a i r s c u l p t u r e

After sitting around doing nothing (well, lots actually - see the timeline - but not much in the way of album releases) there is finally a new AirSculpture album. Burn is a recording of the Hampshire Jam 2 concert, which has been demanded as a release pretty much since the last notes faded.

Burn is massively powerful, slowly building from a deep dark ambience up to a huge sequencer-driven frenzy. Sound sources ranging from real analogue modular synths and mellotron to up to the minute digital instruments. These are used to craft a soundscape that blends classic sequences with driving rhythms underpinning AirSculpture's distinctive melodic flourishes.

Burn is available for immediate download from MusicZeit, where you can also hear some short clips of the album. A CD pressing is also planned.


AirSculpture

AirSculpture are a UK based electronic music group. Its members - Adrian Beasley, John Christian and Peter Ruczynski - established it in the mid-1990s as a reaction to a music scene that no longer reflected their tastes. The energy and edge of '70s EM had become diluted into a melange of clinical digital sounds played over safe pre-recorded backing.

Most of AirSculpture's music is created live on stage, improvised with little or no pre-planning. Over time it has evolved to a unique sound melding driving Berlin School rhythms with engaging, flowing melodies; or sometimes moving into darker ambient realms; or shifting gear with danceable beats.

The band has released seven full length albums; of these five are live recordings reflecting the live nature of the music. There have also been numerous tracks released on compilation albums.

Photo by Jeff Towne

Downloads

The older AirSculpture albums have been out of print for a while now, and we have been considering how to reissue them. The problem has been solved by the creation of the MusicZeit download service. This provides CD quality, DRM free downloads with full artwork. As our old friends from SMD are involved, all of the Neu Harmony albums are already available.

If downloads are not your thing, you can order any of the downloads as a CDR from SMD. In addition, Tranceatlantic is still available as a pressed CD. We plan to keep on releasing physical CDs as long as there is sufficient demand.

Other Projects

Cosmic Smokers

A collaborative project including the members of AirSculpture along with Paul Nagle, Grant Middleton, Andy Bloyce, and a small green alien. The simple idea was to bring a set of musicians together for the first time, give them some rehearsal time and to present the results as a concert. As all of the music was improvised, this was an even more skin-of-the-pants affair than usual.

The results of that first concert and the sessions that preceded it resulted in three albums, available for download at MusicZeit. A second concert saw Andy turning up with his guitar replacing Adrian who was otherwise occupied, and showing the Smokers line-up to be a fluid thing.

Ricochet Gathering

Starting life as a Tangerine Dream fan gathering, the RG has grown into a wider playground for electronic musicians and fans.  Moving around the world, it brings a varying collection of musicians together to jam, and sometimes to perform more structured collaborations.  For the audience it gives a unique chance to see the musicians working (and playing) close up.

There has been an AirSculpture presence at most of these gatherings.  Numerous recordings have been released with AS members in various large and small combinations.  More information at the Ricochet Dream site.

Solo Projects

John and Adrian have played solo concerts in the Hampshire Jam concert series; Pete is due to do so in the 2008 event (along with a group performance).

To tie in with the concerts John released a CD titled "Bohunt Sabotage" and Adrian has released a CD titled "Powerhouse".

Timeline

2008
Album: Burn
Back catalogue available for download at MusicZeit.com
2007
Concert: Y Theatre, Leicester (Cosmic Smokers)
Ricochet Gathering, Yellowstone
Solo concert: Hampshire Jam 6, Liphook (Adrian)
Solo Album: Powerhouse (Adrian)
2006
Concert: National Space Centre, Leicester
Concert: The Gatherings, Philadelphia
Radio: Live On-air performance on Stars End
Track: Manikin compilation "Liquid Sound vol.2"
Solo Concert, Hampshire Jam 5, Liphook (John)
Solo Album: Bohunt Sabotage (John)
2005
Ricochet Gathering, La Gomera
Concert: Awakenings, Leeds
Track on Awakenings sampler CD
Mojave RG album
Album: Tranceatlantic
2004
Cosmic Smokers Concert: National Space Centre, Leicester
Concert: The Gatherings, Philadelphia
Live On-air performances on Stars End and Emusic
2003
Concert: National Space Centre, Leicester
Ricochet Gathering, Mojave Desert
2002
Concert: Hampshire Jam 2, Liphook, Hampshire
Concert: Manikin Marathon, Bad Sulza, Germany
2001
Concert: Hampshire Jam, Liphook, Hampshire
Ricochet Gathering, Okefenokee
Album: Quark Soup
Album: Okefenokee Dreams 2001
2001
Ricochet Gathering, Okefenokee
Concert/Installation: Jelly Leg'd Chicken, Reading
2000
Concert: Jodrell Bank planetarium
Concert/Installation: Jelly Leg'd Chicken, Reading
Album: Fjord Transit
1999
Concert: Eurosonic festival, Valö, Sweden.
Concert: E-Live, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
Track: Hub on E-Live CD Ticket.
1998
Album: Thunderhead
Concert: Sheffield City Hall
1997
Concert: Jodrell Bank planetarium
Concert: Alfa Centauri, Huizen, Netherlands
Concert: Truth or Dare, Eindhoven, Netherlands
Album: Europa
1996
Concert: Jodrell Bank planetarium
Concert: Big City Bash, Derby Marketplace
Album: Attrition System
Appearance on Soundscapes Radio show
Unique CD: Amazonian Lepidoptera theorise on Chaos
1995
Concert: EMMA 3, Sheffield Octagon
Album: Impossible Geometries
1993-1995
Band Formed. Rehearsals.
1981
Band members meet. Nothing much happens for a while.

Copyright © Airsculpture 2008.