ELECTRONIC MUSIC IN LONDON

By Edward J. Matthews

ABSTRACT

A short article detailing the electronic music scene in London, Ontario. Although I am
also an electronic artist, I decided instead to focus attention on my musical friends and some of
the issues they face working in a traditionally folk and blues community.

“I have complete freedom to express myself, all sounds and timbres are at my disposal.
Plus, a drum machine can’t show up late for practice.” - Riley Eichler

What is the appeal to a local musician to compose and perform electronic music in a city
traditionally associated with blues, folk and rock music? First of all, there is the sheer joy in
expressing one’s self musically through the creation of completely unique and diverse sounds.
For Rob Ross (aka Lexander James) the appeal of electronic music “lies in the never-ending
sonic possibilities that working with electronics bring. I love the wide range of sounds that a
single piece of hardware or software can create.”
For electronic artists musical possibilities might begin with composition but there is also
a strong emphasis on sound design. The sonic palette at their disposal is endless – a continuous
manipulation of timbres, textures and sounds. “The appeal of composing electronic music stems
from the freedom it allows for unusual modes of expression,” explains Andrew Wenaus, who,
along with Christina Marie Willatt, performs as Wormwood. “If anything, electronic music
allows for a unique kind of self-sufficiency. We very rarely sample music from other sources and
all the sounds in our music are performed and designed by ourselves.”
For Chris Meloche, who celebrates nearly thirty-five years as an electronic composer,
sounds created in the early seventies by electronic means were more than a sonic curiosity.
“Things like the Moog synth sound at the end of Lucky Man by ELP made my ears perk up,” he
recalls. “I also recall hearing things like Switched-On Bach back then, too. I was most interested
in the fact that you could create your own interesting sounds rather than mimic an already-
existing instrument.”
For Richard Moule (aka Gesumm) the appeal of electronic music is radical
experimentation and discovery. “When I was young I was always drawn to those pioneers,
regardless of what genres they happen to fit within. I would say I’ve just always looked to music
 2

that’s challenged me, and that may be on a variety of level depending on the listener.” Whether
generated by electronic or electro-acoustic means, “the two most important aspects are 1) that it
starts with a sound, and 2) that that sound is transformed or mutated in some way.”
Since synthesizers are designed to be sonically manipulated, a musician with little or no
musical training can create electronic sounds in no time at all. The issue comes down to being
able to critically judge what does or does not work. That is not to say, however, that classically-
trained artists have an aversion to electronic music. “I was originally trained as a classical pianist
through the Suzuki Piano Method,” explains Paul Gingerich (aka TateKing), “but I started to
develop an interest in synthesizers shortly after they broke into the mainstream market and even
more so as computers began to be useful sequencing tools. I was younger and was more
fascinated by the variety of sounds a synthesizer could produce over the single sound of the
piano.”
Perhaps the appeal of electronic music lies in the notion that there is no template that
obliges a musician to compose or perform in one style or another. If anything, it has become
harder to speak about ‘electronic music’ as a singular musical form, partly because the scene
itself is constantly fragmenting and morphing into smaller and smaller sub-genres, and partly
because electronic sounds can be heard today in virtually all types of music.
Compared to rock music, which tends to look back to its own glory days (i.e., 70s Classic
rock), electronic music is constantly moving forward, always in search of the next “new sound”
or production technique. Perhaps electronic music taps into different parts of the brain, especially
those areas that have to do with colour, images, intuition, emotions, and creativity.
Given the ease with which musicians can single-handedly create electronic compositions,
are there inherent difficulties or pleasures in working as a solo artist? Granted, a group situation
has its own personal and monetary advantages. “You get new perspectives on what you are
doing,” explains Cailen Dye. “It can be easier to perform live with other people to take on
different roles and, if you are releasing your own music, you can divide costs and labour. There
is also just a morale aspect when you work with other people.”
Sometimes, having people around just feels right, if only to expand and develop new
music ideas. “The camaraderie is the best part,” recalls Riley Eichler, who sang with Orphan
Grinder and now performs solo as Geistweiss. “You can draw from and evolve musical ideas as
 3

a group, which, when productive, can yield great results. But I personally enjoy writing it all
myself and sequencing it.”
The consensus, then, is that there are unique advantages to working as a solo electronic
artist. It yields both therapeutic and artistic rewards. “I cannot see myself ever working in a
dedicated group,” writes Rob Ross. “I honestly have no idea how people do this. Music for me is
solitary. Both my home and work life deal with people; therefore, for me, music is a way to be
uncompromising with my expression.”
Not surprisingly, electronic musicians actually share with other artistic endeavours the
tendency not to work in groups. As Chris Meloche points out, “working as a solo artist in the
field of electroacoustic music would probably not a dissimilar experience to that of other creators
in the visual arts such as painting or photography. You use your own creative energies to
produce a very personal vision of your own design.”
Whether performing as a solo artist or in a duo setting, London-based electronic
musicians have experienced a wide range of responses from local audiences. “Respect, interest,
friendly bafflement, and definitely intrigue,” replies Andrew Wenaus. “We’ve largely had
positive experiences playing live with acts from non-electronic genres – there seems to be a
general atmosphere of respect and friendliness.”
At the very least, electronic artists who also perform live have noticed a curiosity among
audience members regarding synthesizers, drum machines, laptop computers, and other sound-
generating devices. As Riley Eichler points out, “most are curious of gear and sounds they never
have seen/heard before.”
Given the affiliation of electronic sounds and popular music, how well integrated are
electronic artists into the local music scene? For one thing, a band does not need to be
“electronic” to make use of synthesizers and drum machines. “I just think the stereotype of
boring EDM (Electronic Dance Music) shows has taken its toll,” adds Riley Eichler. “Most
people I’ve talked to want to see a spectacle, a band playing instruments with lots of energy.”
At the very least, there is a healthy curiosity among live music fans for ‘the new sound.’
“There are certainly some people in London who are genuinely interested in music or sonic art
which is outside the norm,” says Chris Meloche. “Of course, London is a very small place, so
that equates to a very small audience.”
 4

It sounds like local electronic artists who perform around the London area fare much
better than elsewhere. “I believe North America as a whole is indifferent when it comes to non-
commercial electronic music,” replies Rob Ross. “I have resigned to the fact that when I say I
make ‘electronic music’ people will automatically think that: a) I make dubstep, b) I’m a DJ or c)
I’m a dubstep DJ. All of these assumptions are welcome…. I’ve stopped fighting.”
Granted, the Jack Richardson Music Awards and the London Music Awards each have an
“Electronic Artist” category; nevertheless, it is still rewarding to know that electronic music in
London continues to develop a receptive audience. For example, the electronic duo Wormwood
won CHRW’s Fan Favourite category this past year – a category that is open to all styles of
music. Still, cultivating a strong local fan base in not the only reason why Wormwood creates
such strikingly original compositions. “Music,” explains Andrew Wenaus, “or any art practice
for that matter, is not qualified by the receptiveness of a public. It affirms itself on its own
terms.”
If and when recognition results from live performances and/or local radio airplay on such
CHRW programs as Wired for Sound, Beyond the Beyond, A Person Disguised as People or
Oblivion Express, electronic artists often turn to the internet in order to increase their national
and international exposure. In fact, Radio Western has a ‘National Mailer’ service which offers
local musicians the opportunity to distribute their music nationally to various college and
university radio stations.
Chris Meloche established an international presence in the early nineties through
distribution deals in England, Holland and Germany. These deals in turn lead to favourable
reviews in Wire magazine and the classical music magazine, Gramophone. Ironically, Chris
points out, that “while some of my work has been released via my own channels in Canada, I
have never had a Canadian label approach me to issue my material, as was the case with the
labels in Europe.”
For their part, Wormwood recently signed with the American label Punctum Records,
and the duo has played shows in both Canada and the United States. However, performing live
does come with a caveat. “Location means nothing when it comes to the value of the experience
between performer and audience,” explains Andrew Wenaus, “the performances happened in
particular places, yes, but the music resists this, we hope. The work speaks on its own terms.“
 5

So, the question remains: Does local, national or international radio airplay even matter
to electronic artists, especially when the music should “speak on its own terms?” No one I
approached consciously writes for a specific audience or market; instead, the tendency is to write
in order to satisfy one’s creative ambitions. As Richard Moule points out, “Experimental or
electronic music is not just EDM or dance music; it has a rich history that is nearly a century old
and encompasses dozens of different strains and approaches.”
Certainly the biggest game-changer in the music industry in recent years has been the
proliferation of internet web sites devoted to digital music downloads. Here, opinions among
artists are divided. On the one hand, an established electronic artist such as Chris Meloche finds
that the internet has made self-promotion and international recognition “just different.” For
younger artists, on the other hand, the internet is simply part of daily life. “We grew up in this
environment,” says Andrew Wenaus, “so it seems normal to us. It is certainly easier for self-
promotion but not necessarily recognition – there is an excess of information; nobody can sift
through it all.” Rob Ross concurs. “The interweb has been great in getting shows and just having
people have easy access to my work,” he writes. “That being said, the internet is a wasteland.”
Before the commercial exploitation of the internet, a recording artist had to financially
rely on a record company to record, distribute and promote individual releases. This particular
model has now been enhanced by a number of music-related websites. “Artists now have global
platforms to promote their music,” writes Richard Moule, “and it can be all done with the click
of a mouse. As to the argument that this has led to a lack of quality control with the net now
flooded with thousands of mediocre acts and artists, I say the more the merrier.”
With thousands of new songs that digitally available to potential listeners each and every
day, the question now centres on their productive and reproductive qualities. “I don’t believe
there’s a degradation in the quality of music being produced,” writes Cailen Dye, “but the way
people listen to music has changed. Listening to music through laptop speakers or putting their
cellphone in a cup. There is a wide sweeping trend where people want convenience over
quality.”
Electronic musicians tend to record their music digitally, due mostly to its relatively low
cost and convenience. Given the chance, however, would analog be the recording medium of
choice? Some artists prefer to play on analog synthesizers and then manipulate sounds through
outboard sound-processing gear. Others prefer to exclusively create digital sounds and then
 6

manipulate them through VST (virtual studio technology) plugins. Whatever the recording or
playback medium, the goal for any musician is to achieve the best possible recorded sound.
Beyond the issue of sound quality, electronic musicians now have a choice between
posting a single- or multi-track digital release on Beatport, Bandcamp or some other electronic
music portal or the tried and true compact disc – which is now facing extinction, due to the
popularity of digital downloading and vinyl. “Optical media is already dead as a format, as far as
I am concerned,” adds Paul Gingerich, “but I still use CDs as a physical medium for promotional
distribution. Why hand out a business card or flyer that is easily dismissed when a CD is less
likely to be discarded and has the actual product on it?”
So, at the end of the day, to what do electronic artists listen in order to relax? Well,
everything from complete silence to internet radio stations. “I am always striving to make a
unique sound,” writes Cailen Dye, “and you can only hope to do so if you have a wide variety of
influences.” For Riley Eichler the options are wide open: “I listen to everything from ABBA to
Zappa, though I prefer bands like Skinny Puppy and Einsturzende Neubauten.”
The writer wishes to thank for following musicians for their comments and ideas:
Cailen Dye https://soundcloud.com/cailendye
Riley Eichler https://soundcloud.com/geistweiss
Paul Gingerich http://www.reverbnation.com/tateking
Chris Meloche http://www.chrismeloche.com
Richard Moule http://www.beyondthebeyond.ca
Rob Ross https://soundcloud.com/lexander-james
Andrew Wenaus http://wormwoodmusic.bandcamp.com