Hello all, Adem here

Toward the end of last year I was overjoyed to receive a call from comic genius Armando Iannucci. He is responsible for a lot of my favourite funny stuff; if you don't recognise the name, search it - you'll certainly recognise the work. I was invited to score his cinematic debut 'In The Loop'. Those of you who have seen 'The Thick of It', from which it comes will know what to expect - excellent writing, outstanding semi-improvised performances and a hand-held style all lit up by the most spectacular, baroque swearing; It's like that, but more. Naturally, I said 'yes, please'.

The film features Iannucci's idiosyncratic sharp sardonic wit and unwavering eye for harsh detail brought to bear on the world of politics today coupled with incredible performances, both individual and collective and a riproaring pace. The script is utterly hilarious, looking at how people become pawns in Politics, no matter their ideals, looking at helplessness and harshness of the cogs of the wheels of power. Once the disbelief and laughter dies down an uncanny and uneasy feeling creeps up that it may be very close to How It Happens

For the music, I settled on a minimalist (instrumental) score, featuring mallet instruments and string quartet. I didn't want there to be too much as I felt it would interfere with the hand-held documentary style taken. We placed the music to help propel and underline - the blazing script did so much of the work. String parts were played by the fantastic Elysian Quartet, who really brought the music to life and invested it with their characteristic effects and ideas; I played the other instruments (mainly vibraphone, metallaphone, glockenspiel and piano).

Here are a couple of tasters (there's more out there). There's a bit of swearing:

exclusive clip
official trailer

In The Loop is released in the UK on 17th April. It is absolutely brilliant and I couldn't recommend it more.

hey
I'm going to be performing at the Fence Homegame 2009 on Saturday 18th (though you'd be mad to not be there for the whole weekend). I'm going to play some versions and some new bits and bobs. Stripped down. Very nice indeed. I'll be popping up from time to time on other people's sets, I'm sure, and I've heard there may be little secret sets here and there across the weekend - I'll be watching if not playing.
Homegame and fence are based in the east neuk of Fife (Anstruther, Cellardyke and around there) and is consistently awesome and a reliable highlight for the calender. Really looking forward to it.
Details and tickets (if there are any left) at the FENCE website.
See you there.

Hello.
I've made some new music with Sweet Billy Pilgrim for Late Junction on BBC Radio 3. 9th April 2009.
[if you missed it you can hear it HERE until the 16th April - about 30 minutes in].
It's about 15 minutes long and starts around about midnight GMT, but I think it'll be accessable online for a bit afterward. We did a little interview with Fiona Talkington (see the picture - that's me and Tim Elsenberg of Sweet Billy Pilgrim trying to think of a name on the spot for the piece, and landing lamely on 'guest mic number 2'. Any better suggestions?
We collaborated via email and met only after the track had been made; It's the first time I've worked entirely like that - I think of myself as a people person with regards to production but it was surprisingly easy - i think we have a very similar attitude to music and melody so no massive arguments - both very chuffed with each others' contributions. I'm really very pleased with the music made - it's pretty epic and fairly intense - have a listen and see what you think.

Sweet Billy Pilgrim has just released 'Twice Born Men'. It's a rich, full record with great ideas and production piled on a bedrock of strong melody and songwriting. Check it.

Hello!
I've been very busy over the last year or so working on a number of projects outside the usual 'Adem' busyness - I've been collaborating with other musicians, scoring a film, co-writing songs and producing various artists and bands - more about all of these soon.
Today, I want to talk about the new single by Beth Jeans Houghton on Static Caravan. It's a 7" out today, of which I'm very proud. I recorded, produced and mixed both tracks - the first of which is called 'Golden' the second, 'Night Swimmer'.
Beth and I met a while ago when I saw her perform at a gig - I was immediately struck by the strength of her voice(s) and the seemingly unlimited supply of catchy melody, alongside a really healthy amount of the unusual. When she aproached me a year or so later, asking if I might help make the single I happily agreed.
Her songs are strangely timeless and modern at the same time, and I've tried to make the music sound like forward-looking old music - filled with wonder and weirdness, whilst still keeping the core of the music, tune and performance central. It's very difficult to talk about these things on paper/screen so go listen: Bethspace.
More production on its way later this year.
speak to you soon.
Adem.

Hello Everyone
The shows in Italy were wonderful - Thanks to everyone who came and to Gianluca at de stijl who put the whole thing together.
Whilst in Italy I did a radio session for the excellent 'Maps' programme for the station Citta Del Capo. Cleverly, not only can you listen, but WATCH the session - Hotellounge by dEUS and Crashlander from the album Love and other planets.
Huge thanks to Nancy Elizabeth and Sarah Jones who joined me for this session and the tour proceeding. This was the first performance of these arrangements (we were rehearsing the day before at my home).
Maps Radio Session HERE
Check out the Kick 'Drum' that Sarah plays. Also, much respect to the engineers who recorded this on ONE MIC.
Apologies to dEUS purists - I totally messed up the words...
Speak to you soon.
Adem

I've confirmed four shows in italy at the end of January:

29th - Rimini - Velvet
30th Roma - Init (supporting Giant Sand)
31st Mirandola (Modena) - Aquaragia
1st Feb Ancona - Loop

keep your eyes on the live page for details.

Best wishes to you all for the new year. I've got lots of exciting stuff coming up that I've been working on or toward - production, collaboration, guesting, writing - details will come leading up to the events.
All the best
Adem.

Hey all
The Pictish Trail is one of the head honchos at Fence Records and has just released his long awaited debut album 'Secret Soundz'. I'm good pals with the Fence Collective lot, but they mostly live in scoland so we don't meet up as much as we'd like. It's a bit late to tell you now, but I've just played with The Pictish Trail in Glasgow (king tut's wah wah hut - 9th dec 08) and London (Bardens Boudoir 10th dec 08). I was filling in the position usually held by King Creosote; big shoes to fill. I played wibbly keyboard and backing vocals and tambourine. Also in the band was James Yorkston, Rosi Plain, Uncle Beesly and Captian Geeko (know and meet your fence artist at www.fencerecords.com).
We had lots of fun. More and very exciting Adem/Pictish news to come next year...

Hello. I've been busting to let you know that I'm Special Guest -ing on Monday (1st Dec) at the Union Chapel Slow Club Christmas Special.
I keep bumping into these two and their inimicable and enchanting music. I was very flattered to have been invited to be part of this.
Jay Jay Pistolet and Milberg are supporting officially.
I'm going to be playing a short set and joining in with whatever joining in bits there are. Lisa Milberg (who I first met when I toured with the Concretes around the UK many moons ago) has invited me to play bass with her on her new material - we'll see how much I can learn in an hour or two beforehand...
I hope to see you there, it's going to be fun.
Adem

I have been a fan of N/A (or 'Not Applicable', which is easier to say out loud) since it's inception. A collective of musicians and film-makers slanting toward the experimental. They use traditional and modern approaches - 16mm projectors, instruments, digital projection and maxx programming. The music, film and art they produce is exciting, groundbreaking, challenging and beautiful.
I invited them to perform at Homefires 2007 and they were outstanding. They invited me to perform with them for one of their brilliant 'Appliance' events, and I jumped at the chance. So why am I telling you this?

Firstly, if you're around Dalston, London tonight (fri 21st nov), Appliance #8 is taking place at Cafe OTO (details at the bottom). This event is concentrating on their film-makers. Britt Hatzius asked me to make a soundtrack for her latest film and we shall be playing it tonight at the event. It is a short instrumental piece that involves manipulation of the sound of the 16mm projector and scored elements. I like it very much.

Secondly, N/A have released 'n/a - An introduction to Not Applicable' on which I guest on two tracks. I play bowed glockenspiel, double bass and voice. Excitingly, you can download the whole album for FREE from their website. Get it and read about it at the N/A website.

About Appliances #8 at Cafe OTO:
N/A website again!

Lots coming up. Speak to you soon,

Adem.