in a wildflower state (Western Australia, 2013)

In late 2012, after leaving Japan, I moved to Australia for the second time – this time to Western Australia for a couple of years…

in a wildflower state is a lost album – recorded in Perth WA, 2012-2014 – unreleased at the time.

The music here is rustic, reflecting the vast ancient arid landscape, overlaid with touches of Nyoongar and bogan sounds. It also includes appearances by Nat da Hatt, Cylvi M, and Renato Salvador.

Known as the Wildflower State, Western Australia covers an enormous area – the size of India, but with a population of under three million. Metaphorically, to be a ‘wildflower’ can also mean a wandering spirit or traveller (such as a kiwi expat on an OE).

Continue reading “in a wildflower state (Western Australia, 2013)”

águas brilhantes: 2018​-​2022

fiffdimension vol 4

  • made in Featherston, Masterton, and Suva – ft Antony Milton, James Robinson, Dr Emit Snake-Beings, Campbell Kneale, and lyrics by John Collie (1834-1893) – the title is ‘Wairarapa’ in Portuguese.
  • Collaborations with my ancestors and younger relatives, friends in Fiji, a painter in Otago, the curator of PseudoArcana, and the family dog.

(See also
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/gleefully-unknown-1997-2005
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/fame-oblivion-2005-2012
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/other-islands-2012-2018

águas brilhantes (or ‘glistening waters’ in English) is the Portuguese translation of Wairarapa, the Māori name of the region where I’ve lived the last few years.

My ancestors arrived here in the 19th century – one was a Scottish poet, another a stowaway from the Azores islands.

a followup to
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/gleefully-unknown-1997-2005
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/fame-oblivion-2005-2012
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/other-islands-2012-2018

with videos at www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtbrBpNjlOHOhGouOChNl3jVUif1AZIl6 )

águas brilhantes (or ‘glistening waters’ in English) is the Portuguese translation of Wairarapa, the Māori name of the region where I live. Several of my pākeha ancestors arrived here in the 19th century.

Much of the music is inspired by two of my great-great-grandfathers – John Collie (1834-1893), a Scottish poet, who helped build the Remutaka incline railway; and Manuel Bernard (1847-1928), who left the Azores islands, as a teenaged stowaway on a whaling ship and ended up in Masterton. It’s also a torch-passing to the next generation – recorded with nephews Hans and Rhys, and niece Celeste.

Also ft literal garage rock with Antony Milton and David Heath (the Troubled Times); duos with James Robinson, Dr Emit Snake-Beings, Campbell Kneale, and Nat da Hatt; side trips to Fiji; an interspecies duet with Oscar (a huntaway); and solo instrumentals and live reinterpretations of oldies.

Includes previously unreleased recordings, download-only bonus tracks, and excerpts from the albums

fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/escape-velocity-live-2018
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/a-ton-of-feathers-2018
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/live-2019
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/glimpses-of-utopia-2020
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/ruasagavulu-2020
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/spastic-rhythms-vol-1-2021
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/return-of-the-sun-2021
layyourburdensdown.bandcamp.com/album/-
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/state-highway-2-2022
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/a-second-sun-2022
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/poems-lyrics-in-the-english-dialect-1856
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/poems-lyrics-in-the-scotch-dialect-1856
fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/album/long-live-the-miracle-room-live-2022  

Continue reading “águas brilhantes: 2018​-​2022”

w/ Hans Landon-Lane, 3 January 2022

Happy new year! Here are some first recordings for 2022, made on 3rd of January,

with Hans Landon-Lane (my nephew) on accordion, ukulele and vocal:

The Land of My Youth

Here’s a Health to my Cronies’

Continue reading “w/ Hans Landon-Lane, 3 January 2022”

Outono 21

A new multilayered Dave Black electric improv / xenochronous composition.

The track continues the evolution of my Wairarapa one man band 2020s ‘late style’, which began with Glimpses of Utopia (2020) and Spastic Rhythms (2021)

It was originally created for the Psi-solation+12021 compilation album curated by fellow Featherston resident Campbell Kneale. He’s known for his noise music, paintings of cats, and as proprietor of the Miracle Room.

Continue reading “Outono 21”

Farewell to Thee, Charming Deceiver

A 19th century unrequited love ballad – how anachronistic in the 2020s?

John Collie (1834-1893) – lyrics

Dave Edwardsbanjo, harmonica, vocal

lyrics

FAREWELL to thee , charming deceiver , No more will I crouch at thy gate ; I once was an earnest believer , And my folly I see when too late .

Continue reading “Farewell to Thee, Charming Deceiver”

Live 2019

An acoustic solo set, live at Wairarapa TV in Masterton, New Zealand

– which took place live on the internet. This was simulcast on Freeview CH41, ArrowFM 89.7FM and YouTube.

The set was part of the Property Law Service May Music Marathon – 12 straight hours of live Music to Television screens during NZ Music Month on May the 4th 2019.

Living in a small town I don’t get to as many gigs as I used to… so here using 21st century technology to play ‘virtually’ everywhere.

On the other hand musically this was closer to a traditional folk/singer-songwriter set than I’d done for quite a while, eschewing dissonant improv, multitracking, live backing musicians or electronic trickery.

I kept my half hour minimal and acoustic (the discord and electric noise I’m saving for another time soon) and updated my past – with

Continue reading “Live 2019”

The Land of My Youth (by John Collie, 1856)

Poem by John Collie (1834-1893),

 

from his book Poems and Lyrics in the English and Scotch Dialects, published in Banffshire, Scotland in 1856

Performed by his great-great-grandson Dave Edwards on banjo at Wairarapa TV in Masterton, New Zealand, 4 May 2019.

John Collie emigrated to New Zealand in 1858. This poem seems to anticipate his leaving Scotland forever, to start a new life in a new country on the opposite side of the world.

Continue reading “The Land of My Youth (by John Collie, 1856)”

아리랑

Live 4th May 2019 at Wairarapa TV May Music Marathon

Banjo rendition of a Korean folk tune 아리랑 (“Arirang”).  The banjo is not typically found in Korean music – this would normally be played on a gayageum.

Continue reading “아리랑”