EMP Artists - Clutter

‘Beyond simply intriguing - A very unique sound’

Biography

Clutter Clutter works with a mixture of found sounds/field recordings and traditional instruments to produce highly textured soundscapes which drift in and out of focus. Sometimes they float beautifully near dub and dance other times they rattle your head. At all times clutter produces works of excellence.

Clutter used to release stuff as Manassas, which was in existence from 2001-2005, until the name change in 2005.

Clutter is the brainchild of audio/visual artist and Artistic Director of Earth Monkey Productions, Shaun Blezard who has produced music for film, theatre, dance and art installations.

Visit www.shaunblezard.com for more details or Clutter Music for remastered versions of the Clutter back catalogue

Remember there is always room for more Clutter

Releases

EMP075 | Various Artists | Field Notes

EMP075a | Various Artists | Field Notes Download :: Stream :: Volume One Cover Art - Disc Art :: Volume Two Cover Art - Disc Art

Field Notes @ The Internet Archive :: Field Notes @ Last.fm

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EMP074 | Clutter | On Ha'Penny Bridge

EMP074 | Clutter | On Ha'Penny Bridge Download :: Stream :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art

On Ha'Penny Bridge @ The Internet Archive :: On Ha'Penny Bridge @ Last.fm

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RSVP003 | Radio Scotvoid | Fragment (Consider Remixing)

RSVP003 | Radio Scotvoid | Fragment (Consider Remixing) Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art

Fragment (Consider Remixing) @ The Internet Archive :: Fragment (Consider Remixing) @ Last.fm

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EMP071 | Chris Lynn | On My Way To The Cinema

Field Recordings | Soundscape | Electro-acoustic Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art

On My Way To The Cinema @ The Internet Archive :: On My Way To The Cinema @ Last.fm

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EMC002 | Clutter vs Susan Matthews | Slow Corrosion EP (Ltd Ed of 80 3”CDr - SOLD OUT)

Preview Slow Corrosion @ Last.fm

‘a very interesting diversion and a bold and welcome sideways step into the unknown....which should always be applauded.’ - Wonderful Wooden Reasons

UK - £4 inc shipping | International - £4.50 inc shipping

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EMP050 | Various Artists | 50:50 An Earth Monkey Productions Compilation

Experimental | IDM | Electronic Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art

50:50 @ The Internet Archive :: 50:50 @ Last.fm

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TRB001 | Various Artists | The Resting Bench Remix Project - Volume 1

Remix | Ambient | Experimental Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: D1 Cover Art - D1 Disc Art - D2 Cover Art - D2 Disc Art

The Resting Bench Remix Project - Volume 1 @ The Internet Archive :: The Resting Bench Remix Project - Volume 1 @ Last.fm

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EMP046 | Clutter | Anodyne Hi-Fi

Ambient | IDM | Experimental Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art

Anodyne Hi-Fi @ The Internet Archive :: Anodyne Hi-Fi @ Last.fm

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EMP025 | Various Artists | :: FALLING :: An Earth Monkey Productions Compilation

Experimental | IDM | Electronic Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art

Tracklisting: 1. David Whitaker - 1st Move | 2. Adrian Carter - Low Orbit Descent | 3. 4th Alternative - Mote | 4. The Cardboard Lung - Fall Down Yonder | 5. 1000 Aeroplanes Crashing In The Night - Even Ms. Butterfly Knows The Sun Shall Set On Every Empire | 6. Susan Matthews - On A Theme Of Falling | 7. The Weedhaven Laughing Academy - Una | 8. Dawn Salvia - I Like To Be Down | 9. Clutter - Tree Falling Slowly With Reverb | 10. Des Slow And The Stop Pills - The Falling Don’t Love Again | 11. Species 8472 - Green Sky | 12. Andy Kirk - Cushions Make For A Softer Landing | 13. Cousin Silas - Crashed Bomber With Weeds | 14. Adrian Carter - Final Descent

:: FALLING :: @ The Internet Archive :: ::FALLING:: @ Last.fm

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EMP020 | 1000 Aeroplanes Crashing In The Night | Aspire To Be Forgotten

Ambient | IDM | Soundscape Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Front Cover Art - Back Cover Art

Aspire To Be Forgotten @ The Internet Archive :: Aspire To Be Forgotten @ Last.fm

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EMP019 | Cousin Silas | Relic Once Lost (Manassas Reworked)

Ambient | Soundscape | Remix Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art

Tracklisting: 1. Heaven Under | 2. Night Waves Down Abbey Road | 3. Soggy Toast | 4. Sound 1

Relic Once Lost @ The Internet Archive :: Relic Once Lost @ Last.fm

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EMP016 | Adrian Carter | Switchkicker

Minimal Techno | Ambient House | Electronic Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art

Tracklisting: 1. Abattoir Saws | 2. Switchkicker | 3. Carnival | 4. Snowblind Audio | 5. Carnival (Clutter's Bombay Mix)

Switchkicker @ The Internet Archive :: Switchkicker @ Last.fm

Audio Specials

Clutter | Live at Sonic Picnic

The Cardboard Lung vs Clutter | The Devil Knows How To Row

Clutter | Live And Baroque

The Earth Monkey Productions Rural Outreach Programme

Films

Reviews

Clutter:

Review of On Ha'Penny Bridge @ The Internet Archive

Clambering around on Ha'Penny Bridge, cluttering around creating groovy clanging rhythms until night falls and the bridge starts to glow with blurred reflected night lights. Slowly mysterious shapes start to appear in the river as the early hours of morning arrive - as daylight approaches fear and the unknown retreat leaving space for calm droplets of dew to flicker from the frame of the bridge into the river and another day begins.

An interpretation of the title track - and that is the beauty of this new release from Clutter - every track, as it relays into the next, enables the listener to imagine their own scenario.
In 'After the smog has cleared' a slowed down toy box tune mournfully marches through an English village swamp towards a church bell beckoning it on. The tension builds almost unbearably as the tune gets lost in the haze and weight of it's own terrible memories of war.

During the opener 'Every silver lining has a cloud' a submarine is visited by an ice cream van during a rain storm, conversations are half heard at the beach and seagulls loop around while motorbike engines are deconstructed.

This album feels like a long lost dream interspersed with half remembered timeless memories. You don't just listen, you become immersed and enriched.

Oh the joy, and terror of an everlasting summer holiday!

Review of Slow Corrosion @ Vital Weekly

Earth Monkey Productions is net-label from Cumbria established in 2006 with focus on electronic experimentations, sound art and spoken word. Latest efforts from the label are the Collector's Series, which are 3" CDRs released in limited editions. The opening two releases in the series are quite interesting releases both being based in the abstract sound worlds of ambience...... Though the second release also belongs to the dreamlike state of abstract ambience there is also rhythmic signs on this release. The album titled "Slow corrosion EP" is based on compositions by Susan Matthews remixed by the artist Clutter. Opening track on this album titled "Slow Corrosion EP" belongs to the darkest territories of trip hop with dragging beats slowly moving in creepy electronic atmospheres assisted by the voice of Susan Matthews that in its style reminds a bit of Kim Gordon from the early years of Sonic Youth. From second track forward the expression moves into pure ambient territories. Creepy soundscapes built on found sounds, processed and concrete mixed up with the excellent voices of Susan Matthews. Two interesting opening releases in the Collector's Series. (NM)

Review of Slow Corrosion @ Wonderful Wooden Reasons

Susan is a perennial favourite here at WWR (this is her third appearance in these pages this year) but Clutter on the other hand are a completely new property to these tired old ears. The music on offer on this mini-cd is much more grounded than Matthews solo work. The usually all pervasive ephemeral exoticism of her music has been replaced by industrial rhythms, disjointed half-melodies and static-charged noise cascades. I like this, I don't think I'll play it very often, it's just a little too mechanical for my tastes, but I'll definitely be playing it. I found myself missing Susan's vocals which in itself is unusual for me as I generally am not a vocals fan but to my mind they are the heart of Susan's music and I think it would have been interesting if Clutter had made wider use of them in his adroit re-workings. In all it's a very interesting diversion and a bold and welcome sideways step into the unknown (presumably for both participants) which should always be applauded.

Other reviews:

‘This album works brilliantly as a complete piece. Its rare to get a full album that blends so well from the outset through to the conclusion. The dub elements and fat relaxed beats punctuate a richly textured bed of sound. And what a comfy bed it is! Clutter's trademark blend of foundsound, obtuse vocal samples and strange/beautiful electronics guide you through the entire album, I challenge you to start listening to anodyne Hi fi and not see it through to the very end! Great Stuff. ‘ - Anodyne Hi-Fi review on EARLabs

‘Holy shit. So how is it possible that you people composed the soundtrack for MY dreams? I should sue. ... your music struck me hard within about 60 seconds’ - Kramer

'I love the way the disparate elements blend in, so that it's not just this genre or that, but a nice thing in and of itself' - Gurdonark

‘Whilst listening to 'Tree falling slowly' and 'No Sanctuary' just there, I had a most splendiferously amazing trip into the depths of mind! - Memories of long forgotten dreams started to arise in a manner which was as haunting as it was breathtaking!!’ - Float Method

‘Well I may be a declutter expert, but it's great to allow exceptions to the rule and you, Clutter, are just such an exception! Love your music’ - Mary

‘Beyond simply intriguing - A very unique sound’ - SSG

‘I've just discovered your EP, "Shopping In A Shipyard Town" on Earth Monkey! Powerful stuff. I absolutely love Men Of Steel (Hellhole Mix)’ - Small Colin

‘Slow Blizzard is extraordinary...wonderful music’ - Susan Matthews

‘These are beautiful sounds you are creating...Your new record is brilliant. Like sleeping in plasma.’ - David Wright LaGrone

‘wonderful daydream music’ - polichinelle

'simply wonderful... bizarre juxtapositions of different field recordings, elegantly put together to create this amazing and hypnotic sonic structure' - Emvelope Nine

‘Slow Blizzard is divine and the whole Clutter project is brilliant’ - Pixieguts

‘Just listened to all your tracks and i love all of them. This is some of the best experimental stuff i've come across, keep em' coming. Great work.’ - usb

‘I'm not usually one for the experimental world but I was interested with you guys being from barrow, like me, and not being a god awful punk band. I have to say I was impressed by not only your music but the concepts you use that reflect our area. Well done’ - Matthew Shields

Manassas:

Innovative sounds for largest spaces

‘’Manassas: Vague Recollections on Lost Highway, a musical project from Shaun Blezard with collaborations from artist John Hall, had it’s public debut this month.

This darkly claustrophobic yet strangely appealing musical offering was written as a soundtrack for the preview evening of John Hall’s latest exhibition, Figures Crossing Abbey Road, which runs until February 10th at The Dock museum

It is one of the most intriguing and exciting pieces of music I have heard from the Furness scene in the past year, an atmospheric ambient riffing with bizarre industrial samples and loops, which either offers a soothing rattle in your head or drives you insane with it’s sonic clanking depending on your mood.

It is the sort of music you would not want to be locked in a lift listening to but in the brilliant art space of The Dock recently, it made perfect sense; given freedom in a big room it worked, a clockwork banana backdrop which made you look and feel with fresh eyes.

With an increasing market for soundtrack music our Shaun is definitely on to something.

Shaun Blezard is one of a number of local musicians who are able to reinvent themselves, having played bass with country and western band The Clementines and indie pop outfit The Peach Thieves - he appears finally to have found his own voice with this collection of offbeat electronica.

Vague Recollections on Lost Highway holds more complex meanings than many local rock and roll bands and is a sign that Furness musicians are starting to branch out and find their own voice rather than follow trends’ - Review of Vague Recollections On Lost Highway in North West Evening Mail

‘groundbreaking stuff. apparently recorded live in a bar, this is cutting edge Brit psychedelica, streets ahead of anything i’ve heard in this vein. played on household appliances rather than guitars, conjures up an f.lips landscape of shifting weirdness, bits of country, bits of a lost country somewhere out there on the border between the butthole surfers and boards of canada, if you want points of reference you have to make yr own, this is uncharted land.’ - Review for Live At The Cavendish on The Internet Archive (5/5 stars)

Contact

Cluttermusic.com | Clutter @ Myspace | Clutter @ Bandcamp