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The One Ensemble

oneensemble

About Me

The One Ensemble Of Daniel Padden started life as a solo recording project, and 2 albums were released: a self-titled CD on Catsup Plate, and 'The Owl Of Fives' on Textile. After that the Ensemble became a live band and released 'Live At VPRO Radio' on Brainwashed. The band is now 'The One Ensemble', and have a new album out on Secret Eye called 'Wayward The Fourth'.


Secret Eye press release: "The heir apparent to Moondog and Zoltan Kodaly, The One Ensemble blend European folk, narrative, popular and chamber forms to create modern compositions that provide attention-grabbing hooks and thought-provoking challenges. At times formal and at others improvisational, it is difficult to pin down the One Ensemble sound. Influences range from the classic pop-psychedelia of Robert Wyatt to the deep experimental drone of Third Ear Band. Blissful free jazz, delicate acoustic out-folk, tape collages, Eastern raga and mystical modern minimalism all peacefully coexist in the One Ensemble's uniquely beautiful universe. "


Womblife blog review:The One Ensemble Wayward the Fourth (Secret Eye) - "Had this one a while and been trying hard to summon the words to fully capture it's strange beauty. Daniel Padden is one fourth of the always fascinating Volcano the Bear. He's also released some delectable solo albums under the One Ensemble of Daniel Padden name for the last four years. What he did then was a kind of minimal free jazz/prog folk response to what folks like Robert Wyatt and Brian Eno were doing early in their careers with multi-tracks and instruments all performed by Padden. As with the recent Live at VPRO CD-R (Brainwashed), Wayward the Fourth is the work of a genuine ensemble, quartet to be exact, captured in a studio. The songs are gorgeous, twisted amalgams of European and American ethnic musics, free jazz, chamber music, minimalism and experimental plateaus rarely glimpsed in the western world, dispersed with just the right emotional -- ranging from giddy to somber -- intensity. There's vocals on a few tracks, a few bizarre deconstructions on some others, but what strikes me most about this is the sheer musicality, the deliberate attention to space, detail and compositional structure. One Ensemble albums have always sounded like this, but just as with Volcano the Bear's brilliant Classic Erasmus Fusion (Beta-Lactam Ring), the ensemble approach has reached new depths of cinematic, multi-hued brilliance. Easily one of the best '07 has coughed up so far."

Foxy Digitalis review: "At times turbulent and at others sombre: the music of Daniel Padden and his One Ensemble covers a lot of emotional ground. Formerly a solo venture, Padden – himself a key member of the hydra-headed Volcano the Bear – is now joined by Chris Hladowski, Peter Nicholson and Aby Vulliamy. Hladowski and Vulliamy, together with Hanna Tuulikki (who lends her voice to this recording) also release music under the moniker Nalle. Together, this topsy-turvy Glaswegian quartet put together tiny symphonies that incorporate elements of Eastern European folk, minimalist drone and string-laced chamber psych. The One Ensemble’s humbly haunted, multifarious tales look back to post-WWII Europe, following displaced settlers voyaging across the Atlantic towards the unknown. Cello, bouzouki, clarinet, guitar and piano all play a key role in reciting the woeful tale of humanity’s uncertain future. The most prominent and effective instrument however, is Padden’s plaintive wordless vocal, which at times evokes spirits formerly unearthed by Jeff Mangum. The intoxicating brew crafted by the deft hands of The One Ensemble is not difficult to swallow; its complex palette is cleverly disguised with beautiful melodies and a healthy dose of hopefulness. Padden and his band of minstrels have created a truly unique and engaging record, one that should be celebrated for the rare beauty contained within. Highly recommended!" 9/10 -- Bryon Hayes (3 April, 2007)

Daniel Padden is a member of Volcano The Bear. Aby Vulliamy and Chris Hladowski are members of Nalle.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 4/7/2006
Band Website: brainwashed.com/padden
Band Members: Christoph Hladowski, Peter Nicholson, Daniel Padden, Aby Vulliamy, Shane Connolly
Sounds Like:

"If 'Wayward The Fourth' doesn't become a classic , it won't be for lack of wherewithal, a release so afield of norms that it treads mutant paths between farflung neoclassical prog and ECM's wilder days" Signal To Noise, Spring 2007.

"Dazzling interplay" (The Wire)

"The songs are gorgeous, twisted amalgams of European and American ethnic musics, free jazz, chamber music, minimalism and experimental plateaus rarely glimpsed in the western world, dispersed with just the right emotional -- ranging from giddy to somber -- intensity...Easily one of the best '07 has coughed up so far." (Womblife)

“I’ve been a fan of Daniel Padden’s skewed and intriguing songwriting for some time but the interplay between the 4 players on here lifts it onto a truly magical level…Influences include heavy doses of Eastern European folk music, music hall, 20th Century chamber music and Robert Wyatt but no-one else puts these elements together or sounds quite like The One Ensemble. One of the contenders for album of the year.” (Boa Melody Bar)

"Padden and his band of minstrels have created a truly unique and engaging record, one that should be celebrated for the rare beauty contained within. Highly recommended! 9/10" (Foxy Digitalis)

"The perfect soundtrack for a script yet to be written by Emir Kusturica's unkown cousin" (Mats Gustafsson, Ptolemaic Terrascope)

"Live at VPRO Radio sounds gloriously cohesive: a triumphant spontaneous creation of a wholly idiosyncratic style of folk music. " (JD, Brainwashed)

"The mixture of traditional and the spirit of exploration give the music a fire and a passion that doesnt seem to be boiling over in much modern music lately. Paddens rousing shouts and chants...add to the energy levels urging the band onwards toward almost anthemic heights. The musics complexity and the bands obvious vigour set a high benchmark for followers... VPRO have been lucky enough to catch one of those rare moments in time when a band are truly on fire." (Stylus)

"Live at VPRO Radio is a gorgeous and hypnotic work that joyously trips and tumbles through a dark, mediaeval wonderland that exists only on an astral plane; a collection of whimsical funeral dirges for a merry band of wandering monks intoxicated on bad liquor and thujone. It is a collection of hymns to wood sprites and elves; it is the soundtrack to suddenly noticing the glorious spectacle of an ant crawling up a tree trunk carrying a leaf. It is a magical conjuring act by a group of trickster alchemists wandering in a foreign land. It is often all of these things and sometimes none of them, but it is always unmistakably beautiful music." - Jonathan Dean, Brainwashed

"The only album I bought this year that I think may have a secret life all of its own when I am not watching." (Sean Witzman, Foxy Digitalis, review of The Owl Of Fives)

"An astonishing solo album...an epic voyage of beautifully composed experimental music...A god-like record." (Steve Hanson, Careless Talk Costs Lives / Ptolemaic Terrascope)

"Strikingly beautiful at times, Padden's music truly comes from another place. Wholly unique and lush with feeling, "The One Ensemble of Daniel Padden" is a rare and unclassifiable masterpiece." (Other Music)

"An album that is so distinctly unique in its sound that it's hard to think of any comparisons at all." Mats Gustafsson, Ptolemaic Terrascope (review of The One Ensemble Of Daniel Padden)


Record Label: Secret Eye, Textile
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

Daniel Padden ’Pause For The Jet’ CD available now

Pause For The Jet is a solo album by Daniel Padden and is now available on CD. Vinyl will be available soon too. It is released on the Dekorder label.
Posted by The One Ensemble on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:43:00 PST

The One Ensemble Orchestra

The One Ensemble Orchestra has completed the 'Other Thunders' album, and we hope for it to be released in the autumn on the No-Fi label. The One Ensemble Orchestra is a seven-piece band incorporating...
Posted by The One Ensemble on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:24:00 PST

vinyl problems

the vinyl of Wayward The Fourth arrived but unfortunately didn't sound at all good, so its been sent back to be re-pressed.sorry for any inconvenience this causes - its very frustrating for us too.we ...
Posted by The One Ensemble on Tue, 02 Oct 2007 04:47:00 PST

vinyl arrival

the vinyl of Wayward The Fourth arrived today.get in touch if you'd like to buy a copy...
Posted by The One Ensemble on Thu, 16 Aug 2007 07:45:00 PST

a short tour

We've just returned from a short tour/holiday with Nalle. We drove to Spain and back, staying with some wonderful people and seeing some great places. Thanks to all who came and saw us, and everyone w...
Posted by The One Ensemble on Thu, 02 Aug 2007 10:47:00 PST

work in progress

Current work includes an album by The One Ensemble Orchestra, which we hope to have finished in a month or two or three.There is also another solo Daniel Padden album nearly finished, provisionally en...
Posted by The One Ensemble on Thu, 02 Aug 2007 10:44:00 PST

Wayward The Fourth on VINYL

It's been a while coming, but we've just been told the vinyl of Wayward The Fourth is forthcoming, possibly as early as next week....
Posted by The One Ensemble on Thu, 02 Aug 2007 10:40:00 PST

The One Ensemble Orchestra

The One Ensemble Orchestra is an expanded line-up including bass clarinets and more voices. We are currently working on music to be performed at the Le Weekend festival in Stirling (25th May) and the ...
Posted by The One Ensemble on Wed, 07 Feb 2007 05:22:00 PST

Daniel Padden solo LP out now

Daniel Padden has a solo LP, 'The Isaac Storm' being released on Ultra Eczema. It is vinyl only. There is a sample of it on Daniel Padden's myspace page....
Posted by The One Ensemble on Thu, 05 Oct 2006 01:31:00 PST

New album

'Wayward The Fourth', the new album by The One Ensemble will be released by Secret Eye in early 2007.
Posted by The One Ensemble on Tue, 12 Sep 2006 11:07:00 PST