Alex Ives (born 7 July 1989), known by his stage name Specimens, is an electronic, experimental, ambient & drone musician of British/Jamaican descent based in London UK.
Specimens | |
|---|---|
 Specimens in 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Alex Ives |
| Also known as | Specimens |
| Born | 7 July 1989 Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2012–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | specimensmusic.co.uk |
Solo work as Specimens
editStarting out as a bedroom project in 2012, Ives officially released his first solo work under the name Specimens in 2015 with a Compact Cassette release on Shimmering Moods Records.[2] He subsequently went on to release a number of cassettes[3] on labels such as A Giant Fern & Tenderly Surrender ahead of his debut album 'Sculptures' in 2016.[4] Also in 2016 Ives launched his own label First Terrace Records[5] which has gone on to release artists such as Peter Broderick (Beacon Sound Choir),[6] Chihei Hatakeyama, Anna Homler, Pierre Bastien & Machinefabriek.
Early music career
editIves started out as a guitarist and drummer in garage rock and punk bands, most notably as a former member of Thee MVPs.[7] In this band he toured extensively around Europe and America[8] supporting artists such as Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes,[9] Pulled Apart by Horses,[10] Temples, Twin Peaks,[11] Ty Segall, Night Beats & Television. During this period he had releases on labels such as Burger Records,[12] Greenway Records, Slovenly Recordings,[13] Easy Action, Batchelor Records & more. He is also a founding member & drummer in the band Ice Baths[14] which released their debut album[15] in 2018 on the London-based label Blank Editions (Thurston Moore, Douglas Hart, Housewives).[16]
Selected solo discography
edit- 2015 – II (Shimmering Moods Records) (Cassette)
- 2015 – Water & Concrete (Tenderly Surrender) (Cassette)
- 2016 – J C / Specimens (A Giant Fern) (Cassette)
- 2017 – Sculptures (First Terrace Records) (LP)
- 2018 – In The Dust of Idols (SVS Records) (LP)
- 2019 – Specimens / Inchindown (Display) (Cassette)
- 2019 – MIND-DRONE Vol. 7 (Drone Records) (LP Compilation)
- 2020 – Café Songs (First Terrace Records) (Cassette)
- 2020 – @0 (Ahead Of Our Time) (CD Compilation)
- 2022 – Intersections (First Terrace Records) (LP)
- 2023 - Power Pain Privilege (First Terrace Records) (LP)
- 2023 - To Light a Candle is to Cast a Shadow (Cluster Node) (Cassette Compilation)
References
edit- ^ "Pop & Rock Listings for June 10-16". The New York Times. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ "Shimmering Moods Multi View". Igloomag. igloomag. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "7 TRACKS THAT INSPIRED SPECIMENS' DEBUT LP, SCULPTURES". hyponik. Hyponik. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "SCULPTURES // SPECIMENS". Stray Landings. Theo Darton-Moore. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "LISTEN: First Releases By First Terrace Records". Spools Out. Tristan Bath. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "The Beacon Sound Choir Sunday Songs". Pitchfork. Philip Sherbourne. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "Introducing Thee MVPs". Punktastic. Punktastic. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "Thee MVPs Past Shows". Wordpress. Thee MVPs. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "THEE MVPS JOIN FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES NOVEMBER TOUR". Punktastic. Punktastic. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "TIGERCUB AND THEE MVPS TO SUPPORT PULLED APART BY HORSES ON UK TOUR". Punktastic. Punktastic. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "THEE MVPS". Original Penguin. Original Penguin. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "hee MVPs - Receiver // Limited Colored Vinyl 10"s (3 Variants)". Sly Vinyl. David Hampton.
- ^ "Introducing Thee MVPs". Punktastic. Punktastic. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "ICE BATHS REVEAL FIRST SINGLE FROM DEBUT ALBUM". Circus Sweet. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "introducing Ice Baths". Giglist. giglist. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "Ice Baths: New Strappings Pt 1 – single review". Louder Than War. Ioan. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
External links
edit- Specimens discography at MusicBrainz