VA - Happy Machine: Standard Music Library 1970-2010

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Various Artists

Happy Machine: Standard Music Library 1970-2010
PUBINF012
Release Date: 5th May 2014
30 track double LP (500 copy pressing) / Download

PRE ORDER: publicinformation.bandcamp.com/album/hap…1970-2010

Unofficial sequel to our Parry Music compilation from 2012, here again we step into the world of library. With official permission granted from the label itself we have selected 31 tracks from UK library music institution Standard Music spanning 30 years of electronic play, this is Happy Machine.

Standard Music Library was established in 1968 as a partnership between independent music publisher David Platz and London Weekend Television. Themes and incidental music for hit LWT shows like Black Beauty, Upstairs, Downstairs, On the Buses and The Professionals, were written under Standard’s wing. A breathtaking who’s-who of musicians recorded under the Standard banner, pressing up records that are now found in the rare as hens-teeth zone; Brian Eno, Delia Derbyshire, John Gregory. Those who feature on Happy Machine include... Brian Hodgson, John Kongos, Richard Thair, John Keating, Mike Vickers, Marco Pirroni and none other than Beatles producer George Martin jamming out on a Moog.....These characters and more are nestled comfortably here on Happy Machine as we try to make sense of our favourite electronic moments from this incredible library.

We trip from desolate Radiophonic ambient, to cute bleep-idents, to stark contemporary drone to jagged electronic scorch. There are moments of square-Italo groove, freaky electroid-psych and early 70’s Beat. Moog-heavy workouts sit nervously aside unsettling concrete. Harsh science-fiction drama bristles against gentle Romantic interludes. This is electronic library music laid bare in all its wonderful diversity; sounds for a thousand images, scores for myriad backdrops, as British spring breaks its silence, Happy Machine is the record for these days.

A1. Logo Rhythmic II - Reginald J. Lewis (ESL133B)
A2. Cathedral Of Space - Brian Hodgson (ESL133B)
A3. Arcadian Valley - Reginald J. Lewis (ESL133A)
A4. Deserted Starship - Richard Hewson (ESL008d)
A5. Haley’s Largo - John Keating (ESL008d)
A6. Programmadate - Reginald J. Lewis (ESL133B)
A7. Sidestreet - John Kongos (ESL164)
B1. Happy Machine - Reginald J. Lewis (ESL133B)
B2. Curve of the Wind - Mike Vickers (ESL122A)
B3. Eary Feary - George Martin (ESL121B)
B4. Homing Nucleus - Mike Vickers (ESL121B)
B5. In the Shadows - Chris McCormack (ESL201d)
B6. In Safe Hands (No Bass / No Beats) - Kirk Thompson (ELS099)
B7. The Craters of Mars - Brian Hodgson (ESL133)
B8. Sous Sol - Elliot Ireland, Alessandro Rizzo, Tom Greenwood (ESL074)

C1. Flutes - Naim Amor (ESL203)
C2. Glass Corridor into Hall of Glass Clocks - John Gregory (ESL116B)
C3. Take me Home - Richard Thair (ESL096)
C4. Happy Soul - Jim Lawless (ESL215)
C5. The Wind From Nowhere - Mike Vickers (ESL127A)
C6. Banshee - Reginald J. Lewis (ESL133B)
C7. Headful of Birds - Mike Vickers (ESL127A)
D1. The Seven Immortals - Kirk Thompson (ESL099)
D2. Crystal Forms - Brian Hodgson, Reginald J. Lewis (ESL133A)
D3. Song Of The Wilderness - Brian Hodgson, Reginald J. Lewis (ESL133B)
D4. In The Beginning - Mike Vickers (ESL127A)
D5. Mystery Stomp (B) - Marco Pirroni (ESL218)
D6. On The Streets - John Kongos (ESL164)
D7. Haley’s Comet - John Keating (ESL008d)
D8. Goodnight - Chris Barron (ESL154)

Digging this:

I hope they continue to do these. Would like to see a Sonoton comp.

It's interesting that they took tracks up through 2010. Curious to hear those later pieces. I think one might be at 2:20 or so in the soundcloud preview?

yes. i thought that was interesting as well, but it does give a good overview of the label. kpm and bruton (under apm) as well as chappell (under warner music) still release library music, though most people seeking music from those labels are almost exclusively looking under 60s-late 70s/early 80s material. i'm guessing the newer stuff works in a more classical sense: only available to people working in the entertainment fields

Oooh, didn't know about this! Looks great, not sure if I'll jump on the vinyl so probably digital... but these guys know their stuff when it comes to unearthing quality library sounds, so I have complete faith it will be great

I wonder if claude larson will soon have a renaissance. that guy has some bizarre and amazing records that sometimes challenge the functional intentions of the library format. I sometimes feel like he just made whatever the fuck and then just came up with the themes later.

I think lopatin should reissue "digital landscape" on his label lol.

also, it'd be lush to see a really good doc on library music.

  On 4/11/2014 at 3:16 PM, Alcofribas said:

also, it'd be lush to see a really good doc on library music.

no doubt. have you seen this featurette?

what i'd really love to see (listen to) is a compilation from some of the lesser known french library labels like mayol, carrere, patchwork etc

  On 4/10/2014 at 6:21 PM, Deion Sanders said:

I hope they continue to do these. Would like to see a Sonoton comp.

Sound good. I believe someone is currently working on a Sonoton comp.

  On 4/13/2014 at 1:58 AM, jejunum said:

 

  On 4/10/2014 at 6:21 PM, Deion Sanders said:

 

I hope they continue to do these. Would like to see a Sonoton comp.

Sound good. I believe someone is currently working on a Sonoton comp.

Oh? Do you remember where you might've seen that?

first thing i did after waking up this morning (and taking a piss) was to purchase this compilation in digital form. what an excellent collection of tunes. everything is still sinking in but this is pretty incredible so far.

if you thought tomorrow's achievements was excellent this is pretty much on the same echelon of quality

Where did you pick up the digital? I had pre-ordered it from Public Information, and even though it's now the 5th, it's still not out .

i got mine from amazon.com for $8. i'm guessing you pre-ordered the vinyl?

Picked up the digital from them direct. Apparently they had problems uploading it. Will be up tomorrow.

This is the final level

  On 4/13/2014 at 5:59 PM, Deion Sanders said:

 

  On 4/13/2014 at 1:58 AM, jejunum said:

 

  On 4/10/2014 at 6:21 PM, Deion Sanders said:

I hope they continue to do these. Would like to see a Sonoton comp.

Sound good. I believe someone is currently working on a Sonoton comp.

Oh? Do you remember where you might've seen that?

 

Pardon the late reply, but someone who is putting together the comp contacted me for info on the original releases. I'll see if I can dig up those PM's and give you some more info.

No worries; that'd be awesome. Thanks!