Mike Willox
'The Big Picture'
Cat. No: SCD28039 Genre: sound-collage/electronic
Mike Willox's debut solo album was sparked off by a tour in Japan where he collected local urban sounds and atmospheres from the streets of Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka creating a sort of sonic diary. Back in London in his Loungescape studios he created a unique musical sound-collage blending in other sounds from more personal sources. Willox seamlessly goes from electronica ambiences to sounds of pianos being tuned, and from jazz musicians jamming to the heartbeat of his unborn daughter Sapphire.
The track 'Buzz' was selected in July 2000 by the BBC's Mixing It programme as part of their nationwide new composers search. Although made up of individual tracks, The Big Picture is meant to be heard as a continuous sonic journey. Drawing from a wide range of musical sources, The Big Picture reflects Willox's insight in sound manipulation which never loses sight of the emotional content of the material. The result is a far-reaching and often humorous exploration through cultures and moods, continuously challenging the listener's perceptions.
Reviews:
'A carefully organised, highly conceptual hyper-collage of street and environmental noise thrown into a salad spinner with the sounds of jazz musicians practising and quick bursts of synthsizers, orchestras and choirs. Its success lies in Willoxs realisation that to achieve the big picture the smallest details have to be meticulously controlled. The piece accumulates considerable power over a 50 minute span. Like a jigsaw, it forms a clearer picture as you fit more pieces' (The Wire)
'The Big Picture is quite complex and diverse, but what makes it memorable is that Willox is clearly exerting a narrative voice through his choice of source material. Whether this be field recordings, television, radio or instruments, it feels as if there's a reason for the sounds to be there. A sense of freedom reigns.'
(Alex Young - Furthernoise)
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Price: £12.00
