en http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/ Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 60 http://www.audioscrobbler.net/data/webservices http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal The Last.fm journal for northcape. Last.fm journals are a place to talk about all things music. http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2009/07/03/2ues6d_moitessier%3A_a_new_track_from_the_forthcoming_album Fri, 3 Jul 2009 22:21:37 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2009/07/03/2ues6d_moitessier%3A_a_new_track_from_the_forthcoming_album Another new Northcape track is finally up. "Moitessier" will appear on the forthcoming album and can be found here for streaming: Moitessier. It is inspired by the French yachtsman Bernhard Moitessier, who took part in the first solo, non-stop round-the-world yacht race in 1968, and the film 'Deep Water' (which actually focusses on Donald Crowhurst who committed suicide during the same race, and is very highly recommended if you haven't seen it). Moitessier abandoned the race to continue round the world a second time.
The track itself is a chilled, evocative combination of electronica and ambient, having sections of both, and aiming for a sense of smooth, continuous motion. .
Comments are as normal very welcome! Other new tracks are available here: New Tracks.

If you want to hear about the new album, please join the Northcape Mailing List
+ you can also follow my updates on twitter!
Cheers,
NC

PS The samples in the track are all used under creative commons licence or in the public domain.
Ship sound: Hello Flowers @ freesound.com
Halyard sound: P.Caeldries @ freesound.com
Possible points of reference: Biosphere,Ulrich Schnauss,Boards of Canada,Global Communication,Carbon Based Lifeforms]]> http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/12/07/2bmax9_new_northcape_website%2C_new_track... Sun, 7 Dec 2008 22:45:54 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/12/07/2bmax9_new_northcape_website%2C_new_track... Hi,

Its taken quite a bit of work, but the redesigned website for independent electronica producer Northcape is now uploaded... the concept and layout are completely redesigned for a cleaner feel. If you like electronica, and particularly the chilled melodic type, please visit! Design is all by Northcape... let me know what you think and if you have any problems.There's also a new track up on the website only to celebrate the website 'opening', alongside many other streams and downloads. You'll also find some new content in other places as well :-) Clear Moment can be found on the music page of the website and is available for streaming and also as a free download for mailing list members. Its a nice example of the more chilled-out side of Northcape, occupying some deep contemplative ground somewhere between ambient, minimal and idm, and will definitely feature on the next album.
Cheers,
NC
http://www.northcapemusic.co.uk
]]> http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/10/12/27u3yq_approaching_the_trig._point_%28a_new_track_from_northcape%29 Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:42:58 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/10/12/27u3yq_approaching_the_trig._point_%28a_new_track_from_northcape%29 This track is slow-building, chilled melodic electronica with a slight shoegaze influence, along with a touch of IDM, from Brighton,UK-based independent electronica artist Northcape. It's much more (early) Ulrich Schnauss than M83 though- its a purely electronic instrumental, and there are no guitars... It's hopefully destined for the next Northcape album (please join the mailling list to avoid missing this). Any listens or particularly tags or comments are very, very much appreciated!
Approaching The Trig. Point
Other new tracks can be found here: New Tracks

Yeah, I know that track titles with full-stops don't help on last.fm, sorry!]]> http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/08/18/24dzr3_new_vocal_electronica_-__pacific_highway_%28northcape_version_feat._pixieguts%29 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:15:14 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/08/18/24dzr3_new_vocal_electronica_-__pacific_highway_%28northcape_version_feat._pixieguts%29
Its been a while, but there's some new Northcape material up here! This track is a remix of an original electronica track by Australian artist Pixieguts and UK electronica producer Dementio13. In fact this is more of a new version than a remix since the only part of the original track that was used is Pixieguts vocals, which are (as in all her music) superb. Vocals/ Lyrics - Pixieguts, Instrumental composition/ Production- Northcape. The quality of the vocals meant that inspiration came easily for the rest of the track and I think the result was worth the effort!
Pacific Highway (Northcape Version feat. Pixieguts)
This is also available for free download & as normal comments and tags are welcome!

As I said in another journal, recent changes to last.fm have made it more difficult to let people know about new tracks- if you want to be sure of knowing about new Northcape releases, please join the mailing list!. There is normally significantly less than one mailing per month, plus access to exclusive free mp3s- and you can unsuscribe at any time.
Cheers,
NC
Northcape is an independent producer of chilled melodic electronica/IDM/ambient music, currently based in Brighton, UK.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/08/17/24c43z_the_loop_festival_review_%28digital_music_and_culture%29 Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:57:43 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/08/17/24c43z_the_loop_festival_review_%28digital_music_and_culture%29 Sat 16 Aug – Loop Festival 2008
Although I've lived in Brighton for a few years now, this is the first year I have attended the Loop festival, which focuses on electronic music with the tag-line 'A festival of digital culture'. I now regret not attending earlier, as this is an excellent festival which had a fascinating and varied line up for 2008. Its also a one-day festival, eliminating the hassle of camping and reducing the nightmare of festival toilets! The two main tent-based stages (the Hub and the Futures stage) were in Victoria Gardens, a small park sandwiched between two main roads on the Steine in the centre of Brighton, with an outpost consisting of the two smaller stages in the University of Brighton Salis Beney building, the Limits being indoors and showing some excellent short films as well as bands, and the Outer Limits (as the name suggests) outside in the courtyard, focussing on more acoustic acts. The two venues are separated by a road, and my only problem with the split venue was the frustrating fact that alcohol couldn't be carried between the different stages! As with all festivals, the schedule unfortunately sometimes presented me with a dilemma as two or more bands who I wanted to see were on at the same time, but I managed to catch a good number of them- I haven't reviewed everything I saw here. Also fortunately, the very dodgy weather forecast was spectacularly wrong with sun or clear skies all day.
Liverpool's Wave Machines where the first act of the day on the main Hub stage. As always for the first band on a festival bill, the crowd were thin on the ground, but those who were there undoubtedly enjoyed the music, described by the guide as 'a kind of arty, lo-fi psychedelic pop'. Whatever genre it is in it was hard for me to find comparable bands, though the music is undoubtedly based in indie guitar music, a first sign of the eclecticism of a festival described as focusing on electronic music. Wave machines are easily distinguishable by the masks of their own faces that they wear on stage, but the music is far from threatening, with helium-fueled vocals and sonic invention making for a very enjoyable sound which will definitely appeal to fans of bands such as Super
Furry Animals. This is definitely a band I will look out for in future.
Wave Machines were followed by a trip to the Limits to hear A Scandal in Bohemia, who have previously appeared alongside better-known post-rock groups such as a silver mount zion. The five-piece band are young and formidably talented with obviously extensive classical training, each member able to switch instruments at will - the band used at various times trumpet, guitar, keyboard and flute alongside various more obscure instruments, with vocals provided by three different band members and superb drumming. The music itself has very strong contemporary classical elements alongside strong post-rock dynamics with a thrilling progression through many of the songs from delicate melodies to climactic walls of noise, and the overall effect is very powerful and an extremely impressive live spectacle.
The next stop was Seb Rochford and the theremin expert Pamelia Kurstin. The distinctively big-haired Seb Rochford is a very talented drummer who I have seen perform before -he has played with a large number of bands in the Brighton area and further afield, and is instantly recognisable! Pamelia's command of the theremin is hugely impressive and my exposure to that instrument previously is pretty much limited to the Doctor Who theme tune. Parts were played live, then skilfully tweaked and looped in real time to build up multi-layered soundscapes. However I am unfortunately still not a convert, the overall atmosphere created was darkly atmospheric and suspenseful, but too reminiscent of horror movies for both me and my girlfriend and we left to look for other sounds.
Sticking to the University of Brighton outpost, London group Sunharbour were next up on the Outer Limits stage. Their music is warm and mellow, with a classic 90s sound reminiscent of down tempo electronica acts like Zero 7 and Groove Armada. There were two female vocalists and one male vocalist sharing the small stage with 9 other band members including a 3-part string section- so many members that the lead singer struggled to remember the names of everyone at the end... To me this huge band did feel like too much, the acoustics were probably not ideal for the band but the strings in particular were almost inaudible and my personal feeling was that their sound could probably benefit from paring down to the key elements. Nevertheless, the music was undeniably pleasant and skilfully performed, even if I will be sticking to the better-known acts mentioned above.
Gilbert were a more interesting proposition, with a warm and melodic
electronica sound that definitely doesn't take itself too seriously. Like many of my favourite electronica/ IDM acts, with whom they definitely have common ground, Gilbert understand the virtue of simplicity when matched with well-chosen sounds and a strong melody (its the way I try to produce music as well- http://www.northcapemusic.co.uk ;-)). However, unlike myself, they are also a very entertaining live band, with an appealingly happy Japanese singer, bass player, drums and Gilbert himself (with a classical background and an alternative day job of film and theatre soundtrack work) on keyboards, violin and vocal monologues, delivered wearing a Stetson and in an American accent. The sound is above all upbeat as well as thoughtful and well-composed, delivered with flashes of humour.
Following Gilbert it was time to move back across to the main site, to see The Bays on the Hub stage. The Bays have been playing since 1999, but ONLY EVER play live, they never either record or rehearse music. The music is totally dance- based, with live drums and bass, keyboards, and samples and production carried out live... The set spanned trance, techno and drum and bass, and was consistently excellent and unsurprisingly, given the bands 'live-only' philosophy, very responsive to the atmosphere in the tent which was by now full of enthusiastic festival goers. A superb, energetic and seamless performance, and definitely one of my favourites of the festival.
Caribou was one of the handful of acts who drew me to the Loop festival in the first place. Caribou is Canadian artist Dan Snaith, who I have recently discovered through the superb chilled IDM of his debut album, but his style has mutated considerably since then- Caribou's last album is much more guitar-based with reference points in 60s psychedelia. Unfortunately, through no fault of the 4-piece band, the performance was a disappointment, mainly due to the terrible sound quality in the tent during the set. Treble and detail were lost in loud bass-frequency mush... What I could hear of the music sounded worth further investigation, but I had to give my ears a rest.
Fortunately, the sound production team was switched before headliner Four Tet took the stage. Four Tet made his breakthrough with 2001's Pause which is an album of beautifully clear and poised ambient IDM with a very organic, acoustic sound. Like Caribou his style has evolved, and the last album by Londoner Kieren Hebden, Everything Ecstatic, has a darker, more intense, minimal techno sound. The sound translates extremely well to a live set, which was brilliant and worthy of a festival headliner. The details in production which you'd expect from this artist were all there, together with, fortunately, excellent sound quality for a live performance. Strong, intense and driving yet evolving minimal techno- cool stuff!]]> http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/08/12/2421gz_if_you_like_northcape%2C_please_read_this%21%21 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:42:16 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/08/12/2421gz_if_you_like_northcape%2C_please_read_this%21%21 Recent changes to last.fm mean that I can no longer be sure of effectively letting you know about new Northcape releases (as an example, recommended reading no longer works). Please join the Northcape Mailing List if you want to stay informed. I send out significantly less than one mailing a month, you get access to exclusive free mp3s, and you can unsuscribe whenever you want!
Thanks for your support, its appreciated! NC]]> http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/05/27/1zxwxs_monotonik_release_northcape%27s_%27some_bright_valley%27_%5Bmtk202%5D Tue, 27 May 2008 20:55:49 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/05/27/1zxwxs_monotonik_release_northcape%27s_%27some_bright_valley%27_%5Bmtk202%5D I'm pleased to announce to any friends of Northcape here that the Some Bright Valley [mtk202] EP has now been released (for free download) by the monotonik netlabel. Here's what it says on the release page:

A Monotonik debut for Brighton, UK-based electronic artist Northcape, then, with the sublimely mellow 'Some Bright Valley', all chilled-out strings and gently departing sunsets. Previously having debuted a couple of self-released albums, this first netlabel release starts out with the cutely meandering 'Red Panda', before moving on to the even more gorgeously pastoral, almost triphop-flecked 'A Part Of The Forest'. Also in there - 'Low Lying Mist' and EP closer 'On The Hill', which uses smart and beautiful repetition to make a chilled-out, signature Monotonik sound, awkward percussion making things all the better. Viva la Northcape!
Monotonik has been in existence for over 10 years, and is probably one of the most well-known labels for chilled IDM and electronica having released some of the best IDM producers from around the globe (e.g. ST,Proem,Secede,Sleepy Town Manufacture,Lackluster, Sabi,Izmar, just at random). So I'm happy Northcape is on there! Definitely an incentive to keep improving, and hopefully the newer tracks show this :-)

If you like this, also check out the remix EP Red Panda Remixed.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/05/03/4sny_northcape%3A_shinkansen_to_kyoto_%3Cwarm_downtempo_electronica%3E Sat, 3 May 2008 14:33:47 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/05/03/4sny_northcape%3A_shinkansen_to_kyoto_%3Cwarm_downtempo_electronica%3E Brighton,UK based independent electronica artist Northcape has just released a new track to last.fm- Shinkansen To Kyoto is a track partially inspired by some time spent in Japan recently. Its a piece of smooth, warm and layered electronica, designed to glide through the landscape...



Your comments, or tags of this track, are very welcome!
This track is available as a free, high quality 256kps mp3 download to members of the Northcape mailing list.
If you would like to download the track, you can join the mailing list here. You'll recieve occasional updates on new tracks (no more than 1/month, normally less) and exclusive access to a number of other free mp3s...

PS- thanks to everyone who has helped Northcape pass 100,000 plays on last.fm!!! Its really cool my music is getting so much support here.

Northcape makes a distinctive blend of chilled and melodic electronica, IDM and ambient music. The music may appeal to fans of melodic, atmospheric IDM and electronica such as Ulrich Schnauss,Boards of Canada and Global Communication.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/04/26/4snx_red_panda_remixed-_free_download_ep Sat, 26 Apr 2008 22:23:23 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/04/26/4snx_red_panda_remixed-_free_download_ep Hi, following a delay (sorry about that), I'm very pleased to present the Red Panda Remixed EP, containing 5 very different but equally fascinating remixes of the chilled electronica Northcape track Red Panda. The original forms part of the free download Some Bright Valley EP by independent UK-based electronica artist Northcape.



The tracks on Red Panda Remixed are:
1) Red Panda (Dementio13 Remix) by Dementio13
2) Red Panda (4c3's Bamboo Night Remix) by 4c3
3) Red Panda (The Peach Tree's Black Possum Mix) by The Peach Tree
4) Red Panda (Dee Mond Remix) by Dee Mond (Pyrate Music)
5) Red Panda (Titee's Crazy Panda Remix) by Titee

The EP arose out of an open remix invitation in the Pixies Palace group at last.fm, and the result is a great set of remixes from some very talented artists. I'd like to very sincerely thank all the remixers who have put their skill into this - it's greatly appreciated and the results are superb! I'd recommend listening to the EP in one go for the best contrast between the styles on display here. It's also available for free download.
The mixes range in style from the warm, beautifully fractured IDM of Dementio13's remix, through the deep mellow electronica of 4c3's Bamboo night mix, The Peach Tree's punchy experimental techno, Dee Mond's soulful chillout mix to Titee's experimental elastic kaleidoscope.
Hope you enjoy!
PS- Higher quality (256kps) downloads of this EP plus full CD artwork are available from the Northcape webpage at www.northcapemusic.co.uk.

NC]]> http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/02/21/4snw_northcape%3A_doesn%27t_feel_like_a_long_way Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:07:13 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/northcape/journal/2008/02/21/4snw_northcape%3A_doesn%27t_feel_like_a_long_way A new track from unsigned/ independent Brighton, UK-based electronica/IDM/ambient artist Northcape is now available!

This track was started over a year ago but only just finished.
It's strongly inspired by personal experience.
The track is relatively upbeat and melodic, and available for streaming here:
Doesn't Feel Like A Long Way
and purchase from the Northcape website. If you enjoy this, you can get a number of free mp3s (some exclusive) by joining the mailing list (max. 1 mailing/month, normally less).

It's a good example of Northcape's distinctive and melodic sound. Fans of electronic and ambient artists such as Ulrich Schnauss,Christ.,Boards of Canada,Global Communication,royksopp,Air,Bent and others may enjoy this.

Comments and feedback are very welcome!]]>