“Touch.30” T-Shirt, designed by Jon Wozencroft.
Printed on a black Fruit of the Loom Super Premium T-Shirt.
Position of logo and type: Center Chest, 10cm wide.
Sizes available: S / M / L / XL / XXL
[please state size preference in the TouchShop comments box when checking out!]
We are also designing a postcard and various other items, so watch this space for further news…
The Liminal’s Scott McMillan writes: “In 1982, Touch was established by Jon Wozencroft, Mike Harding, Andrew McKenzie and Gary Mouat. Pointedly not a record label, they initially produced audiovisual magazines, in which the images and text were given as much prominence as the music on their cassette compilations. Over the years, they have moved onto releasing vinyl, CDs, and digital downloads, by artists such as Fennesz, Chris Watson, Philip Jeck, Phill Niblock and Oren Ambarchi, but their ethos is as it was when they first started.
“Touch remains under the curatorship of Jon Wozencroft and Mike Harding. To mark the beginning of their 30th anniversary, which will feature a number of events around Europe and the US, they agreed to be interviewed by The Liminal, the first time they have been interviewed together for over ten years. Given that the number three is of symbolic importance to Touch, it seems appropriate that this interview will run in three parts.”
Read Part One of the interview at www.theliminal.co.uk
Read Part Two of the interview at www.theliminal.co.uk
Read Part Three of the interview at www.theliminal.co.uk
Chris Watson, Jana Winderen & Mike Harding have contributed sounds to the educational project “Minute of Listening”, produced by Sound and Music.
Minute of Listening is a creative learning project through which Sound and Music hopes to enable every child in the country to gain access to a huge diversity of music and sound and, for sixty seconds each day, to focus on the richness and enjoyment of the act of listening.
In 2012 Touch celebrates the 30th anniversary of its first release, “Feature Mist” [Touch # T1]. You can read about forthcoming events on Touch.30. This microsite will be updated regularly.
“A benchmark in field recording not to mention a map of the soul, an insight into the human condition and a key to dreams.” (Caught by the River)
You can read the full review here and buy the album and 12″ vinyl in the TouchShop.
Double Vinyl LP – 13 tracks
Mastered by Denis Blackham, cut by Jason @ Transition.
Artwork & photography by Jon Wozencroft.
Track listing:
Side A
1. Elevation
2. Overcast
3. Erupting Light
4. Circular
Side B
1. Ascent
2. Opaque
3. Aether
4. Whiten
Side C
1. Into Warmer Air
2. Unveiled
3. Baer
Side D
1. Heyr Himnasmidur
2. Iridescence
Composed and recorded by Hildur Ingveldardóttir Guðnadóttir in Berlin and Reykjavík. Hildur played cello, zither, processors and voice. Additional recordings by Skúli Sverrisson, bass and processors on all tracks except track 7, 10, 11 and 12. Jóhann Jóhannsson, organs and processors on tracks 2, 3, 9 and 13. Guðni Franzson, clarinet and bass clarinet on tracks 7 and 10.
Cello made by David Wiebe in 1991. Cello nr 49.
This release contains 3 extra tracks in addition to the ten on the CD version of Without Sinking
11. Baer was recorded in Berlin in 2009… Hildur plays Halldorophone and cello.
12. Heyr himna smiður is an Icelandic hymn.The lyrics are written in 1208 by Kolbeinn Tumason. Music written over 700 years later by Thorkell Sigurbjörnsson, arranged and recorded by Hildur Gudnadottir. Performed by Hildur Gudnadottir (vocals, piano) and Skuli Sverrisson (bass). Recorded in the Civitella Ranieri castle in Umbria, Italy.
13. Iridescence is co-mixed by BJNilsen, also featuring Skuli Sverrisson (bass) and Johann Johannsson (organ).
It is with great shock and sadness that we report the death of Tom Lawrence, who died unexpectedly on Wednesday 19th October 2011.
Tom was a lovely man. We started working with him relatively recently, and helped publish his last album, Water Beetles of Pollardstown Fen (gruenrekorder). He also contributed a beautiful piece to TouchRadio. Here you can listen to The Lough’s Breath.
Tom’s website can be found here.
We extend our deepest sympathy to his wife and two sons. It was a privilege to know and to work with him. Rest in peace, Tom.
Date: 20.10.11. Time: 7pm – 10.30pm.
Free entry. The Bear Pit, Bear Gardens, London SE1 9EB.
Announcing a special evening of Bankside performances curated by The Tapeworm, as part of the Merge Festival.
London’s finest cassette-only label, The Tapeworm, presents its third annual event in the Capital. Exemplary music and much excitement is to be expected from a line-up of the label’s mates.
Mr Ken Hollings, a writer of note, shall be reading his text from the first Bookworm publication, to be launched on this very same night. Sweden’s BJNilsen will be flying in and making a splendid noise for you all. A second Swede, CM von Hausswolff (…he’s a king, dontchaknow!) will share a stage with Touch’s Mike Harding, in a reading of Edgar Allen Poe like none before. Cult vs. occult — former Medicine Head man Peter Hope-Evans and illustrator Savage Pencil will whip up a dark blue storm. Mr Pencil’s fine drawings will also be on display — exhibition continues 21st to 23rd October, 12 to 6pm. Hopping on the bus from Elephant & Castle is Zerocrop and his band; pop perfection from a local lad. And finally, a London eye — video installation by Vicki Bennett, aka People Like Us.
Plus! Last minute additions!! Special guest artist Joachim Nordwall plays his “Ignition” album, live; and special ghost artist Michael Esposito does some spooky shit. How exciting!!! Plus, Dale Cornish from the Baraclough groop will be spinning the cassettes of steel.
Exhibition featuring work by Savage Pencil and Vicki Bennett: Friday 21st – Sunday 23rd October 12 – 6pm.
www.mergefestival.co.uk
www.tapeworm.org.uk
Download flyer [.pdf]
The 11th Spire will take place on 21st October 2011 in Lincoln Cathedral as part of the Frequency Festival 2011 (21st –29th October, Lincoln).
Philip Jeck
BJNilsen
Charles Matthews
Charles Matthews & Mike Harding – The Eternal Chord
The Spire Ensemble – Organogram
with John Beaumont (Tenor)
Tickets:
Tickets can be bought over the phone on +44 (0)1522 561644
Or from the shop itself if they happen to be in Lincoln…
www.frequency.org.uk
Brunnenpassage, Vienna 28th – 30th October
Curated by Mia Zabelka & Mike Harding
Live performances:
Hildur Guðnadóttir
Philip Jeck
Jana Winderen
Ensemble:
One night band conducted by Mike Harding and Mia Zabelka featuring Hildur Guðnadóttir, Jana Winderen, Zahra Mani, Philip Jeck, Manon-Liu Winter, Franz Hautzinger, Mia Zabelka
Installation:
Christina Ödlund – Plant Drummer
Workshops:
Mike Harding/Jana Winderen and Zahra Mani/Mia Zabelka
Fiona Talkington has interviewed Chris Watson about his forthcoming CD and 12″ vinyl release, “El Tren Fantasma” [Touch # TO:42 and TO:42V], due for release 14th November 2011. Extracts from this interview will be broadcast on 29th September and again in October.
Late Junction is broadcast on BBC Radio 3 Tuesday to Thursdays at 11pm.
Jon Wozencroft leads a discussion on the haunted nature of experimental music and photography and plays some records to elaborate. If you like experimental music and photography, this is not to be missed!
Thursday 29 September, 7.30PM
Daniel Blau Gallery
51 Hoxton Square
London N1 6PB
Photograph: Jeffrey Silverthorne, ‘Untitled’, 1982. Unique silver gelatin print.
Jon Wozencroft is Senior Tutor in the department of Visual Communication, Royal College of Art, and the founder of Touch (1982), a unique and highly regarded publishing company based in the UK, working with artists internationally. He has contributed several articles and essays on music and design for a number of publications, including The Guardian, Tate Magazine and The Wire, and in 1988/94 he authored the books The Graphic Language of Neville Brody 1 & 2. He has worked on the Joy Division archive. He is currently involved with new projects for Wire, Chris Watson and Oren Ambarchi.
If you would like to attend this event, please RSVP to: london@danielblau.com.
Tickets are £5, payable on arrival at the gallery.
This September, Never Records will open at 11 Southwark St. near London Bridge tube station, as part of Illuminate Production’s Merge Festival, sponsored by the Tate Modern, and Better Bankside. Philip Jeck will be performing from 8pm The Bear Pit at on 24th September.
In the daytime, Touch, with BJNilsen, Jon Wozencroft & Mike Harding, will be recording and cutting at Never Records at 2pm for two hours. Two vinyl cuts will be made of the recording, one for display and listening in the shop and one, the other copy goes to the archives…
Never Records is a multi-media multi-artist project by New York artist/musician Ted Riederer. Exploring the potential of a record store and record label to unite, educate, and uplift a community through recorded sound, Riederer’s project began in an abandoned Tower Records near Union Square in New York City. In January 2010, Riederer, in collaboration with curators No Longer Empty, created what the Wall Street Journal described as a “mock shop” that served as a “love letter to the dying concept of the record store.”
In September 2010, Riederer brought Never Records to the Liverpool Biennial, and expanded upon his original idea by purchasing a vinyl record lathe. He then cut recordings of live performances, including Philip Jeck & Hildur Guðnadóttir, inside of record store/performance space, and filled his record store with this library of on site performances.
…and don’t forget, The Tapeworm’s free evening of October performances, featuring BJNilsen and CM von Hausswolff, also part of the Merge Festival.
A special concert for the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, with The Gavin Bryars Ensemble & Philip Jeck.
Composed in 1969 and first recorded for Brian Eno’s Obscure label, Gavin Bryars’s The Sinking of the Titanic was inspired by reports that the ship’s string ensemble continued to play the hymn tune Autumn as the vessel sank in April 1912. Featuring projections of archival images curated by Bill Morrison and Laurie Olinder.
Tickets are now available from www.barbican.org.uk
The CD is still available from the TouchShop…
10″ Vinyl
Printer inner and outer colour sleeve
Design & photography by Jon Wozencroft
Track listing:
Side A
1. Liminal 3:07
2. July 5:06
Side B
3. Shift 6:47
4. Seven Stars* 3:01
Recorded in Studio B, Amannstudios, Vienna.
Acoustic and electric guitars, bass, synths, computers.
*Seven Stars features Steven Hess on drums, recorded at Amannstudios by Christoph Amann
Fennesz’s first solo release since “Black Sea” [Touch # TO:76, 2008] is a 4 track 10″ vinyl, with a CD version due in September 2011. It will also be available as a digital download. Using acoustic and electric guitars, bass, synths, computers, Fennesz continues to engage and entrance us in equal measure.
Fennesz writes: “Seven Stars was recorded in Vienna in January 2011. I recorded and mixed the album within 3 weeks. Liminal and July were existing pieces which i have reworked. (I wrote an early version of Liminal in a hotel room in Bali in 2010). There is also a version of Liminal that I have been playing live for some time. My friend Steven Hess, with whom I have worked before, happened to be in Vienna at the time of the sessions, so I invited him to join me in the studio. Christoph Amann recorded the drums using a selection of his great microphones including his amazing new Josephson.
I wanted to make a record that has a certain lightness about it and at the same time explore new territory using drums on one track. This might be something I will continue with in the future.”
Fennesz’s third collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto, “Flumina”, is due out this summer on Touch.
Jon Wozencroft discusses his current cultural reference points with Unit Editions, a progressive publishing venture by Tony Brook and Adrian Shaughnessy, on their “culture lust” blog.
“Within Sound of the Nile – Tracing the composer Soliman Gamil”
A documentary on the works of Soliman Gamil by Paul Paulun.
Research: Chloe Griffin, Paul Paulun and Sam Wilder.
We are pleased to announce that there will be two broadcasts on public German radio stations WDR (14th June), and BR (9th of July).
We are delighted to announce that Jana Winderen has won the Golden Nica for Digital Musics and Sound Art at Ars Electronica 2011. Her entry “Energy Field” was chosen by the jury out of 717 original entries into the category.
Philip Jeck received a Distinction for “Suite: Live in Liverpool” and Sohrab an Honorary Mention for “A Hidden Place“.
Since 1987, the Prix Ars Electronica has served as an interdisciplinary platform for everyone who uses the computer as a universal medium for implementing and designing their creative projects at the interface of art, technology and society.
The Prix Ars Electronica, the Ars Electronica Festival, the Ars Electronica Center – Museum of the Future and the Ars Electronica Futurelab are the four divisions that comprise the Ars Electronica Linz GmbH, whose specific orientation and long-term continuity make it a unique platform for digital art and media culture.
The competition is organized by the Ars Electronica Linz GmbH and ORF’s Upper Austria Regional Studio in collaboration with the OK Center for Contemporary Art and the Brucknerhaus Linz, and the prizes are awarded during the Ars Electronica Festival each year. The Prix Ars Electronica is one of the most important awards for creativity and pioneering spirit in the field of digital media.
A previous Touch entry winner was Ryoji Ikeda’s “matrix” [Touch # TO:44] in 2001.
Previous Distinctions have been awarded to Gescom for their MiniDisc release, which was released on OR, and Chris Watson for his album “Outside the Circle of Fire” [Touch # TO:37].
www.janawinderen.com
Jana Winderen in the TouchShop
Ars Electronica
Press Coverage (Norway unless stated):
Kunstkritikk
Ballade
Listen to Norway (mic)
