Scale, the latest EP by Drogheda composer and musician, Breifne Holohan, features two of his earliest works for electric guitar and electronics, both composed in 2005. Newly unearthed and remastered, it marks the composer’s first forays into experimental electronic and ambient music.

“In 2004 I bought a cheap multi-effects processor and became preoccupied with a particular delay effect” Breifne explained to Drogheda Life.

“It allowed me to play against a delayed or echoed version of my guitar, setting up sequences of canonic patterns and hocketing. I found I could create interesting, evolving soundscapes and multi-layered guitar parts live, without the need for overdubbing or recording loops.

“scale is the first of my electric guitar and electronic explorations. It is based on a single musical scale which slowly expands over several minutes. By gradually adding a single note to the steadily growing ladder of pitches a series of cascading patterns forms. The piece finishes with a more rhythmically propulsive section, reminiscent of American minimalist music.

“Distant Voices (2005) was written with a more colourful, orchestral vision in mind while using the same electronic effects as scale. In this piece multiple overdubbed guitars were used alongside polyphonic pitch shifting effects, allowing for richer, more sophisticated harmonies.” 

scale is available on bandcamp.com and all online streaming platforms.

Breifne is a musician, composer and producer from Drogheda. A guitarist and pianist, he is a regular performer of his own work and has collaborated with a variety of visual artists, writers, poets, filmmakers, dancers and theatre groups.

Particularly interested in soundtrack and stage work, he has composed and arranged for the Collaborative Artists Company (The Dream Work), Abbott Dance Theatre, UK (Deeds Not Words, Launch Day), Upstate Theatre Project (The Morning Side of the Mountain). As a producer/performer he has made albums with Róisín Ward Morrow and Sean Mathews. He is also the founding member of fusion/ambient music project, six-string drum as well as guitarist in traditional Irish duo, Uisneach.

https://breifneholohan.bandcamp.com/album/scale

https://music.apple.com/ie/album/scale-single/1793867940

https://open.spotify.com/album/1ujAZDo5UIXfxZHMkWIJJi?si=O_z4A5ZSRIqXmgtIHbx70g

http://breifneholohan.com/