Coastal Electronauts are a collective of sound artists living in the estuary area of East Kent and host a monthly SEMS where experimental electronic artists are invited to perform alongside visuals created by regular collaborator diz_qo. Coastal Electronauts initially began as a lockdown radio show in 2020 and has subsequently developed into a popular regular monthly live event currently held at the Waterfront Club in the seaside town of Whitstable in East Kent. ‘Coastal Electronauts Vol 1’ is a 2xCD release that celebrates the first year since relocating from the local Labour Club to a new and bigger venue. It features a selection of some of the many performances that have taken place during 2024.
The first track on disc one is entitled `Slow` from Sophie Sirota, a viola player and electronic musician with a background in classical music and film soundtracks who has embraced real time audio processing in her recent compositions. This track is Sophie`s first delve into the multi texture reverb of the Walrus Audio ‘Slötva’ effects pedal and composed using acoustic viola, digital delay, space echo and a looper pedal, this piece explores the joy of the sonic ‘trail.’ It`s a fairly haunting piece which is at the same time fairly ethereal and has a nigh on cinematic touch.
An improvised piece inspired after listening to an Assyrian choir using an Atlantis synth with a Rene sequencer and an Osmose keyboard follows with `Aramaic Hymn` from Shape Navigator (Peter Coyte) a composer and performer producing work for stage, dance, film, documentaries, and installations. It does kind of mirror the spiritual and inspirational texture of an Assyrian choir, which I have read have moved the Pope to tears. Although the last three minutes becomes slightly more surreal and out there.
AnalogueMechanic (Clive Walpole) is an electronic/experimental musician who has been creating and performing electronic and tape-based music since the early 1970’s offers `Textura Numerus` whose meaning according to the web seems to refer to a wallcovering product, which I’m not sure is correct. The track is fairly dreamy but kind of awakens towards the midsection and seems to flower or bloom before returning to a more genteel and tranquil state for the rest of its existence. Field of View offers up `Conscious Departure` an illusory electronic nigh on trance-like composition. Field of View appears to be Mark Henson an artist who as Field of View channels emotions and experiences into soundscapes, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in a journey of introspection through evolving melodies and intricate rhythms.
Gagarin, who sadly passed away this year was the solo electronic incarnation of Graham “Dids” Dowdall a member of Manchester cult band Ludus, who played with Nico through the eighties and was a member of Pere Ubu and Roshi ft. Pars Radio. The track `Cingulum` was his last performance for Coastal Electronauts and the number is a cut from Gagarin’s latest album, `Komorebi`. It is thanks to Gagarin’s wife, Noriko who allowed the track to be used. An electronic offering which begins quite angularly before almost levelling out and becoming delightfully enticing. On the final offering from disc one we enjoy an experimental work featuring a miniature music box enhanced with multiple effects and found manipulated samples from John Gallen with `UY Scuti`. This is only the second piece he has performed live. UY Scuti is a red supergiant star, 5,900 light-years away in the constellation Scutum. It is also a pulsating variable star which seems mirrored in this calm animated auditory submission.
Disc two opens with a collaboration from Sebtic Smile/OSVoS/Head Gardeners with the wonderfully titled `Croissant Encryption`. It was a completely spontaneous association using PO33 and monotron delay (Sebtic Smile), guitar, effects, and samplers (Head Gardeners) and PO32, PO12 and KP2 mini (OSVoS), this psychedelic mix of loops and samples finishes with a frenzy of chaotic beats and chops. It was certainly something different. I struggled to find anything about Ghostyhed but quite enjoyed the ambience of the track `SIX` shared here.
The Visitation is based in Southeast London, and makes noise, industrial, drone, dark ambient etc music. The number revealed here `Beliefs Don’t Matter` encompasses all and more throughout its ten minutes of life.
The brief for Dave Poole`s `Solstician Drone No.1` runs as follows “performed during the Summer Solstice, 2024, David’s first live performance for 35 years is a semi-generative piece made for the “Forbidden Planet” themed Coastal Electronauts EMOM. Not exactly “Krell” music, less atonal, perhaps a neighbouring species brought this new sound to the inhabitants of Altair IV?.” It does illuminate that kind of sunrise and energetic and spiritual sense I’m sure you`d experience at a midsummer occurrence. The final track is `Amanita Muscaria` from Mowgli whose approach to music is experimental, utilizing hardware-based setups that often include self-made instruments and obsolete technologies. His influences are diverse, ranging from musique concrète to African drumming, and he often aims to induce trance-like and altered states of consciousness through his improvisational and site-specific performances. This offering indeed has a kind of African trancelike ambience.
There was much to enjoy on Coastal Electronauts Vol 1 which gave a varied flavour of what`s in store if you are lucky to attend any of the sessions held on the second Thursday of every month at the Waterfront Bar in Whitstable, Kent. It seems a regular but at the same time unique event and one that should be encouraged and supported.
Rating 9/10
