Last Days (AKA Graham Richardson's) music explores personal themes of stasis and flux, escape and acceptance, security and upheaval. Drawing his moniker and ethos from the bittersweet emotions that often accompany periods of transition and loss, Last Days contrasts the intimacy of lonely field recordings and elementary instruments (a child's accordion, a single repeated piano note) with cinematic shoegaze swells and complex, interlocking melodies created by the latest in digital technology. The resulting mixes are often melancholy, but ultimately hopeful, acting as musical elegies to the places we can no longer go.
Growing up in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Richardson pursued music sporadically, playing drums for local bands before shifting his focus and detouring south to study graphic design. Completing his degree in 1997, he applied his trade in the mental health field but, after four rewarding, yet creatively stifling, years, decided to pack up his recently acquired PC, mic and guitar, and head north to Scotland. While the mood certainly preceded the move, Edinburgh’s darker, colder climate and close proximity to nature proved influential in developing Last Days signature blend of brooding synths and pastoral neo-folk. Inspired by the likes of Eluvium, Sigur Ros, and Jasper TX, Richardson continued writing and revising in relative obscurity until February 2006 when he was discovered in Port-Royal's Myspace friends list by Mike Cadoo (AKA Bitcrush) of the Oakland-based n5MD Records. With nine tracks already in the can, the timing could not have been better, resulting in the release of Last Days full-length debut Sea just seven months later.
Noting his penchant for writing soundtracks to lonely, isolated places, Richardson devised a unifying narrative for Sea, which chronicles the hapless travels of a disillusioned man who, leaving his family behind, sets sail to find a new home. Through a combination of eerie, abstract set pieces, signpost song titles, and bleak cover art by Liam Frankland (another Myspace find), Sea captures the anxiety, confusion and yearning of a man lost at sea with only his ill-defined desires to guide him. Released to near-unanimous praise, Sea cemented Last Days reputation as a member to watch within the UK's burgeoning electro-acoustic ambient scene.
Just months after the release of Sea, Richardson began writing material for its follow-up, a meditation on the inconstancy of "home." Released on n5MD in early 2007, These Places Are Now Ruins finds Richardson in far more personal territory, tracing a semi-autobiographical trip through the resonant locales and experiences of his adolescence. Book-ended (save the closing epilogue "Traveling Hearts") by "Stations" part 1 and 2, TPANR’s main body mourns the diminishing comforts afforded by fading memories and the lonely detachment that comes with discovering your "home" is no longer tethered to a tangible place. Opting for a warmer, more “realistic” approach, Richardson cuts back on the aimless synth washes of Sea, anchoring the majority of these musical snapshots (like the memories they’re exorcising) in the familiar realm of live instrumentation, intimate field recordings, and emotional post-rock builds.
For his third full length, The Safety of the North (2009, n5MD), Richardson has fully embraced his cinematic tendencies, expanding his creative palette to include spoken excerpts, a vocal collaboration with Fabiola Sanchez of Familiar Trees, and a "script-based" compositional approach. Drawing on a theme first explored in Sea's "Arrival at Jan Mayen" (in which its sailor is first excited by the prospect of a distant island home, then disappointed by its barren terrain), TSOTN tells the story of Alice, a young girl who leaves the city with her family to settle in the rural north. With a strict script in mind, Richardson divided the album into 15 "scenes," scoring each with a new focus on the emotional states of his characters and the settings they inhabit. Using the same tools he employs on Sea (i.e. field recordings, song titles, and album art), along with snippets of dialogue, monologue and new instrumentation, Richardson guides the listener through Alice’s initial departure, hopeful beginnings and eventual tragedy.
With an approach both abstract and melodic, lo-fi and hi-tech, yearning and content, Last Days has consistently yielded music that, despite its largely digital origins, is all-together human.
Last Days presspack
Boring Machines Disturbs Sleep
n5md artist, Last Days, released one of the outstanding ambient releases of the year back in September. "Sea" recieved almost universal critical acclaim from all corners of the globe and has become a real find for the excellent n5md label. Igloo Mag said "Sea" was a "meshing of the acoustic and the electric... employing strings, gentle chords and lulling beats...". While you can read what I had to say about "Sea" here. Over at Evilsponge, Brett Spaceman felt inclined to remark that "Sea" "might become the album of our existence". Last Days', Graham Richardson talks about his experiences and influences when recording the album. It details a passionate and aspiring musician who has achieved a life long dream of releasing his music.
How did you become interested in writing and producing music?
I had always wanted to make music but not much had happened apart from playing drums in a couple of bands in my late teens. After getting the PC, guitar and microphone in 2000 things started properly but it wasn't until about a year ago I felt I was ready let anyone hear the music
What is the idea behind the name Last Days.?
It's a name I came up with about 6 years ago. I'd always been aware of a certain sinking feeling when important times are ending, this is probably something we all share, it could be the final days of a relationship, holiday, university, moving home - these are always times when we're sad or confused but there has to be hope or a little excitement to get us through. So I hope the music reflects as much last days as it does new beginnings.
When writing "Sea" what were your main influences?
My main influences are memories and landscapes, I try not to have any obvious musical influences, but I guess in recent years Jasper TX 'I'll Be Long Gone Before My Light Reaches You' and Sigur Ros ' ( ) ' have both been hugely inspirational. With 'Sea' having a story it automatically had parameters set which I couldn't really deviate from, so the main influence was just me putting myself in the characters shoes
On the bio on your website, it states that live instrumentation and programs were used to create "Sea". What was used exactly?.
I have some really basic software which I use mainly to record with, as well as a couple of old cymbals, acoustic guitar, child's accordion, glockenspiel, midi keyboard and software synths. I've only just bought an electric guitar so I expect that to be a part of the next record.
There is a narrative that runs through "Sea", concerning a disillusioned character who sets sail form his homeland to find a new life, was this theme always intended?
No, not at all. I think I had 3 recent tracks when I was aware of them feeling remote or like part of a soundtrack to somewhere isolated. It was then I came up with the idea of a narrative, it seemed a good way of tying the ideas together. It also made the writing process easier as there were now boundaries set keeping me faithful to the mood of the story. He's not so much trying to find a new life as escaping the one he has, but he's not exactly thought it through.
"Your Birds" is probably the most accessible track on the album, it is quite different to most of the others, what influenced this piece?
It was a late addition to the record as "Sea" wasn't feeling quite right, it was good to get one more track with a 'tune' just to break up the more abstract numbers. I'm not sure what influenced it, probably my love for textural music, like Sigur Ros, Port-Royal or Slowdive. I like that track and some people have said it's their favourite, but I feel there's something about it that doesn't sound like 'me'.
Song titles such as "Arriving At Jan Mayen" and "The Norwegian Sea" hint that the character is heading to Scandinavia, why this location?
I love many parts of Scandinavia and have been there many times, I live in Scotland so planned his journey in waters I knew or places I'd like to go myself. The north can be so empty and cold so it had to take place there! Looking at maps I found some isolated islands in a straight
line above the uk. After a little reading and looking at photos, the Norwegian owned Jan Mayen it looked like the obvious place for him to take his first break only to find nothing. I wanted him to feel a sense of excitement and hope on approaching the first land in days but once there he realises there's nothing, no people, no trees, no shelter and the only hope is to go back out to sea in search of something better. In reality it's actually a 30 mile long meteorological research base with a handful of scientists living there but it's still a bleak and harsh place to be.
The album ends with the lonely piano sounds of "All The Lighthouses". It has left me wondering what became of the character?
The previous track (Fear) is about the character returning home to his family after having been rescued (Dying Minutes). He's happy to be back but has doubts if the same need for escape won't happen again. On 'All The Lighthouses' I pictured him driving out to lighthouses in secret,
perhaps breaking into them just to satisfy his cravings for the sea.
"Sea" was released by n5md in September, how did this relationship come about?
The label manager Mike Cadoo spotted me in Port-Royal's friends list on their myspace in February this year, he said I should pass on any more tracks if I had them. At that point I had about 8 or 9 tracks done, so it was good timing to say the least. Right place, right time, I couldn't quite believe it was happening. With the thousands of good unsigned artists on myspace I'm aware that I'm very lucky.
You have relocated to Edinburgh, did the city enhance or deter your creative process?
I relocated from Brighton but I'm originally from Newcastle, so the move up here made me feel more at home. Brighton is too sunny to make miserable music! I think with the winters up here being so dark and cold that's reflected in the music as a lot were made during that time of
year.
The artwork of "Sea" captures the mood of the album perfectly. Were you involved in choosing it ?
Yes, Liam Frankland the photographer responsible spotted me on myspace and we both liked eachothers work. When the album was done I knew he had lots of coastal shots which would be suitable so he kindly let me have what I wanted. I selected 12 or so and both Mike and I decided between us on the final 4.
Have you been happy with the reactions towards "Sea"?
For years I'd dreamt of having an album out, now it's happened it's hard to expect anything more. With that goal fulfilled it's a little difficult to set another, so to get good reviews and people buying the album is amazing and unexpected, so yeah I'm very happy!
Do you have a favourite artist on the n5md label?
Bitcrush. Maybe because I identify with it the most with it having live instruments, I'm looking forward to the upcoming Tobias Lilja and Subtractive Lad albums too.
You have your own blog (Babystar) that has detailed your listening habits over
the last couple of years. What albums have caught your attention this year?
here's a little top five for 2006 so far...
1 Yasushi Yoshida - Secret Figure
2 Julian Fane - Our New Quarters
3 Film School - s/t
4 Tunng - Comments of the Inner Chorus
5 Sheriff - sail, sail, sail away!
Would you consider performing "Sea" live and would it be using computers or with live musicians?
I've never played live and don't have any plans to, there's actually little keyboards or guitar to sit down and play live, a lot of the sounds I use are home made audio samples providing textural backgrounds, something I'd struggle to recreate live. There's probably some way of doing
it but I actually have little interest in music technology which doesn't help! I could always get a laptop and some visuals but I've been to many shows to watch someone operate an i-book not quite knowing what they are doing. Rather than play live I'd like to just concentrate on
recording and get an album out at least every year and a half.
Is "Sea" a one off release or can we expect to see more of Last Days in the future?
I've started on the next record and have a couple of tracks finished, there's also a couple of remix projects happening too. So, hopefully 'sea' is just the beginning - fingers crossed.
Foggy Notions"I've been in Edinburgh for over five years and right now I can't see why I would ever leave," exclaims Graham Richardson. " I find myself very comfortable here. It's more down to earth and so close to nature" I think Sea would have sounded very different if I wasn't here. I think having the sea in one direction and hills in the other, stunning architecture next to deprived tower block there's always something here to be inspired by"
Graham Richardson is Last Days originally from "a sleepy village in Northumberland", now obviously a resident of Edinburgh where he made his debut album Sea.
The album is released on the Californian electronic label n5md (No Fives, Minidiscs - in reference to the fact that it started out a minidisc-only label). Sea is a master class in restraint. The album moves quietly, purposefully through passages of tonal guitars, digital sounds, sometimes with an elemental folk feel. Despite the linear motion of the music, Richardson is quite assured of a defined narrative within this record.
"There is a narrative, yes. It was never intentional to have a concept for the album but the music kept reminding me of being lost at sea, so having a story seemed a good way of tying the ideas together. When I started the album I was listening to little else than Jasper Tx's I'll be long gone before my light reaches you, which was influential as it occasionally explores similar themes.
Sea is about one man unhappy with his life and responsibilities," continues Richardson. "He feels the need to get away to preserve his sanity so he escapes on a small boat, which he points north. He begins well, happy to be where he is (The Safest Place) but hasn't really thought it through and things begin to go wrong. He ends up getting lost and sometimes wishing he was back home, but knowing it's not really an option. During the last three tracks he's close to losing his life, but is finally rescued. Once home his family and loved ones are happy to have him back but he knows there's no reason the urge to leave won't happen again so he does his best to satisfy these cravings by breaking into lighthouses to spend moments, which remind him of his journey."
You can't help wondering where such an intriguing story comes from, is it in any way biographical?
"It's funny, i was wondering if anyone might suspect it was biographical. Well, yes, in a way it is. I've never taken off in a boat, but Sea is certainly metaphorical in terms of wanting to escape sometimes and needing to be alone. Both of those things are very important to me. I rarely feel lonely - even when i spend vast amounts of time alone. I'm pretty comfortable being on my own but i think there's also a part of everyone that wants someone to search for them or to feel that they're needed".
The album's elegant minimalism is complimented by the camera of brilliant British photographer Liam Frankland. "His work is atmospheric and desolate," says Richardson. "The broken window picture was perfect, as it seemed to represent this little opportunity of escape seen from the shore".
All sense of genre is reduced by Richardson's production style. Somewhere in the process of creativity, he may have been making electronic music, but by the time he's finished with it you can hear something quite human and fallible. "Yes, I think it's fair to say that's something I'm very conscious of. I've never really been into electronic music too much because of the way some can sound incredibly sterile and clinical. i've often disliked digital precision in music, as it's the quickest way to rid a tune of all emotion. In the last three years I've discovered and been inspired by artists who use electronics in such a way that blurs the line between acoustic and digital - people like d_rradio, deaf center, khonnor and piana who use electronics in a way that makes the music sound human. This is something i wanted to achieve with Sea. There are acoustic guitars, cymbals, glockenspiels, but some of the sounds i couldn't have created without the use of a computer. I like to use technology to degrade the sound quality to a point you're not quite sure what instrument you're listening to or I end up with clicks and scratches throughout a tune because the computer can't process the sound correctly"
angryapeGraham Richardson, the musician behind Last Days, successfully captured our attention with the release of his mesmerizing 2006 debut "Sea" (n5MD). While this album may have come from nowhere, much was expected of Richardson for the 'difficult 2nd album stage'. "These Places Are Now Ruins" (read our review), though, passed the test with flying colours, revealing itself to be amongst the most poignant records of 2007. In this interview, Richardson discusses its autobiographical nature and where he considers his home.
Would you say that "These Places Are Now Ruins" is more autobiographical than the narrative on your debut "Sea". If so, what signaled this change in tact?
Yes it's more autobiographical; 'Sea' was more of a fantasy with some personal aspects. I think it was inevitable that I made an album with the 'ruins' theme, it's about my feelings for home which have been something I think about a lot and something I needed to write about, I think I exorcised some ghosts.
How relevant is the title of the 2nd album to the themes that run through it?
The title is very relevant; it's indicating a place and time when I lived at home until I was 19. Whenever I go back there, the effect home has on me is no longer the same, I could be anywhere, the 'ruins' in the title are metaphorical describing how memories and feelings over the years have disappeared and the word 'home' means little to me, so the places I knew might as well not be there. The tracks are all about specific events or memories during these years and places.
Can you describe Last Days is no more than five words?
Alone and searching
Could you enlighten us on some of the more interesting track titles, most notably " A Storm Tore This House", "Points Bridge" and "Two Halves Of A Line". Where did you take your inspiration from?
I worry some people might find the longer track titles a little pretentious or unnecessary but they're there for a reason. The inspiration for most tracks on this album is memories, 'Points Bridge' is simply a place I used to go as a child, and it's one way in out of the village I grew up in.
'A Storm Tore This House' is about how personal issues or problems can feel like they have destroyed everything around you leaving you with nothing, but hopefully as most of us know, things always seem to have a way of working out for the better.
'Two Halves of a Line' is about the time and distance between two people who miss each other and can't be together for one reason or another.
You have been based in Edinburgh for a while now. Do you consider this home or, as the album suggests, are you longing to return to the places of your childhood.
I long to be near people who are important to me, not places. I don't consider anywhere geographical as home.
After working with n5MD for a 2nd time, it's safe to say you are happy there. Do they give you complete creative control?
It's the first deal I've had and yes I'm very happy there. So far I've had complete control over every aspect of my work including the artwork for the albums, I've never been asked to change a thing which for me is really special.
Has living in Scotland's capital Edinburgh, which is famed for its stunning architecture and unrivalled culture, aided your creativity?
To some extent yes, I seem to be more productive in the winter and here is a pretty cold dark place during those months. I think any city would help me make music, there's always a sense on anonymity and insignificance in a city which makes having a voice important, and so I think that might make any kind of artist productive. There's so much nature to escape to a few minutes away, surrounding hills and the sea keep this place from feeling too claustrophobic.
In terms of instrumentation and recording techniques, in what ways would you say "These Places..." progresses from "Sea"?
The recording was pretty much the same; both albums were made in my kitchen mostly with a microphone guitar and software. The only additions to the new album were electric guitar and some drums.
Some tracks feature field recordings, such as the nightlife sounds of Edinburgh in "Reasons to Go". Were these aspects intentional or did it just happen naturally?
It's a bit of both; I really want to create something human, something with sounds that anyone can connect with. I'm making digital music and I'm always aware of how sterile it could sound, I think field recordings really help to give some reality. I would say it's natural or at least it feels right to me to use them in the places I have. I think the field recordings are essential and something I will always include.
On "A Storm Tore This House" it features scratching effects that were created by recording yourself kicking timber across a floor. Without giving too much away, is there any other unusual techniques employed in "These Places..."?
I usually start tracks then decide they're hopeless, I'll find them again weeks or months later and tear them apart, reversing, stretching, transposing until I have something I'm happy with. Some of the sounds you can hear are voices from a radio play, dry spaghetti, rice, my garden and biro pens.
Having read a number of reviews, all pointing to different influences. Who do you consider to be a contemporary of Last Days?
I think my music would sound very different if I had never heard Sigur Ros, Jasper TX, Eluvium, Khonnor, Namelessnumberheadman and The Blue Nile. All of these artists have some aspect I want to include in my music. I'm influenced not just by artists I like but also artists that have introduced something new to me.
With the name Last Days, do you feel that the music you compose should be based around reflective or nostalgic themes or are you looking to move into different areas in the future?
I don't want the name 'Last Days' to become some kind of albatross, it's true to say I began recording with this name with the vague intention of documenting the last days of memories or events but it think it's naive for me to have this in mind every time I make music. It would certainly limit what I could create.
I don't intend to force anything, I wouldn't do something different for the sake of it but I never really know what I'm going to create when I sit in front of the computer or pick up the guitar.
The direction might change in the future but I'm never too conscious of this.
Some tracks on "These Places…" convey a sense of hope amidst the reflective aspects. Was this something you were trying to convey?
Yes absolutely, I love abstract or monotonous music but I also have a love for strong melodies and uplifting tunes, essentially the kind of person I am dictates what the music sounds like, I'm neither optimistic nor pessimistic and I want to create music that reflects good and bad things in life. I think it's a good idea to have the last few tracks fairly positive just so things feel resolved and the journey has ended with a bit of hope.
If you were to choose one song that reflects Last Days frame of mind when writing and recording, what would it be?
I haven't made that one yet! But perhaps 'The Safest Place' is pretty close.
Two albums within a year of each other, can we expect Last Days to continue in such a prolific manner?
I hope to make one album each year or whatever feels natural to me without being lazy or rushing things. I have the convenience of working alone, there's no band, no rehearsal time, no live shows so I don't think it's too optimistic to have that kind of output.
Do you have any thoughts on the next chapter for Last Days?
I've started a few new tracks, I'd like to finish 2 or 3 and then decide what I think it sounds like and what direction it should go in. I'm really hoping to get a cello and some female vocals or spoken words on the next album; I have spoken to people briefly about this so I hope it works out. I seem to have a love for movie soundtracks at the moment so perhaps there will be a theme running though it. I think perhaps there was enough doom on the last one so it might be a little more melodic... it's a bit too early to say really.
When we last spoke, you confessed to a love of textural music like Port-Royal, Sigur Ros and Slowdive. Has your tastes changed in the past year and if so, how has this manifested on the new album.
The truth is I've heard very few new albums this year; I haven't listened to much music at all. I can't find any explanation for this but I don't think my taste has changed dramatically, I think I'm slowly moving away from dream-like ambiance and more toward lo-fi or folk where things, I feel, are a little more realistic.
If you were given the chance to collaborate with any artist in the world, who would you choose?
Piana singing perhaps?! I'm a bit of a recluse, collaborations don't appeal to me but to use an orchestra would be a dream. I'm currently working on music for some pieces of video art for someone which is very exciting to watch take shape. A movie soundtrack is one kind of collaboration I would be interested in.
It's getting to that time of year again. Any thoughts on album of the year? Also, what has been your biggest surprise and biggest disappointment?
I mentioned I've not heard much new music this year, but I was hugely impressed with the epic45 album 'may your heart be the map' it's exactly the mix of acoustic and electronic I crave for these days.
I really wasn't expecting Radiohead to come along with something so easy to get into which includes so many strong tunes, I think it's not so much of a development as a step backwards but if I'm honest it's what I wanted to hear from them so 'In Rainbows' is one of my favourites this year (read the Angry Ape review).
With OiNK being shut down and Radiohead experimenting with distribution methods, what do you think is in store for the music industry in the future?
I can't see illegal downloading or file sharing disappearing anytime soon. I think in time it's inevitable that a physical version of music will be an obsolete idea but it might be kept alive to some extent by a few people (like me) who like the artwork or something tangible. It's a generational thing, I doubt my grandchildren will have available to them any physical format at all and they will have nothing to miss and no reason to be unhappy with that, just like children today don't miss cassettes - they don't know what they are.
With OiNK or any file sharing network being shut down doesn't mean the demand for free music will go away, it just moves the people along temporally only to find other home until the next time they're shut down.
Artists can only make money as long a record labels are willing to pay them, if albums are not sold then maybe a time will come when no money at all can be made from music. I don't think Radiohead are necessarily a good example of a new way of thinking because only a handful of bands of their status could make money from the sheer volume of copies sold, despite little promotion and only 68% of customers paying anything. For small bands this kind of arrangement would be impossible if they wanted to make a living.
Perhaps we might end up with a generation of artists who only make music for the love of it and money will be permanently removed from the equation, half the bands in the NME would no longer be fiercely promoted by large labels and would disappear which might not be such a bad thing...
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