Redshift is a British
electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroa ...
group, founded in 1996 by
Mark Shreeve. Their musical style is rooted in the early to mid 1970s German electronic music era, often described as
Berlin School, and transcends the genre using musical originality, multi-instrumentation, and complex harmonic arrangements using analogue sequencing. Their pieces are described as both exciting and haunting in equal measure, expressing strong central themes, and include contrasting atmospheres of rich sonic textures. Redshift music has been played on BBC TV and some listeners have likened certain pieces to film score, neo-industrial, as well as
dark ambient. Listeners have commented on the hypnotic quality of the musical compositions.
Their sound is largely dependent upon older
synthesiser technology, notably instruments such as the
Moog 3C which they combine with more recent digital technology. The basic technological philosophy of Redshift is to use analogue synthesis where possible, augmented where necessary by digitally sampled versions of hard-to-maintain analogue instruments such as the Mellotron. Redshift use analogue instruments manufactured by
Moog,
Yamaha Yamaha may refer to:
* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services, established in 1887. The company is the largest shareholder of Yamaha Motor Company (below).
** Yamaha Music Foundation, an organization estab ...
,
Oberheim
Oberheim is an American synthesizer manufacturer founded in 1969 by Tom Oberheim.
History and products
Tom Oberheim founded the company in 1969, originally as a designer and contract manufacturer of electronic effects devices for Maestro (most ...
,
Korg
, founded as Keio Electronic Laboratories, is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners. Under the Vox brand name, th ...
,
Roland,
PPG,
Analogue Systems
Analog or analogue may refer to:
Computing and electronics
* Analog signal, in which information is encoded in a continuous variable
** Analog device, an apparatus that operates on analog signals
*** Analog electronics, circuits which use analog ...
,
Doepfer
Doepfer Musikelektronik GmbH is a German manufacturer of audio hardware, mostly synthesizer modules (modular synthesizer), based in Gräfelfing, Upper Bavaria and founded by Dieter Döpfer. The product range covers analog circuit, analog modular s ...
,
Modcan,
Solina, and
Fender Rhodes.
Line up
The band consists of
Mark Shreeve,
Julian Shreeve
Julian may refer to:
People
* Julian (emperor) (331–363), Roman emperor from 361 to 363
* Julian (Rome), referring to the Roman gens Julia, with imperial dynasty offshoots
* Saint Julian (disambiguation), several Christian saints
* Julian (giv ...
and James Goddard. Rob Jenkins was a band member from its inception in 1996 but left the band in 2002 after the Hampshire Jam 2 concert. James Goddard has been unable to perform as part of Redshift due to other commitments overseas since 2006, and
Ian Boddy
Ian Boddy is a British electronic musician and composer. In the early 1980s Boddy began experimenting at an Arts Council-funded studio in Newcastle. This period resulted in 3 cassette releases on the Mirage label, which showcased Boddy's work wi ...
, long time peer of Mark Shreeve, has temporarily supported Mark and Julian Shreeve in performing 2006, 2008 and 2010 Redshift concerts in James’s absence.
Interview with Mark Shreeve, 2010.
Discography
Studio and live albums
*''Redshift'' (1996, studio album; remastered 2006)
*''Ether'' (1998, live and studio album; remastered 2007)
*''Down Time'' (1999, studio album; remastered 2007)
*''Siren'' (2002, live album; remastered with additional track 2007)
*''Halo'' (2002, studio album; remastered 2007)
*''Wild'' (2002, live and studio album)
*''Faultline'' (2004, live album)
*''Oblivion'' (2004, studio album; remastered 2007)
*''Toll'' (2006, live album)
*''Wild 2'' (2006, studio album)
*''Last'' (2007, live album)
*''Turning Towards Us'' (2008, studio album)
*''Wild 3'' (2009, live and studio album)
*''Colder'' (2011, live album)
*''Life to Come'' (2015, studio album)
Compilation and rare tracks
*Echo Flow - Echoes Living Room Concerts Volume 9 (2003)
Echoes Living Room Volume #9.
*Midnight Clear Minus Five (2004)
E-dition Issue #5.
*Missing Scene (exclusive track given away as a prize at the E-Live Festival, 2004)
*Crystalline 94 - To The Sky and Beyond the Stars: A Tribute to Michael Garrison (2005)
Videos
*Faultline - Hampshire Jam 2 Festival, United Kingdom (2004)
Redshift is known for high production quality both in terms of sonic choices and recorded audio quality in album releases (and sonic quality of live performances). The quality is largely due to the technical expertise and influence of
Mark Shreeve who enjoyed a successful commercial recording contract as a recording artist in the 1980s with Jive Records (
Jive Electro
Jive Electro was a sublabel of the Zomba Group's Jive Records noted for releasing albums by Groove Armada, Hardknox, and Tangerine Dream as well as few remixes for the Madchester band The Stone Roses.
The label was largely active between 1984 an ...
) where he learned contemporary recording/production techniques from studio experts in Battery Studios, UK.
Concerts
Redshift live performances are rare due to the expense and logistics involved in taking older analogue gear on the road.
Interview with Mark Shreeve, 2003. Up to 2012, Redshift had performed a total of seven live concerts, each time as the headline act, and with all of those performances subsequently being released as live albums.
*Jodrell Bank Planetarium, United Kingdom (7 December 1996)
*Alfa Centarui Festival, Netherlands (10 April 1999)
*Hampshire Jam 2 Festival, United Kingdom (9 November 2002)
*E-Live Festival, Eindhoven, Netherlands (9 October 2004)
*Hampshire Jam 5 Festival, United Kingdom (21 October 2006)
*Hampshire Jam 7 Festival, United Kingdom (15 November 2008)
*Hampshire Jam 9 Festival, United Kingdom (13 November 2010)
Music performances are carefully prepared for by the band whilst still allowing scope for skilled improvisation, e.g. fans attending their inaugural concert in Jodrell Bank Observatory in 1996 were treated to a completely improvised piece post-encore – a piece none of the band had discussed or considered beforehand.
Associated bands
Mark Shreeve and Ian Boddy are also known for their joint project
ARC (band), ARC.
References
External links
The Official Redshift websiteRedshift at MusicZeit
* AMG entry for Mark Shreeve/Redshift*
Groove Unlimited reviewsRedshreeve unofficial fan website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Redshift
British ambient music groups