SESSIONS STUFF SITES

Foci’s Left – Before The Hurricane

I came across a 15 minute mix put together by ‘Foci’s Left’ some time back and it was excellent. So when I had the opportunity to host the ‘Before The Hurricane’ mix, I jumped at the chance. Here it is: http://www.ilovemusic247.com/Foci_s_Left_-_Before_The_Hurricane_June_2011_.mp3 . Search google for a tracklist, check his ‘Subversion’ blog for more info (www.subvertcentral.blogspot.com) and check the interview......

So what made you want to put this mix together?

"Before The Hurricane" came about through a few things: the Japan earthquake, collated history of natural disasters, but mainly my disconnection from the societal process of disaster itself. As we know, worldwide devastation is a terrible circumstance, but there's personally times when we're not thinking enough of how to tackle troubles around inner life. I feel very sensitive when we don't realise until it's too late what we're doing wrong, how to correct contradictions; what to say to get by. So, there are movements to signify this: "Alarm Bells" for the time when everyone's emotional core is hit; then "Disintegration Deuce" - a dampening of conscious thought. "Tube Of Hope" is a sharper section as befits the principle of life support, while "An Upwards Slope" was inspired by the forthcoming Foci's Left album I'm putting together over the next year or more. It's all very integrated!

So what are the connections between 'upwards slope' and your forthcoming album? Is it a hint at the direction of the album?

That's an ongoing question that will develop as the LP tracks do. At present the plan is of positive progress, but also hinting to uphill struggles that highlight its subject matter. The record - "A Breath Of Peace" - will be compacting theraputic music for a local hospital, one which helped me immeasurably in the last three years. Where I live - Oxford - it's like clockwork stress land sometimes - or at least the outlook has been to me. People live very different lives, and expression can wander aimlessly. For my own condition, it's penultimate that mental support continues placidly, and this is my way of giving something back to the real life community I inhabit, as well as connecting with like-minded producers who are interested in collaborating on the effort. At present there are three artists penned for joining forces, and as for what follows, whether good or bad: it'll enable me to channel emotions properly again.

Is listening and making music something that helps you?

Listening: very much. Mainly for distraction and empowering inner calm. Album archival forms my basis of each month for a solid five years, whereby music making comes last objective. I'm never completely happy with what I've produced in the past, and it's an adventure waiting to happen when purchasing new sound experiences. I listened through 145 releases in June 2010, the month I made "Ship's Close To Port", which you picked up on. That was when my anxieties had cooled and generally I was more relaxed. Back in 2008 this wasn't the case - and I had to confide in music so much to survive symptoms that are now categorized as part psychosis, part bipolar disorder, part schizophrenia. I don't wish to dwell on the negatives though - this is where LP collation whisks me along; I treat it like a job.

You've released your music on Audio Gourmet - how did that come about, and do you have any other music that you've released?

Audio Gourmet was originally sourced to me by DIB from Subvert Central. I immediately took a liking to the label's "15 Minute tea-break" policy as it closely resembled my mixtape series of similar name (that is awaiting it's special 50th instalment with you included). I sent over "Regurgitated Impulses" to owner Harry Towell and he was really impressed, offering me a deal straight away. It's an honour to be on the imprint full stop with the first few releases alone. Now they have Machinefabriek (in "Before The Hurricane"), M.Ostermeier, et al. It's my only release so far nonetheless - I make little time for creating tracks, and just for short periods when I do. I'm really hard to get focused on one single thing, or paradoxically I plough until something unique comes out when I do feel set on such a task.

The mix that you've done is split into sections, almost like a story. When I listened to your mix it felt like it was part of a film. Did you want your mix to be like a story, and if so is it something that you would develop?

Chronology and idiosyncracy always play roles in my mixes, and in this case yes, an imaginary tale of potential disaster was desired - it enabled me to foresee problems that could arise in reality. In 2009 I published the first "Stories Of Solace In Miniature" instalment, where each track was a narrative key - cadence, paragraph, however you could perceive. Otherwise films were never a strong subject - I've rarely set aside time for them, their magnitude, director and camerawork appreciation, et al. I've seldom been a fast type for anything either - I'll mull heavily over fine writing details for hours at a period, and this is transitional to many other interests I'm keen to develop in the next five years - biomedicinal studies, psychokinesis, literature, travelling, painting, all entwined to contemporary art.

How did you put the mix together?

Every mix I've done since late November 2009 has been assembled via Acoustica Mp3 Audio Mixer. It's a great program that let's you add in volume co-ordinates for fades, and with the purchased version (just £18!), program in as many tracks as you want. Here's the link:

http://www.acoustica.com/mp3-audio-mixer/

Is there anything else you would like to add?

To the mix: nada. For our discussion: you'll find me archiving recommended Ambient releases, just like in this mix, through this Subvert Central topic, with reviews and mixes:

http://subvertcentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56404

Otherwise, I'm open to writing for several sources more than I do already, and much the same with mixes - providing there's a few more out there to make for! Thanks for your time, and I hope people enjoy the set. :)

Oh, what does foci's left mean?

Foci's Left: foci is plural of focus, and in the case of production I wanted all corolloraries to follow on (impetus, figure, mood, rhythm et al).

Many thanks to Foci’s Left for the interview and mix.

SESSION 12

Been a long time! This is because I’ve been busy putting a free fanzine together called ‘FUTUREPAST’. If you’re interested in a copy then send an e-mail to futurepastzine@gmail.com . Anyway, enjoy this: http://www.ilovemusic247.com/ilovemusic247_session12.mp3 the sound quality ain’t the best, quite lo-fi sounding, but it’s all about the music (which is of really great quality!).

SESSION 11

Summer is over, time to get ready for the winter... http://www.ilovemusic247.com/ilovemusic247_session11.mp3

Also, some ilovemusic247 tees have been made, check them out in the ‘stuff’ section of this site. Currently, they aren’t for sale but should be in a month or two. They will be available to buy as part of a little package so watch out for it, peace!

SESSION 10

Better late than never! Got some really good things in this one (as usual! :) http://www.ilovemusic247.com/ilovemusic247_session10.mp3

SESSION 09

Sometimes hot, sometimes cold: http://www.ilovemusic247.com/ilovemusic247_session09.mp3

SESSION 08

Going out to the late night listeners....... http://www.ilovemusic247.com/ilovemusic247_session08.mp3

SESSION 07

Apologies for the delay, check da flava....... http://www.ilovemusic247.com/ilovemusic247_session07.mp3

PODCAST 06

Last one for the year, enjoy.......... http://www.ilovemusic247.com/ilovemusic247_podcast06.mp3

PODCAST 05

Managed to get one more done before the end of the month :) Don’t forget to check out the new web pages, peace...................... http://www.ilovemusic247.com/ilovemusic247_podcast05.mp3 (currently not available, will post a new link soon).

PODCAST 04

Do not allow yourself to be programmed: http://www.ilovemusic247.com/ilovemusic247_podcast04.mp3 (currently not available, will post a new link soon).

PODCAST 03

Another one up again, as always quality is way up in the sky! Hope you enjoy, check it out: http://www.ilovemusic247.com/ilovemusic247_podcast03.mp3 (currently not available, will post a new link soon).

PODCAST 02

First and foremost, thanks to all that checked out 01. The comments were much appreciated and so I was eager to continue. Here it is: http://www.ilovemusic247.com/ilovemusic247_podcast02.mp3 (currently not available, will post a new link soon). I hope you have as much fun listening as I did putting it together.

PODCAST 01

Yes yes! Here is the first podcast from ilovemusic247.com! Check it out: http://www.ilovemusic247.com/ilovemusic247_podcast01.mp3 (currently not available, will post a new link soon). Hope you enjoy it, and if you did then please listen out for the next podcast. I won’t be putting any track lists up on this website, they will be up in the usual places. In these podcasts I will be sticking to good quality whether it’s old or new.