THE MUSIC OF STEPHEN UGO ROSIN (1981-1988)
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THEMIS 15 - UNUSED RHYTHMS
This set collects a series of rhythm tracks which were originally prepared in mid 1988 for a proposed collaboration project which never materialized. They were recorded direct to stereo cassette and remastered to digital media in 2001.
THEMIS 14 - DEAD FIXTURES
No matter how many times I dig into the shelves of my analogue archives, I always manage to find something lost, forgotten or neglected. This is one of those pieces that surfaced after being completely forgotten for over 25 years. It was just a little experiment with remixing and editing using a fancy new VHS video deck I'd recently purchased. I must have just whipped this up and quickly discarded it onto the shelf. I don't remember ever listening to it again. Yet, discovering it now all these years later, I find it a fun little mixture of noise and nuance. Fortunately it has held up well enough to enable me to share it with anyone who might find it amusing or engaging in some way.
Source components recorded at various times between 1987 and 1988. Remixed and edited on October 8, 1990. Digitally remastered from Hi-Fi VHS source on February 13, 2017.
Source components recorded at various times between 1987 and 1988. Remixed and edited on October 8, 1990. Digitally remastered from Hi-Fi VHS source on February 13, 2017.
THEMIS 12 - NOISE RESOURCE TAPE
This recording is a noise experiment which was used for sampling purposes and was created in 1988.
THEMIS 11 - AIR TO MORPHEUS
This is an earlier version of the 1996 recording, Air To Morpheus.
This is the original finished mix completed in 1988. The original version was recorded to a C-90 cassette which was later remastered in 1993 to Hi-Fi VHS tape which is the source for this online version. The VHS tape was remastered for this release on November 11, 2015.
As this was taken from a VHS tape that is over 20 years old, there are some minor audio artifacts inherent in the medium which have been retained as they were deemed insubstantial to the overall quality of the recording. Minor dropout clicks are audible occasionally, but these do not interfere with playback enough to warrant restoration at this time.
This is the original finished mix completed in 1988. The original version was recorded to a C-90 cassette which was later remastered in 1993 to Hi-Fi VHS tape which is the source for this online version. The VHS tape was remastered for this release on November 11, 2015.
As this was taken from a VHS tape that is over 20 years old, there are some minor audio artifacts inherent in the medium which have been retained as they were deemed insubstantial to the overall quality of the recording. Minor dropout clicks are audible occasionally, but these do not interfere with playback enough to warrant restoration at this time.
THEMIS 10 - COLD COMFORT
This collection of rather abstract experiments was recorded throughout 1988 and into the beginning of 1989. When the Blood 'n' Tongue collection was being assembled, many previously unmixed tracks were uncovered. It was decided that basic mixes of these tracks would be created just to grab them for posterity.
Released: 31.05.2003 | Style(s): industrial, experimental, electronic
THEMIS 09 - BIRTH OF THE BRUISE
This set collects various disparate experimental recordings produced at various times throughout 1988. They were recorded on a four track portastudio and then mixed to stereo cassette before being remastered for digital media in 2001 or later.
THEMIS 08 - MEATY BEAT EATER
This set collects various rhythmic electronic tracks with a decidedly silly, tongue-in-cheek disposition which were recorded during the first half on 1988. They were all recorded on four track portastudio and mixed to stereo cassette before being digitally remastered in 2001 or later.
THEMIS 07 - RETROGRADE
This album was originally intended as a cassette release of material recorded throughout the first half on 1988. The focus for the compositions was the use of a Roland SH-1 monophonic synthesizer as the primary sound source. The idea was to push the atonal potential of the instrument in creating a series of abstract drones and ambient pieces. All tracks were recorded on four track portastudio and mixed to stereo cassette. They were digitally remastered in 2001 and 2017.
THEMIS 06 - HOME MOVIES
This set collects together various ambient experimental recordings produced at various times throughout 1988. They were all recorded on four track portastudio and mixed to stereo cassette before being remastered for digital media in 2001 or after.
THEMIS 05 - RAZORDANCE
This set collects together various rhythmic electronic compositions created between autumn of 1986 and mid 1988. All tracks were recorded on four track portastudio and mixed to stereo cassette before being digitally remastered in 2001 or later.
THEMIS 04 - THE HORNS OF A DILEMMA
The title track was recorded as the soundtrack for the final version of the experimental video The Horn of a Dilemma in 1987. This piece was recorded live, directly to a stereo cassette tape with no editing or overdubs.
THEMIS 03 - A SEANCE FOR SCIENCE
This set collects various experimental & sound collage type compositions created throughout 1987. All tracks were recorded on four track portastudio and mixed to stereo cassette before being remastered for digital archiving in 2001 or later.
THEMIS 02 - MONSTER SOUP
This set collects together various experimental, yet rhythmic electronic compositions created throughout 1987. They were all recorded on four track portastudio and mixed to stereo cassette before being digitally archived in 2001 or later.
THEMIS 01 - DRIFT WOULD DREAM
This set collects together various ambient compositions created between late 1986 and late 1987. All materials were recorded on four track portastudio and mastered to stereo cassette before being digitally captured in 2001 or after.
SPECTRAL GROOVE
This set collects together various rhythmic experimental tracks recorded between June of 1984 and October 1985. All tracks were produced on a four track portastudio and then mixed to 1/4" reel-to-reel before being remastered to digital media in 2001 or after.
FAINT PRAISE
This set collects together various experimental ambient recordings created from autumn of 1985 through to the spring of 1986. All tracks were recorded on four track portastudio and mixed to 1/4" reel-to-reel before being remastered to digital media in 2001 or later.
ROADKILL BLUES
This set collects various experimental, abstract compositions recorded between March of 1985 and June of 1986. All tracks were recorded on four track portastudio and mixed to 1/4" reel-to-reel tape before being remastered for digital media in 2001 or later.
GRANDMA BEATRICE SURVIVES THE '80s
This set collects together various experimental electronic recordings created between January 15th and May 17, 1984. All tracks were recorded on a four track 1/4" reel-to-reel deck and were remastered from the original tapes for digital media in 2001 & 2021.
EARLY SOLO V5 - EMERALD CITY LIMITS
This set collects together recordings made between November 1982 and May 1983 in Vancouver, BC. They were recorded on a 2 track reel-to-reel with sound on sound overdubbing and remastered for digital media in 2001, 2017 & 2021.
EARLY SOLO V3 - EDGE OF NOWHERE
This set collects recordings created from August to September of 1982 in Powell River, BC. They were created on a 2 track reel-to-reel with sound on sound overdubbing and were remastered for digital media in 2001, 2017 & 2021.
EARLY SOLO V2 - BOWLING TO BEDROOM
This set collects recordings made from March through June of 1982 in Thunder Bay, ON. These were all recorded on 2 track reel-to-reel with "sound on sound" overdubbing and remastered for digital media in 2001, 2017 & 2021.
EARLY SOLO V1 - NOBODY HOME
August of 1981 was when I began to take the art of home recording seriously with the purchase of an AKAI GX-4000D reel-to-reel 2 track tape deck. Its main selling feature was that it had "sound on sound" which allowed you to overdub by bouncing recordings from one track to another while adding another audio source. It's a old school method of multi-tracking first pioneered by Les Paul back when he was making his groundbreaking recordings with Mary Ford in the 1950s. It's a primitive methodology and limited as remixing isn't possible once you bounce over, but it opened up the possibilities of being able to become a "one man band" of sorts.
In addition to the tape deck, I also had in my arsenal a Roland SH-1 synthesizer, BOSS DR-55 Doctor Rhythm, cheap Les Paul electric copy and Fender Precision bass copy and a couple of guitar amps. There were a few other odd bits and pieces floating around as well, like an ancient violin and some percussion and eventually, I bought a cheap drum kit from my cousin. With all these, I set about doing my first proper recordings in the unfinished basement of my parent's house, off in a corner enclosed by some curtains and furnished with a ratty old sofa which I'd sleep on some nights in the summer when it was too hot to sleep upstairs. I loved sleeping on that couch because I could put headphones on and record late at night while everyone else was asleep. With the instruments plugged directly into the tape deck, I was quiet as a mouse and no one knew what I was up to.
The recordings collected in this set were done between August and December of 1981 and represent my first serious attempts at recording my own music. They were recorded directly to 1/4" reel-to-reel and then remastered in 2001, 2017 & 2021 for digital media.
In addition to the tape deck, I also had in my arsenal a Roland SH-1 synthesizer, BOSS DR-55 Doctor Rhythm, cheap Les Paul electric copy and Fender Precision bass copy and a couple of guitar amps. There were a few other odd bits and pieces floating around as well, like an ancient violin and some percussion and eventually, I bought a cheap drum kit from my cousin. With all these, I set about doing my first proper recordings in the unfinished basement of my parent's house, off in a corner enclosed by some curtains and furnished with a ratty old sofa which I'd sleep on some nights in the summer when it was too hot to sleep upstairs. I loved sleeping on that couch because I could put headphones on and record late at night while everyone else was asleep. With the instruments plugged directly into the tape deck, I was quiet as a mouse and no one knew what I was up to.
The recordings collected in this set were done between August and December of 1981 and represent my first serious attempts at recording my own music. They were recorded directly to 1/4" reel-to-reel and then remastered in 2001, 2017 & 2021 for digital media.
Released: 09.11.2021 | Style(s): post-punk, experimental, electronic