Soundtrack to escapism:
Robbie Cumming (BBC Four Canal Boat Diaries)
releases new CD
KWS Blank Canvas Music / Absolute Label Services
Release date 14 April 2023
‘Choons Vol.1 & 2’ CD is Robbie’s first physical release through independent Bath based label KWS Blank Canvas Music / Absolute Label Services and is available from 14 April 2023. The album features 22 original lo-fi synth folk instrumentals written and recorded on narrowboat ‘Naughty Lass’ to accompany the release of the fourth series of BBC Four’s Canal Boat Diaries.
Robbie writes, performs and produces all the tracks, also designing the artwork from cover to cover. All of the tracks on the CD have been self-produced on an iPhone/iPad using just an acoustic guitar and Apple’s Garageband software for iOS. He lives a nomadic lifestyle on his narrowboat, enforced by his boat’s ‘continuous cruising’ licence, and driven by his love of exploring. His ‘choons’ provide the soundtrack to his YouTube vlogs about exploring and living on the UK’s canal network, and appear throughout the BBC television series Canal Boat Diaries.
“Living on a boat with a continuous cruiser licence means I have to keep moving… You’re often staying in remote places for a couple of weeks at the most. Band practices, regular studio time, collaborating with other musicians and producers – neither would work for me, so I had to do take on everything myself. With my boat running on 12v power I also don’t have the power (let alone the money) for professional recording equipment. But I did find the acoustics onboard were just right, and mooring in the middle of nowhere it was quiet enough to record – which I did so, to begin with often just using my phone’s microphone. I taught myself many elements of music production from YouTube, and then I’d upload a track as part of my vlogs. I started to become known around the country and overseas and a few years later the BBC contracted me to self-shoot a TV series for them. But the fact that my music has played in millions of homes across the country without a label is mind blowing. I don’t really know how this has all happened but I’m so proud – I used to work at HMV in the stockroom, putting stickers on CDs and to think I’ll now have my own… it’s a dream come true”.
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