Soloman Tump - Open Access Land

I kind of panic released my new album called Open Access Land and it was a fun creative process.

I flirted with the idea of approaching a few different labels to see if they were interested in my sounds - but i've always been a bit of an outsider to the ousiders and usually end up doing things by myself.

So this was a nice return to DIY projects using up some black backed CDs and cardboard sleeves that I picked up from the always fruitful Proper Job re-use centre in Chagford.  This is also where I bought an external CDr/CD-rw drive for £3. I must make time to go again soon.

The recordings for this album started in the spring, feeling endlessly inspired by my Field:Tone Weaver instrument, i've always recorded my sessions but having this bit of kit in the setup means that you can never "go back" to a sound.  So recording is now essential.  It also means I have a LOT of audio to listen back to, and to learn from, and perhaps has forced me to go a bit more minimal in my sounds in case something sounds really good and I can use it as a layer or sample at a later date.  A couple of the tracks were played on Tump Clump shows in their earlier forms, as I was sort of testing them out. 

So by nature, this album feels a little more stripped back than previous Soloman Tump efforts.  Sure, there are still erratic noises, and dark layers, and dense bits, but to me if feels a little bit more easier or free.  

Dartmoor has been the centre of a media storm over the past few years due to the wonderful RIGHT TO ROAM movement, whom I place as my main inspiration for the making of this album.  A light at the end of the tunnel in a bleak situation where parts of the open access land of Dartmoor being slowly sold off and withdrawn from public use.

Keeping in this spirit,   the digital version of this album is available for free, and always will be.  Or, you can pay something if you prefer.

As previously mentioned, I made a few physical copies of the album which was actuallty quite an inspiring artistic process and not something I usually allow myself to get too engrossed in. 

I foraged lichen and mushrooms from nearby woods following a storm. I dried the lichen to make "brushes" that I stamped in ink to pattern the blank CD cases.

I then made spore prints with the mushrooms; which had various effects from really quite good to terrible; a great DIY learning process! Different mushrooms drop different colour spores at different intensities.  I picked a wide variety of fruits from the woods, placed them on different coloured cards, covered them overnight, and kept my fingers crossed.  

The combination of white spores on yellow card was unfortuantely a bit too weak to be of any use.  But there were some blackended spores on pink card which looked excellent, and then white spores on white card too.  A great learning process.  I then used some sealing spray glue to try and preserve the prints.  If you ordered one, I hope they last a little while before degrading! 

Generally I hope you enjoy listening to the album and I am always keen to hear thoughts on my work, critical or otherwise.

1.Squirreling 05:55

2.Roamer 04:32

3.Slow March 06:43

4.Runjun 04:57

5.Bloodmoonthorned 07:54 (Produced alongside Stuart Chalmers)

6.Dub You 08:33

7.The Long Way Round 12:02

8.[Exclusive bonus Track for anyone who ordered a CD]