Goatherder, by Goatherder

Goatherder

by Goatherder

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Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Limited to 100 copies. The first 20 pre-orders will receive a limited photographic print.

Includes digital pre-order of Goatherder. You get 1 track now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released.

digital album releases March 5, 2024

item ships out on or around August 1, 2024

Purchasable with gift card

£25 GBP or more
Streaming + Download

Pre-order of Goatherder. You get 1 track now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released.

Purchasable with gift card

releases March 5, 2024

£9 GBP or more

1.	Letter Home (Part 1)
2.	Wintertide
3.	Letter Home (Part 2)
4.	Prusten
5.	Long Meg & Her Daughters (Edit)
6.	Priest's Mill Pond
7.	Letter Home (Full Version) 11:33	buy track

about

Recorded and produced January 2023 - February 2024.

Notes on 'Letter Home':

"Late last year, I discovered a 5" audio reel. On it was a letter home, from New Zealand to Carlisle. Addressed to Doris and Harold, the emigrated family have a one sided conversation, asking about family and relaying their own news.

I think it was recorded in the late sixties or early seventies and a search to find relatives went nowhere.

I recorded the reel for prosperity and it soon found it's way into a sound collage.

The disembodied voices from the past sound odd out of context; at turns funny, sad, moving, mundane etc.

When recording, they split the stereo, recording voice on one channel and music on the other. Sometimes I played these together, they made their own interesting collage.

These are mixed with an improvisation that was performed at Hayton Castle last July. It was a birthday bash for myself, Amy and Steph. That turned out to be the last piece of music recorded at the castle. There is a final instalment of 'The Hayton Tapes', but that recording pre-dates this.

Throughout the collage are synth experiments, guitars, drones and field recordings made throughout 2022.

I think the whole thing is about moving and leaving."

credits

releases March 5, 2024

'Letter Home' contains elements of an improvised recording performed by Stephen Benson - Drums and percussion, Will Harris - Piano, Gem Smith - Drones & Amy Tweddle - Guitar. Recorded at Hayton Castle.

'Wintertide' contains elements of a live improvisation performed by Stephen Benson - Guitar, John Chambers - Guitar, Andy Hopkins - Guitar, Nicola Reed - Voice and Synth & Max Tyler - Voice and Synth. Recorded at Wintertide Art Exhibition, Cakes & Ale cafe.

'Long Meg & Her Daughters' recorded at RSPB Geltsdale, Trailblazer: Delia Derbyshire Exhibition.

'Prusten' and 'Priest's Mill Pond' recorded at home. Emily Ford - Voice.

Performed, recorded, produced and cover art by Stephen Benson.

Mastered by Jonathan Sharp.

GOAT003.

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about

Goatherder England, UK

Goatherder is the music and film artist name of Stephen Benson. Drone, ambient, collage, improvisation and experimental music from North West Cumbria.

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