Polyphonic Recording

03/09/2023

A great day at wrapping up a fun and creative remix of an banger from their album ‘Would the light hold me’ - all the toys in this one!

01/09/2023

Double rig under way at Perth’s amazing for a mix session. Loving the Imperium monitor controller for flipping between DAWs and keeping consistent levels. This is level 43!

25/08/2023

Working with the king of fingerpickers Gav Brown today at Pen Cap Chew - loving the vibe of his songs!

31/07/2023

08/06/2023

Working on a session late last night with a team of beaut blokes in WA - we recorded, mixed & filmed this in under a day. See what you think of this mix of traditional Bangladeshi song & modern western pop.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CtOImhWt3ij/

24/05/2023

Getting a bit of re-patching under way to integrate my studio gear with Sundown Studios. We’re building a mega setup!

19/05/2023

The wonderful new Terry Emm album 'Wish You Were Here' is out today! Produced by Lukas Drinkwater and featuring Terry, Lukas & Maz O'Connor, this album is a real 3 dimensional tour of song.
Tuck in. Link in the comments.

Out today is the amazing new album by my pal Terry Emm - It's been getting loads of great reviews, major radio play and love all round ahead of release. Now's your chance to enjoy it.

Available on all major streaming services. I had the great pleasure of producing this fine album at Polyphonic Recording, and playing drums, bass, electric & acoustic guitars, piano, organ, synths, singing some BVs and other things I've forgotten as well as mixing.
Terry was gracious in collaborating with me and trusting his beautiful songs in my sometimes dangerous hands. Also featuring beautiful BVs from Maz O'Connor and mastered by the wonderful Josh at Get Real Audio.
Enjoy! We're all very proud of this one.

Link in comments

05/05/2023

Provided to YouTube by IIP-DDSSonogram (String Quartet Version) · Emily Barker · Carducci String QuartetSonogram℗ Everyone SangReleased on: 2023-05-04Mixing ...

02/05/2023

Terry Emm has a new album coming out very soon - produced by Lukas Drinkwater at Polyphonic Recording - it's belter!

Not long now until Terry Emm’s long awaited fourth album ‘Wish You Were Here’ is out via Azez Records / Shellshock Distribution!

Limited CDs left to pre-order here: https://terryemm.bandcamp.com/album/new-album-wish-you-were-here

Or pre-save for digital outlets here: https://orcd.co/terryemmwish?f

Includes the singles ‘Wish You Were Here’, ‘November Evenings’ and ‘Island Soul’!

Produced by Lukas Drinkwater at Polyphonic Recording, the album also features some gorgeous backing vocals by Maz O'Connor!

It’s a stunning record, even if we say so ourselves!

18/01/2023

Pre-orders are now open for Terry Emm's new album that I had the pleasure of producing & mixing. I loved working on this project: a wide-open brief, and it shows in the results - as an album it ducks and weaves in all directions, constantly pulling the ear in fresh directions.

15/01/2023

Working on some new recordings with Bill & Claire aka Sea Swallow in their home in Fremantle. Beautiful songs, and a great vibe!
They call it Freo Groove.

07/01/2023

Settling in to the new work environment at Sundown Studios in Fremantle. I’m babysitting this amazing studio for a few months while Elliot the boss is away travelling. Hit me up for sessions, there’s a beaut grand piano here, Hammond B3 with Leslie, and a carnival of drums and guitars, not to mention a stunning mic locker..

23/12/2022

Bit of pre-Christmas remote bass recording at the in-laws’

11/12/2022

Friends of Freo and surrounding areas. I'm here, with my mobile recording rig, my double bass, and a load of musical ideas. If anyone needs a recording engineer, bassist, swim buddy, house-mate, or general pastey English guy around, I'm here.
Photo of me recording under water, yes UNDER WATER by the inimitable gent Mr Alec Bowman Clarke

LukasDrinkwater.com

03/12/2022

The Ellan Vannin Tragedy by Hughie Jones of The Spinners. Arrangement by: Katie Grace HarrisIf you would like to know more about this project or the upcoming...

02/12/2022

Delighted to announce the 4* review in The Times for Terence Blacker’s new album ‘Meanwhile…’ which is out today! Recorded here at Polyphonic Recording with Lukas Drinkwater on production, bass, electric guitar, organ and BVs with Get Real Audio on drums and mastering, and Dom Pipkin on piano. It’s a masterpiece, and it was a joy to work with such an accomplished team. Available now on Bandcamp

02/12/2022

One of this year's greatest Polyphonic productions: the excellent Terence Blacker's new album 'Meanwhile' is released today! - The Times gave it 4 stars - not bad hey?

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/terence-blacker-meanwhile-review-humour-in-the-darkest-moments-pfclwl7ft

Get your copy from Bandcamp now!

★★★★☆How many quality songs have come out of that dreamlike period of enforced inertia that we called lockdown? Not many. On Everyday Hero Terence Blacker sampl

29/11/2022

Mixing on the move. I’m between homes in different hemispheres right now, but I have my trusty mobile mix setup: MacBook Pro, Universal Audio Apollo X4 and Sennheiser HD650 headphones. Today I’m at my brother’s in Cornwall working on some stunning new songs by the creative genius Gitika Partington - while my nephew Loïc is in the next room working on his engineering apprentice design work. Feels good to still be making sounds while itinerant.

17/11/2022

Over the next few months I have a fair bit of space for remote mixing, double bass, guitar & general edit / production work. Let me know if your songs need any help along the way. Some examples here:

15/11/2022

That marvellous Emily Barker played a beautiful murder ballad by Wanda Jackson for the new vid series by Ben Morse and I had the pleasure of mixing the audio. Check it out here:

Female-led Murder Ballads are actually something of a rarity. Emily and I talked about re-interpreting a male one - apparently there's a female led version o...

30/10/2022

‘November Evenings’ is out now! Get it from your preferred digital outlet here: https://orcd.co/terryemmnovemberevenings

And read more about this song in this cool article on V13:
https://v13.net/2022/10/singer-songwriter-terry-emm-prepares-for-winter-with-vintage-new-single-november-evenings/

Big thanks to Jonathan McMillan for getting me to let loose on this one, Lukas Drinkwater for shredding up the guitar & drums, Alban Low for the artwork, Get Real Audio for mastering and Rachel Lipsitz Photography for the press shots!

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07/10/2022

Mixed here at Polyphonic Recording by Lukas Drinkwater, this wonderful live band recording of Emily Barker's masterful songwriting is a treat to the ears. It was a great live energy in the band that night, expertly captured on the night by Marky Lewis - Producer & Thomas Dibb (AKA Northern Cowboys).
This is out TODAY! Get your copy now.

X

07/10/2022

Absolutely LOVED working with Steve Pledger on his new album. It's coming out this week.
Steve is a proper old-fashioned crafter of song, in the realm of Bruce, Bob & Paul, you konw who I mean. We spent a joyful fine-tuning the mixes on these just a few weeks ago, and it's about to hit the world by storm. Get involved!

It's been a long time coming, but it's almost here.

There's been radio play already, and even an early review, but this coming Saturday at Durham Town Hall, I finally get to launch What Tomorrow Knows at the concert to which I've been SO looking forward since we booked it at the beginning of the year. Back then, there wasn't even an album to launch! (And I still had at least 2 songs to finish.) But all these months; 2 bouts of covid; a lot of learning; a heap of hard work; a case of shingles and a whole lot more later, and we're just about ready! I can't remember the last time I looked forward to something this much.

What Tomorrow Knows it the most ambitious thing I've undertaken and, I'm thrilled to say, is the one with which I am the most pleased. This is in no small part down to the incredible contributions made by Lukas Drinkwater, Aaron Catlow, Nigel Neill and John Heslop to this record. The level musicianship and creative flair they brought to these songs is evident from start to finish and I'm indebted to them all. As Polyphonic Recording, Lukas has also been beyond extraordinary in the producing and mixing chair. Again, this is clearly heard right across the album. That said, as somebody with his experience knows, the greatest skill is not getting in the way of the song itself and every decision he and I made throughout this process was only ever in service of the song. I think that also shows.

Finish it all off with the mastering skills of Ian Stephenson and there you have it!

Special thanks are also due to Help Musicians for their INCREDIBLE help and support, provided in so many ways. Simply put, this album would not have been made without them. They are a remarkable organisation and I encourage every artist to seek them out immediately.

If you can join me in Durham this Saturday evening then tickets are still available from www.stevepledger.co.uk/shop priced at just £12. (Honestly, it's worth the price just to spend that amount of time in the beautiful room!) The album is officially released on 28th November and pre-ordering will be available from 17th October. You can also find me on tour from 19th October playing shows at Live at Thornsett Road and Green Note in London; Cuckoo Sessions Presents Steve Pledger in Bracknell; Ashburton and The Beacon Community Centre in Devon; Pebbles Tavern in Somerset and a house concert in Birmingham on the 29th. Details for all these and more at www.stevepledger.co.uk/events

Keep an eye out for news of more chances to hear tracks from the album on various upcoming radio shows. Thanks for everything and I look forward to being able to share these songs with you - live and recorded - very soon. Steve ❤️

03/10/2022

It's been a long time coming, but it's almost here.

There's been radio play already, and even an early review, but this coming Saturday at Durham Town Hall, I finally get to launch What Tomorrow Knows at the concert to which I've been SO looking forward since we booked it at the beginning of the year. Back then, there wasn't even an album to launch! (And I still had at least 2 songs to finish.) But all these months; 2 bouts of covid; a lot of learning; a heap of hard work; a case of shingles and a whole lot more later, and we're just about ready! I can't remember the last time I looked forward to something this much.

What Tomorrow Knows it the most ambitious thing I've undertaken and, I'm thrilled to say, is the one with which I am the most pleased. This is in no small part down to the incredible contributions made by Lukas Drinkwater, Aaron Catlow, Nigel Neill and John Heslop to this record. The level musicianship and creative flair they brought to these songs is evident from start to finish and I'm indebted to them all. As Polyphonic Recording, Lukas has also been beyond extraordinary in the producing and mixing chair. Again, this is clearly heard right across the album. That said, as somebody with his experience knows, the greatest skill is not getting in the way of the song itself and every decision he and I made throughout this process was only ever in service of the song. I think that also shows.

Finish it all off with the mastering skills of Ian Stephenson and there you have it!

Special thanks are also due to Help Musicians for their INCREDIBLE help and support, provided in so many ways. Simply put, this album would not have been made without them. They are a remarkable organisation and I encourage every artist to seek them out immediately.

If you can join me in Durham this Saturday evening then tickets are still available from www.stevepledger.co.uk/shop priced at just £12. (Honestly, it's worth the price just to spend that amount of time in the beautiful room!) The album is officially released on 28th November and pre-ordering will be available from 17th October. You can also find me on tour from 19th October playing shows at Live at Thornsett Road and Green Note in London; Cuckoo Sessions Presents Steve Pledger in Bracknell; Ashburton and The Beacon Community Centre in Devon; Pebbles Tavern in Somerset and a house concert in Birmingham on the 29th. Details for all these and more at www.stevepledger.co.uk/events

Keep an eye out for news of more chances to hear tracks from the album on various upcoming radio shows. Thanks for everything and I look forward to being able to share these songs with you - live and recorded - very soon. Steve ❤️

07/09/2022

Klanghelm killing it with the SDRR Saturation plugin. Love it on drum buss.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CiNSjlar3i-/

29/08/2022

Day 1 tracking for new record and he’s broken already.

26/08/2022

Looking forward to putting the Hungry Beaver through its paces in the coming weeks on some recording sessions. Thanks for the mighty fine pedal.

24/08/2022

Printing the final mix of one of my favourite songs of the year ‘Other People’s Lives’ by Terence Blacker. Makes me cry still even on 500th listen through. Look out for the imminent album release, you too can cry at this masterpiece.

22/08/2022

Every working mic stand within a 2 mile radius is here being used right now.

18/08/2022

Six years after releasing the award-winning studio album, ‘Somewhere Between’, and three years since his critically acclaimed live album, ‘Alone In The Dark’, Steve Pledger is back, set to deliver his brand new studio album this Autumn. Titled ‘What Tomorrow Knows’, it will be launched o...

15/08/2022

These big chunky Carnhill transformers in the AML preamps are the same as the ones in my Neve channels, they bring so much warmth, chunk and depth to whatever you run through them. This AML EZAM-16-500 has a flavour all of its own, somewhere between Neve and API, as it is in my rack. Tasty hand made analogue gear is a big plus over digital. I love it!

11/08/2022

It's been a great couple of weeks of back to back tracking in the searing heat here at Polyphonic.
Choosing which of the two glorious Fender P Basses is about as tough as it gets ..

Precision decision

06/08/2022

Pre-orders for the new album by Katie Grace Harris are open now! And the first single is out - and it’s a belter.

27/07/2022

Any studio nerds interested in buying this amazing Tegeler Audio Manufaktur Creme buss compressor / Pultec-style EQ? It's a beast!
Excellent deal.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225092465604

14/07/2022

It’s an ‘everything’ day at the studio today. Overdubs for Steve Pledger’s stunning new album coming out later this year. Sweet sweet songs.