It’s fair to say that since his performance at Latitude in 2017 life has been anything but straightforward for Neil March. But having spent the past few years being seen primarily as someone who promotes, broadcasts, writes about and advises young artists on new music, Neil has had to decide whether he can still have a viable career as a composer and artist too. And with his first new material in two years, the answer is hopefully yes he can!
2017 had ended on a high for Neil with the single Water (1st Movement) being played on Stuart Maconie‘s Freak Zone on BBC Radio 6 Music. A month later Neil was invited by Tom Robinson to become a moderator and reviews author for Fresh on the Net. But 2018 saw the death of Neil’s friend and musical partner-in-crime John Molloy and the second half of the year saw him launch Environmental Sound Foundationwith Turkish-Irish singer and poet Dilara Aydin-Corbett. He also threw himself into promoting the Vanishing Point gig series in Peckham and, with Arts Council support, a lot of other live events too.
In the time since he has launched Trust The Docfirst as a monthly blog covering a wide spectrum of new music, then as a live music series, the popular Trust The Doc Radio Show on Exile FM and, once in lockdown, a magazine-style online TV show about new music. Suddenly a year has gone by and he has not written or played a note of music of his own!
Now that situation has been rectified with Neil’s new EP Alternatives To Despair. Like his Music To Plan Towns By EP, it sees him utilise environmental sounds from which he is able to derive pitch (construction machinery, traffic engines, sirens, alarms, cafe equipment, leaf blowers etc.) to create harmony and ambience. This is usually juxtaposed against notated instrumental play and, on two tracks, voices simulating a male voice choir in a reflection of Neil’s Welsh Valleys heritage. Track 3 is composed entirely from the use of environmental sounds for harmony and sounds, making it a pure Sound Art piece.
Neil believes this is his best work since Music To Plan Towns By and he is hopeful that he can enjoy some radio play and reviews. You can contact Neil at drneilmarch@gmail.com or +44 (0)7787 942663.
