Released: 16th January 2024
Tomorrow is a new EP released exclusively on two new platforms being developed to allow musicians to stream and sell their music – Mirlo and jam.coop. They both aim to provide an independent alternative to Bandcamp – and to possibly go further.
A key element of both platforms is that they are both figuring out not only how to give musicians a fair deal in promoting and selling their music, but also to be run in such a way that they are not susceptible to the whims of VC funding, and buying and selling of platforms between corporations that mars this industry (and others), often accompanied by the service changing or ‘efficiencies’ being made by laying off people (and conveniently union busting in the case of Bandcamp).
One of the ways they are doing this is by setting up initially as a cooperative, with the possibility of artists who use the platform eventually, possibly, being a part of that. Though this gets complicated – but both are approaching this seriously (and have experience) and so are taking the right sort of advice, and not rushing into things. Both are considering some form of exiting to the community once they are established.
I’ve spoken to both, and like the cut of their jib. they are serious about what they are doing, but pragmatic. and they *care*. While both are in development, both are currently perfectly usable and artists can sell their music though them. The fact that they are in development is good – both are listening to what users want to see. 😉
I think that what they are doing is important, ethically correct and would encourage anyone who is interested in a different way, a fairer way, of approaching online music distribution to take a look.
I wanted to show some support – so have released this EP only on Mirlo and jam.coop.
Anyway…on to the music…
Tomorrow EP is a small collection of tunes very much in the eclectic gribbles groove. There’s no overarching theme, with each tune occupying it’s own space, but sitting comfortably in the EP as a whole.
Two Things is a bouncy synthwave tune married to a rather less cheerful sample. The sample is taken from the video adverts you used to get when waiting in queues in the post office. Expect some of that material to surface elsewhere…
Falling is typical gribbles chill. A hypnotic repeating arpeggio provides a bed for a contemplative string synth line that in turn gives way to strident piano chords and another answering synth lead. As I was writing this I though it felt like flight, but then I got the image of a long, floating fall in my head…
A Very Strong Drug is a short piece catches that lethargic, repetitive feeling. Zoned out on the sofa and CBA to to move.
And Where Did You come from? is another bit if laid back gribblage. It’s a tidied up jam/workout that captured a few nice minutes of lead noodling. I didn’t want to do much more with it, it’s very much of the moment. and in and of itself I reckoned it’s a nice enough tune to put out.
Interplay is a bit if a sampling/beat experiment that I did a while back. Short and sweet, but maybe interesting.
Stream or Purchase at:
jam.coop
https://jam.coop/artists/gribbles/albums/tomorrow-e-p
mirlo
https://mirlo.space/gribbles/release/tomorrow-ep
It’s a bargain-tactic price to hopefully encourage folk to jump in & test the water with these new sites…
EPK files
If you would like listen, review, or play these tracks on your show you can download an archive of wav/mp3s of the tracks from the link below. This archive also contains other media such as cover images and logos.
Videos and other media
There is a simple promo video for falling available:
Reviews / Quotes
There are no reviews for Tomorrow EP yet.
Brief Bio
“ [a] British electronic music wizard” – Spinditty
“Vangelis and Moby have an unusual relationship and @gribbles is created” – Uncle Les
gribbles is Graham Thorpe, an amateur musician from the UK. He has been described as a “British electronic music wizard” – which makes him blush and laugh in equal measure.
Originally from Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, like many he was in a few bands in his youth, playing local gigs and getting a small following. Then, again like many, life took over and whilst still keeping his hand in, making music was put on the back burner.
He picked up music again in the late nineties with a big beat/found samples solo album that drew comparisons to Bentley Rhythm Ace, and into the 2000s doing Underworld inspired semi-improv live electronica as part of the duo Aztechnology. Aztechnology morphed into quiddity who produced music in a mix of styles from ambient, through to big thumpers – “Like Underworld and Fluke have a Warpy face-off”, as one person put it.
More recently, gribbles has been mainly working on solo projects with the odd collaboration, and has been putting out a mix of increasingly well received ambient, synthwave, electronica and EDM tunes.
Gribbles has been steadily gaining attention with music being included in two mainstream Playstation/PC games (Polybius and Moose Life) from the critically acclaimed independent software house, Llamasoft.
His track Requiem topped the most played chart on SkyLab Radio in August 2020, and ‘I Was’ was chosen for inclusion on the Hippie Drive label debut compilation album.
His latest full album ‘Digressions’ was released in late 2022 on Werra Foxma’s SubClub, and has just been re-released through his Bandcamp store.
gribbles was nominated for ‘Best Electro artist of the year’ in the Radio Wigwam 2023 Awards.
Plans for the immediate future are to continue releasing singles/EPs on Bandcamp while working on a couple of longer form projects.
Current projects & distractions (Sept ’23)
- Creating some initial material incorporating recordings of old Lincolnshire Dialect poetry. Possibly an album, or to add individual tracks to other releases. I’m about half a dozen demos in… 😆 – Working Title: Lincolnshire Voices
- A hauntology project, inspires/based on my childhood growing up in Gainsborough. Not terribly original, but I think I need to get it out of my system 😉 . Working Title: The Past Is Another County
- A series of longer form, more ambient ramblings. The initial idea was to go DAWless for this, but I’m not sure I’m wired for that. Or I’ve just got *too* reliant on Ableton…. Toying with the idea of tying them together with a concept. Have one in mind, but just seeing if it’ll work… 😁
- I have a good backlog of demo tunes, so I may aim to do some sort of monthly release. It has been suggested I start a BandCamp subscription or resurrect my Patreon for this, but I’m not sure. Maybe…
None of the above have a firm timescale – I fit my music making in where I can. That said, if any labels are interested in anything, drop me a line – a potential release may help focus my attention… 😉
Useful Links for gribbles:
Places I’m most often around in….
Bluesky – @grahamgribbles-co-uk
Bandcamp – gribbles.bandcamp.com
Mastodon – @gr******@ma*********.uk (My antispam filter might obfuscate this – click to view!)
YouTube – @gribblesmusic
Streaming stuff…
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music | Amazon | Tidal
Other links:
Facebook – @gribblesmusic
https://flow.page/gribbles
Get in touch
The quickest way to get in touch is to email me on gr***********@gr******.uk
(The email address has been encoded to prevent me getting spammed to the hilt – but you can still send me an email by clicking on it)
You can also DM me on Twitter, Mastodon or Discord (links above) – I tend to check them often (Twitter less so, recently, though).
If you do pop any of this tunes on a playlist or review them or use them wherever – please drop me line and let me know!
Discography
I’m aware that a lot of my old stuff will still be new to a lot of people. Of course, if you’re interested, you can have a shuffle round whatever is in your music player of choice, but for DJs/Bloggers/Vloggers etc I’ve also done a discography. I’m adding EPK pages to my back catalogue so you can use/review some older tunes if you feel so inclined and would like access to some resources for them. If you hear something you like and may want to use, but it hasn’t been EPK’d up yet – drop me a line and I’ll sort you out with the files…
Click here for the full (ish) gribbles discography
