A/V : Minimal Drone GRL - Shifting Plates (Juan de Fuca)

Travel the beautiful terrains of Juan de Fuca in British Columbia with the earthly ambient tones of Minimal Drone GRL.
"Shifting Plates (Juan de Fuca)" is taken from the 'Ancestral Origins' album. Available on cassette and digital format on Bricolage.
You can find the "Ancestral Origins" album in cassette and digital format below or at our bandcamp

Footage of the Juan de Fuca trail is used with full consent of the "Virtual Videos Channel". Subscribe and find more here : Virtual Videos Channel Huge thanks to Nataly at VVC. You can find the full original video here.

Minimal Drone GRL "Ancestral Origins" (bc054)

Bricolage is proud to present the debut album from Canadian sound sculptor, Joanne O'Keeffe aka Minimal Drone GRL.

"Ancestral Origins" is an ambient opus that is full to the brim with colourful and alluring melodies, emotive pads, effective rhythms and a vast array of field recordings recorded throughout the UK and Canada. These field recordings and found sounds blend in with the organic atmosphere to create a memorable and captivating journey.

This stunning ninety minute story is soaked in nostalgic tones and plays out like a fairy tale of sorts as Minimal Drone GRL casts her spell and weaves a golden web of immersive surround sound ambience. At once, both mystical and relatable. We'd highly recommend listening to "Ancetsral Origins" in one sitting to truly experience and appreciate the full story.

The theme of the album is rooted deep in the heart of British Columbia as past meets present and both look to the future together....

"The concept or theme for the album is based on what it was like to be brought up by immigrant parents and the challenges and hardships they faced arriving in a foreign country. Each individual track represents exploration, self discovery and learning about my roots/ancestry in Britain and growing up in British Columbia. The 'Spirit of Kolus' track pays homage to the indigenous people/First Nations of Canada and the beauty of their culture and heritage."


As always you can stream and download exclusively on our bandcamp

Sub City presents "Ancestral Origins" Exclusive Album Stream

"On the 3rd of April, we release an ambient album from sound artist Joanne O'Keeffe aka Minimal Drone GRL. Her album "Ancestral Origins" is a treasure trove of field recordings recorded throughout Canada and the UK. These field recordings are complimented by beautiful ambient synth work and organic rhythms."

You can now find a one off full seamless mix of the upcoming Minimal Drone GRL album over at Glasgow's underground music hub, Sub City Radio.

The mix aired originally at 6pm on Saturday the 28th April. You can now listen back here.

"Ancestral Origins" is released on April 3rd and you can pre order the album at bandcamp.

PREMIERE : Minimal Drone GRL - Improvement District No.12

The folks at 'The Ransom Note' have an exclusive premiere of "Improvement District No.12" today ahead of the new Minimal Drone GRL album next month.

Listen below and read the full article here.

"Ancestral Origins" is out on cassette and digital on April 3rd.





Pre order "Ancestral Origins" at the Bricolage bandcamp.

Ancestral Origins (Pre Order)

ARTIST : Minimal Drone GRL TITLE : Ancestral Origins GENRE : Ambient CAT NO : bc054 FORMAT : Cassette and Digital DATE : 3rd April 2020



"Ancestral Origins" is the stunning new album from Canadian ambient artist Minimal Drone GRL and is now available for pre order from our bandcamp.

SIDE A Belcarra Forest Ambience Torpor (Eyes Through A Bear) Cross Country 365 Days Realms of Foreshadowing and Hindsight Improvement District No.12 Velvet Shadows SIDE B Ambivalence Nostalgic Echoes Shifting Plates (Juan de Fuca) Spirit of Kolus CloudWalker Taiga (Boreal CDA)

Random Access Radio : Bricolage (The 2019 Reminisce Mix)

We're back after a short break over the Christmas period. Refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to dive into 2020. Before we get the ball rolling with an album and a podcast from the Lying Cat, lets take a look back at the year that was in 2019 with a reminiscing mix put together for our friends at Random Access Radio in Greece. This exclusive mix includes at least one track from each of our releases from last year and also offers a sneak peek into the first couple of new releases coming in 2020. This includes the aforementioned mind altering Lying Cat album, sparse and futuristic techno from Urgula and a stunning epic double release from Minimal_Drone*GRL.

You can stream the mix at RAR or below.



TRACKLIST

01. Minimal_Drone *GRL - Belcarra Forest Ambience (forthcoming in 2020)
02. Leit Motif - Bloom (June 2019)
03. Dark Fidelity Hi Fi - Found (July 2019)
04. Dark Fidelity Hi Fi - Pushing Ratios (June 2019)
05. Fragile X - Phase System (May 2019)
06. No Arrival - Play (February 2019)
07. Sceadu - Imaginary Reign (January 2019)
08. Broken Form - Lay Still Beneath The Pylons (August 2019)
09. Lying Cat - The Dull Tedium Of This.... (forthcoming in 2020)
10. Belial Pelegrim - Scorpia (November 2019)
11. Sceadu - Embryo (January 2019)
12. Justin Case - #Ulysses (August 2019)
13. Urgula - Battle For The Magnetic Fields (forthcoming in 2020)
14. Ty Lumnus - Tolerances (September 2019)
15. Loui Cleghorn - The Halcyon Days (March 2019)
16. Devras Plexi - Orangeforest (August 2019)
17. Yasda - Claptrap (December 2019)

All of the above tracks can be found at the labels bandcamp page.

I Heart Noise : Bricolage Retrospective (Label Mix 2018)

At the tail end of last year we were honoured to be asked to put together a Bricolage "Retrospective 2018" mix for renowned taste makers iHeartNoise. The session takes a look back at a whirlwind 12 months of broken beats, mangled electronica, glitchy IDM, ambient landscapes, experimental sound collage and gritty electro. It features tracks from each of our 7 stand alone releases from 2018 alongside a selection of cuts from our special "Retcon" anniversary compilation.

Tune in at the link below or over at the IHN mixcloud. Tracklisting below.



01. Lying Cat – Fstal Better To Begin (Nov 18)
02. Yasda – Restless Man Of All Work (Aug 18)
03. Supply Fi – Dry Remains (Apr 18)
04. Equal Parts – People Find Time (Aug 18)
05. Dark Fidelity Hi Fi – Hanasaku (Aug 18)
06. Fragile X – Res Ipsa Loquitur (Aug 18)
07. Devras Plexi – Something We Dreamt (Mar 18)
08. Anonymous3 – Nine (Aug 18)
09. No Arrival – Terra Ratio (Aug 18)
10. All Buttons In – The Life And Death Of A Neuron (Aug 18)
11. futurendeavours – Yautja Blood (Jan 18)
12. Arran Trax – Dammerung (Jun 18)
13. GrevusAnjl – The Nicest Of Vices (Aug 18)
14. Justin Case – Seagulling (Jul 18)
15. Minimal_Drone*GRL – Bifurcated Worlds (Aug 18)
16. Menopausal Hound Dog – Clown Interruption And The Bore Science Nostril Shots (Feb 18)

In The Loop : Episode 33

Our first In The Loop of 2019 is a bumper episode that shares sounds from no more than 10 Bricolage roster and alumni. Without further ado....

MINIMAL_DRONE*GRL

Another breath of fresh air from the Canadian producer as she unveils the airy textures of "Velvet Shadows".



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JAFFA KID

"Echelon" is full of tough techno beats crossed with electro percussion and topped off with a gorgeous ambient background.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DARK FIDELITY HI FI

Another gorgeous ambient and glitch infused story from the esteemed Manchester producer with a sound of all his own.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MINERVA

A peak inside the brain of Minerva. The Hungarian artist has once again got in touch with her more experimental side. Expect acid, dub, techno and all sorts of chaos.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FIGURATE

Delicate and downtempo, aquatic laced, IDM sounds.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BELIAL PELEGRIM

Icy cinematic tones and a constant dreamlike progressive nature as "Baked Alaska" evolves and grows.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BLUE NOTES

A locked in hip hop style groove with broody funk elements.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

YASDA

We'll just leave this here... "Sputnik" is Russian word that means "fellow traveler". The title reflects to the thankful feeling of having a partner next to you who shares similar values, phylosophy and attitude to life. Things that connect you together, and create a foundation of mutual responsibility, its essence, the deepest and holistic view about the quality of everyday life. A person that respects you and has the curiousity and passion to escort you on your way wherever it leads to.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SULEVIA

An undefinable musical gem from deepest Austria. Sulevia is a producer that just seems to get more exciting with every one of her releases.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUNCASTLE

A playful slice of experimental pop-techno soaked in 8bit melodies. Free download.

In The Loop : Episode 30

It's been a while since our last episode of ITL, so we're making up for lost time with some new episodes before the end of the year.

The first of which casts an eye and ear on recent sounds from Minimal_Drone*GRL, Dark Fidelity HiFi. The Oscilloscope, Human Age and Arran Trax.

MINIMAL_DRONE*GRL

"Hinterland" is an emotionally charged epic slice of drone/ambient from the Canadian producer. Her signature soothing tunes are on full display as this track drifts along perfectly.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DARK FIDELITY HIFI

Stunning glitch landscapes are second nature to Rick Jones. The man behind DFHF has mastered his craft over the years and is consistently creating his own unique sonic worlds. "Summer Ghosts" comes with some beautiful vocals from long time collaborator, Hannah Moore. A song about summers gone by....



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE OSCILLOSCOPE

We're a bit late to the party with this one...

"Handmade Ghosts" is a short fifteen minute mix of original material made with Halloween in mind. Dark and eerie acid lines, washes of analogue synth and that familiar rhythm work from the acid aficionado.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HUMAN AGE

Ethereal vocals, calming sounds and gentle pads give way to a warm rhythm section full of crisp beats and a deep bass sound on this Human Age remix of RTIK "It's Not You. Chilled late night or early morning vibes depending on your mood.

Hear the original here.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ARRAN TRAX

"The Tunnel" straddles the line between light and dark perfectly. A hybrid piece of breakbeat/electronica from the prolific Scottish producer. Tough beats juxtaposed with with airy and warped melodics.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ghost Stories 2018

Our "Ghost Stories" section has become custom for Bricolage in Halloween season over the last few years and has proved to be popular among our fans and artists. This year's selections of eerie electronics and spooky soundtracks come from All Buttons In, GrevusAnjl, Crest Of The Syndicate and Minimal_Drone*GRL.

So, without further ado....

MINIMAL_DRONE*GRL

1. Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead



"My first pick is "Bela Lugosi's Dead" by Bauhaus.  Known as the first Gothic song in 1979, this is 9 minutes of experimental brilliance with atmospheric guitars and skittering drums.  Drawing from post-punk, alternative rock with a touch of dub, this is a journey into the void with a dark and dreary vibe from beginning to end.  Always a classic for me."
2. Dario Argento - Suspiria



"I'm a huge fan of classic horror movies, especially the Italian genre "Giallo".  "Susperia" by Dario Argento is one of my favourite films in this genre.  Surrealistic and colourful visuals and a thick fairytale atmosphere give this movie a unique touch that really gets your imagination going.  Goblin's wailing, strident prog rock score - with pounding rhythms, heavy breathing and dissonance, maintains the suspenseful, supernatural tone throughout."

3. F.W. Murnau - Nosferatu



"My next pick is "Nosferatu" by F.W. Murnau.  Here is the story of Dracula before it was buried alive in clichés.  Murnau's silent film (1922) was based on the Bram Stoker novel.  I admire it for it's artistry and ideas, it's atmosphere and images, than for it's ability to manipulate my emotions like a skillful modern horror film.  It doesn't scare us, it haunts us.  It shows not that vampires can jump out of shadows, but that evil can grow there, nourished on death."

4. Ben Frost - The Carpathians



"Frost's music is all about contrast - merging beautiful classical minimalism with the dirty grind of metal and drone core.  This combination is unsettling to the mind, refusing to split in half and choose between genres.  For me, this track evokes the terrifying, uncomfortable, sickening feeling of being stranded in an evening snow storm when you hear the sound of a pack of wolves howling in the distance."

5. Mario Bava - Black Sabbath



"My final pick is another Giallo film "Black Sabbath" by Mario Bava.  This trilogy of horror stories serves as an interesting look at a trio of varying filmmaking styles.  All three are wonderfully evil, stylistic with incredible camera work and beautifully designed sets.  My favourite of the the three is "The Drop of Water".  It's about a nurse who steals the ring off an old occultist woman's hand only to have her grinning corpse torment her from beyond the grave.  The initial shock of seeing the old witch is truly bone-chilling." 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CREST OF THE SYNDICATE

1. Hobo With A Shotgun

"This is a Canadian Grindhouse film and the reason I pick this as its one of my favourite horror films. Its gory, its crazy, its disturbing and the story is pretty simplistic but that is what makes it so great. The first time I saw this film was in 2012, a friend recommended it to me and after watching it, I was hooked, my favourite part is the summoning of 'The Plague', 2 armoured demons from hell.. If you haven't seen it and you like trashy horror films, I'd fully recommend it."



2. Aphex Twin - Come To Daddy

"Where to begin?! This song is awesome, the video is disturbed... probably not in the spooky halloween sense but is well worth a mention. However its the Little Lord Faulteroy Mix is where its at, try listening to it at 2am with its bizarre creepy speech but nonetheless a brilliant track (all the mixes included)"



3. RJD2 - The Horror

"The spooky opening track from the fantastic Deadringer album. Its spooky melodies, old samples and hip-hop beats make this track a must for any halloween party playlist. Plus check the whole album (if you haven't) its a masterpiece!"



4. Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster - Psychosis Safari

"This track, where to even start with this... the album 'Horse of the Dog is one of my favourite albums purely for its intensity, its guitar riffs and general gloominess (I'm not a gloomy guy by the way). This track is the standout for me, I can't remember when I first heard this but I'm sure it was on the Steve Lamacq show and was immediately hooked and bought the album on CD the next day, this has a great hook and the vocals are insane at the end. The album is well worth listening to and doesn't last long at 28 minutes."



5. Future Sounds Of London - Dead Cities



"Last but not least, here is FSOL with Dead Cities. This is my favourite album ever and inspired me to get into music when I was just 15. Dark, gloomy and just perfection all the way through from 'Herd Killing' to 'First Death In The Family'. Such a solid album with no filler and confirmed my lifelong love affair with electronic music. Not halloween affilated on the surface but listen closer to the tracks and you'll see what I mean particularly the track Vit Drowning/Through Your Gills I Breathe. The link above is my favourite track of all time 'Antique Toy'.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ALL BUTTONS IN

1. Surachai - Temple of the Weakening Sun



"One of Surachai's finest synthesizer explorations, a deep and dark ominous masterpiece. Well balanced between melodic warmth and crushing mayhem. The video is equally stunning."

2. Kyrptic Minds - Six Degrees



"Beautifully crafted deep brooding atmospheric dubstep, with added ferocity and the dancefloor in mind."

3. V.I.V.E.K - Asteroids



"Asteroids is a vast and spacious track with deep pulsating subs that induce intense sensations. Full of V.I.V.E.K's distinct dark and menacing atmosphere."

4. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Red Right Hand



"Arguably The Bad Seeds finest moment. A haunting, menacing tale full of Cave's eloquent black wit."

5. The Misfits - Halloween



"The name says it all. I can't think about Halloween without thinking of this song. Classic punk rock fun." 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GREVUSANJL

1. Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead



"These first two are a blast from my past. Songs pulled from my dark, angsty youth. Starting with my all time favorite Goth song, Bauhas 'Bela Lugosi's Dead'. I played this until the tape finally broke. Sitting in a darkly lit room; stereo so loud, it annoyed the neighbors across the street. I know where some of my hearing problems originated. And at that age I wouldn't have it any other way.

2. Type O Negative - Black No.1 (Little Miss Scare-All)




"Continuing the back story of my Gothy past, here's one of the funnier details about my wife and I, when we first moved in together. On laundry day, we typically had 3 black loads, and half a light load. I don't think I owned a non-black shirt until my 30s. And here's the next song we were addicted to for months; Type O Negative's "Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)"
"There are so many great songs from that time period, the list could go on! But lets move on to the more recent, more atmospheric side of darkness. I want to share 3 (and not even close to all of the) discoveries I've made on SoundCloud that could all be strong contenders for scariest ambient song (or album) of the year, soundtracks suitable for your worst nightmares.

3. Blink Twice - Summoning

"This first is by Mood Exhibit's darker incarnation, Blink Twice. The song is called "Summoning". Suffice it to say, sometimes it's healthy to revisit and express your past, and Robert Salchak is great at embracing that dark inner child (check out any of the Blink Twice songs found on SoundCloud, and you'll know exactly what I mean.)"



4. Humanfobia - Aura Obscura

"The second SoundCloud group to make my list is Humanfobia (comprised of S'bila Orbe on sound programming and Mist Spectra on vocals; and partnering with musician James Onsen for this project). They generously make these haunting soundscapes year round, so we have plenty of new material to get us through the next Halloween season, if you're that specific. Otherwise, just enjoy it year round. This song is entitled 'Aura Obscura'. "



And here's where the EP can be found, if the track whets your appetite.

Link : Humanfobia - Aura Obscura EP

5. Grim Heka - Room 237

"My last offering is from Darren Coyle, the genius behind Optapus (and his even darker, dark side Grim Heka). The Grim Heka music scares me silly (and the images he finds for his cover art are wonderfully creepy and disturbing). If you're running low on nightmare-inducing soundscapes, his latest album is there to help you out."

Link : Grim Heka - The Overlook Hotel

"Here is but a taste of this talented musician's frightening world."



"I hope you enjoyed this little peak into the frightening stuff that keeps GrevusAnjl awake at night. Sleep like the dead, my friends."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Until next year......

"Retcon" (bc038)

“Retcon” is our most expansive and adventurous project to date. A mammoth twenty track compilation to celebrate 3 years as a label.

On this release we bring you new sounds from some Bricolage stalwarts and regulars plus creations from a collection of new artists that we’ve welcomed to the roster.

The Bricolage outlook has always remained the same for our VA albums and, just like all our previous compilations, there’s music from all over the electronic spectrum and across the world on “Retcon”. No stone is left unturned. No sound unplayed.

Available for stream and download at the links below or at our bandcamp.





I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all the artists and friends associated with Bricolage for their support and patience in the build up to the “Retcon” release. Due to unforeseen personal reasons, and a very difficult summer, this album almost didn’t happen. The support of the aforementioned people gave me the strength to ensure “Retcon” was given the release I feel it deserved and for that I’m very thankful. The album has proved to be somewhat of a beacon of light for me personally and has proved to be a worthwhile commitment. I hope you feel the same. (John / Fragile X)

Bricolage : Retcon (Phase Four)

On the 31st of August we mark our third anniversary as a label. In those three years we’ve worked with some fantastic artists and released what, we’d like to think is, some unique and special music along the way. 

To celebrate entering into our fourth year we’ve managed to pool together a mammoth 20 track compilation containing a mixture of 10 artists from our current roster and 10 artists that are new to the label. 

Titled “Retcon”, the compilation will be released on Friday the 31st August and as usual will showcase a wide variety of styles from the electronic sphere.

Today, we introduce you to the last 5 artists that will make up the compilation. All 5 of whom are new additions to the Bricolage roster.

EQUAL PARTS



"Equal Parts" is a local producer based in Glasgow, His ambient and experimental works consist of sampled acoustic sounds and a blend of field recordings that make for an ultimately organic end product. His absolutely stunning track "People Find Time" acts as the opening track on the new "Retcon" album. Listen in below.




-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SCEADU


Not much is known about the mysterious Sceadu project. We can tell you that it translates as either 'shadow' or 'protection' in Germanic which may give some hint as to the location of the enigmatic producer that has so far shown they're capable of all manners of genres from dark ambient to fluttering electronica and the melodic house of "Multiverse". That very track features on our anniversary compilation. Hear it now in the link underneath.



Sceadu (Mixcloud)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CREST OF THE SYNDICATE


From deepest, darkest Gloucestershire comes "Crest of the Syndicate" aka Rob Adams.

His music is inspired not only from his home county, but also from the British/Psychedelic/90's electronic scenes. He manages to stay true to those influences and uses them to create his own unique soundscapes with a wide array of hybrid styles that mark him out as one of a kind.

His track "Abbots" will feature on "Retcon" and will also be included on a future EP titled, "Interiors", that will be released on the 'Bad Bat Records' label.



CotS (Facebook)

CotS (Bandcamp)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ESEF


"Esef" is the alias of Scott Ferguson. A native of Glasgow with an insatiable appetite for house and techno that has seen him consistently blow the roof off various warehouses and parties around the city with his DJ sets over the last few years. Somewhat reserved on the release front until recent times, 2017 saw him release on both the Ibiza based Sonika imprint and Maintain Replay Records in Portugal. He's keeping the ball rolling with a contribution to Bricolage for "Retcon". His track "Dear Grey Place" is a prime example of some of the hypnotising music he's waiting to set free on the electronic music world as he crafts away at sculpting his sound. "Dear Grey Place" will be unleashed in due time. Until then be sure to check out his last offering, "The Resistance" EP.



Esef (Facebook)

Esef (Mixcloud)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MINIMAL_DRONE*GRL


Born and raised in Burnaby, British Columbia. She's a blogger, world traveler and music enthusiast.  Even though, she's relatively new to music production, she has spent many years dabbling in the studio and tentatively releasing her most recent creations under the "Minimal_Drone*GRL" moniker. The music is experimental at the core, exploring nature through audio storytelling and celestial soundcapes that incorporate samples and field recordings into their being.

She has together an epic closing track called "Bifurcated Worlds" for the upcoming "Retcon" album. More on that soon. For now, check out a track from spring this year...



Minimal_Drone*GRL (Twitter)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------