A Pyxie Worm

Creating soundscapes that need to be drifted around your room before they make any sort of sense, this is what would be going on in Four Tet’s head if he dreamt of collaborating with Zero 7.

Opener ‘Harborside’ sets the tone with its late night/early morning feel. It makes you long to wander around in the very early hours of day watching workers rubbing the sleep away and opening up the counter in the local bakery, people stumbling home from the night before not sure as to what they’ve done. It makes you want to watch life and for that it’s truly amazing.

The incredibly private group (“one female, one male” is all the detail you’re getting) describe the music as “searching for the happiness you haven’t quite reached” and while that may be true for certain listeners, the feelings that this invokes will vary from bedroom to bedroom.

Without wanting to sound too arsey or spiritual, this is incredibly absorbing music that pushes away boundaries and leaves you not wanting to make any comparisons but ultimately realising that as a reviewer its your role.

Put it this way if Sigur Ros forgot the need for an orchestra and instead relied solely on laptops, drums and ok, a lot of other stuff, they’d still struggle to make something as solely beautiful as this. A real surprise and a real find.

For more information you can visit: http://www.apyxieworm.co.uk/APW/A_Pyxie_Worm.html

Reviewed by: Owen Mckeon - glasswerk.co.uk - November 2007 - Glasswerk.co.uk

Combining electronic beats, found sounds, field recordings, keyboards and a myriad of instruments, A Pyxie Worm creates surreal atmospheres ideal for introspective escapism. A male and female duo from London, they allow nature to breathe through electronic means. Serene, but far from New Age or overtly emotional, songs like "I Cut Off My Doll's Hair and Now She's Bald" act as subtle reminders of one's internal meanderings. - Beyond Race Magazine

Trance Fury Radio - Featured Artist

Hailing from London in the UK, A Pyxie Worm uses a laptop computer technology and real instruments to weave together found sounds, samples, rhythms and field recordings, A Pyxie Worm produce enchanting sonic landscapes that transport you to another world, if you just let their incredible music draw you in.

Although they are, as yet, unsigned, the male and female London duo, have built up a large group of admirers on MySpace and have released a self produced debut EP, 'Formica and Cork Tiles' in 2006, followed by two simultaneously released albums, Horizontal and Vertical in 2007.

Kites and Bicycles:
I've listened to this track several times now and it always sounds just as good as I remember it from the first time. If you know me I'm a big proponent of music that sets a tone, especially based on the title. From the start you get a good picture of this track with the sound effects from the entrance to the song. Easing in with a light but effective acoustic riff the track flows well from the start. Some people may not like the repetitive nature of the acoustic but it's there for a reason. When the beat kicks in you get a good feel for where the track is going. I like the mixed rhythm which changes things up a bit. Once the soloing acoustic comes in you can only dream of a childhood memory. The spot that really gets the juice flowing for me is when the acoustic switches up. I can't tell but it almost sounds like some light strings in the background. It's a nice mix of spacial harmonies and it strikes a soft spot when the beat hits another timing. I can't really find anything negative to say except that I wish the track was a little longer. I think it could have really kicked into an extra gear after the acoustic change.

Overall I think it's a solid track which peaked my interest to listen to some of the other material on the EP. If they continue I can only assume that their writing ability will jump to another level as they learn the endless possibilities of working together.

Originality: 3.5 out of 5 stars
The general nature of this type of music is to be a bit repetitive so it's justified in this case. For the most part this track is quite original with layered acoustic and layered tones. My only complaint is I wish it was a little longer! The ending seems to just get the track started and it fades out. I was a little disappoint in that regard but I can only assume it was the vision of the artist.

Production: 4.0 out of 5 stars
The production is pretty solid on this track. Good choice of rhythm and sounds. The instruments flow together and there isn't anything that seems out of place in this track. It's good to play it safe and they did a lot with the less here which in many cases is the right approach. This is where the art of music creativity comes in to play.

Overal Mix: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Maybe a slight bit more compression but overall I think it's quite well done. Levels are solid and there are a lot of good uses of EQ and volume control here. The only thing I couldn't quite pick out was what the particular sample was underneath the rhythm guitar during the break.

Marketability: 4.0 out of 5 stars
In my humble opinion you can always market this type of music. Especially something to this nature which can appeal to a wide range of listeners. It's good single material due to the length of the track so if you're looking to market something like this then a shorter track length can be a positive thing.

- Trance Fury Radio

Note: The following review is translated from French.
Original review in French at: www.indierockmag.com/article2048.html
A Pyxie Worm - Formica and Cork Tiles

With extreme success on myspace these last months, A Pyxie Worm, a London duo with Icelandic spirit, are ready to conquer the world with their promising first own produced EP.

All seems well in this great space of 'Formica and Cork Tiles'.

Undoubtedly great imaginary spaces, since the mysterious duo of A Pyxie Worm – "One Male and One Female" according to their own words, are possibly twins, "hatched from a blue egg two years before the 'Summer of Love'" and represented on their myspace page in the form of two statues standing upright in the street, arms swinging and heads low.

The image is very successful – Art in all forms is an inspiration source acknowledged by A Pyxie Worm – the green and organic predominance of this first EP confirms that our two friends like nature. Indeed they assert it, and this goes for their name with associations to a crawling plant which goes to say "grows and moves gently and innocently, little by little into our lives and into our ears, sometimes making them bleed, sometimes making them calm".

Great cold spaces from which they exhort soft paradoxes, as Björk, Sígur Rós and Múm do as well. Three Icelandic influences which sympathis with Formica and Cork Tiles, and that the duo do not dismiss as they readily acknowledge and regard 'Debut' by Björk and 'Takk'... by Sígur Rós as two of their favourite albums, while Múm's page has been held a mark within their 'Top Friends' on myspace.

Rhythmic hip-hop from analog synthesisers – this is harmonic and luminous Harbourside and it's doubled percussions of handclapping, one will not fail either to think of Boards of Canada, with whom A Pyxie Worm share instrumental tastes, giving only the title of the piece, leaving the imagination and sensitivity of the listener to make up the rest.

With more or less abstract spaces that the duo are influenced by, the splendid track 'I Cut Off My Doll's Hair And Now She's Bald' and the equally successful untitled bonus track on the limited edition EP, is a perfect homage to Boards of Canada – laughter and excalamations of children seem to come straight from 'Music Has The Right To Children', the soft reminiscences of childhood.

"We do not sing, but we have words" say A Pyxie Worm on myspace...

Yes, perhaps of large dreamed spaces, then, as they seem to imply on the intro to the overture that is 'Kites and Bicycles', a scene of a restaurant full of voices and the noises of the daily life – a storm thundering in the background, the music, surfaces little by little– an acoustic guitar, a drumkit and djumbe, the first instruments leading to mental escape and an intimate horizon. A piece nevertheless with epic moments, in which cold abstract rhythms put themselves into order in front of this hot guitar.

They have an ephemeral ambience evidently (indirectly) inherited by Massive Attack, unceasingly moving, which makes the music of this English duo so enthralling, such as on 'Long Evening Shadows' for example, perhaps one of the most successful tracks on the Album. Recalling the ambient first albums of Múm, keyboards in the background, electro sonorities and crystalline xylophone ahead – their place soon taken by a guitar playing a melody in total rapture with the first, like chamber music but with Morriconien lyricism. With thoughts already of Múm and their 'Summer Make Good' we encounter 'Maidenbower', lit by a harp worthy of 'Vespertine' by Björk. Funeral keyboards and a discreet drum of warlike step in Godspeed You! Black Emperor, with the sound of birds singing. But on the ethereal 'Marshmallow Mountain' the melody puts out the order for "new music" in rhythm with Aphex Twin and with the string instruments involved in their synthetic imitations, such a pure voice calling to dance, launching through time to softly come to another world: not to a worrying mountain made of marshmallow ........ what's beyond the great spaces and overhangs?

Nothing? Perhaps, to believe the final threat once again of 'I Cut Off My Doll's Hair And Now She's Bald', distorting childish lullaby on an air of musical box as immense as 'Vespertine'. Arranged chords and keyboards, it passes the soft melancholy of major despair with a slapping of fingers before fading. Ending in an echo of deafened synthetic chords... the end of a dream? Perhaps quite simply the end of the illusions... - IndieRockMag.com

The Debut EP from A Pyxie Worm

The debut EP from A Pyxie Worm's elusive and seemingly unknown producers draws influences mainly from downbeat and ambient, integrating a beautifully wide collage of warm and breezy atmospheric sounds that float, drift, fall and gently caress the senses throughout these intensely dreamy tracks. A Pyxie Worm's sound is very reminiscent of Four Tet's 'Paws' and 'Pauses' debut album, Aphrodezia and the lighter more ambient sides of Bonobo's earlier work. However the album does retain its own sound and is the perfect antidote for a busy mind with its twisting textures in sound and deeply atmospheric soundscapes which constantly lure the mind to another place or dimension. While most of the tracks gently meander with little direction or structure, this doesn't seem quite so critical due to the nature of the music. Highlights include the beautifully dreamy 'Maidenbower' with its gorgeous cascading harp which creates an almost oriental style vibe that blends well with contrast of the wide atmospheric organs. 'Kites and Bicycles' also has some really lush layered guitars with its busy alternative beats and well placed effects. 'Formica and Cork Tiles' provides A Pyxie worm with a great platform to further expand their sound and provides the listener with a vehicile to escape the pressures of day to day life. - Free Souls

With a debut album such as 'Formica and Cork Tiles', A Pyxie Worm were challenged before they locked themselves away in their magical music bunker to create it's two siblings, 'Horizontal' and 'Vertical'.

Your preconceptions regarding the success about these two can be left at the door: The Pyxie Parents have given birth to two albums you want to add to your CD collection.
'Horizontal' is easily recognisable as being the creation of the 'Worms.

Much like 'Formica..', the album strongly flies the themed flags of nature and fairy-tale like music, both effectively used to portray a vast array of moods.
This broad interpretation of the ambient theme leaves the listener unable to predict the next song, a trait again I attribute to the 'Pyxies.

'Dark Shores' is my personal favourite on the album. Combining the magical sound previously demonstrated on 'Formica..', the song's strongest feature is the juxtaposition of nature versus industry: two elements that on paper would seem too opposing to work, yet audibly work so well. This is again shown using the contemporary sounds on 'Sleepers' with the more traditional tones of a cello: both work wonderfully together.

The biggest progression since 'Formica...' is definitely the introduction of vocals to 'Horizontal'. Whether through the speech featured on 'Cardinal Numbers' or through the harmonious tones on 'On Stand-By', the vocals enhance the experience by blending in with the other layers of sound, rather than being a bold static inclusion that distracts from the other elements of the songs as a whole.

This album definitely will encourage me to scrap my shoe fund (temporarily of course) to buy 'Vertical'. A Pyxie Worm's ability to give us a sound that we love and distinctly recognise, yet showing artistic progression and the willingness to constantly improve their talents, is nothing short of professional.

All I can say is don't stick any contraception on that creativity guys, I demand more!

- Myspace listener Review

Note: The following review is translated from French.
Original review in French at: www.indierockmag.com/article4177.html
IndieRockMag - Horizontal & Vertical

Certain artists, notably in English rock, whose vanity and pretension often only discourage one from listening to their discs even more. But it is the opposite with other musicians, who are generally more enthralling, they show such humility that it would become insolent about it that way. Thus, without anything to know about the physical appearance of mysterious A Pyxie Worm, it's difficult to think of them having a large head, when after having announced a new EP to follow their promising 'Formica And Cork Tiles' (reviewed last summer in our pages), then two instead of one, the London electro duet finishes by delivering a true double-album all in richness and in-depth of field, whose particular analogue electronica and keyboards approach initially with the more close evocative mental landscapes of Múm or Boards Of Canada for better redrawing them squared on the dance-floor.

Without knowing too much about the why how on 'Horizontal', one can see it as being in an old film or a daydream, a landscape at the edge of sea from which the strange beauty extends as far as the eye can see. Unknown factor and possibly inhabited of a fauna and a dangerous flora, this planet is not less attractive and even per moments surprisingly familiar. Thus, while at the same time the night starts to fall, one discovers there soon, under the cries of the birds of sea, the Gothic architecture of a Moldavian castle whose metal rattlings are hardly covered by the crash of waves of the Icelandic fjord on which its old stones are camped ('Dark Shores'). The notes of a harpsichord completely in the tone of the place invites us to penetrate there by the open mouth to gain entry. One will spend the night there and vainly try to sleep, retained by the whistles gently worrying of the wind infiltrating the corridors.

In the early morning, we take again the road, while following a pair of rails vis-a-vis to a dazzling sun. Suddenly, a tram filled with Scandinavian tourists who are having a great discussion joins us in a flood of jerked lappings, then stops. ('Cardinal Numbers'). It will carry us out through a salt desert, with only the soft rustle of the coaches for company, to a crammed station ('Sleepers'). Once outside, they go around the building to meet, mouths open, in front of the exotic beauty of an abandoned beach whose fine sand is lost in the turquoise water of an inland sea, encircled by a forest of green apple trees where the birds whistle softly to an air of a Bossanova ('VerVox').

Suddenly a gigantic transparent tube, with diodes and other multicoloured electronic microcircuits welded all over the inside, starts to leave the water in great silence rises higher and higher, until addressing the sky, the sun, the angels ('One Stand-By'). With the tube now immobilised, one realises that a human sized opening is cut out at its base. Determined to borrow it and discover where it can lead, one penetrates there and one starts to climb, level after level, for finding itself soon lost in a cloudy fog with the colors pastel, unreal, whose thickening sees little by little declining the ambient luminosity. Continuing the rise while groping, the end of the road suddenly is reached: a metal trap door without a handle, that nothing seems to be able to open inside. It opens nevertheless, without their being for anything there. Above us, a welcoming committee of a dozen people, dressed in astronauts' smart white combinations. At the head, a woman, who gets ahead on us by smiling and asks: "Where have you been?". Behind them, a futuristic metropolis great in height, pure and majestic in lines. A city in clouds.

None of our guides will pronounce of another word. With their continuation, one traverses the deserted and immaculate boulevards of this stratospheric city during a time which seems to be an eternity. An infinity of gigantic skyscrapers, or rather of cloud-scrapers, since in the sky there are only cirrocumulus and nimbostratus, but not the least sign of life, animal or vegetable, outwards of course of our small group of guides... which suddenly starts to disappear one by one before our eyes, while at the same time, gradually erased around them, boulevards and skyscraper, to the clouds themselves which start to vibrate for finally leaving place with... a framed roof, walls out of wood decorated with advertising bills for alcoholic drinks, a rustic bar and its irascible barman, tables, chairs, one who is given some to heart-joy ('Vigorare'). We're here in a true Irish pub, but we don't have time to stay too long before it vibrates away to allow the appearance of a landscape of Colorado, desert of stones and vertiginous canyons under a blazing sun, in the hypnotic undulation of a mirage in levitation ('Drifting Sands').

But this unreal beauty could not hide a quite real danger for very long: to stray from the road and to finish, desiccated, far from all, without the least hope to be found. To this idea, the vague concern which tortured us is transformed quickly into panic and, as if the universe itself only existed to answer our feelings and our emotions, a fog to be crossed to the knife falls suddenly, like a shroud. Confused, one begins to run in all directions, without a reference mark, and whereas all seems lost and one plans to give up the fight, a new Irish melody intertwines us and guides us, the such as the wire of Ariane, through an obscure maze which opens without preventing and evaporates in nothing ('Daydreamer').

At this point in time it is discovered. A vertiginous tower suspended in the vacuum and which one risks to enter, a monumental building with the futuristic design whose each stage could contain a tennis court. 'Vertical', it is what one can read in immense red letters on the entire height of the building, a letter on each stage, the last one which is registered the simple word "dance-floor". While they go up, the doorman checks us from head to toe then moves aside to let to us to the big double metallic door behind him. Inside: a true orgy.

On the first floor, George Clinton and Talvin Singh after a fashion try to take on John Barry in a sandwich in spite of his sudden starts worthy of James Bond, with the second Chemical Brothers revive the flower-power by re-mixer Plastikman, in third Fatboy Slim joined Sigur Rós with the seventh sky, with the fourth Dust Brothers are caught violently in Kraftwerk, with the fifth it is John Carpenter who climbs on Aphex Twin while the latter is agitated to reduce it from there, in sixth Roni Size makes hearts sing in sorrow of phantoms hypnotised by an insane Indian, seventh Boards Of Canada plays leapfrog with GusGus, and Joe Hisaishi makes crawl Vangelis and Jean-Michel Jarre as it is necessary.

The last stage will leave us with the hall, in front of a door stamped high-security "VIP" in gilded letters, kept by another doorman. Intractable, it will acknowledge us all the same that James Lavelle, DJ Shadow and Autechre are accustomed to meeting there in the greatest secrecy to play the didjeridoo sheltered from the eavesdroppers...

To discover A Pyxie Worm, go on myspace where three extracts of their first EP 'Formica And Cork Tiles' as well as wormcasts (musical trailers) of 'Horizontal' and 'Vertical' can be listened to. And for greediest, the duet have even installed, on the discography page on their official website, a player making it possible to listen to all the pieces in their entirety! However, if you appreciate their music, do not forget to support these talented Londoners by buying their EP/albums, the more so as they are also the authors of the artwork all that there is moreover class.

- IndieRockMag.com

A Pyxie Worm: Horizontal and Vertical

MySpace sensations A Pyxie Worm are ambient pioneers whose evocative and sensual soundscapes call to mind genre-bursting artists like Brian Eno, KLF, The Orb and Orbital.
This double CD is warm, enchanting and intoxicating. It's perfect for the very early hours - or the morning after the night before - with lush, orchestral textures.
It's an internet-only release from www.apyxieworm.co.uk ••• - Shropshire Star - UK Press

This unsigned male and female duo from London has built up a large group of admirers from all around the globe.
APW has made live appearances on a number of radio shows around London to promote their music.
Their use of laptop technology along with real instruments really comes together when their music is all set and done.
A Pyxie Worm so far has remained mysterious letting their music speak for itself.
They said a lot of times that they don't try to make their music sound sad, that's just what makes them tick.
Their music is very unique and is definitely something that I can listen to when I want to be relaxed and soothed.
If you want to hear some music or get to know these guys better just go to their website at www.apyxieworm.co.uk.

Review by: Austin "Mr. Bugz" Jeter - UrbanMainstream

MUSICAL STYLE: IDM/Electronic/Experimental
ADJECTIVES: Evocative, beautiful, introspective
VALUATION: (Very) Good music and personal sound
DESCRIPTION: Most of the tracks are calmed (except for the effusive electronic/orchestral tremendism of "You Surprise Me Everytime") and in spite of all the electronica and ideas we usually have about IDM or experimental electronica (clicks, cuts or hard to listen or arrhythmic tracks...) we found here something "musical" and fluid and with a considerable dose of classical music arrangements in a whole which is highly evocative and descriptive with some moments of density.
An intimate and melancholic delight.

Héctor Noble Fernández - inannanaked.com
- inannanaked.com