Various Artists
Happy Machine: Standard Music Library 1970-2010
PUBINF012
Release Date: 5th May 2014
30 track double LP (500 copy pressing) / Download

Unofficial sequel to our Parry Music compilation from 2012, here again we step into the world of library. With official permission granted from the label itself we have selected 31 tracks from UK library music institution Standard Music spanning 30 years of electronic play, this is Happy Machine.

Standard Music Library was established in 1968 as a partnership between independent music publisher David Platz and London Weekend Television. Themes and incidental music for hit LWT shows like Black Beauty, Upstairs, Downstairs, On the Buses and The Professionals, were written under Standard’s wing. A breathtaking who’s-who of musicians recorded under the Standard banner, pressing up records that are now found in the rare as hens-teeth zone; Brian Eno, Delia Derbyshire, John Gregory. Those who feature on Happy Machine include... Brian Hodgson, John Kongos, Richard Thair, John Keating, Mike Vickers, Marco Pirroni and none other than Beatles producer George Martin jamming out on a Moog.....These characters and more are nestled comfortably here on Happy Machine as we try to make sense of our favourite electronic moments from this incredible library.

We trip from desolate Radiophonic ambient, to cute bleep-idents, to stark contemporary drone to jagged electronic scorch. There are moments of square-Italo groove, freaky electroid-psych and early 70’s Beat. Moog-heavy workouts sit nervously aside unsettling concrete. Harsh science-fiction drama bristles against gentle Romantic interludes. This is electronic library music laid bare in all its wonderful diversity; sounds for a thousand images, scores for myriad backdrops, as British spring breaks its silence, Happy Machine is the record for these days.

A1. Logo Rhythmic II - Reginald J. Lewis (ESL133B)
A2. Cathedral Of Space - Brian Hodgson (ESL133B)
A3. Arcadian Valley - Reginald J. Lewis (ESL133A)
A4. Deserted Starship - Richard Hewson (ESL008d)
A5. Haley’s Largo - John Keating (ESL008d)
A6. Programmadate - Reginald J. Lewis (ESL133B)
A7. Sidestreet - John Kongos (ESL164)
B1. Happy Machine - Reginald J. Lewis (ESL133B)
B2. Curve of the Wind - Mike Vickers (ESL122A)
B3. Eary Feary - George Martin (ESL121B)
B4. Homing Nucleus - Mike Vickers (ESL121B)
B5. In the Shadows - Chris McCormack (ESL201d)
B6. In Safe Hands (No Bass / No Beats) - Kirk Thompson (ELS099)
B7. The Craters of Mars - Brian Hodgson (ESL133)
B8. Sous Sol - Elliot Ireland, Alessandro Rizzo, Tom Greenwood (ESL074)

C1. Flutes - Naim Amor (ESL203)
C2. Glass Corridor into Hall of Glass Clocks - John Gregory (ESL116B)
C3. Take me Home - Richard Thair (ESL096)
C4. Happy Soul - Jim Lawless (ESL215)
C5. The Wind From Nowhere - Mike Vickers (ESL127A)
C6. Banshee - Reginald J. Lewis (ESL133B)
C7. Headful of Birds - Mike Vickers (ESL127A)
D1. The Seven Immortals - Kirk Thompson (ESL099)
D2. Crystal Forms - Brian Hodgson, Reginald J. Lewis (ESL133A)
D3. Song Of The Wilderness - Brian Hodgson, Reginald J. Lewis (ESL133B)
D4. In The Beginning - Mike Vickers (ESL127A)
D5. Mystery Stomp (B) - Marco Pirroni (ESL218)
D6. On The Streets - John Kongos (ESL164)
D7. Haley’s Comet - John Keating (ESL008d)
D8. Goodnight - Chris Barron (ESL154)