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whi music


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

whi music is dedicated to promoting the power and beauty of improvised and experimental music. Based in Liverpool, UK, it's largely based around my activities and collaborations.

The catalogue now includes eighteen items, the most recent being 'the imperfection of crowds' by Malchamech. 'The reverse of reality' by Bloodcog, 'Fall Through the Infinite' by phil hargreaves and Richard Harrison and  'Human' by Maggie Nicols & Phil Hargreaves (see below) are still available. 'where we were' by Caroline Kraabel & phil hargreaves is currently available on Leo Records. for more information on this release, see the dedicated website.


phil hargreaves

email: info[at]whi-music.co.uk

 

 

News

Latest release is whi018, 'exoskeleton', the second album by Bloodcog. Bloodcog is now a five-piece: Fran Bass - electric bass, Richard Harding - chapman stick and classical guitar, Phil Hargreaves - saxes/flute, Richard Harrison - drums and objects, Pete Smyth - electronics and loops. It's funkier than the first one, and according to Corey Mwamba on Radio 3, a "swagger". Watch for live shows with this line-up later in the year...








Not a whi music release, but some familiar names here: 'Pi' by Siapiau is out now on Discus: Fran Bass on electric bass, Phil Hargreaves on saxes/flute, Richard Harrison on drums/percussion and Maggie Nicols on vocals and piano:










whi017 is 'the imperfection of crowds' by Malchamech, a rocky improv trio of Richard Harding (chapman stick), Phil Hargreaves (saxes/flute) and Richard Harrison (drums/percussion).








'Asteroid' by Graculus is still available. This is the third Graculus album, and as well as the usual offering of chamber/classical influenced improvisation, Richard Harding has taken the raw materials of the album and created a 48 minute ambient soundscape from them:




As it's a double, it's a little more expensive, but still only £9 for a pair of contrasting sonic experiences.






 'The Reverse of Reality' by Bloodcog:




It's an electro/free jazz/dub/punknoise fusion, kind of like the Prodigy playing improvised music. Kind of. Listener feedback so far includes: "Sensory overload" and "This is what I imagine Hell to sound like". The team, possibly perversely, take these as compliments.




'Fall Through the Infinite' is a straightahead improvised set with me on Saxes and Flute, and Mr Harrison on acoustic drumset and Objects.


Fall Through the Infinite cover image

It's available as a download and also as a CDr in a smart 4 panel cardboard sleeve, so you can find it on Bandcamp








human sleeve


It's hard to overstate how happy we are with this CD - it took two years to make, and it doesn't sound like one that you already own. It's a tapestry of so many things, ranging from dense audio collages to intimate improvised duos recorded in Dark Places.

This is a proper silver disk (ie not a CDr) in a very handsome six-panel cardboard sleeve, and available for the bargain price of £6 including p&p in the UK. Well, i think it's a bargain, anyway.






aplicate sleeve

The second amere3 CD is now out on Bruce's Fingers. Over to Simon Fell - "Firstly, I feel this music finds yet another way of investigating the saxophone / bass / drums format, without repeating the approach of any of its illustrious forebears in the BF catalogue. Phil Hargreaves has developed a quite unique and extremely personal voice on the saxophone - one which allows him to contribute freely but without ever dominating or railroading the ensemble through sheer physical power. Over the years Rob and I have worked hard to find a language which would best contextualise this language, with the opportunities it presents; this excellent CD is the result.

Whilst this music is probably free jazz for the majority of the time, it remains non-hierarchical throughout - which is a particular pleasure. Secondly, Phil (who recorded this music) has excellently captured the acoustic sound of my bass. The BF catalogue contains numerous CDs where for whatever reason I regret the recorded bass sound (I'm sure the bass players among you will understand...) - but this is most definitely not one of them!"

Since this was first written, Simon has passed, so should you wish to purchase this CD, i've folded it in with the whi music catalogue.





The second CD by Graculus, 'Small Things', is an album of miniatures, each improvised, each under 2:30 long (some a lot under). As well as being available as a download via Bandcamp, there's a silver disk in a smart professionally printed package, which is yours for £6, including postage.

Plus, i've now enabled the e-commerce side of things, so you can buy this, and other titles, from the comfort of your chair (assuming your chair is comfortable in the first place, that is):



There's now 19 vids up at my YouTube channel

Including several of the tracks off of 'Small Things', a trio of Maggie Nicols, Phil Minton & Steve Boyland, and some interesting things with the inside of a piano frame...



The performance by the Infinite Monkey Orchestra in 2009, with Simon Fell, was recorded, and has now been released on Ian Simpson's Electronic Musik netlabel. Go to 
http://www.archive.org/details/InfiniteMonkeyOrchestraem100
for a free listen and/or download





This is a vid of Graculus at the very wonderful If Only night at the Bluecoat Arts Centre in Dec 2011. For more like this, see the YouTube Channel.


 

 



Last updated: 18th Jan 2024



 

 

 

 

email: info[at]whi-music.co.uk