Archive for September 2020

Fragments – Available 6 November 2020

Posted on 29th September 2020 in News, Releases

Our new album, “Fragments”, will be released on 6th November 2020 on limited CD, ultra high-definition 24bit downloads (FLAC & WAV), high quality 16bit WAV and 320kbps MP3.

“Fragments was a completely new way of working for us. We’ve always worked with an internal brief, creating documents, pictures and videos, simply because keeping an idea on track with three individuals can be difficult. It’s easy for someone to be edged out of the creative process when the focus is not clearly defined.

It’s a formula we’ve used since the early 2000s, but things have changed a lot since then, particularly when we decided to dip our collective toes into supporter memberships with Patreon. It made us think about what we could do directly for our supporters rather than just the next album or project. At first, the whole thing felt odd and uncomfortable, but we decided that we’d try a few things and ask for feedback.

Fragments was initially a way for us to see how we could include others in an ongoing creative process. There was no over-arching concept, no defined characteristics or purpose, just the promise that there would be at least one new track for members to download every month. Consequently, we never knew what was coming next, so the old, very focused working method was irrelevant. It was difficult for us to let individual tracks go without knowing what was coming next, but this also made the project more interesting.

And then C19 hit and we were forced to continue the project remotely from our home studios. As difficult as the disruption was, it was during this period that we realised we could re-organise and remaster the individual tracks into a coherent album, capturing a specific moment in time and drawing a line under the first phase of the project.

Like our “Allegory” EPs, we’ve tried to keep everything stripped back. We used to hide many subtle elements within the layers, but not so much this time.

Fragments is our journey through many changes, both self-imposed and those imposed upon us, and it ultimately led us to create things differently. We hope you like it.”

Support Us At Patreon
Our supporters at Patreon can get the demo version right now and will be able to download the final masters just before the official release date. If you’re interested in joining and supporting our projects, check out: https://www.patreon.com/theblackdogma

Pre-Order Now
DustStore.com
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Sample Packs on DustStore

Posted on 28th September 2020 in Releases

Our first three sample packs are now available for download at DustStore.com!

These include a massive collection of kick drum samples and loops, a range of heavy bass tones and some classic sounds from the old Oberheim Matrix 1000 synthesiser. The samples are downloadable as high-quality 24bit 48khz WAV files or as preset racks for Ableton Live (10 Standard and Suite).

They’re all “royalty free”, so you can use them in your own music without worrying about credits or royalties. We’ve even added a freebie preview pack so you can have a peek at what’s going on:

https://www.duststore.com/collections/studio

Of course, our supporters on Patreon already get these (and more) for the price of a decent beer each month. You can join right now at: https://www.patreon.com/theblackdogma

New Merch @ Teespring

Posted on 26th September 2020 in News

We now have a new range of official merchandise over at teespring, featuring some brand new exclusive designs, along with a few reworks of old favourites. Check out the range at:

https://teespring.com/stores/the-black-dog

No Bounds 2020 – Live Stream

Posted on 17th September 2020 in Gigs, News

With most festivals and clubs still a no-go environment, a few promoters like the crew at No Bounds, are pushing ahead with some interesting online events instead. We’re prepping a new set for this unique event and will announce further details nearer the time.

http://noboundsfestival.co.uk/

Facebook Live Chit-chat

Posted on 12th September 2020 in News

Martin did a little session on Facebook Live recently, chatting about upcoming projects and answering odd questions from viewers. It seemed to go down well and gave us a few ideas for future sessions, so we’ll probably do a bit more of this in future.

Sample Pack 06: Drones (Vol. 2)

Posted on 1st September 2020 in Patreon, Studio & Production

In the second drone pack, we deliver 82 new tones shifting to further extremes; On one set, we toy with the unusual harmonics of complex, layered source tones, while the second explores the purity of primary waveforms. Sometimes dirty and uncomfortable, they all demonstrate beauty in raw simplicity.

This release contains two different packages: 24-bit WAV audio samples (2.1GB!) for use in any compatible music production software and a collection of Ableton Live Instrument Racks (1.2GB). It’s available for our Patreon supporters to download right now:
https://www.theblackdogma.com/patreon-downloads/

If you’re interested in supporting us and our work, you’ll get access to loads more too, including all of the current sample packs, our recent Allegory EPs and the demos of our forthcoming “Fragments” album. It only costs the price of a nice beer each month and there are no dirty contracts or long term commitments, so you can easily cancel your membership at any time.

For full details, take a look at:
https://www.patreon.com/theblackdogma