Heavy Everywhere® proudly announces the release of a new Fine Art photography book by Phil Wolstenholme.

This luxury hardback item features 92 color plates and a lengthy introduction on Phil’s digital manipulation techniques, particularly with regard to High Dynamic Range imaging, image-fusion, and image-stitching.

Phil Wolstenholme is a digital artist based in Sheffield, Great Britain, and has been producing photographs within the local area and the Peak District for over 25 years. The Networks project, a self-imposed discipline of image-capture and presentation, has been the central focus of his personal work for most of that time.

The book presents a selection of his latest digital photographs, featuring both single-image and large-scale composite works, created during 2008 – 2009.

The book presents a selection of phil’s latest digital photographs of landscapes captured in and around Sheffield and The Peak District, Great Britain, during 2008-2009. Published by Heavy Everywhere®, this luxury item is hardback only, 13 X 11 inches (33 X 28 cm), with 116 pages printed on premium art paper, featuring 92 color plates and is available from the Blurb Bookstore for UK£61.95 (EUR€92.75, US$111.46).

Phil just told me that he is really, really pleased with the book, and he wasn’t expecting to be!

A film by Eve Wood

The Beat Is The Law is a feature-length independent documentary about the journey through the 80’s and 90’s taken by a group of innovative artists living in Sheffield, a city famous for Electronic Pop but at the same time worst hit by Thatcher’s economic policies; an anarchic journey which lands them at the heart of the UK’s Dance and Britpop movements.

Through in-depth conversations, archive imagery and a stunning soundtrack the film documents the highs and lows of some of Sheffield’s most influential artists at a time when music played a key role in peoples’ lives. A time when the Beat was the Law.

The Beat Is The Law is currently in production and will have its world premiere in 2009. 

For one of the film’s pieces of artwork on sale in the shop, Phil Wolstenholme was asked, the mind behind some of the most classic Warp album designs, to come up with a little piece of computer art reflective of his time represented in the film. He came up with such an amazingly intricate and personal piece of art! Hurry up to buy! Original Giclée Print limited edition of 100 only.

Originally a Fine Art graduate of Sheffield Hallam University, Phil Wolstenholme has worked at the coalface of inventive computer art for nearly 20 years, and has inhabited a variety of strange but CGI-rich environments during that time.

Often working in conjunction with Designers Republic, Phil produced some of the most enduring sleeve images of the electronic/techno phenomenon from the early-to-mid 90’s. In his cover images for musical artists such as 808 State, The Orb, and Cabaret Voltaire, and for clients such as Warp Records, Designers Republic, Sony Japan and Strictly Rhythm, his unique style and pioneering use of 3D imagery helped define the look of a whole new musical genre.

Cover images of the time include such classics as:

‘The Extended Pleasures of Dance EP’ by 808 State
‘Yeah You’ by The Step on Warp Records
‘This is Strictly Rhythm’ and ‘Tracks ‘92? on Strictly Rhythm Records
‘UFOrb’ by The Orb
‘Groovy Laidback and Nasty’ and ‘Colours’ by Cabaret Voltaire
‘Pioneers of the Hypnotic Groove’, compilation series on Warp Records
‘(Artificial Intelligence)’ and ‘(Artificial Intelligence II)’ on Warp Records
‘A Different Drum’ by The Shamen
‘The Professional School of Techno’ on Sony Music (Japan)
‘Pulseman’ on Frogman Records (Japan)

In 1993, together with CG artists David Slade and Jess Scott-Hunter, he produced a still talked-about (and still influential) video release that set Warp’s finest electronic musical artists against ambitious CGI, in a suite of plot-based animation sequences. On a miniscule production budget, ‘Motion’ exceeded all expectations, and launched at the ICA in London, was a huge success.

Alongside this were projects such as a collaboration with the British composer Gavin Bryars, producing 3D animation for projection during live orchestral performances of ‘Sinking of the Titanic’, 1995.

Since these heady days, Phil has continued to produce commercial CG images, is a panoramic landscape photographer, and has also worked extensively within the software industry, designing, developing and demonstrating new 3D software packages and literature. Phil recently exhibited a new body of work at a former monastery in Provence, France.

He has also launched a publishing company, Heavy Everywhere®, producing digital fractal imagery for fabric, interior design and other product lines. The first fashion release is a range of luxury swimwear on a new label in January 2009. More information on the official The Beat Is The Law site.

NEW RELEASE: The Orb – The BBC Sessions 1991-2001. Despite me having the Strange Fruit Peel Session CD from 1991 in my Orb-Collection, this new repackaged and remastered 2CD offering has brought together a large slice of the Orb’s BBC sessions into one easy to listen package.

I might be a little cynical about The Orb these days, hey! Deluxe versions of U.f.Orb, Adventures Beyond… Cydonia and Orblivion, same music in a new plastic box, all about the money? I am a hardcore fan of Orb and i crave for some new fresh music from the Orb! Let’s turn back time some 10 years Alex and Kris with some talented producers like Youth and Lewis… Those were the times! They made music that blew you hair back! Only wishful thinking from my side.

I guess I’ll be picking up this CD eventually when it hits my face in some store, but it’s not one of those rare Orb CD that you go turning the internet upside-down to find [...]

Tracklisting:

The BBC Sessions 1989-2001 Disc 1

1. A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules From The Centre Of The Ultraworld (Loving You) [John Peel Session 3/12/1989]
2. Back Side Of The Moon [John Peel Session 3/12/1989]
3. Into The Fourth Dimension [John Peel Session 3/12/1989]
4. O.O.B.E. [John Peel Sessions 12/5/1992]
5. No Fun [John Peel Sessions 12/5/1992]
6. Once More [The Evening Session: 1/3/2001]
7. I Am The Red Worm [The Evening Session: 1/3/2001]
8. EDM [The Evening Session: 1/3/2001]

The BBC Sessions 1989-2001 Disc 2

1. Plateau [Mark Radcliffe 12/7/1995]
2. Oxbow Lakes [Mark Radcliffe 12/7/1995]
3. Towers Of Dub [Mark Radcliffe 12/7/1995]
4. Montagne D’Or (Der Gute Berg)[John Peel 14/2/1995]
5. Perpetual Dawn [Lamacq Live 12/10/1998]
6. Egnable [Lamacq Live 12/10/1998]
7. Assassin [Lamacq Live 12/10/1998]
8. Toxygene [Lamacq Live 12/10/1998]
9. Little Fluffy Clouds [Lamacq Live 12/10/1998]

Label: Universal Island Records, Format: File, MP3 320, Album Released:2008 Genre: Electronic

For those interested into the story behind the remastering, take a look at the blog below.
Mastering The Orb – Complete BBC Sessions

Designers Republic stand out in modern digital design they do anything and everything not afraid to plunge into it. And what they touch turn to gold! I don’t know how many album covers i have that proves my point, they are always one step ahead everyone else.

 Angry Man by DR™

They have come up with some witty quotes: – “Cats are Boring.” From the Wipeout 2097 Video Game , ”If you set your mind free baby, maybe you’ll understand.” From the Scorpio Rising and this is my favorite: “DON’T LEAVE EARTH WITHOUT ONE” This refers to an older American Express slogan: “Don’t leave home without it.” From The Orb’s Mission ’92 poster that I have on my wall! And it’s also on the sticker above from The Orb – Assassin CD  (Part Two).

Turn down the Volume…We’re sleeping, Fax from Uranus. july 29. 1992 ”DON’T LEAVE EARTH WITHOUT ONE”  from U.f.Orb – The listening excursion. 

Orl Orb Design: “- Captain what’s the designers republic? “bespoke STAR TREK tailoring, Scotty.” CD inlay of U.f.Orb. Phil Wolstenholme a very good friend of mine designed the cover for that album! And he surprised me on my birthday some years back, sending me the original print as a gift! I have it on the wall here and i love it! Thanks Phil! 

I will to lookup more witty slogans from DR soon.