Newsletter #1
This is a copy of my first newsletter from a new newsletter series I will send out quarterly. If you like what you read please consider signing up for future emails at the mailing list tab above ^
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Newsletter #1:
Hi!; Artistic Update; Upcoming Releases; Favourite Albums of 2025; Live Solo Set Recording + Bandcamp Codes
Photo by James Cooper
Hi! I bet you weren’t expecting to hear from me today.
Welcome to my new newsletter.
Truth be told, I’ve been putting off starting a newsletter in fear of no one reading it. But then I had a vision; I want this newsletter to be more than a promotional tool for gigs and releases - I want it as a means to share my artistic practice: what I’ve been working on, what I’ve been thinking about, and what I’ve been inspired by.
And to prove it - I have no gigs or releases to promote to you! I’m just here to say hello.
The Role of The Artist
This vision stem from my recent musings on the role of the artist in our modern world. With the wildfire proliferation of AI, and our general hyper-connectedness, I’ve been asking myself what exactly artists offer society that AI and technology do not.
Tbh, it’s something I’m still working to articulate. But the idea of process has emerged as an important theme. I have come to see the artistic process as a sort of antithesis to our instantly gratifying, modern world. Artists gestate and iterate ideas over years and lifetimes, with many checkpoints and wrong turns along the way; they are constantly experimenting, evolving, and refining their practice and artistic intuition, often without knowing exactly where they are aiming for, or how they will get there. To me that feels compellingly human.
Over the last five years my musical practice has expanded and iterated to the point I have actually come to feel comfortable even calling myself an artist. I am making music I could never conceive of making 10 years ago, with tools and technologies I couldn’t foresee utilising. And I don’t know what is next and how I will get there.
And so, with this newsletter, I want to invite you into that inner artistic world - to give insight to my ongoing creative process and the ideas and sounds inspiring it, as a way of celebrating the innatelyhuman phenomenon of creativity.
Why Not Just Post More, Bro
A little reminder that social media, tech bros (grrr) and big tech (grrr) are debilitating chokepoints for creators. They can tweak algorithms without notice, and shifting the goal posts, thus jeopardising the livelihoods of people who rely on connecting with their audienc A must-read book that explains this across numerous creative disciplines is Chokepoint Capitalism. If you want to learn about it rn here is a video with the authors https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTSOeQWjXN4
Artistic Update 🌟🌟🌟
Since releasing the debut SOFT SPOT album in 2024 - which was a massive undertaking spanning years - I’ve mainly focused on further developing my electronics practice, as well as different iterations of solo performances.
More and more I’ve found myself diving into the world of electronics. 18 months ago I bought my first guitar pedal (a reverb pedal) and have truly been sucked into the pedal rabbit hole. Pedals are seriously crazy little instruments in their own right. And so I have been shedding them lots to develop fluency and musical expression.
I’ve also been diving deeper in Ableton through the construction and refining of a trumpet-less solo electronics set. Within the set are some of my ‘textures’ from my early experimental solo EPs, as well as reimagining of some SOFT SPOT tunes.
I’m hoping to organise a solo gig in Sydney later in the year, somewhere novel and a bit left of field. Let me know if you have any ideas of cool spaces.
P.S. Here is a link to a Soundcloud mix of an early live set. 🎁
I have a new ambient record with great pal and musical polymath Nick Henderson that we recently mixed and mastered. It’ll be my first record without any trumpet. Nick is one of my favourite people, and was instrumental in helping me realise the SOFT SPOT record. I got loads to say on how we made this new duo record, but I’ll wait till it's released later in the year.
Photo by Gabby Boyd
I’ve also been diving deeper in Ableton through the construction and refining of a trumpet-less solo electronics set. Within the set are some of my ‘textures’ from my early experimental solo EPs, as well as reimagining of some SOFT SPOT tunes.
I’m hoping to organise a solo gig in Sydney later in the year, somewhere novel and a bit left of field. Let me know if you have any ideas of cool spaces.
P.S. Here is a link to a Soundcloud mix of an early live set. 🎁
I have a new ambient record with great pal and musical polymath Nick Henderson that we recently mixed and mastered. It’ll be my first record without any trumpet. Nick is one of my favourite people, and was instrumental in helping me realise the SOFT SPOT record. I got loads to say on how we made this new duo record, but I’ll wait till it's released later in the year.
Improviser-composer collective Microfiche has been quiet the last 18 months as we have each been focusing on our own projects. We do although have a recording waiting to be released on Earshift records. We also have some exciting news to share soon!
I’ve just started a self-directed mentorship with seven amazing industry figures, through CreateNSW. If you are a fellow artist thinking about promotion, international engagement, income streams, artistic longevity, networking etc. give me a holla and let's yarn. I have lots to say.
Last week I contributed some FX’d trumpet for another international collaboration with OFF label-head Alain Lefebvre (who have released both We Will Intersect records). This newest collaboration involves other friends of Alain’s from the US & Japan. If you missed Alain and my first EP, Collaterals (2025) here is a link to the Bandcamp page. Alain’s tracks are fascinating sonic worlds and I’m chuffed he’s asked me to contribute trumpet to them.
Most excitedly, I’ve just begun composing a score for a short adventure documentary! It is my first time scoring, and has been a long-time dream to write for film. More on that in a future email.
What I’ve Been Listening To 🎵
I wanted to ensure a section of the newsletter was a space share music & ideas I’ve been fizzing about. Considering the new year is still fresh, I’ve collated a top 5 records of 2025.
1. Djrum - Under Tangled Silence
Electronic / Glitchy / Piano / Sophisticated & Stimulating
2025 was my year of Djrum, and their 2025 release was easily my favourite of 2025. An idiomatic confluence of technical electronic glitchery, interspersed with piano improvisations (supposedly he was/is a jazz pianist) all twisting and turning through sophisticated structures.
https://djrum.bandcamp.com/album/under-tangled-silence
2. HEAPS GRASS - Heaps Grass
Ethereal / folk-jazz / Vocal-led / Soothing
Young Sydney trio making lush, warm vocal-led creative music. The whole EP sort of melds into one lovely listen.
https://heapsgrass.bandcamp.com/album/heaps-grass
3. Openness Trio - Openness Trio
Ambient jazz / Improvised/ Bliss-core
It’s hard to believe this is a Blue Note record, but I’m glad it is. This LP is a collation of improvisations between three musicians who encapsulate what it means to be a modern day improviser, integrating electronics and ambience into their practice, while keeping a strong sense of spirit and connectivity. Listening to the middle of Hawk’s Dream feels like you’re soaring in some sort of dream world.
https://www.bluenote.com/artist/openness-trio/
4. The Gloaming - Live at NCH
Trad Irish folks meets indie and post-rock / Uplifting / fuzzy
This was described to me as Irish folk heavyweights having the confidence and clout to fuse their folk tradition with outside musical influences. It seems this band takes the supremely powerful harmonic and melodic forces of folk music and expands them into post-rock style journeys. I also really like the addition of a piano.
https://realworldrecords.com/releases/live-at-nch/
5. Kirk Franklin - Father’s Day
Gospel / Unadultered joy
In prep for gospel’s modern GOAT Kirk Franklin’s SOH forecourt gig I started spinning his most recent record and was surprised how immediately I was pulled into its joyous world. So fucking fun and uplifting.
Kirk Franklin live - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9XthutHgB4
From a recent overnight hike in the Kosciuszko Main Range
Wrapping Up
There is still so much more I’d love to tell you about but this email is already longer than I’d like, and at the top of my draft is the word ‘BREVITY’ in caps, so I will stop typing and save some things for next time.
If you’ve gotten this far you deserve a lil reward. Here’s a handful of Bandcamp codes that will give you a free Bandcamp download of the SOFT SPOT record. I will endeavour to add codes for different records of mine in future newsletters. Redemable at: www.softspotband.bandcamp.com/yum
(ya need to sign up for the codes ;)
Finally, I’d love to hear from you. Any feedback on this V1 newsletter would be welcomed, or let me know your thoughts on something.
If you dug this newsletter you might like to forward it to someone who mat also appreciate it. Here is a link to sign up for future newsletters.
Imma send these out quarterly, so you’ll next hear from me in June.
Till then.
N x
I acknowledge the Dharawal and Eora people, the traditional custodians of the land I live, work, and play on.