Miles Brown
Miles Brown (born 4 January 1978) is an Australian theremin player, composer, multi-instrumentalist and sound artist. Best known for his work with Australian instrumental electronic act The Night Terrors, Brown has also performed with Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Goblin, Black Mountain, Mick Harvey, Alexander Hacke and Danielle de Picciotto, Bardo Pond, Heirs and The Narcoleptor.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Miles Brown | |
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Brown in 2016 | |
Background information | |
Born | 4 January 1978 |
Origin | Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
Genres | Electronic, progressive rock, synthwave, synthpop, experimental, industrial, film score |
Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, performer, sound artist |
Instruments | Theremin, analogue synthesizer, electric bass, pipe organ, vocals, electronics |
Years active | 1995–present |
Labels | Death Waltz Recording Company, Mondo, It Records, Twisted Nerve Australia, Homeless, Exo, Denovali Records, Trendkill, Seed Records, Unstable Ape Records, Nosferatunes |
Associated acts | The Night Terrors, The Narcoleptor, Heirs |
Website | milesbrown |
Biography
Brown was born in Hobart, Tasmania, and developed his practice in the experimental art rock scene of Melbourne.[8] He is a student of Russian theremin virtuosa Lydia Kavina,[8] the first cousin twice removed of Léon Theremin (the inventor of the instrument).
With his band The Night Terrors, Brown has explored the theremin as a lead instrument in an electronic progressive rock scenario.[9] The Night Terrors have released three albums: Back To Zero (2009), Spiral Vortex (2014) and Pavor Nocturnus: Composition for Grand Organ, Theremin, Electronics and Percussion (2014), three EPs: The Night Terrors (2002), Lightless (2003) and Monster / Lasers For Eyes (2012), and have toured Europe and Australia with Hawkwind,[10] Goblin,[11] Melt-Banana,[12] Serena-Maneesh and Black Mountain.[13][14] The Night Terrors are often described as horror film soundtrack music.[15][1][16][17][18]
Brown has also worked extensively with Australian experimental industrial band Heirs,[1] touring Europe and Australia supporting Alcest,[19] Primordial[19] and Årabrot,[20] and contributing to the records Fowl (2010) and Hunter (2011).[21][22]
In May 2014 Brown was commissioned by the City of Melbourne to compose an album of music for the Melbourne Town Hall's Grand pipe organ,[23] the largest grand romantic organ in the Southern Hemisphere.[24] Pavor Nocturnus: Composition for Grand Organ, Theremin, Electronics and Percussion was performed by The Night Terrors, recorded on Friday the 13th of July and launched on Halloween 31 October 2014.[25] The album was released by the label Twisted Nerve Australia, a joint imprint between Dual Planet and UK producer / music archivist Andy Votel.[25] A special edition was also produced for UK cult movie soundtrack label The Death Waltz Recording Company,[26] home to film composers such as John Carpenter, Goblin, Alan Howarth, Fabio Frizzi, Ennio Morricone and Clint Mansell.[27]
Miles Brown’s debut solo album Séance Fiction was released in December 2015 as a co-release between Death Waltz, American film culture specialists Mondo and It Records in Australia.[28] His solo material explores the theremin and analogue synthesiser in the realms of dark wave, gothic disco and cosmic electronics.[29]
In 2019 Brown debuted The Narcoleptor - his new experimental collaboration with classical harpist and vocalist Mary Doumany. The Narcoleptor 12" EP was released on Brown's own label Nosferatunes which was launched simultaneously.[30] Brown also released a new solo single Shudder Speed, the first selection from his upcoming solo album The Gateway which will be released on Death Waltz Originals in 2020.[31]
Discography
Solo
- 2020: The Gateway – Death Waltz Originals
- 2019: Shudder Speed (single) – Nosferatunes
- 2015: Séance Fiction – Death Waltz Originals / Mondo / It Records
- 2014: Electrics (7” single) – It Records
The Narcoleptor
- 2019: The Narcoleptor 12" EP – Nosferatunes
The Night Terrors
- 2014: Pavor Nocturnus: Composition for Grand Organ, Theremin, Electronics and Percussion – Twisted Nerve Australia
- 2014: Spiral Vortex – Homeless
- 2012: Monster / Lasers For Eyes (12" EP) – OSCL / Seed Records
- 2009: Back To Zero – Exo / Trendkill / Homeless
- 2003: Lightless – Unstable Ape Records
- 2002: The Night Terrors – Unstable Ape Records
Studio Collaborations
- 2019: Black Lung – NXIVM – ant-zen
- 2019: Jess Ribeiro – Wildflowers – ABC
- 2019: Cat Hope / Monash Art Ensemble – Here Now Hear – FMR Records
- 2014: Mikelangelo – City of Dreams – Imaginarium
- 2014: Harmony – Carpetbombing Deconstructions – Poison City Records
- 2013: Sankt Otten – Messias Maschine – Denovali
- 2011: Antoni Maiovvi – Trial By Bullet – Seed Records
- 2011: Heirs – Hunter – Denovali / OSCL
- 2010: Heirs – Fowl – Denovali
- 2010: Gian Slater with William Poskitt – Creatures at the Crossroads – Independent
- 2009: Little Birdy – Confetti – Universal Music
- 2009: Margins – Margins – Low Transit Industries
Art Collaborations
- 2017: Crossing – with Unconscious Collective, House of Vnholy, J.P. Shilo, Alexander Hacke and Danielle de Picciotto, Dark Mofo, Tasmania.
- 2017: RE(PURPOSE): THE MVMNT – with Natalie Abbott, Dancehouse (Melbourne)
- 2008: Sonance – with Monica Zanchetta – Seventh Gallery, Melbourne
- 2007: 7 Years and we still broke – with Schwipe fashion label, Don't Come Gallery, Melbourne
Film Score
- 2019: Volatilis (with The Narcoleptor) directed by Jenna Eriksen
- 2016: Watch Me, directed by Briony Kidd
- 2015: Our Extra Sensory Selves directed by Allison Gibbs – Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, UK
- 2015: Miles Brown & Drill Folly – The Seashell and the Clergyman directed by Germaine Dulac (live score) – Fabrica Gallery, Brighton, UK
- 2015: Insomnolence, directed by Kiefer Findlow
Videos
- "Speaking In Tongues" from The Gateway (2020), directed by bl00dsp0rts
- "Shudder Speed" single (2019), directed by Geoffrey O'Connor
- "I (excerpt)" from The Narcoleptor EP (2019), directed by Jenna Eriksen
- "Feeder" from Miles Brown – Séance Fiction (2015), directed by Agostino Soldati
- "Apparition" from Miles Brown – Séance Fiction (2015), directed by Agostino Soldati
- "Megafauna" from The Night Terrors – Pavor Nocturnus: Composition for Grand Organ, Theremin, Electronics and Percussion (2014), directed by Agostino Soldati
- "Hunter" from Heirs – Hunter (2012), directed by Brent Stegeman and Damian Coward
Remixes
- 2016: Habits – Gerger
- 2014: Harmony featuring Don Walker – The Closing of the Day
- 2011: Antoni Maiovvi – Murderfunk
References
- "Music News, Views And All The Latest From Junkee". Junkee. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "Sydney Tapes: VIVID Festival: Noise Night". 1 June 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "Alcest". 31 October 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "Black Mountain + The Night Terrors - Annandale Hotel (20.02.11)". 21 February 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- http://www.synthuniverse.com/goblin-metro-sydney-16-july-2013/
- "/". The Music. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "Heraldsun.com.au | Subscribe to the Herald Sun for exclusive stories". www.heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "Miles Brown | Theremin Today - Терменвокс". Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "Miles Brown: 'How about this great Australian theremin player?' Goblin, the Night Terrors and Séance Fiction: Interview by Tony Mitchell". Cyclic Defrost. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "Hawkwind (UK) Australian Tour 2011 - Hawkwind at Manning Bar, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW on 11 Mar 11". Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "Goblin Return For 2013 Australian Tour Playing Horror Classics Live". 6 June 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- Boel, Jurgen. "Night Terror + Melt Banana, 09 oktober 2010, De Kreun | enola.be". Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- Sounds, Doubtful (1 March 2011). "LIVE REVIEW: Black Mountain @ Annandale Hotel, Sydney (19/02/11)". Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "Black Mountain, Circolo degli Artisti, Roma - Live Report :". OndaRock. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "Night Music : The Seductive Sounds of Miles Brown". 23 April 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "The Night Terrors – Pavor Nocturnus (Dual Planet)". 25 October 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "The Night Terrors – Pavor Nocturnus LP (Twisted Nerve Australia)". Cyclic Defrost. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "Beat Magazine". Beat Magazine. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "JOSÉ'S BANDS OF THE WEEK: THE NIGHT TERRORS / HEIRS". 3 November 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "Arabrot :: Dynamo, 26.10.2010". usgang.ch. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "HEIRS INTERVIEW". 10 August 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "post-rock.ro". www.post-rock.ro. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "The Night Terrors Pavor Nocturnus Free Organ Performance". www.weekendnotes.com. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- http://www.visitmelbourne.com/regions/Melbourne/Things-to-do/History-and-heritage/Melbourne-Town-Hall-Grand-Organ.aspx
- http://noisey.vice.com/read/the-night-terrors-play-a-really-big-organ-in-a-really-big-room
- http://mondotees.com/products/copy-of-prince-of-darkness-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-lp-reissue?variant=1088433611
- "Death Waltz Recording Company". Discogs. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- https://thump.vice.com/en_au/track/summon-the-power-of-sance-fiction-with-miles-browns-debut-solo-album
- http://rollingstoneaus.com/music/post/five-for-friday-the-131s-elizabeth-rose-velcro-hoodlum-shouts-miles-brown/3206-miles-brown-apparition
- "Watch the spooky debut of The Narcoleptor". Cyclic Defrost. 23 September 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- "It's A Good Time To Be Waving Your Hands Around In The Air - A Chat with Miles Brown". 30 October 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2020.