ABOUT STRANGE TEXTURES

Hi! I'm James and I play guitar.

Strange Textures is my long-term personal music project. It began with a podcast where I played a solo gig each week and sent it out into the Aether. Over a few years it has become the banner I put music out under.

You can listen and download my music digitally on this site (there's a tip jar if you'd like to contribute). I've made some available on physical media (CD and vinyl) if you prefer that sort of thing, and I have a store for basic merchandise (t-shirts). I've also ventured into videos now and again.

I work with soundscapes and improvisation to create music. Some call it ambient and post-rock. It has things in common with those, and others. Abstract and impressionist, it changes. It's me, recorded most often in a moment and not repeated. It often has a soothing effect and is meant to be listened to, but can work in the background.

That's kind of generic as a description, isn't it? Well, I firmly believe that it isn't really about me talking more, that's what the music does. I'm a David Lynch fan and agree with him about making things and then having to talk about them - the thing is the talking.

I'm based in the UK and have a day job because that seemed to be the best way to be able to make music without having to be involved with the music industry (Robert Fripp's influence isn't just on my music). I have a lot of experience in public service and trying to help people.

I'm married to Sarah, who is amazing, and we currently have a French Bulldog called Merlin.

James Hastings

MUSIC RELEASES

All my music is available digitally - pay what you want.
CD and Vinyl editions are also sometimes available.

Latest Release - No Beacon

Available as a digital download (pay what you want), on CD and vinyl (through ElasticStage) and in t-shirt form (from Teemill)

On one hand, No Beacon is a collection of music created fairly quickly based on long-form improvisation. On the other, it is distillation of thoughts I've been having for a number of years. So it feels a bit like a landmark. I hope you enjoy it.

Musically, this sits between the strange textures improvisations and the written Broadcast and Connector type material. It has structure, but it breathes and moves as if the process of creating is still continuing. There is sleazy bass and synth-like headspace. Beats are played on guitar or layered and effected loops.

A thought has been sneaking up on me that I'm trying to express, that we often talk about the either/or when the reality might be more complex. What we refer to as in between, or borders, might be the reality, but we end up talking about the extremes, the edge cases. Where I used to say my music lies between ambient and post-rock, I think this music is it's own thing now.

STAY IN TOUCH

If you want, of course. Just listening is fine too though.

You can read what I'm doing on this site, Mainly these are for notifications about new music or events (for those who don't listen to the podcast).