURNING (2006), installation (harpsichord, beach, fire), Footdee, Aberdeen.
resonare/in absentia (2005), sound installation (2 sound media players, 4 speakers) for Marischal Museum, Aberdeen.
of aberdeen (2005), public sound installation (1 sound media player and headphones) for Gangrel Bodies exhibition, Aberdeen.
Field Recordings (2005) (Hogmanay, Country Auction, Reflections), public sound installation (multiple speakers) for SOUNDSCAPEpgh, Pittsburgh.
toward sublimity (2005), sound and video installation (3 sound media players, 9 speakers, video projection) for UrbanNovember’s Oil and the City exhibition, Maritime Museum, Aberdeen.
in/transience (2005), public sound installation (2 sound media players, 4 speakers) for sound festival, Aberdeen at Aberdeen Train Station.
reflection (2004), sound installation (3 sound media players, 6 speakers), for UrbanNovember Atlas of Urban Aberdeen project, Limousine Bull Gallery, Aberdeen
fountain path (2003), public installation (fountain, walkway, contact mics, circuit-bent toys, and stones) for Austin New Music Coop, Austin, Texas.
guitar 1, 2, 3 (with Brent Fariss) (2003), sound installation (3 sound media players, 6 speakers), exhibited at The Loft Series 9, Austin, Texas.
mu (2003), sound installation (3 sound media players, 6 speakers), exhibited at The Loft Series 7, Austin, Texas.
to el paso and back (2002), sound installation (3 sound media players, 6 speakers), exhibited at The Loft Series 1, Austin, Texas; Field Effects 7, San Francisco, California.
homage to the new york school (2003), sound installation (3 sound media players, 6 speakers), exhibited at The Loft Series 3, Austin, Texas.
summer (2000), sound installation (CDDJ x 2, 2 speakers), Austin, Texas.
Ensemble
strata (2016), open instrumentation for one or more players.
gatesUK (2009), open instrumentation for four players (performed by Burkhard Beins, Will Guthrie, Bill Thompson, and Mark Wastell), for Resonant Frequencies Weekend, presented by The Burning Harpsichord Series in partnership with sound festival, Aberdeen.
cairn (2009), prepared bagpipe, accordion, violin, percussion, for Scotland Homecoming event, sound festival and Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeenshire.
construct 1 (2007), mixed percussion and electronics, peformed by The Paella Ensemble, for The Burning Harpsichord Series, Aberdeen.
string quartet no. 1 (2003), performed by the Imbroglio String Quartet), for the Willow Street Concert Series, Austin, Texas.
constellations (2002), open instrumentation, performed by the Austin New Music Coop, 2003), Austin, Texas.
gates (2001), open instrumentation, performed by The Gates Ensemble, Austin, Texas.
crossword piece no. 1 (2000), open instrumentation, preferably large ensemble.
quartet for cell phones (1999-2000), Austin, Texas.
V (1999), found objects for quintet, San Marcos, Texas.
tapu’at (1999), non-standard string quartet (violin, viola, cello, contrabass), San Marcos, Texas.
Duets and Trios
beneath the darkening sea (2015), Organ and electronics, performed by Roger B Williams (organ) and Bill Thompson (live electronics); Sound Festival (2015), Aberdeen, UK.
shifting currents (2010), trio for live electronics and installation, performed by Keith Rowe, Rick Reed, and Bill Thompson, see Installations. [Released on Mikroton Records (2013)]
thainstone (2009), duet with Claire M Singer for live electronics, cello, found objects, for 24 Fragments: Fragmented Orchestra Project, Aberdeen.
tripartite collision (2005), trio for live electronics, video (Adam Proctor), and diffusion (Pete Stollery), Aberdeen. [Released on State Sanctioned Records]
august (2003), duet for live electronics and contrabass, written and performed with Brent Fariss, for The Loft Series 9, Austin, Texas.
september (2003), duet for live electronics and contrabass, written and performed with Brent Fariss, for AMODA Performance Series, Austin, Texas.
Solo Live Electronics/Instrumental/Fixed Media
Residue (2015), table top electronics (laptop, radios, filters, circuit bent devices, electric fans/toothbrushes, light to sound devices etc); Noisefloor Festival, UK.
solace (2012); table top electronics (laptop, radios, filters, CD player, circuit bent devices, dual DJ-CD players, electric fans/toothbrushes etc), field recording, found objects; AMODA Performance Series. [Released on Burning Harpsichord Media (2013)]
solo for cymbals (2007), two cymbals and multiple bows. Recapitate; Aberdeen, UK.
…of memory and dreams (2006); table top electronics (laptop, radios, filters, CD player, circuit bent devices, dual DJ-CD players, electric fans/toothbrushes etc); Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. [Released on 7hings Records]
february 23rd (2005); table top electronics (laptop, radios, filters, circuit bent devices, dual DJ-CD players, electric fans/toothbrushes etc); Peacock Visual Arts Gallery; Aberdeen, UK. [Released on State Sanctioned Records]
on hushed breath (2005); dual DJ-CD players; AVP Festival, Melbourne, UK.
from aberdeen (2005), guitar and found objects; Gangrel Bodies exhibition, Aberdeen.
mysterium drone ( ); guitar, FX , looper; South West Texas State Mysterium Concert; San Marcos, Texas. [Released on Cadaoco: Drones, Phases, and Alchemy]
ls4 (2003); dual DJ-CD players and looper; Loft Series 4, Austin, Texas.
tiotm (2002); guitar and live electronics; Austin Texas.
in quiet despair, beauty (); dual DJ-CD players and looper; Austin, Texas
dallas 3 (); dual DJ-CD players and looper; Austin, Texas.
night (); fixed media; Austin Texas
three formations (2003); dual DJ-CD players and looper, New Music Coop ‘Rock Concert’; Austin, Texas.
untitled bass piece no 1 (2002); Austin, Texas.
X’mass’99 (); fixed media; Austin, Texas.
collage (); collaged radio recordings for Carnival dance project; Austin, Texas.
ascencion (); microphone, guitar multi-FX, computer; Austin, Texas.
lullaby (); guitar and FX; Austin, Texas.
birth of sorrow (); roland xp-50, Austin, Texas.
Voice of God (); 4 track cassette recorder, microphone; Austin, Texas.
Phonography
mcalpine construction site, field recording
renaissance faire chimes, field recording
hogmanay on the north sea, field recording
country auction, field recording
Buchanan Dam Wind at 10, field recording
Compilations
Dorian Zoyd – R.O.B.O.T. (prof_lofi & -otron Combination mix) (2016)
Comprende Records (2012)
With Brekekekexkoaxkoa – We used to be such good friends (Hushroom) (2007)
Phonography 1 and 2 (2003/2005)
Drones, Phases and Alchemy, PorkBonEs (2003)
Somewhere Else, Throat Records (Ven Voisey) (2002)
Hardcore America, PorkBonEs (2000)
Selected Repertoire (pieces by others)
December 1952 by Earle Brown (Live Electronics)
Available Forms I by Earle Brown (Conductor)
Child of Tree and Branches by John Cage (Found Objects)
Imaginary Landscape no. 4 by John Cage (Live Electronics)
Fourteen by John Cage (Piano)
Indeterminacy by John Cage (Live Electronics)
Songbooks, solos for voice by John Cage (Live Electronics)
Designated Sonorities by Clark Crawford (Piano)
Process Piece no. 1 by Clark Crawford (Live Electronics)
But in this Sleep, a Dream by Brent Fariss (Percussion)
En la Búsqueda del Sanchez (encontraron solamente fantasmas) by Brent Fariss (Percussion)
Ambient Densities by Jon Gibson (Stones)
Pythagoras by Phill Harding (Guitar)
Rothko Chapel by Keith Manlove (Guitar)
Four Meditations for Orchestra by Pauline Oliveros (Guitar)
Rock Meditation by Pauline Oliveros (Stones)
In C by Terry Riley (Guitar)
In contrast, Relative, Saturated with Vapor by Travis Weller (Percussion)
Reinforce One Another, Conditions for Contraction by Travis Weller (Live Electronics)
Ionisation by Edgar Varese (Live Electronics)
Burdocks by Christian Wolff (Guitar, Live Electronics)
Changing the System by Christian Wolff (Guitar, Live Electronics)
Edges by Christian Wolff (Guitar, Live Electronics)
Stones by Christian Wolff (Stones)
Cobra by John Zorn (Guitar, Live Electronics)
Various Fluxus pieces