My work is concerned with the creation of atmosphere rather than of form, melody or rhythm, of creating an environment through subtle and harmonious changes rather than through force.
Current projects include
Scene One: A Field
An album of landscape-tones. Steep skylines, low
cloud, pearl ground with shadows in oyster and violet, green folds and corners,
waves of soil. The day melts copper into the hills, lilac sky, eyes close with
the heat. Air is thickened and clouds stained. Long shore drift, ships rusting
at harbour, shadows that sound and swollen bruise greys.
Scene One: A Field is available to download at TuneTribeGet these tracks
Belle Atmos
Post-apocalyptic noir soundtrack jazz. Imagine
pop rivets in a willow pattern soup tureen, a New York license plate washed
up in the Burmese delta, Charlie Parker as a short order chef in an Alice Springs
service station, lizards on a dead farmhand, and waiting in line behind a Belgian
social worker reading Bukowski.
myspace/belleatmos and www.belleatmos.com
Belle Atmos perform Sister Ships
Map 165
Martin A. Smith and Tim Hooper have been sporadically collaborating since 1982. Sometimes years have passed without them working together until an idea or suggestion has presented itself and the only way forward has been to work together. Involvement in a wide variety of outside projects has kept the duo's work fresh and inspiring.
They share common beliefs in the pursuit of beauty and evocation through the creative misuse of technology. Instruments rarely sound like themselves and are blended with samples, found sounds and taped effects.
More importantly, their live sound responds directly to the venue and thus they prefer to play in settings that inspire both players and listeners.
myspace/map165 and www.map165.martinasmith.co.uk
Surrealism On Film
I have recently become entranced by the surrealist films of Man Ray, Fernand Leger and others from the 1920’s and have been composing new soundtracks to accompany these films in a live performance.
www.martinasmith.co.uk/surrealist
A film by Man Ray from 1923 with a new soundtrack by Martin A Smith
The Joining Of Heaven And Earth
An audio/visual exploration
of the ancient pilgrims road to Santiago de Compostela, with film by Georges
Meisner and sound manipulation by my good self. There are excepts from
"The Joining Of Heaven And Earth" at
www.martinasmith.co.uk/video
The Joining Of Heaven And Earth
Labyrinth Of Nomadic Passions
An ambient storytelling project
I am working on with the writer Igor Tojcic. More details at
www.nomadicpassions.co.uk
and
myspace/labyrinthofnomadicpassions
I also curate, facilitate and organize a night of soundscapes, improvisation and sonic art at an art gallery in Notting Hill, London. Details at www.martinasmith.co.uk/muse and www.themuseat269.com