Tess Tyler and Spindle Ensemble share new singles ‘7ero’ via Manners McDade

Experimental composer Tess Tyler shares both versions of new single ‘7ero’ (ft. Spindle Ensemble)

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Tess Tyler – ‘7ero’: https://youtu.be/nqEwx3dpaI4

Tess Tyler X Spindle Ensemble – ‘7ero’: https://youtu.be/lCwygdbQaCI

Taken from upcoming debut double album Fractals out September 9th via Manners McDade

Today Bristol based experimental composer Tess Tyler shares two versions of her new single ‘7ero’ (featuring Spindle). This is the second taste of what is to come from double album Fractals which will be released on September 9th via Manners Mcdade. The project is a double album; LP1 presents the original neo-classical and experimental electronic explorations of Tess Tyler, LP2 is a once in a lifetime live recording of the Spindle Ensemble’s interpretations of the album’s graphic scores, designed by Tess, recorded at St George’s Hall in Bristol. The project has minimalist-style piano at its heart, complemented by evolving electronic soundscapes, complex meter, arpegic synths and expansive electric guitar.  Floating through delicate classical piano in one moment to bursting with booming, industrial ,hard-hitting beats the next. The album demonstrates a unique blend of gritty electronic textures and modern classical music with the album’s graphic scores at the heart of the project.

Tess is releasing both her original version of ‘7ero’ from LP 1, made up of layers of dense piano, generating subtle polyrhythms against a thumping electronic rhythm section as well as LP 2’s Spindle Ensemble version of the track. ‘7ero’ explores grief. Tess on the single:  “This track was my way of trying to harness the feeling of being in a cyclic state of loss after parting with a loved one. The static sound design and unrelenting rhythm section represents the paralysing effect of trauma on the mind and body. The constantly evolving piano lines reflect the conflicting and uncomfortable emotion of relief as we attempt to let someone go. The time signatures that are included in this graphic score are in fact significant dates that belong to a person that I lost”

Upcoming album Fractals was born out of a creative block, with the initial stages of the record being what Tess describes as “complete and utter chaos”, which is where the album title originates from. “Fractals are a mathematical phenomenon that encompass both art and nature; they’re intricate patterns that are infinitely made up of itself. I loved the concept that something so seemingly complex on the surface can purely be an illusion of something much simpler. This was super reflective of my internal experience when approaching the record. I had to make friends with my own chaos before I could access the authentic fragments, or in this case, “Fractals” of the self. LP 1 is a musical journal of this experience”. Desperate to break out of her block whilst still maintaining all her different ideas, Tess began to split herself into multiple creative parts, embracing all the separate places these pieces came from. She allowed the ideas to flow from different corners both emotionally and stylistically, not worrying about what the final piece could look and sound like, “a hugely uncomfortable experience” adds Tess. However, it soon became clear that whilst the pieces came from very separate places, they were all extremely interconnected.  This freedom dive into the unknown also removed Tess from her comfort zone as a composer, often being used to working alone and having full control over the work, this project pushed her to work with musicians she admires such as The Spindle Ensemble, Barney Sage, Gethin Woolcock, Jordan Smart and Rory Friers.

An extremely interesting element of Fractals is the emphasis on graphic scores. As a screen composer, Tess’ work is often linked to a visual narrative and she has always been a lover of studying graphic scores. Often when faced with creative pressure, Tess will turn to creating scores “It reminds me of the joy and lightness you can get from music, it doesn’t have to be serious all the time”. This led Tess to creating visual and playful representations of five of the pieces from Fractals LP 1 .  However, it wasn’t until a dog walk with her friend Sam where the idea of getting the scores interpreted by an ensemble was born. “Spindle Ensemble were the obvious choice, I have been following them for a long time and their music is so innately beautiful, and the musicianship that each of the members have is beyond incredible, their music although beautiful, is laced with really interesting experientialism”. This experiment makes up LP2, with Spindle Ensemble interpreting Tess’ visual representations of LP1, in a once in a lifetime recording, that had very little rehearsal time and instruction, a performance that could never be recreated as most of it was improvised and interpreted by the ensemble on the spot.

Whilst this is Tess’ debut album, over the past decade, she has collaborated with the likes of electronic pioneer Imogen Heap, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, The Budapest Art Orchestra, The Bratislava Symphony and more, with her work appearing on many orchestral scores showcased in concert halls across the United Kingdom as well as on video games such as LEGO® Marvel Avengers and indie hits including Human: Fall Flat. The year 2020, saw the release of Tess’ debut solo work with  Stasis: Five Sketches for Piano; a five track EP influenced by Phillip Glass and Steve Reich, whilst integrating her innate cinematic compositional style. Now she returns, with her most vulnerable and creatively free piece of work yet.