PROMOTE, PERFORM, CREATE AND RELEASE ELECTRONIC MUSIC INDEPENDENTLY.
© all rights reserved
GHERAT - MIGRATION ROUTES EP is Convex Collective's second release (CNVX002) as Convex Records we could not be more pleased with the dedication of our artists, pumping out some of the most fascinating and innovative music for us all to hear.
Migration Routes EP has been crafted by our number one European artist. Gherat, a producer/visual artist from Amsterdam, he has a promising year ahead. The production of this EP is undeniably intricate and with echoes of sound reminiscent of Flying Lotus and early Rephlex material, Migration Routes contains some of the most rich, intelligent and colourful sounds we have heard to date.
Migration Routes EP
Convex Records CNVX002
Released by: Convex Records
Release Catalogue Number: CNVX002
Release date: May 7th, 2012
© all rights reserved
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M I L E S C O U R T N E Y - E S P R E S S O EP
CLICK HERE FOR <FREE DOWNLOAD> IN MOST FORMATS

Hello Friends
This is the first release for Convex, and we are very pleased to have Miles leading the way.
With its acid tinged swirling melodies and its off kilter beats and bass, the Espresso EP conjures
up an electronic atmosphere all its own, a unique sonic journey exploding with colour.
Espresso IS NOW OUT, and you can name the price. if you want it for free thats cool. But if you decide to support independent electronic music,
well then thats cool too.
Watch this space for more info
Love Cnvx xXx
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17/02/2012
We are pleased to announce the following release dates for Miles Courtney, Manaca and Gherat.
Miles Courtney > Espresso Ep > Digital Release > March 1st 2012
Manaca > Digital Release > tba
Gherat > Digital Release > May 7th
Convex Collection Volume 1 > Digital Release > tba
More information regarding each release will be available soon.
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F E L I X T H O R N: I N T E R V I E W 2012
Felix Thorn was born on 23rd December 1985 in Brighton, UK. At an early age he attended Brighton Steiner School where his affinity for the arts gave rise to a preoccupation with drawing, a passion that later developed into oil painting. Then at the age of 7 he was formally introduced to music as he began studying the piano. His lack of inclination towards reading music preempted an obsession with jazz improvisation in his teenage years.
At college, Felix developed this sensibility into a new media of music creation when he discovered a keen interest in electronic music production via computer software. He had a love for making music with computer synthesizers and an ability to create in a range of styles, something that often derived from his organic means of creation that lacked preconception. His continued passion for art saw him continuing sculptural and painting work during his art foundation course at Brighton City College in 2003.
In this time of music-making and painting Felix was primarily concerned with finding ways in which the two media could be united. Whilst a focus upon the theme of synaesthesia dominated the theoretical side of his work, he continued to exercise the more traditional types of art such as life drawing. The visual side was seemingly interrupted when he chose to study Sound Art at The London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London, however this did not stop the artist from finding ways to incorporate drawing and sculpture into his sound projects. In order to achieve the effect, Felix began to teach himself electronics.
All the while, Felix’s Machines have been in development and were most notably upgraded for a live collaboration with Warp’s Plaid for a live show in Bordeaux. Beside involvement with the arts, Felix was selected to lecture to an exclusive audience at TED in the summer resulting in worldwide recognition. 2009 ended with a performance at the Barbican Center in London. 2010 has included exhibitions in Berlin, Paris and a placement as artist in residency at during Ether Festival at SouthBank Center.
1) How much do you value the visual aesthetic in relation to the function of your machines?
"I find that making something work usually leads to something that looks good. As the machines are made up of lots of similar mechanisms, I tend to spend time on their visual arrangement to maintain a sculptural effect even while they’re not playing."
2) Was it your intention to compose music specifically for the sculpture itself?
"Yes, the machines are my set work area. Making adjustments or adding new sections takes too much time to do mid composition. Once they’re at a certain stage I have to accept it and make a piece within its limits as a musical instrument. Although this is usually difficult - as certain sounds may not work properly, limitation is a useful compositional tool. It means you have to make the most of what’s available (as opposed to having any sound/effects available electronically) and the results can be interesting."
3) Is any aspect of the Fluxus movement/sensibility an influence on your ideas?
"Fluxus held some inspiring roots to my own experiments with sound and visuals, and my work naturally links to many ideas brought up around this time and in earlier great movements such as Dada. I do however aim to divert from the conceptual field. Art-music, or Sound-art of today likes to show off its processes and intellect, which can be great for some, but irritating when it overpowers the final result. I think it’s equally, if not more important to make art and music accessible and pleasurable enough for anyone to enjoy it the moment they see/hear it, regardless of what they know about art."
4) Did you try to create an ‘original’ medium for your music? If so, how did you think the compromise between the physical machines and musical information would translate and communicate better to an audience?
"Having spent 8 or 9 years messing around with computer-made music, the machines grew out of an obsession to make electronic sounding music with physical objects. Through building my machines I discovered differences between the sampled/synthesised world and real instruments. It’s important to remember that real (traditional) instruments are sound making devices, which have evolved for people to play. Removing the human performer and providing a robotic replacement is not only very tricky, but also pointless. I realised that instead of an attempt at copying the human performer, a position should be taken against it; one that focused on the capabilities of what ever I could build myself – instruments should be adapted to suit visually attractive mechanisms. If there were a specific medium for creating my music it would be to compose with the sequencing potential of a computer and perform with characteristics of a physical non-human moving objects."
5) The idea of triggering your machines to respond and perform accordingly to midi data is quite a simple concept and has been done in various ways before. But creating the balance between the two is the most interesting part. Do you feel settled with the balance you have? How do you feel you can expand on your sonic journey and push the boundaries further, and what is your ultimate visual aim in relationship to your sound?
"Yes, the technology I currently use is nothing new. However, my approach to the midi-instrument setup is directly inspired by the music of today. Music has become specially designed for speakers. Software can produces a range of sound taking advantage of what a sound system can do. There are enough companies out there rapidly advancing software modelling and sound reproduction all fit for sound systems, and all tried and tested for producers to create with. I’m interested in the treatment and adaption of musical instruments alone – how they can become performers in their own right. In a way a musical instrument is a speaker with less sound making potential. But this can be enhanced with robotics and lead to exciting ways of making sound with acoustic amplification. Above all, this approach automatically fills the visual gap that most music makers want. Robotic design and engineering need to play a larger role in music making. My ultimate visual aim is to make as many sound making kinetic machines (without need for speakers) as possible!"
6) What is the relationship between the performance of the machines and the interaction of the audience?
"This works best in a gallery space where the audience can come up close to the machines and hear the detail or stand away to hear their effect in the acoustics of the room. I do have a setup with an interface using sonar sensors to read how close an observer is standing; the nearer they get the faster the preprogramed musical sequence plays. There are various options for gallery and installation setups and I’ve experimented with a few. Personally I’m keener on building the machines as performance devices. I find audience interactive pieces can sometimes be gimmicky and therefore short-lived."
7) What is the most important part of your work, to you?
"Building the machines is probably the most enjoyable part. Using tools in a workshop to eventually make something I can plug my laptop into is more important than making a piece of music on a laptop alone. Its important to look at how other skills may influence a music making process."

This is Convex Collective’s second release (CNVX002) as Convex Records we could not be more pleased with the dedication of our artists pumping out some of the most fascinating and innovative music for us all to hear.
Migration Routes EP has been crafted by our number one European artist ‘Gherat’ from Amsterdam is bringing you some of the most rich, intelligent and colourful music we have heard to date.
With every track on this EP being a memorable and enjoyable experience it will take you on a journey of weighty bass lines, intricate melodies and unbeatable production. All around this is a great listen and one you will constantly have on repeat for years to come!
And.. available as a FREE DOWNLOAD!!
Miles Courtney Espresso EP available now.
Hello Friends,
First up on for Convex is Miles Courtney with the “Espresso EP”.
A record that all of us here at Convex are immensely proud to support.
Its acid tinged swirling melodies and its off kilter beats and bass conjure up an electronic atmosphere, all its own, a unique sonic journey exploding with colour.
It’s a free release but please feel free to make a donation to support independent electronic music!!
“‘Peregrination’ is an exploration of a liminal state, a time out of time, where everything known and familiar is stripped away. My experience of near death and total paralysis at the age of seven gave me a unique insight into this state, it is an experience well known to native peoples and is explored in myth, folk-law and shamanic traditions throughout the world.”
Sol Bailey Barker.
CREDITS
Story, Direction & Drawings - Sol Bailey Barker
Animation and Post-Production - Many Artists Who Do One Thing
Original Score - Manaca and Max Buzuk (Convex Collective)
Miles Courtney
Espresso EP
Available 1 March 2012
Photography: Georgina Orpin and Emily Walker
A cheeky little promo video of a laid back DJ night @ The Blind Tiger in Brighton. An enjoyable an interesting night, working with new visual artists and a good testing ground for new convex sights and sounds! More to come in Brighton AND London…
Track by: Miles Courtney - Espresso
(From Forth Coming Miles Courtney ‘Espresso’ EP - Release 1/3/2012
http://www.convexcollective.com
http://soundcloud.com/convexcollective
http://www.facebook.com/convexcollective
http://convexcollective.tumblr.com
DJ Sets:
Miles Courtney
Dan King
Manaca
Zak Norman (ZEN DEATH SQUAD)
Visuals:
‘Rew Whiskers - http://www.whiskasfx.com/
Sol Bailey Barker - http://solbaileybarker.tumblr.com/
A little preview of Kitchitak by Miles Courtney, from the Espresso EP forthcoming on Convex Records March 1st 2012
Convex Collective present:
Miles Courtney - Espresso EP
1 March 2012
Photography by: Georgina Orpin + Emily Walker
Welcome to the Convex Collective Tumblr page.
It’s been a very busy couple of months for everyone. Convex saw its first smaller night at The Blind Tiger where we were treated to blinding sets from all our DJ’s with special mention to the King himself who smashed it and sent us all into oblivion. Check out the pictures from that night here.
We have also put a lot of our time and effort into a proposal to host a nano venue at the infamous Glade Festival. Would be an amazing opportunity for us to push our name out there, get new followers and get some solid festival experience. If we get it you can be guaranteed you will be blessed with a unique visual and musical experience like no other.
Our main focus at the moment is Miles Courtney. With his Espresso EP set to be digitally released on 1st March March 2012. This 5 track EP delivers on every level and we at Convex are very proud to have it as our first release title. Keep an eye on Miles, he is gonna blow the fuck up! We have been having fun with him over the last couple of days getting some photos together for the release. The EP will be available through the Convex website.
Thanks for all the love and support we have been getting from our followers recently. Remember you can keep a close eye on us through our website, our Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud pages and this Tumblr page. We have lots of exciting things in store for all of you so make sure you don’t miss out!
Love you all,
Convex Collective
The night is the first endeavour of Brighton's Convex Collective, a group of tight-knit allies bonded over a deep love of all things electronic. As any promoters in Brighton will tell you, putting together an event as large as this without much prior experience is a tough job – but they've done it. Well-selected support acts warm up the crowd and as Modeselektor reach their zenith, monkey masks drop from the balconies to an appreciative and receptive crowd.
From the hard, pounding trance of 'Evil Twin,' to the hip-hop clicks of 'Humanized,' the set blasts by quicker than seems reasonable, and leaves a club full of sweaty fans to grin their way home.'
(The Source Magazine Brighton - words by Jessica Marshall Machattie)
http://www.brightonsource.co.uk/reviews/55-reviews/2284-review-modeselektor-
Convex Collective, is a new venture for creative electronic music and visual art, originating on the Isle of Wight now active in the London and Brighton area.
Originating as concept to unite and propel musical endeavours, it has now expanded and evolved into a communal space for creativity and expression. With a large team of Producers, Composers, Visual Artists, DJ's and Promoters this space is constantly growing.
"We at Convex want to share this space and bring you into our world. Releasing music, playing shows, booking and promoting acts we feel deserve to be supported are some of the ways we are aiming to achieve this.
Above all else, we are determined to uphold a strict code of integrity in the music and art we believe in, and relay it to you with honesty and passion."