Mike Willox‘s debut solo album was sparked off by a tour in Japan where he collected local urban sounds and atmospheres from the streets of Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka creating a sort of sonic diary. Back in London, in his Loungescape studios, he created a unique musical sound-collage blending in other sounds from more personal sources. Willox seamlessly goes from electronica ambiences to sounds of pianos being tuned, and from jazz musicians jamming to the heartbeat of his unborn daughter Sapphire. The track ‘Buzz’ was selected in July 2000 by the BBC’s Mixing It programme as part of their nationwide new composers search. Although made up of individual tracks, ‘The Big Picture’ is meant to be heard as a continuous sonic journey. Drawing from a wide range of musical sources, the album reflects Willox’s insight in sound manipulation which never loses sight of the emotional content of the material. The result is a far-reaching and often humorous exploration through cultures and moods, continuously challenging the listener’s perceptions.
TRACK LIST:
1. SHINKANSEN (2:48)
2. A RARE GLIMPSE (3:41)
3. THE LITTLE BOAT (4:21)
4. NINETY SEVEN (3:52)
5. ROUGH MEMORY (3:15)
6. NOISE (4:54)
7. WAVE (0:48)
8. BAUBAU (2:10)
9. BUZZ (4:57)
10. BAUBAU REPRISE (1:43)
11. PHONE BOX (6:01)
12. CONCERT (5:00)
13. SEA SHANTY (2:51)
14. SAPPHIRE’S HEART (4:04)
Also available as downloads:
