Shpongle
Encyclopedia
Shpongle is an English
psychedelic
downtempo
/psybient
music project formed in 1996. The group includes Simon Posford (aka Hallucinogen
) and Raja Ram (one third of The Infinity Project
). Their musical style combines eastern ethnic instruments and vocals with contemporary western synthesizer-based psychedelic music. When asked to describe Shpongle's music, Posford has responded that it is "like nothing you've ever heard before." Shpongle's first track, "Vapour Rumours", was released on TIP Records' Infinite Excursions compilation in 1996. Their debut album, Are You Shpongled?
, was released in 1998 on Twisted Records
.
Posford is generally responsible for the synthesizers, studio work, and live instrumentation while Raja Ram contributes broad musical concepts and flute
arrangements. Raja Ram stated in an interview that "Shpongle" is an umbrella term for feeling positive and euphoric emotions. Shpongle's music is heavily influenced by psychedelic
experiences and frequently makes use of sonic textures that approximate psychedelic states as well as vocal samples relating to consciousness expansion, hallucinations, and altered states of awarenesss. The track, "Divine Moments of Truth," for example, contains a vocal sample of Raja Ram describing the effects of Dimethyltryptamine
.
together with 1200 Micrograms (featuring Raja Ram) and Hallucinogen.
On 16 January 2004, they played a live set in Tel Aviv, Israel. As well as Simon Posford and Raja Ram, this featured Abigail Gorton (Hari Om) and Michele Adamson (credited as Michelle on the tickets) on vocals, Pete Callard on guitar, Nogera on drums and percussion, and Ott on keyboards and programming.
Prior to the release of their fourth album, Shpongle played a sold out live concert at The Roundhouse
venue in Chalk Farm
, North London on 31 October 2008. The band featured Andy Gangadeen
(drums), Nogera (percussion), Chris Taylor (bass), Pete Callard (guitar), Harry Escott (cello) and Dick Trevor (keyboards and programming); Michele Adamson and Hari Om (voices), three dancers, and for one song only Manu Delago
on hang drum
.
This was followed on 20 December 2008 by a concert in Moscow featuring the same lineup. Shows were also planned for 7 and 9 March 2009 in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, but these were cancelled due to non-payment of the deposit by the promoters.
In 2009, Shpongle played a headlining date at the Ozora Festival held near Ozora
, Hungary
on 15 August; and two album launch shows at the Roundhouse on 30 and 31 October. The duo returned to Moscow to play at Milk on 12 December 2009.
On 3 August 2010, they opened the Ozora festival in Hungary. This was their tenth documented live performance.
In January 2011, Shpongle toured Australia playing dates at the Forum Theatre in Melbourne, the Enmore Theatre in Sydney and headlined the Rainbow Serpent Festival
in Victoria, Australia.
New unreleased material from a forthcoming 2012 album is said to be incorporated in shows for the 2011 year. Shpongle will perform at Electric Forest, Coachella, Wakarusa and Bonnaroo in 2011 with their new stage nicknamed the Shpongletron.
"Shpongle Live" performed at Camp Bisco X on 8 July 2011 in Mariaville, New York. This is was Shpongle's first ever performance as a full ensemble in the United States and was greatly received by fans and newcomers alike. As of September 2011, Shpongle has started to work on a new upcoming fifth album as published on their Facebook page.
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...
psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
downtempo
Downtempo
Downtempo is a laid-back electronic music style similar to ambient music, but usually with a beat or groove unlike the beatless forms of Ambient music. The beat is sometimes made from loops that have a hypnotic feeling...
/psybient
Psybient
Psybient, also known as ambient psy, psychedelic chillout, psychedelic ambient, ambient goa, ambient psytrance and more commonly within the Goa/psytrance scene as psychill and psydub, is a genre of electronic music that combines elements of psychedelic trance, ambient, world music, new age and even...
music project formed in 1996. The group includes Simon Posford (aka Hallucinogen
Hallucinogen (musician)
Hallucinogen is the stage name of Simon Posford, an English electronic musician,specializing in Psychedelic trance music. His first studio album, Twisted, released in 1995, is considered one of the most influential albums in the genre; the first track "LSD" in particular remains the defining sound...
) and Raja Ram (one third of The Infinity Project
The Infinity Project
The Infinity Project was a 1990s goa trance band. It later became a record label, TIP Records.Members included Raja Ram, Graham Wood and Anjee Sian, with Simon Posford occasionally working with them...
). Their musical style combines eastern ethnic instruments and vocals with contemporary western synthesizer-based psychedelic music. When asked to describe Shpongle's music, Posford has responded that it is "like nothing you've ever heard before." Shpongle's first track, "Vapour Rumours", was released on TIP Records' Infinite Excursions compilation in 1996. Their debut album, Are You Shpongled?
Are You Shpongled?
Are You Shpongled? is the first of four albums released by Shpongle. This album set the standard for psychedelic downtempo music worldwide, and created a revolution between psychedelic trance and ambient soundscapes.-Track listing:...
, was released in 1998 on Twisted Records
Twisted Records (UK)
Twisted Records is a UK-based record label specialising in Electronica and psychedelic downtempo music for worldwide release, Film, TV and Web. The label was founded by Simon Posford a.k.a. Hallucinogen and Simon Holtom.-Musical Artists:* Hallucinogen...
.
Posford is generally responsible for the synthesizers, studio work, and live instrumentation while Raja Ram contributes broad musical concepts and flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
arrangements. Raja Ram stated in an interview that "Shpongle" is an umbrella term for feeling positive and euphoric emotions. Shpongle's music is heavily influenced by psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
experiences and frequently makes use of sonic textures that approximate psychedelic states as well as vocal samples relating to consciousness expansion, hallucinations, and altered states of awarenesss. The track, "Divine Moments of Truth," for example, contains a vocal sample of Raja Ram describing the effects of Dimethyltryptamine
Dimethyltryptamine
N,N-Dimethyltryptamine is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound of the tryptamine family. DMT is found in several plants, and also in trace amounts in humans and other mammals, where it is originally derived from the essential amino acid tryptophan, and ultimately produced by the enzyme INMT...
.
Shpongle live
Shpongle has played several live concerts and Simon Posford tours frequently, performing live DJ sets. Raja Ram has occasionally accompanied these sets with live flute performances. Shpongle's first live performance was at the Solstice Music Festival at Motosu Highland in Japan in July 2001. They returned to Japan on New Year's Eve 2003 to play the New Maps Of Hyperspace event at Tokyo Bay NK HallTokyo Bay NK Hall
Tokyo Bay NK Hall was an indoor sporting arena located at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba, in Japan. The capacity of the arena is 7,000 people. It hosts local sporting events and concerts that require a smaller facility than Ariake Coliseum....
together with 1200 Micrograms (featuring Raja Ram) and Hallucinogen.
On 16 January 2004, they played a live set in Tel Aviv, Israel. As well as Simon Posford and Raja Ram, this featured Abigail Gorton (Hari Om) and Michele Adamson (credited as Michelle on the tickets) on vocals, Pete Callard on guitar, Nogera on drums and percussion, and Ott on keyboards and programming.
Prior to the release of their fourth album, Shpongle played a sold out live concert at The Roundhouse
The Roundhouse
The Roundhouse is a Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England, which has been converted into a performing arts and concert venue. It was originally built in 1847 as a roundhouse , a circular building containing a railway turntable, but was only used for railway...
venue in Chalk Farm
Chalk Farm
Chalk Farm is an area of north London, England. It lies directly to the north of Camden Town and its underground station is the closest tube station to the nearby, upmarket neighbourhood of Primrose Hill....
, North London on 31 October 2008. The band featured Andy Gangadeen
Andy Gangadeen
Andy Gangadeen is a drummer from the United Kingdom, known for his band The Bays and as a session drummer. Born in the UK to a Guyanese family, he grew up in Walthamstow and took up drums aged 17....
(drums), Nogera (percussion), Chris Taylor (bass), Pete Callard (guitar), Harry Escott (cello) and Dick Trevor (keyboards and programming); Michele Adamson and Hari Om (voices), three dancers, and for one song only Manu Delago
Manu Delago
Manu Delago is an Austrian Hang player, percussionist and composer based in London.- Biography :Manu Delago was born in Tyrol, Innsbruck, and took music lessons as a child in accordion and piano. As a 14-year-old, he played drums for various rock bands, and in 2003 his rock band HotchPotch won the...
on hang drum
Hang (musical instrument)
A Hang is a musical instrument in the idiophone class created by PANArt in Switzerland. The Hang is made from two deep drawn, nitrided steel sheets that are attached together creating the recognizable 'UFO shape'. There is nothing inside the Hang but air. The top side has a center 'note'...
.
This was followed on 20 December 2008 by a concert in Moscow featuring the same lineup. Shows were also planned for 7 and 9 March 2009 in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, but these were cancelled due to non-payment of the deposit by the promoters.
In 2009, Shpongle played a headlining date at the Ozora Festival held near Ozora
Ozora
Ozora is a village in , Hungary. It has been a notable historic site since the Middle Ages. Pipo of Ozora built his castle here in the 15th century by permission of Sigismund of Hungary in 1416...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
on 15 August; and two album launch shows at the Roundhouse on 30 and 31 October. The duo returned to Moscow to play at Milk on 12 December 2009.
On 3 August 2010, they opened the Ozora festival in Hungary. This was their tenth documented live performance.
In January 2011, Shpongle toured Australia playing dates at the Forum Theatre in Melbourne, the Enmore Theatre in Sydney and headlined the Rainbow Serpent Festival
Rainbow Serpent Festival
The Rainbow Serpent Festival is a large electronic music, art and lifestyle festival, located in Victoria, Australia. The festival is mainly known for Psychedelic trance and Minimal Techno music, but also features other genres of electronic music and non electronic music in the smaller stages...
in Victoria, Australia.
New unreleased material from a forthcoming 2012 album is said to be incorporated in shows for the 2011 year. Shpongle will perform at Electric Forest, Coachella, Wakarusa and Bonnaroo in 2011 with their new stage nicknamed the Shpongletron.
"Shpongle Live" performed at Camp Bisco X on 8 July 2011 in Mariaville, New York. This is was Shpongle's first ever performance as a full ensemble in the United States and was greatly received by fans and newcomers alike. As of September 2011, Shpongle has started to work on a new upcoming fifth album as published on their Facebook page.
Studio albums
- Are You Shpongled?Are You Shpongled?Are You Shpongled? is the first of four albums released by Shpongle. This album set the standard for psychedelic downtempo music worldwide, and created a revolution between psychedelic trance and ambient soundscapes.-Track listing:...
(1998) - Tales of the InexpressibleTales of the InexpressibleTales of the Inexpressible is Shpongle's second album, released in 2001. Simon Posford and Raja Ram hone and expand the style introduced on their debut album, Are You Shpongled?...
(2001) - Nothing Lasts... But Nothing Is Lost (2005)
- Ineffable Mysteries from ShponglelandIneffable Mysteries from ShponglelandIneffable Mysteries from Shpongleland is the fourth studio album by Shpongle released on November 2, 2009. The album's track list was released August 12 via Twisted Records 's website. Songs from the album began to trickle to the public in live form, being played at many of Shpongle's 2009 concerts...
(2009) - Untitled Fifth Album (2012)
EP albums
- Divine Moments of Truth (2000)
- Dorset Perception (2004)
- The God Particle (2010)
Remix albums
- Remixed (2003)
- Remixed volume 2 (2004)
- Unreleased Remixes (download only) (2008)