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by duncan
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Duncan Ward (New Low) is a musician working with guitar, voice and other instruments and objects. His early works involved looped tapes and noise, and keyboard instrumentals, and his recent solo works have involved extended guitar and triangle drones.
Duncan collaborates with benjamin_sanguine in the improvisation duo Samneric, and leads his band Sea Burials in renditions of medieval European songs. Details for forthcoming performances will be available here, but contact us if you would like more information.
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art from Duncan
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28 November 2007
Our Pheromones Are All Loose
Duncan performed as New Low at the Glue Rooms in New Cross, London SE14. This was as part of a shared billing of artists supporting the 4th Harmonic Records compilation on which they all featured: Our Pheromones Are All Loose. Other artists performing included Cyclamen (duo of double bass and feedback featuring Peter Blundell from bass/drums noise duo Temperatures), solo laptoppers Pattern and Sculpture, sounds from Richard Thomas, and other music thrown out there by DJ Tendraw and the Gypsies Dog. Duncan also produced the artwork for the CD sleeve - a mountainous, hair-like drawing printed in red - which was reproduced for posters displayed outside the venue and around the area.
The evening opened with Duncan's performance, set aside from the main stage. He opened with a brief introductory speech refering us to a magnificent tree visible from New Cross Gate station, and to the trials of Saint Benedict. He removed hia shoes then stepped into a nest of dried branches he had gathered and arranged. Within this was the dried skeleton of a shrub, hanging from it a musical triangle. Duncan proceeded to play the triangle for about a minute carefully varying the tone. Then whilst it still he rang out he laid low within the nest and rolled and writhed about. This grew to a vigourous crescendo, the branches tumbling over him.
Please view the video of the performance on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJdZ0BvFJo0
The video was recorded on a mobile phone so is of basic quality. There are also the images below. Duncan is preparing a book of images and text with accompanying sound recordings on a CD to record this event.
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before the performance
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opening speech
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remains of the nest after the performance
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Sea Burials played to support Temperatures and The Shocks in August 2005 at 184 Crampton Street, near Elephant & Castle.
in June 2003 Duncan collaborated with French hip hop DJ ewae as 'Vulgoism, cobaye of a generation' at the South Side Bar, London W1. Duncan played solo guitar and vocals, guitar drone with ewae's turntables and also deejayed some records. Photos from the performance are shown on this page.
Between 2000 and 2006 Duncan recorded all of John Berryman's sonnets to music.
In April 2000 he collaborated with Emma Southgate at the Quicksilver Gallery of Middlesex University on 'Composition for One Minimalist and a Dancer': a preformance involving guitar drone and dance.
Duncan has also hosted performances in his flat (the Durling Ward Gallery) including Sea Burials and Thanksgiving.
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Solo recordings to date include:
"Come we too to this vile loose fagend..." (2004)
26 Improvisation parts 1-4 (2003)
Three Pieces for Solo Guitar (2003)
Two Improvisations (2002)
The Whole Universe is Disappointed with You (2002)
Casioaria II (2001)
Casioaria (1998)
All these recordings are available on request via the san.
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