New July 2019 recordings from Ashtray HQ (mostly the kitchen, to be precise). Some new tricks from the old seadog here, specifically NO GUITAR WHATSOEVER on this, and not very much synth-age either. What does that leave us with? You’d better listen and find out. Limited edition (50 copies) CD-R too, in a very handmade style with black discs, black wallet and an insert. bandcamp
Recorded precisely nearly exactly 12 years ago and released on a short tape on the Beyond Repair label and since Highly Sought After (THIRTEEN wants on Discogs!! Highest price paid £45!!!!), or something like that. Anyway, its back, as digital download and a cute silver-sleeved 3 inch CDR (30 copies only) and sounds far better than the cassette version ever did of course…and, more importantly, cheaper. Expect 2006 vintage Ashtray, cascading electronics and vulgar guitar, all mis-spellings quite intentional of course.
Finally here! Glassmastered CD on Public Eyesore records. If you want to get them from us, its £8 per disc plus postage (£1 UK, £3 europe, futher afield you best go straight to Public Eyesore HQ). Contact us or paypal to ashtraynavigations@hotmail.com
Recorded many aeons ago and finally a thing in the real world (or what passes for it these days…)…the Ashtray/Courtis collab!
UK citizens – we should hopefully have some copies soon. Rest of the globe (or the chronically impatient) can order from the label.
The first Ashtray Navigations release. Or was it the 2nd? Who knows. Who cares! Anyway, this hissy treat from the stylophone and bongos days lives again in the digital realm, c/o the Face Like A Smacked Arse bandcamp page, where all sorts of other ancient oracles reside. Support all things Face Like A Smacked Arse!
First in an occasional series of old sounds new sounds reheateds and reconfigureds, live excerpts, unreleased and unreleasable fragments, remixes, refixes, crap gleaned from old tapes and hard drives, sauces unknown, resequenced and collaged into a holiday sale megamix for your listening pleasure, each installment about an hour…
Special low price for bank holiday week!
Melanie Ó Dubhshláine : Urban Animals
A journey through the city at night, and into the dawn, with all its excitement, mystery and danger, seen through the eyes and ears of the creatures that inhabit it…
Melanie Ó Dubhshláine presents a suite of short musical works themed around the different wild animals to be found in the Leeds urban area. Digitally manipulated animal calls will collide with the noise of the man-made environment to create several distinct pieces in a contemporary homage to the Carnival of the Animals.
Attracted by easy access to food and warmth, some species have chosen to increasingly make their homes alongside man in the cities. Wildlife has changed its behaviour and voices to adapt to life in urban environments. Researchers found that songbirds had raised the pitch and tempo of their song to make it audible above the rumble of traffic. Since the 1960s, fox calls are increasingly a part of the soundtrack of living in a city.
Using field recordings gathered in and around Leeds, plus electronic instruments, working alongside local live performers and vocalists, with striking visuals created to accompany the music, Ó Dubhshláine will take the audience through an alternative vision of the nighttime landscape of Leeds.
Many thanks for the assistance and advice of West Yorkshire Bat Group, The Conservation Trust at Skelton Grange and Chris Hassell at Leeds University
Music:Leeds’ Launchpad Commission is funded using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England as well as Leeds City Council, Leeds2023, PRS Foundation and Leeds International Festival.
About the artist
In a fifteen-year musical career, Melanie Ó Dubhshláine has performed and composed music based in the noise, electronic, experimental and psychedelic rock genres.
Her solo work takes the form of two projects. Ocelocelot is concerned with using vibrations and waveforms from found sound to create undulating soundscapes, whilst Melanie Ó Dubhshláine focuses more on electronic composition. Her background in visual arts leads her to introduce visual elements into her performances. An overriding theme of her work is using unusual instrumentation to extend human expressive capabilities and give voice to previously unheard sounds.
As a member of Ashtray Navigations with Phil Todd, she has performed at All Tomorrow’s Parties, Supernormal Festival, Tusk Festival, Swn Festival in Cardiff as well as shows in the UK, Europe and USA. Ashtray Navigations have curated multimedia events at Leeds International Film Festival and Glasgow International Arts Festival.
She has collaborated with other artists including Neil Campbell, Damo Suzuki, Bridget Hayden, Uton, John Moloney (Sunburned Hand of the Man) and MV & EE.
Shipping out orders from monday onwards…
Ashtray Navigations – Feet Deep In The Red Juice
Album A Shimmering Replica (LP+CD) out now on VHF records
