Slow Food
by Steve Lawson and Trip Wamsley
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Digital Album
Immediate download of 6-track album in your choice of 320k mp3, Apple Lossless, 24bit FLAC, or just about any other format you could possibly desire, for as little as a pound (bandcamp's smallest amount allowed) or as much as you currently have in the bank.
The 24bit thing is pretty key - that's "better than CD quality" - I know, you didn't think anything could be higher quality than CDs, right? Wrong. This is. It's awesome.
Normally labels charge loads more for hi-res files. It's not uncommon for even 'normal' FLAC files to cost £12-£15 per album. But that's not how we roll, as some Americans say. No, it's not. So grab the high res fylz, and pay what you think they're worth (which is, obviously, more than low res files, but it's really up to you....)
Somewhere between the aforementioned £1/everything seems wise, but please, if you're unsure, listen to it here for free, and give it a few listens before deciding.
If you're having trouble deciding, try 50p-£1 per track or £5-£10 for an album... or don't. You're a grown-up, you understand how this music making thing works. Your time has value too. Calculate it based on that, if you like... We just hope you enjoy it! ... moreBuy Now name your price
1. |
The Upward Spiral
08:36
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2. |
Grown-Ups At Play
05:46
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3. |
Growing Up And Moving On
07:33
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4. |
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5. |
Ten Years Of Listening
11:07
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6. |
Slow Food
05:20
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about
So Why Slow Food?
Well, the slow food movement was so named in contrast to fast food - the big business, low nutrition, fast buck, zero time approach to cuisine.
In contrast the slow food movement is about things being local, seasonal, organic, treasured, valued, social, cared-for.
That’s how we make music - this is not pop music. Not that it’s willfully obscure, just that when we’re composing it as we go along, playing what feels right in response to what’s just happened, it’s more like cooking a special meal for your family than it is like planning a way to fry more burgers per hour. The ingredients are pretty simple, but they’re what we know best. And the tracks take a while to bloom... It’s a pretty drawn out musical dialogue we’re having here, so sit back and relax, turn off the distractions, put the headphones on and enjoy it.
For the same reason, I’ve chosen to release these tracks as 24bit files. That’s higher than CD quality. Will you notice? Probably not, given that you don’t have the 16bit versions to compare it to, but believe me, this is as good as this music can possibly sound. 24 bit allows us great dynamic range I’ve avoided compressing the life out of the tracks, so you can enjoy that range). For that reason, I’d recommend you download the FLAC versions of the tracks if you have something to play FLAC files on (Winamp, or Songbird, For example) - the files are pretty big, but that’s where you’ll get the most benefit from the 24bit-ness.
Well, the slow food movement was so named in contrast to fast food - the big business, low nutrition, fast buck, zero time approach to cuisine.
In contrast the slow food movement is about things being local, seasonal, organic, treasured, valued, social, cared-for.
That’s how we make music - this is not pop music. Not that it’s willfully obscure, just that when we’re composing it as we go along, playing what feels right in response to what’s just happened, it’s more like cooking a special meal for your family than it is like planning a way to fry more burgers per hour. The ingredients are pretty simple, but they’re what we know best. And the tracks take a while to bloom... It’s a pretty drawn out musical dialogue we’re having here, so sit back and relax, turn off the distractions, put the headphones on and enjoy it.
For the same reason, I’ve chosen to release these tracks as 24bit files. That’s higher than CD quality. Will you notice? Probably not, given that you don’t have the 16bit versions to compare it to, but believe me, this is as good as this music can possibly sound. 24 bit allows us great dynamic range I’ve avoided compressing the life out of the tracks, so you can enjoy that range). For that reason, I’d recommend you download the FLAC versions of the tracks if you have something to play FLAC files on (Winamp, or Songbird, For example) - the files are pretty big, but that’s where you’ll get the most benefit from the 24bit-ness.
credits
released 10 September 2010
Steve Lawson: Fretless Bass, Looping and Associated Weirdness
Trip Wamsley: Basses (lots of 'em), samples (triggered via Ableton Live) Bass Pedals (I shit you not... The Taurus-stylee ones. Oh yes.)
Recorded at Trip's place, July 2010, in one day. Mixed and Mastered at Steve's place, August 2010.
Artwork/Photography: Steve.
Steve Lawson: Fretless Bass, Looping and Associated Weirdness
Trip Wamsley: Basses (lots of 'em), samples (triggered via Ableton Live) Bass Pedals (I shit you not... The Taurus-stylee ones. Oh yes.)
Recorded at Trip's place, July 2010, in one day. Mixed and Mastered at Steve's place, August 2010.
Artwork/Photography: Steve.
tags
license
feeds
feeds for about
The UK's most celebrated solo bassist, here with lots of looped/layered solo albums, & collaborations, most notably with
genius singer Lobelia. Dig in deep, there's a lot to discover.
Pretty much all the music here is 'Pay What You Think It's Worth', so listen as much as you like, & do what it says on the tin...
As the website strap-line goes, it's the soundtrack to the day you wish you'd had.
... more
shows
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Aug 23Cheltenham, UK
discography
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May 2013 -
Jan 2013 -
Sep 2012 -
Nov 2012 -
Jan 2012 -
Nov 2008 -
May 2012 -
Sep 2010 -
Jun 2010 -
Sep 2003 -
Apr 2013 -
Feb 2008 -
Jan 2006 -
Aug 2004 -
Oct 2010 -
Sep 2004 -
Sep 2002 -
Oct 2012 -
Aug 2000
contact / help
For help with downloads, click here.
For all other inquiries, including help with merch, click here.
Redeem download codes here.
- Track Name: The Upward Spiral
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The Upward Spiral
It was really tricky to choose the opener for the album, and this wasn’t the obvious first choice, as it has a kind of false start... it feels likes it’s going to be all big and ambient, then Trip hints at a sparse bass groove, I switch to the rolling rhythmic line, he follows, then jumps in with the jaunty melody, switches to fretless...
Two minutes in, it’s hopefully clear why it’s the opener.
Joyous, optimistic, improvised music. That’s the idea.
Of course it turns into a freaky glitch-fest at the end, but not before a crescendo of euphoric blade-runner-esque cinematic guitar-ish-ness.
All hail the Kaoss Pad KP3. Nuff Said. - Track Name: Grown-Ups At Play
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Grown-Ups At Play
The simplest tune on the record in terms of the techological wizardry. There’s one little loop towards the end, but most of it is just Trip and I playing, with him hitting some deep, deep bass pedals (srsly, you’re not going to hear those if you’re listening on laptop speakers or through crappy headphones. They dig deep.)
This is almost an old fashioned duet.
Almost.
The loop section adds a lil’ StevieSpice to the proceedings. After all, we’re grown-ups. - Track Name: Growing Up And Moving On
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Growing Up And Moving On
This was the first thing we recorded. It is, I think the most edited too... Perhaps.
Nerves? Expectations?
We met 11 years ago. We wouldn’t have played like this then. We were young. Unformed. A different world.
We’ve moved on, up, out, through... Sometimes in parallel, sometimes divergent, always with a bass in hand.
It’s a slow build, the underlying loop changes not. The emotions evolve. We’re exploring, tentatively (it’s the first thing we played, remember?) Satisfied as it unfolds.
It’s good. Let’s play more. - Track Name: Imaginary Robot Ninja Assistant
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Imaginary Robot Ninja Assistant.
Who doesn’t have an imaginary robot ninja assistant? Fixing stuff, being awesome, ass-kicking when needed, and, uhm, assisting...
When I finally get my real Robot Ninja Assistant, it will sing like this track.
And I’d understand every word it sang.
This is how all robots should sing.
It’s a love song.
Nowhere near as dark as it sounds to us.
Robot harmony is different, y’see, not based on dodgy fudged physics. Theirs is is essence of rock ‘n’ roll.
And ninjas. - Track Name: Ten Years Of Listening
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The longest track on the album. A slow build with some pretty big transitions, and a Big Distorted Solo™. The only way to navigating those transitions is to rely on deep listening.
Trip and I have been listening to each other for over a decade. I’m always as happy to listen to him play as I am to be playing the music myself. That’s the key to improv - play with people who make nicer noises than you can imagine making yourself. Removes the tendency to over-play.
So we listen, we react, we surprise each other and play catch-up. But after a decade of listening, the surprises get easier to adjust to :)
There are some amazing moments in this tune, too many amazing moments to list them all here. And there are sounds that you’d be forgiven for thinking were me that are actually Trip. He really stretches out on this, and the blend between our sounds has never been more integrated and organic. - Track Name: Slow Food
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Slow Food.
Trip Solo. But not solo. Trip, enhanced, by me. Nudged, prompted, surprised, cajoled, tricked, tripped, aided and abetted.
“You just play, and I’ll loop and process it. See what happens”
This is what happens.
Lots of listening, fun, to and fro.
The essence of Slow Food. The album, not the cuisine. Music without playing, a duet where only one person makes noise.
Cajun Zen.
Playing tennis against a wall with a mind of its own.
The End.
