Phosphene and Friends is
a 7" single on Pickled Egg
Records released in September 2007. It
is available now from the label, or at the Melodybar
distro. Here's John's sleevenote:
"When I started making music
as Phosphene in 2000, there was me, an odd assortment of instruments, and
a multi-track possibility of making it sound like a band. However, my aim
was towards collaborations, with the idea that these would lead the music
down unexpected venues. Even with that in mind, I could never have envisaged
quite how much adventure and
fun would be involved in
making this single. Bridget St John's voice has long held a special place
in my life, so it was a great thrill when she said she wanted to sing one
of my songs. Having been in touch by letter and e-mail for some time, we
eventually met and recorded when I visited the US in 2004. Her voice has
lost none of the quality it possessed when her first LP appeared on John
Peel's Dandelion label in 1969, and working with her was a joy. Fellow
Bridget fans Isobel Campbell and Bill Wells added cello and Farfisa compact
duo organ parts, respectively, to 'See a Sign Defined'. 'Ask Me No Questions'
is the title track of Bridget St John's debut album, and the version which
you find here features three of my favourite people - Hanna Tuulikki, Chris
Hladowski and Aby Vulliamy - who unite to form one of my favourite bands,
Nalle. I suggested that this side would be more accurately billed as 'Nalle
and Friend', but they generously said it should appear as another 'Phosphene
and Friends' release... and so it does!" [John Cavanagh, Phosphene]
Phoenix Trees, released by Rusted Rail Records of galway Ireland, May 2007.
Projection is the second Phosphene album, available now!
Honeymoon Music is a fine new label based in the Fishtown area of Philadelphia and run by members of the excellent Niagara Falls.
The Honeymoon Music Compilation is a beautifully packaged 14 track cd featuring music by Sharron Kraus, Fursaxa, Trollslanda (Meg & Helena from Espers), Niagara Falls and more. The Phosphene track is called Triumph Tree, the title referring to Scotland's Pictish past, in case you're wondering...
Before There Was A Dark Side is a compilation of early-ish Pink Floyd tracks, covered by various artists, from the people responsible for the Have You Got It Yet set of Syd Barrett discs. The Phosphene song is the Roger Waters composition Embryo.
New for 2005: 3 track 7" lathe cut e.p. on Static Caravan Records Clear vinyl, inserts in a self-sealing plastic bag... top hole! This limited edition has sold out within one week.
The King Who Would See Paradise is a story which appeared in Andrew Lang's 1906 anthology of fairy stories & folk tales The Orange Fairy Book. This Phosphene release on Nidnod Records features the story and was part of a series of CDRs in lovingly handcrafted packages from a fine, but short lived, Ipswich label. A review of the King (& a Kuupuu release) can be found at the Broken Face site. Nidnod has stopped production, but some releases are still available online at the Melodybar.
The Electronic Bible is the first cd to be issued on The White Label and is a compilation featuring the likes of Delia Derbyshire with EAR, Ann Shenton, Jarvis Cocker, Drew Mulholland, Sean O'Hagan and many more. The Phosphene track, Spheries, is the first piece released from the recordings John Cavanagh made with saxophonists Lol Coxhill & Raymond MacDonald.
There's a Phosphene disc available from Evelyn Records as part of their third subscription series, which features some highly interesting field recordings. The Phosphene record is "The Singing Woodstove" and is a recording of just that... a wonderful, natural sound and one which is quite probably unique.
If you have difficulty finding these records, you can order online from the Melodybar mail order. This is also the place to find a new compilation on Arbouse Records, a French label, called Bucolique 2
The 17 tracks include music from Encre, Ma Cherie for Painting, yellow 6, Pimmon and much more.
I
Starting with
an Electroscope/Mount Vernon Arts Lab recording of Geoff Goddard's Sky
Men, John Cavanagh has been involved in several collaborations with Drew
Mulholland.
The third of
the Enraptured label's "Bedroom
Ambience" series - subtitled "Audio Wonderland" - is a 24 track double
cd is available at a special low price and the Phosphene track you'll find
on it is Quintessence. The fourth in this series is "Good Vibrations" 
and
this time John Cavanagh appears interspersing the tracks as he interviews
Simeon of the Silver Apples, providing radio atmospherics and more...
Coming soon... Ring and his Absinthe Cloud! This album will feature a set of collaborations between Norway's Filip Ring Andersen and the likes of Drekka and Simeon. The Phosphene/Ring track is Night of Many Colours.
Aube is a Japanese performance artist who uses a single sound source for each of his music concrete projects. For the album Rewriting the Book, Phosphene has added several more sound sources and come up with Nebuchadnezzar. Also on this lovingly packaged double cd you'll find Merzbow, Pefkin (Gayle, ex-Electroscope), Steward, Drekka ... Intrigued? See the Elsie & Jack website for more...
Infrasonic
Waves is a 2 cd set from Ochre Records. Disc one compiles the material
from the four e.p's of that title, whilst the second half of the package
features sixteen new tracks. The Phosphene offering is Heisenberg's
Uncertainty Principle, you'll also find Avrocar, Yellow 6, A.M.P. Studio,
The Freed Unit and much more.