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Thom Brennan (born May 31, 1957 in Lubbock, Texas) is an American electronic ambient musician, composer and synthesist.[1][2] Active since the 1980s with his first album Mountains (1987), he belongs to the scene of Californian pioneers of electronic music. His style encloses the principal traits characterizing the evolution from Terry Riley's and Morton Subotnick's minimalism to the form of electronic new-age suite.[3]
Thom Brennan
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| Born | (1957-05-31) May 31, 1957 (age 67) Lubbock, Texas, U.S. |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Electronic, ambient, new-age |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, synthesist, producer |
| Instrument(s) | Synthesizers |
| Years active | 1987 – present |
| Labels | Rubicon, Phonogram Records, Amplexus / Arya, IC Records, Projekt, Space For Music, AtmoWorks, Fortuna / Celestial Harmonies, Raingarden SoundWorks |
| Website | www.thombrennan.com |
Thom Brennan's music is realized almost exclusively with synthesizers, with rare use of samples and without any acoustic instrument.[4] His production consist mostly of beatless soundscapes;[3] however, in a few works which he himself calls rhythmic journeys, Brennan employs percussive sounds and, more frequently, rhythmic synth patterns or timbral movements.[3]
His first work, Mountains, was recorded on a 2 track stereo cassette deck in 1987;[3] it was inspired by memories of Thom Brennan's childhood on an island in the East China Sea.[5] This album was one of the most ambitious works of the so-called Los Angeles school; Steve Roach helped with the production.[3][6]
His compositions are largely inspired by nature,[7][8] especially by American Southwest landscapes and by Pacific Northwest forests.[3][4] All this results in a neo-classical ambient impressionism distinguished by a strong visual approach, as shown in albums like Mist and others he has recorded, starting from 2001, after a move to Seattle.[3][9]
In addition to his solo productions, Brennan appeared in collaboration with other well-known ambient composers such as Steve Roach and Kevin BrahenyonWestern Spaces (1987) and Vidna ObmanaonAmplexus: Collected Works from the 1995 Ltd Series (1997). However, all of Thom Brennan's main works are self-productions, and since the beginning of his career he has chosen the World Wide Web as the primary channel of distribution.[3][9] Today he continues working as an independent artist, publishing his releases through his own label, Raingarden SoundWorks.
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