About Somadrone

Incepted in 1998, San Francisco based Irish artist Neil O' Connor began Somadrone as a project to document some home recordings from old tape machines and 4-track recorders. This was released in 1999 as a 10" single limited to 100 copies. The latter years involved playing, recording and touring in Europe and America with Redneck Manifesto, Connect Four Orchestra, Goodtime John and Jape. Instruments such as Vibraphone, Harp, Theremin, Indian Drone Machines and Analogue Synths feature on 2005's "Fuzzing Away To A Whisper" released Sept 05 on Trust Me I'm a Thief records. These collections of recordings are 2 CDs from six years of producing. They range from electro-acoustic pieces to pop music and incorporate elements of early Kraftwerk, Broadcast, Brian Eno and Steve Reich. While pursuing a PhD in Music, Somadrone's third album "Of Pattern and Purpose" was assembled. The first to incorporate vocal accompaniment, it is composed mostly of miniature symphonies and electronic interludes. Member of Dublin's cult band, Redneck Manifesto, Somadrone's 3rd album Depth of Field was recorded in Dublin, Ireland / Siggen, Germany / Stockholm, Sweden / Noyant la Gravoyere, France / Berkeley and San Francisco, California, A number of these recordings were written and recorded at various artist residencies including EMS (Institute of Electro Acoustic Music, Stockholm). The result is far from pre-existing material: 7 out of the eight 8 tracks have vocals, more acoustic instruments and standard song forms. Along with aid of a brass and string combo, Depth of Field is a totally new sound for Somadrone; a minimalist inspired electronic pop songbook, somewhere between Ennio Morricone, Jim O' Rourke and Air. Depth of Field is out on Skinny Wolves Records, December 3rd 2010 on Vinyl, Cassette and Download.