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Paul Morrin, a.k.a. Spectac, has been producing
odd un-categorisable music since his very first "track"
in 1993 entitled: Space Rabbit. Dubbed and crafted
from delay pedal and a Yamaha PSR-400 keyboard, with the illustrious
Dublin techno-legend Platinum Ray (Ting Chuggy), and that
crazy Caffo guy you see around town. In these early days we
had no clue of midi etc. states Morrin, It was all guitar
pedals, record players, and scrap metal, he says. Under their
Members of PSR-400 moniker, the rabbit was received extremely
well by a surprisingly large public, though The Members had never
officially released or promoted it. In fact there wasnt a
single review in writing.
About five hundred tracks and five years later, he finally purchased
some real equipment, a Korg MS-10 and an EMU sampler. He set about
a new project using mostly computer software, forming Piqlet
with the drummer from local band The Jimmy Cake (then Das
Madman), John Dermody. It was during this time that they
set up local label Front End Synthetics as a platform to
release theirs and their friends music locally.
Morrins debut live performance came around in 2000 at Vicar
Street, playing support to Lee Scratch Perry & the
Robotiks as Burning Man with Dublins D1 &
u:mack regular Tóirse, all the while preparing
for his own solo shows. These soon came in a flood around Dublin
and parts of the country, sometimes playing up to 6 times in a month
in venues the likes of the tiny Lazybird to larger festivals
like Mór in Charleville castle, earning his reputation
as one of the most original electronic acts in Ireland, and well
able to get a crowd going when he wants to.
His music is mainly comprised of sharp-edged percussive sound with
many various overlaying patterns. Melody-saturated riff writing
with random twisted noise is another glorious trait of Spectacs.
His first released track entitled Cyborgs in the face of
every child, on F.E.S.s second compilation Synthetic
Allsorts came out in 2001. This immediatly led him to
being asked for appearances on various compilations and for remixes
by friends such as Planet-mus Ambulance, Booger
(Tóirse) and a glistening mix on Rod's new EP: "All
My Love".
Spectacs debut album in 2003; Rabbid on
Front End Synthetics, affected many poor souls intensely (for better
or worse) earning these quotes:
"A disturbing piece of electronic psychedelia"
anorak
"...sounds like it has grown of it's own accord in the woods
at night, emerging spectre-like from the shadows...highly recommended
album" warpmart
"...anthemic, pounding, stately, slinky, and alien..."
grooves magazine
In 2004 Morrin took a year and a half break from touring the Dublin
live circuit to work on music without the constant interruption
of assembling and disassembling his outboard equipment, and preparing
constantly alterating one-off live sets. As his skills in the studio
started to improve Morrin was asked to help out as a programming
engineer for South Dublin's composer in residence; Daniel Figgis.
He was asked to work on spatial sound effects for local animation
crowd the Delicious 9s animated feature "Stars",
which won best animated short at the Galway Film Fleadh
in 2005. This also led him to a full sound & music credit on
their next project Save the Robot for RTEs
long running acclaimed childrens show The Den.
It was just then that he was requested to do an EP for the stylish
and reputable offbeat Lo Recordings. Their new stamp LOaf
which is launching early 2006, will release a series of interesting
and limited 3 CDs. Spectacs second release, the
five track Repentagon will be out on LOaf some
time in the summer of 2006.


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