Gritonometry EP

I have been working on a couple of tracks inspired by the presence of interesting bugs.  One of the ideas made it to the "Small Sounds" compilation previously blogged about but I managed to flesh out a couple that I ended up fairly happy with.

And so with a couple of other bits I have been working on, I decided to put this out as a digital only EP with "Pay what you want" enabled - please just ask if you want a free download code because I can easily generate some.

Cover image: woodworm "writing" from felled Oak tree.

So aside from the little bugs I have been looking at... I suffer from pretty bad hay fever. Some days it is completely crippling and I just want to hide inside under the duvet while I cry, sneeze and generally dehydrate into a withered husk. It is so dependant on the weather. I liken it to turning a tap on and off. Occasionally it gets left running at the worst time.  Today however... it is ok and I just have a mild fuzzy headache. 

Gritonometry is a concept I came up with whilst languishing in allergy induced hibernation recently. The sun was shining! But my eyes and nose were streaming with snotulus and I wept in the shower.. A complete bastardization of the fleeting visit of high summer we experience in the UK. The track is fairly simple, dense, and noisy. It does not do much. I was feeling pretty down when I wrote it.

The Black Ash Slug can be found on Dartmoor, it is the largest land slug in the world.  They are pretty rare and are only found in ancient woodlands, of which there are sadly dwindling examples of in the UK.  There are a couple up on Dartmoor where these slugs like to hang out.  

Rare "selfie" of me, even rarer because it was taken 

OUTSIDE in JUNE during DAYTIME

The Broad Bodied Chaser is a type of dragonfly that occasionally visits our pond. The one I saw looked like a huge hornet with menacing black and white stripes, until it landed and I figured out what it was. These two tracks have a strong percussive element and are swamped in bass and static. They are the most dynamic of the tracks I present here but I believe still retain the Tump sound.

The closing track Intrusive Signals is named after my zine project of the same name. The original piano was supplied by Arachnopus who I have worked with a few times now (she did the amazing video earlier this year for my set on Wonder Valley Experimental 14, as well as providing some excellent intrusive artwork for my zine). I took her original improvised piano recording (with some very light trimming) and added a large amount of filth. I loved making this and she supplied some great material to work with. Thank you!

1. Gritonometry 04:23

2. Black Ash Slug 05:36

3. Broad Bodied Chaser 05:52

4. Intrusive Signals 06:40

Note on mastering:

I find that the hayfever also effects my hearing - I am generally blocked. Bass sounds can hurt as they whistle through my ears, everything is muffled and dense. These recordings are probably heavily saturated with that sort of sound. A document to this moment in time through my senses.  Best listened to loud on some big speakers.  If the sun is shining outside, maybe shut the curtains and snort some ground black pepper to try and replicate my situation (actually, dont do that).

All tracks recorded April - June 2022. 

releases July 1, 2022

STUMP010

Piano on "Intrusive Signals" by Arachnopus.

All field recordings from Dartmoor by Soloman Tump

All other sounds by Soloman Tump and my machines.

Small Sounds For Small Bugs

 It was quite a coincidence that Moon Musiq put a call out for bug theme tracks, right as I was working on a bug themed selection of tracks that may form a future Soloman Tump release.

I am constantly fascinated by the world of the small.... recently I have been lichen spottng with the Devon Biodiversity Records Centre, and also with a local charitable farm via the PlantLife scheme.  I bought one of those little loupe finger magnifying lenses and it is amazing what you can discover.  

Here is just a small selection of what I have snapped recently.  Some accurate bug descriptions... some unidentified as yet (I am learning, go easy)

Lichen up on Dartmoor

Snails enjoying the warmth of the tree guard

Bug!

Lethal looking fly!

Phyllopertha Horticola on Dartmoor (in their hundreds....)

Unknown little caterpillar

Drinker Moth caterpillar

Big slug!

Nice looking shield bug?

Camouflaged spider with not so camouflaged egg sac

Leech at Haytor quarry pond

Beautiful Demoiselle on the bunting in our garden

And so to the music.... Small Sounds For Small Bugs is a compilation of 30 tracks by 30 artists, each lasting 30 seconds exactly.  So it plays out as a sort of mixtape totalling exactly 15 minutes.  Plenty of samples, ideas, scuttling, rustling, noises and samples as you can imagine.  

My track was fun to work on, it started as a shuffling percussive loop idea I had for a longer track but I ended up just trimming it back to the requisite 30 seconds and adding some of my trademark noise layers to make it less accessible.

Small Sounds For Small Bugs

So tons of inspiration from the small creatures.  I named my track "Narrow Headed Ant" after the very rare type of ant which is found on one nature reserve in all of England... about 5 miles from my home.  It builds a sort of thatched hat for the nest, creating warmth and safety.  There is not much of the specific heathland habitat left for them and they never travel far to create new nests.  So their numbers are critically limited thanks to humans building every bloodywhere. 

As ever, Moon Musiq are raising funds for the GEMS-Girls charity in the USA so any donations you care to make towards the compilation will be greatly received.

The Tump Clump Episode 14

 Hello friends.

This is the last Tump Clump show for a while, as SoundArt hand over the reigns to RadioArtZone for their 100 day artist takeover for the summer.  Each chosen artist gets 22 hours to fill with their own sounds which are then broadcast through community radio stations across Europe.

So some personal challenges mean this break in broadcasting has probably come at a good time.  Means I can concentrate on some other things for a few months.  I have a split release in the works with an emerging noise artist called Distraxi which I am very excited about, and I have prepared a remix of a Klaus Von Mork track for the forthcoming Front & Follow compilation (also Megaheadphoneboy has remixed some Soloman Tump material for that too). 

Ahh and I've also submitted a short track to a forthcoming Moon Musiq compilation too about bugs. Scuttly!

Tump Clump #14

First broadcast 31st May 2022 on SoundArt Radio 105.2fm / online 

1. BLACKCLOUDSUMMONER - A Positive Affirmation (from "There" via FoulPrey)

The tape is sold out but you can still grab the digital at the above link.  9 quality harsh noise / outsider trax expertly mastered for maximum impact by Foul Prey. All profits go to Dorset Mind, the mental health support charity. DEDICATED TO ALL THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN 'THERE', HELPED SOMEONE THROUGH 'THERE', ARE 'THERE' OR NEVER CAME BACK FROM 'THERE'.

2. Rovox 625 - Coralina Rainbox ("Cut Into" via Steep Gloss)

A stunning tape release through the ever reliable Steep Gloss label.  A collaboration of Clive Henry and Culver, providing over an hour of dismal drones that has fast become one of my favourite releases of the year so far.  Again, it looks like the tape has gone, but the digital can be heard.

3. Hendekagon - Doors of Deception ("NO MORE WAR PIGS" via Industrial Coast)

This charitable tape release from Industrial Coast is still available, but the digital will set you back a pretty penny! Raising funds for the vital World Central Kitchen Ukraine Appeal. 

4. Pepper Jean - What A Day! ("A Very Friendly Tribute to Throbbing Gristle" via Moon Musiq)

Happy to hear a new compilation from Moon Musiq, this time paying homage to industrial originators Throbbing Gristle. And it is a great compilation given how iconic the subject matter is.  What A Day! is my personal favourite TG track and this cover does a great job.  Proceeds from sales are once again supporting the GEMS charity.

5. Farmer Glitch - UHF-DR1 ("NO MUSIC ON A DEAD PLANET" via Music is Murder)

6. Antisocial Services - Yeah, I'm Not That Bothered ("NO MUSIC ON A DEAD PLANET" via Music Is Murder)

A couple of offerings from Music Is Murder out of Exeter, with a packed 17-track tape compilation which was released after the NO MUSIC ON A DEAD PLANET week (cos if we kill the planet, there will be no sound).  I hope to check out the next event in Exeter coming up in June I believe.

7. Soloman Tump - Black Ash Slug (Unreleased / demo)

Recent recording from me, might still tweak it before it's called done.  I have been experimenting with a new home-built loop pedal purchased from METSAAN of Finland (who produces as Coldsore previously featured on this show).  The pedal is based on a Subspace Transmission, which has a lo-fi looping record function, fuzz, pitch and blend.  Exciting times, noisy, slightly unpredictable and exactly what I needed to give me some new ideas. 

8. Pigswill - Lyre Liar ("A Very Friendly Tribute to Throbbing Gristle" via Moon Musiq)

9. Panagiotis Mina - πληγή χωρίς δειλινό ("NO MORE WAR PIGS" via Industrial Coast)

10. Viimeinen - Unsustainable Distance ("There" by FoulPrey)

11. Soloman Tump - Jam Loop Noodle Nothing (Unreleased / demo)

I am currently taking a little break from Instagram (again), so will post a few updates here as things happen.  Why not go outside, enjoy the summer, make friends, do nice things.  

See you soon.

V/A - Plastic Bag - A HNW Tribute to Vomir

This is a V/A compilation released 6th May 2022 by godNOISEgod of Kansas City, Missouri.

The physical release comprises of 14 tracks of Harsh Noise Wall filling a CD (at 5 mins each), paying homage to (and including a track by) the dark lord of HNW himself, Vomir.  

As a digital bonus you can grab an extra 24 tracks if you download from bandcamp - bringing the total playlist to over 3 hours.  If you look closely, you will find nestled within a track by the mysterious Postman Lomu entitled "No Politics" - named by the label - which is quite fitting really since my tolerance of politics has dropped right through the floor over the past decade.  My first ever HNW production - and once I got over the fear of producing such a beast - an ultimately enjoyable process.  Maybe there will be more in the future, who knows.  

Pretty cool to be included, so thanks to godNOISEgod for sticking my effort into the digital stew.  I've just downloaded the full thing and am about to dive in..... will I survive 3+ hours of stasis? Well, find out next time....

From the original mantra by Vomir - "No Dynamics" - well, maybe not quite in the Postman Lomu track.  There may be some slight variation that creeps in? I shall let you decide.  

In other Vomir news, I recommend checking out his recent interview with White Centipede Noise which is a really engaging, entertaining and thoughtful interview.  I have enjoyed all of the WCN videocast's that I have watched, Rusalka, Haare and Scream&Writhe being the ones that spring to mind.  A great project!

WCR - Dark Train MA#8 - Soloman Tump's "Last Train At Reading Central" guest mix

I am excited to present the guest mix I prepared for Dark Train over at Warminster Community Radio - thanks to Kate for asking me to do this! It was great fun putting this vinyl only mix together, reminding me of the days when I used to spin wax on a weekly basis at a bar in the midlands. In true Tump style I also layered over some distorted field recordings (wind, random pocket recordings, that sort of thing) and some time stretched noise crust. Well, I couldn't make it too clean could I?

Initially I wanted to beat match a lot of this together, but I ended up picking a bunch of tracks from across a huge tempo range.  My decks are capable of +/- 50% pitch bend, so some of these are quite different to how the artist originally intended.... never mind. I decided not to obviously beat match as I am well out of practice.  Something I should really try and remedy. But either way, this was great fun to put together, and showcases my techno / electro / dancefloor love that I just cannot completely shake. It's all a bit weird end leftfield though!

Soloman Tump’s Last Train At Reading Central mix

Ben Pound vs James Holden - Kaern  (Easy Access 2002)

Grey Area - 002 #4 (GreyArea / Horo 2016)

Ekoplekz - A Caustic Romance (Planet Mu 2015)

Chris Carter - Not On The Heels Of Love (Mute / cc 2021)

Spiritflesh - Pimp Femme (No Corner 2018)

FilmMaker - Royal Dungeon (Opal Tapes 2020)

Aleksi Perala - UK74R1513080 (Clone Basement Dubs 2017)

Lyzza - Rifle (Houndstooth 2020)

Weird Weather - Paint [Black/Red/Green Mix] (Whip & Lash 2020)

Joy O & Ben Vince - Transition 2 (Hessle Audio 2018)

The End Of Steam - Nationalisation of Railways (BBC 1970s?)

Oliver Ho - The Serpent Devours Itself (Blueprint 2016)

Cloaks - R.F.I.D [Ancient Methods Remix] (3by3 2011)

Acid Tinged Orchestra - Fried Ice Cream (Warrior Records 1988)

Rhythmic Theory - Travelling Without Moving (Ancient Monarchy 2020)

Listen here and check out the rest of the tunes that Kate plays too!  A 2 hour show which is well worthy of your time each week, showcasing experimental and electronic vibes and a keen supporter of the underground.