‘Beyond simply intriguing - A very unique sound’
Biography
Clutter works with a mixture of found sounds/field recordings and traditional instruments to produce highly textured soundscapes which drift in and out of focus. Sometimes they float beautifully near dub and dance other times they rattle your head. At all times clutter produces works of excellence.
Clutter used to release stuff as Manassas, which was in existence from 2001-2005, until the name change in 2005.
Clutter is the brainchild of audio/visual artist and Artistic Director of Earth Monkey Productions, Shaun Blezard who has produced music for film, theatre, dance and art installations.
Visit www.shaunblezard.com for more details
He also is a member of electroacoustic drone merchants Good Noise Bad Noise & supplies electronics and treatments for jazz ensemble orfeo 5
Remember there is always room for more Clutter
Releases
EMP075 | Various Artists | Field Notes
Download :: Stream :: Volume One Cover Art - Disc Art :: Volume Two Cover Art - Disc Art
Tracklisting: 1-1. La Donation - Interlo | 1-2. Silo Portem - Thunder Field | 1-3. Clutter - Garden Improvisation I | 1-4. Guordonark - Rural River | 1-5. Antisocial Services - Hold Up | 1-6. Simon Whetham - Clifton Suspension Bridge | 1-7. Internal External - Fallen Trees | 1-8. Swaying Smoke - Speaking Machines | 1-9. Bacillus - Birdsong | 1-10. Marco Lucchi - She Kissed Me (Ode To Melotron) | 1-11. Susan Matthews with Hoel Le Quenven - Keel Reverie
2-1. Chris Lynn - Lake Placid | 2-2. Beed & Fascia - Nera | 2-3. Pythagora - Field | 2-4. Dansette Curtsey - Skritch | 2-5. Cedar Lines - Astronomy | 2-6. Luís Antero - The Cathedral | 2-7. Pandacetamol - Fatal Extraction | 2-8. Adrian Carter with Scott D Buchanan - Heavy Duty | 2-9. Radio Scotvoid - Munroe | 2-10. Andrew Deakin - Pannus Mihi Panis | 2-11. Orfeo 5 - Invoking Air | 2-12. Drey Grade - Step On It | 2-13. Cousin Silas - Depth Of Field
Field Notes @ The Internet Archive :: Field Notes @ Last.fm
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EMP074 | Clutter | On Ha'Penny Bridge
Download :: Stream :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art
Tracklisting: 1. Every Silver Lining Has A Cloud | 2. Slán Abhaile | 3. After The Smog Has Cleared | 4. On Ha'Penny Bridge | 5. I Still Remember | 6. Down From The Mountain
On Ha'Penny Bridge @ The Internet Archive :: On Ha'Penny Bridge @ Last.fm
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RSVP003 | Radio Scotvoid | Fragment (Consider Remixing)
Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art
Tracklisting: 1. Dooshbag (Cuddlecat Remix) | 2. Dooshbag (Benzene Vapours Remix) | 3 Nullality's Fragment Megamix | 4. I Love Special K (Eigenheimer Remix) | 5. Dooshbag (Small Colin Remix) | 6. I Love Special K (Pandacetamol Remix) | 7. LTB (Andrea Valvini Remix) | 8. LTB (Nisei23 Remix) | 9. LTB (Lofiuser Remix) | 10. Just Because (Adrain Carter Remix) | 11. Tooth And Claw (Clutter Remix) | 12. I Love Special K (Son Of Akira Remix) | 13. Dooshbag (Moozeblaster Remix)
Fragment (Consider Remixing) @ The Internet Archive :: Fragment (Consider Remixing) @ Last.fm
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EMP071 | Chris Lynn | On My Way To The Cinema
Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art
Tracklisting: 1. Where The Evening Goes | 2. Divers | 3. Montreal 2 | 4. Near The Saint Lawrence | 5. Lyrics Remembered | 6. Sunday Near Shaded Hills | 7. Pudong 1 | 8. Cinema 1 | 9. Shanghai Street Sounds | 10. Strange Landing | 11. Montreal 3 | 12. Patterson | 13. Rain 1 | 14. Steps | 15. After The Credits | 16. After The Montreal Rain (Clutter Reworking)
On My Way To The Cinema @ The Internet Archive :: On My Way To The Cinema @ Last.fm
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EMC002 | Clutter vs Susan Matthews | Slow Corrosion EP (Ltd Ed of 80 3”CDr)
Tracklisting: 1. Slow Corrosion | 2. Underwater Corrosion | 3. Corrosive Corrosive | 4. Hushed Deep Dub
Preview Slow Corrosion @ Last.fm
‘a very interesting diversion and a bold and welcome sideways step into the unknown....which should always be applauded.’ - Wonderful Wooden Reasons
UK - £4 inc shipping | International - £4.50 inc shipping
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EMP050 | Various Artists | 50:50 An Earth Monkey Productions Compilation
Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art
Tracklisting: 1. 4th Alternative - Fossil | 2. Clutter - Watersmouth | 3. Dansette Curtsey - The Forests Of Europe Cloak So Much | 4. Cousin Silas - Room 50 Hotel Ereso | 5. Pandacetamol - A Particular Wind | 6. Adrian Carter - Deka (Edit) | 7. Des Slow And The Stop Pills - 50 Mill | 8. Radio Scotvoid - I Love Special K (Crunchtime Mix) | 9. Fonik - Fallout Beach | 10. ry-om - 110706 | 11. Good Noise Bad Noise - In Search Of The 3 Minute Single | 12. Susan Matthews - Moon Tremors| 13. Andrew Deakin - Grasmere Edit | 14. The Cardboard Lung - Backtrouble | 15. Halal Kebab Hut - Algorithmic Poetry
50:50 @ The Internet Archive :: 50:50 @ Last.fm
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TRB001 | Various Artists | The Resting Bench Remix Project - Volume 1
Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: D1 Cover Art - D1 Disc Art - D2 Cover Art - D2 Disc Art
Tracklisting: 1.01. Components - First Arrival | 1.02. Lagesag - Moss Haiku (Lagesag Haiku Remix) | 1.03. Doctor Thrasher - Smoking Lime Green Melody | 1.04. Uncle Mum - Remox | 1.05. Susan Matthews - Susan's Sanctuary | 1.06. Incandescence - Strip Down The Eyeballs Of The Buildings | 1.07. Al - Smokin' Al | 1.08. Cousin Silas - Moss | 1.09. Cyte - Cyku Moss | 1.10. Mons - Children Smiling Beauty | 1.11. Becoming Animal - Detritivore | 1.12. Eclogue - Skeletal Waste | 1.13. Asezawallas - Voice Over | 1.14. Clutter - No Sanctuary | 1.15. Sheeldzy - Smokin' Five | 1.16. A Crown Of Amaranth - This Planet Is Without Water
2.01. Adrian Carter - Second Sight | 2.02. Binary Girl - Binary Moss | 2.03. Godot - Skelital Reconstuction | 2.04. Sascha Muller - Resting Bench | 2.05. Peter James - Mind Fog | 2.06. Five Aside - Song From An Open Window | 2.07. Incandescence - Smoking Fog, Bedroom Moss | 2.08. Gurdonark - 3 Lights Fog (Retrorhythmandelectro-bluesmix) | 2.09. Des Slow And The Stop Pills - Groundhog Day | 2.10. Soul Scent - Handprint Bedroom (Soul Scent Remix) | 2.11. AATMAA - GB500013 | 2.12. Lagesag - Moss Haiku (Lagesag Spoken Remix) | 2.13. Kristian Diod - 3 Lights Fog (Radio Friendly Mix) | 2.14. Six Moon Night - Haiku Moss
The Resting Bench Remix Project - Volume 1 @ The Internet Archive :: The Resting Bench Remix Project - Volume 1 @ Last.fm
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EMP046 | Clutter | Anodyne Hi-Fi
Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art
Tracklisting: 1. Seven Minutes To Wisdom | 2. High Hopes | 3. Under Control | 4. Short Of A Miracle | 5. Branches For Many Birds | 6. Abide With Dub | 7. The Brass Track | 8. Board In The USA | 9. Fears All Gone Now
Anodyne Hi-Fi @ The Internet Archive :: Anodyne Hi-Fi @ Last.fm
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EMP025 | Various Artists | :: FALLING :: An Earth Monkey Productions Compilation
Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art
Tracklisting: 1. David Whitaker - 1st Move | 2. Adrian Carter - Low Orbit Descent | 3. 4th Alternative - Mote | 4. The Cardboard Lung - Fall Down Yonder | 5. 1000 Aeroplanes Crashing In The Night - Even Ms. Butterfly Knows The Sun Shall Set On Every Empire | 6. Susan Matthews - On A Theme Of Falling | 7. The Weedhaven Laughing Academy - Una | 8. Dawn Salvia - I Like To Be Down | 9. Clutter - Tree Falling Slowly With Reverb | 10. Des Slow And The Stop Pills - The Falling Don’t Love Again | 11. Species 8472 - Green Sky | 12. Andy Kirk - Cushions Make For A Softer Landing | 13. Cousin Silas - Crashed Bomber With Weeds | 14. Adrian Carter - Final Descent
:: FALLING :: @ The Internet Archive :: ::FALLING:: @ Last.fm
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EMP020 | 1000 Aeroplanes Crashing In The Night | Aspire To Be Forgotten
Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Front Cover Art - Back Cover Art
Tracklisting: 1. Introduction (For The Boys Standing In The Northern Cold) | 2. (t)E.S.T. | 3. (t)E.S.T. 2 (co-written by Clutter & 1000 Aeroplanes Crashing In The Night) | 4. For The Life Of Gregory Thompson | 5. Inheartapril27th2006 | 6. Emergent | 7. Coda
Aspire To Be Forgotten @ The Internet Archive :: Aspire To Be Forgotten @ Last.fm
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EMP019 | Cousin Silas | Relic Once Lost (Manassas Reworked)
Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art
Tracklisting: 1. Heaven Under | 2. Night Waves Down Abbey Road | 3. Soggy Toast | 4. Sound 1
Relic Once Lost @ The Internet Archive :: Relic Once Lost @ Last.fm
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EMP016 | Adrian Carter | Switchkicker
Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art
Tracklisting: 1. Abattoir Saws | 2. Switchkicker | 3. Carnival | 4. Snowblind Audio | 5. Carnival (Clutter's Bombay Mix)
Switchkicker @ The Internet Archive :: Switchkicker @ Last.fm
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TM001 | Clutter with Ann Wilson | The Resting Bench
Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art
Tracklisting: Clutter with Ann Wilson - 1. Moss Haiku | 2. Handprint Bedroom | 3. 3 Lights Fog | 4. Smoking | Ann Wilson - 5. Moss Haiku | 6. Trading Post | 7. The Designer | 8. Erect At The Railings Snails Will Suffer | 9. Ever | 10. Puddle Flats | 11. Handprint Bedroom | 12 Streetlights | 13. Courtyard | 14. Green Bits | 15. Blurry Buildings | 16. 3 Lights Fog | 17. Smoking | 18. The Resting Bench | 19. The Sanctuary
Also features the artwork from The Resting Bench - a mixed media exhibition by Ann Wilson and Clutter’s Shaun Blezard held at The Nest, Barrow-in-Furness, UK from May-July 2006. These can be downloaded from The Internet Archive
The Resting Bench @ The Internet Archive :: The Resting Bench @ Last.fm
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EMP003 | Manassas | Vague Recollections On Lost Highway
Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art
Tracklisting: 1. Under Heaven | 2. Ohmless | 3. Mertyl Grove | 4. Toastwater | 5. Liberace Now? | 6. Coming Down Abbey Road | 7. Absolute Zero | 8. Wave Night | 9. Transfurness Excess | 10. Lost Highway
Vague Recollections On Lost Highway @ The Internet Archive :: Vague Recollections On Lost Highway @ Last.fm
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EMP002 | Manassas | Live At The Cavendish
Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art
Tracklisting: 1. Happy Clapper (Hoover Mix) | 2. Ancestor 1571 | 3. Attractive (I Find You) | 4. Lowick School Of Pop | 5. Erazerbyrd (Spaceship) | 6. Jah Knows (Ian & Donna) | 7. Mertyl Grove | 8. Knee Aye (Love In London Mix) | 9. Shopping In A Shipyard Town | 10. Treedance | 11. I Remember | 12. Lost Highway
Live At The Cavendish @ The Internet Archive :: Live At The Cavendish @ Last.fm
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EMP001 | Clutter | Shopping In A Shipyard Town
Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: Cover Art - Disc Art
Tracklisting: 1. Men Of Steel (Hellhole Mix) | 2. Rainbow Sunshine | 3. Happy? | 4. Slow Blizzard | 5. Shopping In A Shipyard Town | 6. Beckside
Shopping In A Shipyard Town @ The Internet Archive :: Shopping In A Shipyard Town @ Last.fm
Clutter | Live at Sonic Picnic
August 2009 - Radio Black Forest Festival, Birmingham, UK - Broadcast on Phantom Circuit radio show
August 2007 - Solfest Festival, Tarns, UK - Lo-Fi - Hi-Fi
August 2007 - The Yorkshire House, Lancaster, UK - Lo-Fi - Hi-Fi
July 2007 - Resonator Festival, Preston, UK - Lo-Fi - Hi-Fi
June 2007 - The Surgery, Stafford, UK - Lo-Fi - Hi-Fi
April 2007 - The Canteen, Barrow-in-Furness, UK - Lo-Fi - Hi-Fi
March 2007 - The Nest, Barrow-in-Furness, UK - Lo-Fi - Hi-Fi
May 2006 - The Nest, Barow-in-Furness, UK - with Ann Wilson - Lo-Fi - Hi-Fi
Clutter:
Review of On Ha'Penny Bridge @ The Internet Archive
Clambering around on Ha'Penny Bridge, cluttering around creating groovy clanging rhythms until night falls and the bridge starts to glow with blurred reflected night lights. Slowly mysterious shapes start to appear in the river as the early hours of morning arrive - as daylight approaches fear and the unknown retreat leaving space for calm droplets of dew to flicker from the frame of the bridge into the river and another day begins.
An interpretation of the title track - and that is the beauty of this new release from Clutter - every track, as it relays into the next, enables the listener to imagine their own scenario.
In 'After the smog has cleared' a slowed down toy box tune mournfully marches through an English village swamp towards a church bell beckoning it on. The tension builds almost unbearably as the tune gets lost in the haze and weight of it's own terrible memories of war.
During the opener 'Every silver lining has a cloud' a submarine is visited by an ice cream van during a rain storm, conversations are half heard at the beach and seagulls loop around while motorbike engines are deconstructed.
This album feels like a long lost dream interspersed with half remembered timeless memories. You don't just listen, you become immersed and enriched.
Oh the joy, and terror of an everlasting summer holiday!
Review of Slow Corrosion @ Vital Weekly
Earth Monkey Productions is net-label from Cumbria established in 2006 with focus on electronic experimentations, sound art and spoken word. Latest efforts from the label are the Collector's Series, which are 3" CDRs released in limited editions. The opening two releases in the series are quite interesting releases both being based in the abstract sound worlds of ambience...... Though the second release also belongs to the dreamlike state of abstract ambience there is also rhythmic signs on this release. The album titled "Slow corrosion EP" is based on compositions by Susan Matthews remixed by the artist Clutter. Opening track on this album titled "Slow Corrosion EP" belongs to the darkest territories of trip hop with dragging beats slowly moving in creepy electronic atmospheres assisted by the voice of Susan Matthews that in its style reminds a bit of Kim Gordon from the early years of Sonic Youth. From second track forward the expression moves into pure ambient territories. Creepy soundscapes built on found sounds, processed and concrete mixed up with the excellent voices of Susan Matthews. Two interesting opening releases in the Collector's Series. (NM)
Review of Slow Corrosion @ Wonderful Wooden Reasons
Susan is a perennial favourite here at WWR (this is her third appearance in these pages this year) but Clutter on the other hand are a completely new property to these tired old ears. The music on offer on this mini-cd is much more grounded than Matthews solo work. The usually all pervasive ephemeral exoticism of her music has been replaced by industrial rhythms, disjointed half-melodies and static-charged noise cascades. I like this, I don't think I'll play it very often, it's just a little too mechanical for my tastes, but I'll definitely be playing it. I found myself missing Susan's vocals which in itself is unusual for me as I generally am not a vocals fan but to my mind they are the heart of Susan's music and I think it would have been interesting if Clutter had made wider use of them in his adroit re-workings. In all it's a very interesting diversion and a bold and welcome sideways step into the unknown (presumably for both participants) which should always be applauded.
Other reviews:
‘This album works brilliantly as a complete piece. Its rare to get a full album that blends so well from the outset through to the conclusion. The dub elements and fat relaxed beats punctuate a richly textured bed of sound. And what a comfy bed it is! Clutter's trademark blend of foundsound, obtuse vocal samples and strange/beautiful electronics guide you through the entire album, I challenge you to start listening to anodyne Hi fi and not see it through to the very end! Great Stuff. ‘ - Anodyne Hi-Fi review on EARLabs
‘Holy shit. So how is it possible that you people composed the soundtrack for MY dreams? I should sue. ... your music struck me hard within about 60 seconds’ - Kramer
'I love the way the disparate elements blend in, so that it's not just this genre or that, but a nice thing in and of itself' - Gurdonark
‘Whilst listening to 'Tree falling slowly' and 'No Sanctuary' just there, I had a most splendiferously amazing trip into the depths of mind! - Memories of long forgotten dreams started to arise in a manner which was as haunting as it was breathtaking!!’ - Float Method
‘Well I may be a declutter expert, but it's great to allow exceptions to the rule and you, Clutter, are just such an exception! Love your music’ - Mary
‘Beyond simply intriguing - A very unique sound’ - SSG
‘I've just discovered your EP, "Shopping In A Shipyard Town" on Earth Monkey! Powerful stuff. I absolutely love Men Of Steel (Hellhole Mix)’ - Small Colin
‘Slow Blizzard is extraordinary...wonderful music’ - Susan Matthews
‘These are beautiful sounds you are creating...Your new record is brilliant. Like sleeping in plasma.’ - David Wright LaGrone
‘wonderful daydream music’ - polichinelle
'simply wonderful... bizarre juxtapositions of different field recordings, elegantly put together to create this amazing and hypnotic sonic structure' - Emvelope Nine
‘Slow Blizzard is divine and the whole Clutter project is brilliant’ - Pixieguts
‘Just listened to all your tracks and i love all of them. This is some of the best experimental stuff i've come across, keep em' coming. Great work.’ - usb
‘I'm not usually one for the experimental world but I was interested with you guys being from barrow, like me, and not being a god awful punk band. I have to say I was impressed by not only your music but the concepts you use that reflect our area. Well done’ - Matthew Shields
Manassas:
Innovative sounds for largest spaces
‘’Manassas: Vague Recollections on Lost Highway, a musical project from Shaun Blezard with collaborations from artist John Hall, had it’s public debut this month.
This darkly claustrophobic yet strangely appealing musical offering was written as a soundtrack for the preview evening of John Hall’s latest exhibition, Figures Crossing Abbey Road, which runs until February 10th at The Dock museum
It is one of the most intriguing and exciting pieces of music I have heard from the Furness scene in the past year, an atmospheric ambient riffing with bizarre industrial samples and loops, which either offers a soothing rattle in your head or drives you insane with it’s sonic clanking depending on your mood.
It is the sort of music you would not want to be locked in a lift listening to but in the brilliant art space of The Dock recently, it made perfect sense; given freedom in a big room it worked, a clockwork banana backdrop which made you look and feel with fresh eyes.
With an increasing market for soundtrack music our Shaun is definitely on to something.
Shaun Blezard is one of a number of local musicians who are able to reinvent themselves, having played bass with country and western band The Clementines and indie pop outfit The Peach Thieves - he appears finally to have found his own voice with this collection of offbeat electronica.
Vague Recollections on Lost Highway holds more complex meanings than many local rock and roll bands and is a sign that Furness musicians are starting to branch out and find their own voice rather than follow trends’ - Review of Vague Recollections On Lost Highway in North West Evening Mail
‘groundbreaking stuff. apparently recorded live in a bar, this is cutting edge Brit psychedelica, streets ahead of anything i’ve heard in this vein. played on household appliances rather than guitars, conjures up an f.lips landscape of shifting weirdness, bits of country, bits of a lost country somewhere out there on the border between the butthole surfers and boards of canada, if you want points of reference you have to make yr own, this is uncharted land.’ - Review for Live At The Cavendish on The Internet Archive (5/5 stars)
Contact
Cluttermusic.com - The Home Of Clutter | Clutter @ Myspace