This album has been written using a set of dice to to randomly determine the pitch and duration of the notes. Most have been written just using the major C octave but for the final track I decided to go full chromatic - increasing the likelihood of discord and, hopefully, resolution.

In each track, I've generated short phrases and looped them together to make a structure.

For one track I let the dice decide what the instruments should be, and on a couple of tracks the whole rhythm/percussion is randomly generated (into repeated phrases).

Most of the tracks were written during the overlap between the Trump presidency and the Johnson premiership - a dispiriting time, as it seemed like the enlightenment was being rolled back.

Much of it was also written during the 2020 COVID outbreak, some of it actually in lockdown, some in the gaps between actual lockdown, but all without face to face contact with other musicians and songwriters, though there was a regular virtual pub with various former bandmates, who helped me with tips on mastering and made generally supportive comments about each track as it emerged.

About half way through writing the album I discovered a graphic software program called Processing 3, and have made some videos with abstract shapes - just to give something to accompany the songs. They can be found on Youtube, by googling Youtube Orchestre Nihilistica - but I'm still learning so quality isn't up to much yet.

During the writing and recording of the album I also got involved in a project set up by One Little Independent Records, to remix Crass songs from the original recordings of their first album (you can find my efforts at remaking 'Gs Song' on a short four track EP on here called G's Song Project). Track 9 of this album uses some of the recording of Steve Ignorant's vocals from Do They Owe Us a Living.

Track 2 has a drum recording created by Joe Montague - who is working his way through the Beatles back catalogue, recreating Ringo Starr's unique style. he's a really nice bloke and a brilliant drummer. If you want to find a drummer to collaborate with, give him a shout.

I've created all the artwork from various sources including the front cover of The Dice Man by Luke Reinehart, published by Harper Collins. First published in 1971. Loaded magazine called him the novelist of the century (I think they were exaggerating).

My next project will be an album of tracks created using real instruments, found noises and looping.