Ghost Box Music
Encyclopedia
Ghost Box Music is an English
independent record label
, established in 2004
by Julian House
and Jim Jupp.
) in 2003; a manifesto of influences was compiled, which included "music for schools
, cosmic horror stories
, library music
, English surrealism
, and the dark side of psychedelia". In 2004, the first The Focus Group
and Belbury Poly
releases became available on CD-R
. House and Jupp have stated the purpose of the label was to create "not just a record label, but an imaginary world".
In an interview with Cyclic Defrost
, Jim Jupp commented;
Releases on the label (presently encompassing The Focus Group
, Eric Zann
, Belbury Poly
, Roj
and The Advisory Circle
, and a rerelease of a Mount Vernon Arts Lab
album) tend to share a common design aesthetic - all record covers so far have been by Julian House
, with an acknowledged debt to the iconic design of sixties Penguin Books
paperbacks.
There are shared elements in sound, too; Ghost Box artists tend to draw heavily on influences such as musique concrète
, library music
, and 1970s soundtrack
s. Several critics have noticed a melancholic or nostalgic
element to the Ghost Box sound as well, prompting comparison to the shorter, 'interlude' tracks of Boards of Canada
, or similar folk or psychedelia-influenced electronic musicians.
Seven Inch Singles
Download only label sampler album
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
, established in 2004
2004 in music
See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
by Julian House
Julian House
Julian House is a graphic designer, a musician, and the co-owner of the Ghost Box Music record label.-Graphic design:House is associated with Intro, a London-based design/production direction company who work in many media...
and Jim Jupp.
Concept
The concept for the label was hatched by House and Jupp (who attended the same school) in 2003; a manifesto of influences was compiled, which included "music for schools
Educational music
Educational music, is a genre of music in which songs, lyrics, or other musical elements are used as a method of teaching and/or learning. It has been shown in research to promote learning. Additionally, music study in general has been shown to improve academic performance of students...
, cosmic horror stories
H. P. Lovecraft
Howard Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
, library music
Production music
Production music is the name given to recorded music produced and owned by production music libraries and licensed to customers for use in film, television, radio and other media.-Introduction:...
, English surrealism
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
, and the dark side of psychedelia". In 2004, the first The Focus Group
The Focus Group
The Focus Group is a project of experimental electronic musician and graphic designer Julian House. His releases are on his own label, Ghost Box Music...
and Belbury Poly
Belbury Poly
Belbury Poly is an alias of electronic musician Jim Jupp . Jupp's releases are on the Ghost Box Music label .-Belbury Poly's sound:...
releases became available on CD-R
CD-R
A CD-R is a variation of the Compact Disc invented by Philips and Sony. CD-R is a Write Once Read Many optical medium, though the whole disk does not have to be entirely written in the same session....
. House and Jupp have stated the purpose of the label was to create "not just a record label, but an imaginary world".
In an interview with Cyclic Defrost
Cyclic Defrost
Cyclic Defrost is Australia's only specialist electronic music magazine. It is edited by Sebastian Chan, Shaun Prescott and Alexandra Savvides, and covers independent electronic music, avant-rock, experimental sound art and left field hip hop....
, Jim Jupp commented;
Aesthetic
Ghost Box had a defined aesthetic from formation; Julian House commenting:Releases on the label (presently encompassing The Focus Group
The Focus Group
The Focus Group is a project of experimental electronic musician and graphic designer Julian House. His releases are on his own label, Ghost Box Music...
, Eric Zann
Eric Zann
Eric Zann is an alias of electronic musician Jim Jupp . Jupp's releases are on the Ghost Box Music label, ofwhich he is a co-founder. The name references a minor H. P...
, Belbury Poly
Belbury Poly
Belbury Poly is an alias of electronic musician Jim Jupp . Jupp's releases are on the Ghost Box Music label .-Belbury Poly's sound:...
, Roj
Roj
Roj may refer to:*Roj TV, a Kurdish satellite television station*Roj Blake, the eponymous rebel leader from the BBC television series Blake's 7*Rings of Jupiter...
and The Advisory Circle
The Advisory Circle
The Advisory Circle is an alias of electronic musician Jon Brooks . His releases as The Advisory Circle are on the Ghost Box Music label....
, and a rerelease of a Mount Vernon Arts Lab
Mount Vernon Arts Lab
Mount Vernon Arts Lab is a musical project of Scottish musician Drew Mulholland, who has also recorded as Black Noise and N. Between 1996 and 2001, a string of EPs, singles, and albums were released...
album) tend to share a common design aesthetic - all record covers so far have been by Julian House
Julian House
Julian House is a graphic designer, a musician, and the co-owner of the Ghost Box Music record label.-Graphic design:House is associated with Intro, a London-based design/production direction company who work in many media...
, with an acknowledged debt to the iconic design of sixties Penguin Books
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
paperbacks.
There are shared elements in sound, too; Ghost Box artists tend to draw heavily on influences such as musique concrète
Musique concrète
Musique concrète is a form of electroacoustic music that utilises acousmatic sound as a compositional resource. The compositional material is not restricted to the inclusion of sounds derived from musical instruments or voices, nor to elements traditionally thought of as "musical"...
, library music
Production music
Production music is the name given to recorded music produced and owned by production music libraries and licensed to customers for use in film, television, radio and other media.-Introduction:...
, and 1970s soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
s. Several critics have noticed a melancholic or nostalgic
Nostalgia
The term nostalgia describes a yearning for the past, often in idealized form.The word is a learned formation of a Greek compound, consisting of , meaning "returning home", a Homeric word, and , meaning "pain, ache"...
element to the Ghost Box sound as well, prompting comparison to the shorter, 'interlude' tracks of Boards of Canada
Boards of Canada
Boards of Canada are a Scottish electronic music duo consisting of brothers Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin...
, or similar folk or psychedelia-influenced electronic musicians.
Discography
- GBX001 Belbury Poly - Farmer's Angle (2005) 3" CD EP
- GBX002 The Focus Group - Sketches and Spells CD
- GBX003 Belbury Poly - The Willows (2005) CD
- GBX004 Eric Zann - Ouroborindra (2005) CD
- GBX005 The Focus Group - Hey Let Loose Your Love (2005) CD
- GBX006 The Advisory Circle - Mind how you go (2005) 3" CD EP
- GBX007 Belbury Poly - The Owl's Map (2006) CD
- GBX008 The Focus Group - We are all Pan's People (2007) CD
- GBX009 Mount Vernon Arts Lab - The Séance at Hobs Lane (2007) CD
- GBX010 The Advisory Circle - Other Channels (2008) CD
- GBX011 Belbury Poly - From an Ancient Star (2009) CD
- GBX012 Roj - The Transactional Dharma of Roj (2009) CD
- GBX013 The Advisory Circle - Mind How You Go (Revised Edition) (2010) CD/LP
- GBX014 Belbury Poly - Farmer's Angle (Revised Edition) (2010) CD/10"
- GBX015 The Advisory Circle - As The Crow Flies (2011) CD/LP
Seven Inch Singles
- GBX701 Belbury Poly and Moon Wiring Club - Study Series 01: Youth and Recreation (2010)
- GBX702 The Advisory Circle with Hong Kong in the 60s - Study Series 02: Cycles and Seasons (2010)
- GBX703 Belbury Poly and Mordant Music - Study Series 03: Welcome to Godalming (2010)
- GBX704 Broadcast and The Focus Group - Study Series 04: Familiar Shapes and Noises (2010)
- GBX705 Hintermass - Study Series 05: The Open Song Book (2011)
- GBX706 Johnny Trunk - Study Series 06: Animation and Interpretation (2011)
- GBX707 Pye Corner Audio with The Advisory Circle - Study Series 07: Autumnal Activities (2011)
Download only label sampler album
- GBXSAMP01 Various - Ritual and Education (2008)