A Year in Music – 2021 – Scott Morgan (loscil)

How are you? How have you been?

Doing OK, thanks for asking. While it does feel like we’re emerging from some thick fog, the process of emerging is slow for most and even slower for some, myself included.

Do you think we’re over the worst at this stage?

In terms of the pandemic, yes, I think so. Feels like there is a concerted effort to get things moving again for better or worse. Of course, this reveals the other issues that were swept under the rug for the last year and a half. Climate change being the biggest, global income inequality another, etc. But I’ll tuck away my pessimism for now and take the gradual winding down of a global pandemic as a good thing.

What music/albums did you particularly enjoy in 2021?

New to me this year is Rhapsodia / Battements solaires by Michèle Bokanowski. A unique sounding album strangely familiar and new at the same time. Also listened to The Tunnel and the Clearing by Colleen quite a lot and everything by Sam Prekop particularly his Longform Editions release Spelling. So much great music this year though including new releases from Markus Guentner, The Bug, Lawrence English, Amir Abbey, Byron Westbrook, Forrest Management, Eluvium, MJ Guider, Murcof…  list goes on and on.

Your last album Clara was a real triumph.  Were you happy with how it was received?

I don’t know exactly how it was received. I tend to avoid reading reviews these days as they either falsely boost or bruise my fragile ego. Most people who reached out directly had positive reactions which is great. I feel lucky I had this project to concentrate on during the early portion of the pandemic and I’m sure I will look back on Clara as a particularly special release.

How do you feel about playing/attending gigs?

I’m inching closer to this. I’d really prefer to start small with some local things. Started to receive some international invites and I’m still not feeling ready to jump back into travel stress and logistical preparation, etc. But it will come in time.

The arts have had a particularly tough time right through the pandemic, in comparison to other sectors.  Is it difficult to keep going?

Yes and no. I don’t mind working in isolation for the most part. I do miss seeing other artists and venues and getting that inspiration from performances and conversations but I’m pretty accustomed to working digitally from home.

Anything else going on with you outside of music?

Cooking and cleaning mostly!

What are you looking forward to next year, musically?

I’m starting a couple new projects right now that I hope will come to fruition next year. One is a very personal project and another is a collaboration. I suppose I’m most excited about the projects and ideas that don’t exist yet. Those moments when new ideas materialize from the ether and the excitement builds. Those creative moments keep me going.

Have you any plans yourself next year?

The first order of business is scoring for a theatrical production which I started this year and will continue early in 2022. This is a new thing for me, scoring for theatre so I’m interested to see where it goes. Very loose plans to get back to playing live but nothing in stone yet. Otherwise, I have a list of “maybe” projects – this list is always shapeshifting.