Sunday Post

The next track to dock over on 'Wou-Wou Open Collab' is my intergalactic bit-nugget, 'Spaceship'. A track originally set to accompany many videogame-esque instrumentals on a short album that never came to be, 'Spaceship', and the project to which it was attached, once again fall victim to dwindling enthusiasm and lack of direction.

That isn't to say the track hasn't potential to grow in the hands of a talented soul or two. As long as slightly stylised 16-bit sci-fi disco pop is your thing, you'll have plenty to pick and pinch from it.

'Spaceship' and it's semi-isolated stems will be freely available from SoundCloud, tomorrow.

Next week I hope to get a little more involved with toys old and new, as I attempt to finish off a number of longstanding projects before the year's end. These include several tracks based around other artists open collab tracks (most notably Andreas Bruning's '100loops' side venture), an ambient EP due out later this year, along with a few remixes and new collaborations. 

I'm hoping to dive into other aspects of art making too, as the humble pencil is growing a little tedious. Clay, colour and printing are all calling out to me, but with nothing started or particularly planned I'm not sure where I'll end up. Whatever happens (or doesn't) will be documented and shared in the usual places. 

I'll also be returning back to selling my original drawings on social media, due to it being the cheapest and easiest way to do it. So if you'd like to own one of my odd doodles you'll once again have chance to in the coming weeks. 

Happy thoughts, 

- The Wormling

Sunday Post

Even though I'm only halfway through my so-called "summer hiatus", I thought I'd quickly share the vast array of things that I have in store for my return. 

WIP Artwork

MUSIC BY CHANCE

This is something that I have been working on since I first started 'Wou' two and a bit years ago. A collection of tracks that use a number of homemade chance methods during the writing process. These include tried and test methods like 'The Furry Gamble' (Make It Pretty) and 'Buskers' Bamboozle' (MUSIC BY CHANCE: EP 01 & 02), among new ones, using playing cards and the general public to make music... confused? All will be explained in good time. 

One of the most exciting parts of this project for me is the various artists now involved in it. Finished tracks feature the sounds and talents of Horse Enthusiast, Jonathan Beckenstein, {AN} Eel, Weighty Tree, Spicy Invalid, Ronny The Rocket, Falloon and Janine Levinson (of Janine and the Problem), to name but a handful. 

'MUSIC BY CHANCE: Vol.1' will be released in the new year.

THE AUDIO BIN

I'm pleased to say that a new 'Audio Bin' LP is in the works, and, I'm calling out for new donations. So if you fancy being on the next LP and you've got a few unused recordings kicking around, please send them my way: wouwouandthewormling@gmail.com... anything you've got will be greatly appreciated. 

Here's a playlist of everyone involved with the project so far:

WOU-WOU OPEN COLLAB

The 'Wou-Wou Open Collab' project will be a year old in September, and to celebrate I will be compiling a playlist (surprise, surprise) for every track under this umbrella. The next new 'collab' track will be out in October. 

DEDICATION TO THE HYPOCRITES

I started working on this song with Couch King last September, but I'm happy to say it's sounding pretty finished now! Official release dates are not my forte, but it'll probably be the next thing released with my name attached to it, and I can't wait! It puts the "fun" in "funky" (apologies)... it also features pretzels malone and Jam York. 

ARTWORK FOR SALE

I've reached a point where I am running out of room for all my drawings. So, I've decided everything must go! The usual things apply... first come first served, and so-on. It all begins tomorrow on instagram, twitter and facebook, where I'll be sharing a doodle daily along with a pricetag and the full T&C's... heck, I'll even be throwing out a few freebies too. 

Lastly, prints of my favourite 21 will be made available some time next month. Dates and details to come. 

But for now, happy thoughts, 

- The Wormling

Sunday Post

You'd think that I was toilet obsessed, what with track titles like 'Poop' and 'Glory Hole' to my name. Oh well, I guess tomorrow's release completes the trilogy... 

Sound-wise, 'Baby Fudge' is certainly a departure from my usual hacked-up beats 'n' shit style. For starters, it's more human sounding thanks to the cymbal tickling powerhouse that is MidiPunk. Mirror that with pretzels malone's rich and creative vocal, and you've got something that's acres away from anything that I've been associated with before.

'Baby Fudge (feat. Pretzels Malone & MidiPunk)' is out tomorrow via SoundCloud...

In other music news, a week or so ago I set up yet another SoundCloud music page! You'd think three would be enough for anyone, but no.

Anyway, because I have so many unfinished tracks kicking about, I thought it'd be a novel idea to throw them out for open collaboration. Kinda like my 'Audio Bin', but inverted. It's something that I've toyed with for some time, and seeing how well The Couch King's 'Buttermilk Biscuits' free-for-all went, only encouraged me to give it a go myself. 

The first track on the 'Wou-Wou Open Collab' page will be uploaded on 05/10/15, and will contain a master track along with all the stems that make it up. From then tracks will be uploaded every first Monday of the month... or that's the plan anyway.

I've also penned a loose date for my 'Sound Collage' to be released: 30/11/15. If you haven't joined in already, or you have no idea about what that is, check it out here and send me your replies before 31/10/15 to be part of it. 

More abstract inks, cereal-box poems and oddball doodles throughout next week. 

Happy thoughts, 

- The Wormling

Sunday Post

With summer well and truly dwindling, it maybe seems a little late to be releasing a track called 'Summer's Too Hot'... but what the hey, like it really matters anyway. Especially when Robot Richard's back on track with his signature vocal. 

I was intending it to be a two/three parter, with a remix tonic and a separate track 'Hot Tub', but time has escaped me yet again. I'm not in the habit of rushing something out because the season suits. All in good time and all that.  

Anyway, 'Summer's Too Hot (feat. Robot Richard)' is out on SoundCloud from tomorrow. 

In other news, the zines that I've been loosely working on for the last month or so are very slowly, but very surly coming together. I now have two or three finished, albeit in a very hap-dash manner. I'll start rolling them out in a few weeks, mainly because I'd just like to get a few in the bag before I start reeling them out. All zines will be upload here in PDF form and will be free to download, print and fold up yourself. But if that sounds like too much effort, I will be posting them page by page through social media, so you can see them there if you so wish. More info to come soon. 

On a sightly different note, entries into my journal have been sparse at best this week. I'm still finding my feet I guess. I wanted to use it as a visual diary for all the subtle and odd things I see in the day, but I'm feeling like it should be more introverted and challenging. A reflection of my inner thoughts and feelings instead. We'll see.

Anyway, many more things going on besides the fore-mentioned, but I feel the need to keep somethings close to my chest 'till they're more finished. 

But before I go, my track 'King Skirmish' turned a year old the other day. Time certain can and does fly. At the time it was the best thing I'd ever done, and in a lot of respects I still feel that way about it. I don't usually share my stuff more than once, but here it is again, incase if you missed it first time around:

Happy thoughts, 

- The Wormling

Sunday Post

March has been a busy month, with remixes and collaborations coming at me from all directions! But however exciting this may be, it's turning out to be a double-edged sword. My 'WRITING BY CHANCE' (which I was planning to have finished for the end of March) has now fallen by the wayside. Although this is probably no loss, as I'm not really much of a writer however enthusiastic I may be. And with the end of winter, I feel that it is time to let go and move on to some new, none-chance-based experiments. That said, my 'Buskers' Bamboozle' inspired 'MUSIC BY CHANCE' series will continue 'till its resolve, many, many months from now.

Speaking of 'MUSIC BY CHANCE', I released the second EP at the beginning of the week. And in a similar fashion to the first release, I'd like to do a brief track-by-track. So if you'll amuse me... 

0201: COME TO FINISH

RESULTS FROM THE BAMBOOZLE:

Chords: Minor (1-♭3-5) only

Tempo: 178BPM

Time Signature: 5/4

No. of Chords: 5

Root of Chord: D♭/C♯, C, B, G♭/F♯, D

I've become increasingly interested in vocal manipulation and I guess that's how this track came to sound like it does, with multiple samples used rhythmically and more obviously in the mangled voice. There's also a lot of other sounds from around and about, including a bathroom pull cord from my old flat.  

0202: START TO GLOSS

RESULTS FROM THE BAMBOOZLE:

Chords: Minor (1-♭3-5) only

Tempo: 135BPM

Time Signature: 5/4

No. of Chords: 4

Root of Chord: D♭/C♯, F, G, B

It's a slight departure from my usual sound. A lot more electronic, and maybe a little game-like, but with a guitar twist. I guess this track comes from my love of electronic music from the 60's/70's. It has a sort of feel to it, to me at least. But then the whole EP does. Strange chords progressions and unfamiliar time-signatures have found me lean more towards an electronic way of doing things. Something I may address in the next 'MBC' release... Is it time to dig out my reel-to-reel?

0302: APOLOGETIC SCREW

RESULTS FROM THE BAMBOOZLE:

Chords: Minor (1-♭3-5) only

Tempo: 128BPM

Time Signature: 4/4

No. of Chords: 6

Root of Chord: B, A♭/G♯, C, B♭/A♯, A♭/G♯, C

I'm not much of a gamer, but I've always enjoyed the music of those old arcade games, and '0302' sees me attempting to mimic it, in a half-arsed kind of fashion. It's not 8-bit, even 16-bit, but it has that vibe to it. A mile away from what I was going to do with it, but once I'd finished the track above, I thought it'd be fun to explore the electronica theme further.

To finish off, two rather exciting chunks of 'Wou-Wou' news. The first 'lil' spaceman's' perfectly suited video for his version of 'Glory Hole'...

... the second is 'E-Ruizzo's' super hot prog-rock release, and the synesthesia artwork that he asked me to do for it.

More daily doodles, paintings and maybe, just maybe, I'll start to work on those collages that I've been teasing for the last few weeks. Also planning to resurrect something from my 'Major Gubbins' archives... I'll keep you "posted".

Happy thoughts,


- The Wormling

Sunday Post

With Robot Richard's politically charged 'Taxes 2 Asses', and a perfectly mangled remix from lil' spaceman, you could say that last months Wou-Wou instrumental 'Glory Hole', has been playing the field.

These collaborative efforts and my original will be cosying up together on the 'Glory Hole [EP]', which I'm set to release into the world throughout next week. But to fill the music-less void of now, here are two of my favourite tracks from the aforementioned artists.

In other music news, the first few tracks to come from my 'The Audio Bin' project are nearly finished, as is the second 'MUSIC BY CHANCE [EP]'. Both will be uploaded in the next few weeks, but you know me, I'll be pre-warning you before such a thing happens. 

In the arty corner, my studies into synesthesia are coming to a close. Although I won't be abandoning them completely, I feel the ache of change. I'm leaning towards embroidery, but I'm rusty with a needle so will probably begin by mucking around with collage. 

Of course 'daily doodles' and synesthesia paintings will remain throughout next week and beyond, just in fleeting doses. And several art collaborative projects are in the mix, but that's all I'm willing share about that for now - *what a tease I am*.

Til next time, happy thoughts, 

- The Wormling

Sunday Post

Oh yes, oh yes... OH YES!!!

Ahem... sorry about that, I guess I'm just a little excited that my new, rather filthy, instrumental is "cuming" out tomorrow. It's "balls deep" (sorry again) with vulgar grooves, aching guitars, steamy organs... and well, you get the picture.

Also, after a little break I've been doodling my "nudies" once again! This is alongside my recent synesthesia paintings, which I'll also be continuing to share throughout next week.

Happy thoughts,


- The Wormling

Sunday Post

Music picked from hats, coin-flipped lino-prints and dice fated faces... it's been a long time coming, but it finally looks as if my work with chance is showing some signs of resolve. Starting with...

MUSIC BY CHANCE: ONE [EP] 

The first of 15 EP's of music written using my 'Buskers’ Bamboozle' method: an elaborate creative randomiser, that utilises dice, coins, and hats to make creative decisions. Meaning, everything from the chords, tempo, time-signature and even the track title have been picked using chance in some way or another.

Each EP is also themed around which chord formula can be used. For instance, this EP only paints with your run-of-the-mill major chords, so it's not sounding too messy just yet. But baring in mind that its brothers and sisters focus in on altered chords, restrictive bar length and another one of my chance methods  'The Furry Gamble'... I've basically created a recipe for musical mayhem.

'MUSIC BY CHANCE: ONE [EP]' will be "released" via SoundCloud and Bandcamp tomorrow, and I'll be going into indulgent depth about each track and the methods used in next weeks 'Sunday Post'.

PRINTS BY CHANCE

By working on a 6x6cm grid of 1cm squares and cutting each square according to the flip of a 50p coin (heads to leave the square and tails to cut out the square) the album artwork above was rustically realised on discounted art shop lino.

The plan was to do 45 of these simplistic lino prints, but at the moment I'm more interested in spending my creative playtime elsewhere. However, I may dig out the cutters for one last lino-print by chance to conclude the 'MUSIC BY CHANCE' series next year. Art related chance doesn't end with lino-prints though...

CONTINUOUS LINE - FACES PICKED BY CHANCE

Each one of the independently drawn features of these floating faces was chosen by dice; blurring the line between my recent work with continuous line and that of chance.

For instance the mouth picked for face one is mouth two because I rolled a two on the dice... and so on.

 

 

 

Of course, the method could be applied to almost anything. I've thought preparing a meal this way could be quite novel. My original idea was to create a collage using the dice, not far detached from the awkward faces above I suppose. Having a large collection of numbered cut-outs and attempting to compose something from what the dice chooses... something for another day perhaps.

Happy thoughts, 

- The Wormling

Sunday Post

It started with hands, but now my venture using one continuous line shifts to facial features, in an attempt to evolve my usual style of portrait and character design into something a little odder.

  

(A selection of hands drawn using one continuous line from the last few weeks)

 

By drawing the features separately it leaves the door open for a little horseplay in Photoshop, arranging it altogether to make my very own monster (as above). It also leaves the opportunity to add some of my work with chance into the mix. But I'm getting ahead of myself once again, there's many ears, eyes, noses and mouths to concentrate on before such tomfoolery begins.

Also, throughout next week I plan to finish the first of my music by chance, as well as a few lino prints and possibly one of the aleatoric stories... I'm getting ahead of myself again. So many things to do, so much fun to be had!

Anyway, happy thoughts,

- The Wormling

Resolutions

Traditionally the new year revolves around new beginnings and bettering yourself, and although I don't believe you need a specific date in the calendar to do either of these things it seems that for 'Wou-Wou...', the New Year does mean a fresh start.

I view my work over the last few months more as "building up my chops" than exploring or pushing myself creatively. The 'Daily Doodles' and 'Music Monthly's' have been creative stretches to keep me limber. But I fear that I have reached a point where I keep repeating myself, and aiming for the result instead of enjoying the process; the original essence of 'Wou-Wou & The Wormling'.

With this in mind, my resolution begins with learning new skills and techniques. Things like embroidery, painting, collage, sculpture and mark-making are way up there on the list. I've eased myself in with continuous line work (a welcome detachment from my usual figurative oddballs) which I'll be sharing over the month.

On top of this, I hope to reach some sort of resolve with my creative experiments involving chance. The first of my music by chance will be surfacing around the end of the month, as will the creative writing. And although the chancy music will keep coming way into 2016, I'm giving myself a loose ultimatum of three months to put everything else (chance) to bed, and move on to the other creative experiments and subjects I have lined up.

The usual 'Daily Doodles' and 'Music Monthly' commitments will remain throughout, as I feel it's still important to express, practice and grow in what feels familiar. And with any luck, everything new that I learn will compliment and become familiar in time. So who knows, this time next year I might be sewing nudies instead of sketching them!

Anyway, belated Happy New Year to you and happy thoughts, 

- The Wormling

P.S. - I've been playing catch-up on society6, adding a host of last years doodles to the roost. Meaning prints of 'Jack', 'Elysia', 'Robin' and many others are now available. I'm also in the process of setting up an Etsy shop to sell a selection of my originals. More details to come, soonish. 

Sunday Post

At the beginning of the week I began to roll out a slightly revamped group of oddballs. Nameless nobodies, who bare all in a slightly less obvious way. Where intimate quirks, habits and insecurities replace body-hair, freckles and flesh.

'Enjoys licking stamps'

'Reveals secrets in her sleep'

'In love with infatuation'

'Practices smiling in the bathroom mirror'

More to come from tomorrow over on Instagram... 'till then.

Happy thoughts,

- The Wormling

Sunday Post

Just between you and me, I was feeling creatively drained this time last week. It wasn't so much that I'd run out of ideas, more that they were being filtered through my shit-tinted point-of-view. So I turned the pressure off and stepped away for a few days. Turned my concentration onto something else. Something that didn't revolve around being completed. 

I played with old recordings, faffed with watercolours and inks. I dipped into T. S. Eliot, I played computer games and watched old comedy. I took an early morning walk and met up with good friends. I escaped... A week later, and I feel a little better about it all. Fresh ears, eyes and all that.

Anyway, next week will be a totally different story, what with my new instrumental track 'The Hopeless Aurelian' coming out tomorrow and a new, more observational/introspective take on my daily doodles starting on Tuesday, things are looking positive once more.

And to top it off, new work on my collaborative project, 'Major Gubbins', has begun!... It's going to be a beautiful mess.

Happy thoughts,


- The Wormling

The Wou-Wou & The Wormling Wednesday Giveaway - Ground Rules

The premise is simple enough. Every Wednesday I'll give you the chance to win one of my original  doodles from my bloated back catalogue. No hidden agendas or costs, just my way of showing my appreciation.

How it works:

At approximately 9:00am GMT I will post a photo via Instagram, Facebook and Twitter advertising which doodle will be up-for-grabs. Gathering you want it, you then have a 12 hour window in which to leave the comment "the early bird catches the wormling". I will allow spelling mistakes, but it has to be that sentence or your name won't go into the hat, and you won't be in with the chance of winning. The hat pull will happen that same night once the results have been gathered, and if your name gets picked I will hastily contact you for your delivery address of choice. 

No postage and packaging cost will be necessary, but a donation to my paypal 'donate button' to the right would be kind. Better still, I will attach my address so you can send me one of your doodles, poems, stories, favourite recipes... if you so wish.

In the event that no-one bids for the doodle I will still place it into a sealed envelope, but instead of sending it off to someone, I'll leave it around and about for a stranger to "hopefully" find and enjoy.

Happy thoughts,

- The Wormling

Sunday Post

Call it indecisive, call it generous, call it whatever you will... because there will be not one, but two new homemade tracks for 'Music Monthly' this October!

The first track is called 'Pixel Envy' and will be available to stream and/or buy from tomorrow, the second, '24Bit Multimedia Monster', will be unleashed on the 20th. Both will be dressed in the accidental artwork of my partner-in-crime Chelsea (purposeandform) Ellis.

But wait, I've more good news, especially for those of you who favour the artsy side of 'Wou-Wou...'. Starting this Wednesday (and continuing every Wednesday thereafter if all goes to plan) I'll be giving away some of my original artwork, for free! No hidden agendas, no "Share This Photo..." malarky, just honest clean giving. More info Tuesday!

Happy thoughts,


- The Wormling

Sunday Post

Doodling... I have done little else this week. Sketching knobbly naked nobodies with misplaced limbs, odd hairstyles and crooked hands... now that's what I'm talking about! There's something so tremendously satisfying creating a new person from scratch, without thought, just letting them appear through your pencil.

As much fun as all this is, it doesn't leave me with much to write about. So instead of trying to pluck something interesting to say from the ether, I'm going to let my six favourite (thus far) doodled oddments do the talking...

 

 

If you like 'em, jump ship to my Instagram, Facebook or Twitter accounts, where nudie folk are uploaded daily. 

There'll also be more 'Compact Discovery' and society6 uploads throughout the week.

Happy thoughts, 

- The Wormling

Sunday Post

This week I decided enough is enough, it’s time to knuckle down, sit up straight, pull that finger out and wash it in hot soapy water. Cos things have gotten a little slack and stale around here, and so have I. 

I’ve set myself some goals. A little contrived maybe I know, but I’m coming to learn that in my current state of mind I’m more inclined to stare at my guitar instead of play it and chew a pencil instead of running it around a piece of A4. So something had to change, cos not being creative feels so very numbing.

At the beginning of the month I started my "daily doodling" which is slowly helping me and my pencil establish a better, more rounded relationship. And starting tomorrow I’m hoping to rekindle with music in a similar fashion, with ‘Music Monthly’ - a new experimental track using various found sounds, samples, stabs, beats, licks and homemade instruments every first Monday of the month.

Hang on, what about all that stuff to do with chance?...

It’s coming, but I’ve decided not to rush it, so I’ll be working on it regularly and methodically in the background until the new year is upon us. It’s around that time I see the first examples being ready to share. But with that said, I do plan to write a weekly ‘Sunday Post’, much like this one, sharing a little about the week I’ve had and what I've been working on. So I imagine that more light will be shed on my fumbles with chance then.

On top of monthly music and chance based creativity, I’ve also been busy smartening up my ‘Make It Ugly’ cat paintings and a small number of my doodled portraits ready to put up for sale on society6. The upload date is set for Saturday (and continuing most Saturday’s thereafter), but I’ll be sure to do a special post once something’s been added to my shop.

So to recap: new music coming tomorrow, with the first stock going into the ‘Wou-Wou & The Wormling’ society6 store Saturday, and updates of my chance experiments (along with everything else) every Sunday... lets see how long I can keep this up ‘ey!

Happy thoughts, 

- The Wormling

Progress

Progress is slow, painfully so, but that’s okay, I didn’t set out to bolt through these experiments at lighting speed, nor was I naive enough to think that there’d be no challenge involved in their execution. So I plod along, doing what I can, when I can, which for the last few weeks hasn’t equated to much. But July’s commitments are behind me now, and my full focus can float back over to chance once again.

I'm now over halfway through the "chance phase" of these experiments, I can say with great hopeful glee, that chancy music, lino-prints, poems, short stories, collages (etc. etc.), are soon to be crafted and fettled.

Till then, I'll do my best to keep this underused space a bit more occupied.


- The Wormling

The Furry Gamble - Part Two

In order for these ramblings to make any sense, you'll probably have to go to the first 'Furry Gamble' post here. But if you've already read that... 

Make it pretty:



I have to admit, I was hoping for make it ugly when it came to this one. I could hear it: detuned guitars and feedback all the way to buggery... But that didn't happen, I got make it pretty instead.

Oof, how was I going to do something interesting with this chord progression, and make it pretty?

I spent hours fiddling around with my delay pedal, hoping there'd be some magic setting that would make the I-V-vi-IV progression twinkly and new, but it was to no avail, it still sounded bland.

Another few hours and a computer malfunction later, I had reached some sort of compromise.  By reversing the chord progression I had this roomy backdrop to work with. It wasn't pretty per-say, but added an eeriness that sounded sort of beautiful, to me at least. And after that was down, I just noodled around with it for a bit, adding things, taking them away. So on and so forth.

Overall, I wouldn't say it turned out that pretty, but it's been a fun challenge, and I learnt a few lessons on the way... most importantly: save, save, save.

Make it ugly:

This had to be easy. Do an ugly portrait of my cats. My inability to paint has that one covered already. It wasn't 'til I sat down and gave it some "proper thought" that I realised that I had absolutely no ideas. Zilch. Nowt... 

Then after a ruminate:

"Oh hang on, I'll just draw my face on my cats bodies. Yeah, that sounds ugly enough. I could have it so I'm licking my arsehole! Hohoho..."

 

 

...Erm, no. 

I have this knack of going with the first, daft idea I have. Take the easy way out for a cheap laugh that never comes. So I pulled myself together and went back to the drawing board, and these are what came out.

These monochrome fighting felines where partly inspired by Georg Baselitz's simple but energetic silhouettes, and 'Two Fighting Insects' by Tadek Beutlich, which we're lucky enough to have in our dining room. The ugly experience of my own brawling moggys also acted as inspiration I'm sure.

Y'know, they're messy, they're inaccurate, some of the cats look like dogs, some like blobs, but the more I live with them the more I enjoy them being stuck on the wall. And it's because of 'The Furry Gamble' that they exist.

All-in-all, 'The Furry Gamble' works! However it still gives me a lot of creative freedom. What if that was diminished, or even removed all together? What if I had no control over the outcome?

Hmmm...

- The Wormling