November Music Mailout
The November edition of my monthly-ish email, posted here for the world to see. If you’d like to get such fabulous emails as the one pasted below sent directly to your inbox, you can sign up here.
Dear friends,
Just two bits of news today, but they’re big!
<<>>
/ Nonsemble Archaeopteryx Album and Launch
// MCCP Fern Bells Single and Launch
<>
/ NONSEMBLE ARCHAEOPTERYX ALBUM AND LAUNCH
The Album is Out!
Nonsemble’s first album in 7 years has just been released! Archaeopteryx has already been described as a “jubilant explosion of sound”.
Whenever I listen back to it I am in awe of the amazing players I have the privilege of working with; years of focused rehearsal on this material is manifested in sublime string quartet performances throughout the album, and powerful appearances from pianist Cara and drummer Hik on the closing track.
We are very proud of this work, and it would mean a great deal to us if you would give it a listen. If you like it, maybe you can share it with someone else you know who might be into it.
If you’ve come late to the story, well, it’s an album inspired by (mostly) gigantic prehistoric birds. Terrifying and Beautiful!
Album Launch and 10-Year Anniversary Show
Join us at It’s Still a Secret in South Brisbane for a rare and memorable show to celebrate both the release of Archaeopteryxand 10 years of Nonsemble's existence. We’re joined by Shugorei and Kayleigh Pincott.
If you’ve never seen Shugorei before, you must. Tom Green (who incidentally did his composition PhD under Rob Davidson at the same time as I did) is like some kind of grand wizard behind a vast assemblage of digital and analogue hardware, while his counterpart Noz, a renowned percussionist, performs with effortless virtuosity on a huge array of percussion. It’s incredibly compelling to watch and the music is constantly surprising and elevating.
To open the show, we have a real treat in store, as vocalist and composer Kayleigh Pincott shares her beautiful songs with us. Through her solo work and her remarkable duo Downend, Kayleigh folds a range of experimental and far-flung influences into contemporary jazz songwriting.
I would love it if you could make it for this important and special show in the history of the band. Tickets can be purchased here.
If you want to come but can’t afford the cover, send me an email; we’ll talk.
The Details:
Venue: It’s Still a Secret, 48 Montague Rd, South Brisbane
Date: December 2
Time: 7pm-late
Tickets: $20 / Unwaged Concession: $10 / 4ZzZ Sub: $15 via Humanitix
<>
// MCCP FERN BELLS SINGLE RELEASE
Magic City Counterpoint (or MCCP) is a project that has been bubbling away slowly for a few years between composer Madeleine Cocolas and I. We have been making big textural electronic works together, and some of it is finally about to surface.
We’re releasing the single “Fern Bells” later this month, which is the first from our EP due out in March next year. We’ll be launching the single in conjunction with game designers Fuzzy Ghost, in a joint launch party for their new game “Queer Man Peering Into a Rock Pool.jpg”. We’re joined by the amazing M.J. O’Neill, whose music also features in the game!
The Details:
Venue: Netherworld, 186 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley
Date: November 27
Time: 3pm-6pm
Tickets: Free Entry
Keep an eye out as our collaborations with Fuzzy Ghost evolve - we have some super exciting plans for the EP release next year!
<<>>
As always, thank you so much for taking the time to read my little emails. This mailing list is part of an experiment that began with the deletion of all of my social media accounts at the beginning of the year, and it continues to be a surprising and educational journey for me.
The best part is spending less time scrolling and more time either connecting directly with people or making better music. Another interesting part has been replacing the effort of constant social posting with attempts to promote my music in a more direct and traditional way. I’m still learning about this, but it has been satisfying and rewarding so far.
The tough part has been realising that no matter what you do, it’s very difficult to compete with content which is constantly in peoples’ faces, by not being constantly in peoples' faces. But I still trust in the fact that most people are done with being treated like mindless advertising targets and are ready to seek out the good stuff beyond what’s being blasted at them by algorithms.
So thank you for being part of my experiment. I believe in this music, in the people I’m fortunate enough to make it with, and the people I make it for. It means a lot to me for you to allow space in your inbox for this.
If at any point you feel that these emails are not bringing you joy, please reply “unsubscribe” with my sincerest blessing.
Hope this find you all happy and well,
Chris