Teenage Genius
2009-10-31 by Hal BerstramDaniel Pemberton – Phoenix
A nice slice of ambient here to ease us into November, from Daniel Pemberton, who was just 16 years old when Pete Namlook’s Fax label released his debut LP Bedroom in 1994.
The album was recorded in Pemberton’s bedroom (doh!) with only a 4-track tape recorder, a Korg Wavestation synth, an old Yamaha Portasound keyboard and a Boss effects unit. For all of us who have been constantly claiming that we would be able to make good tracks “if only we had that extra piece of gear” – this is proof that you can do without. Those shifting, colliding sheets of sound are certainly the Wavestation in full effect…
After this amazing start, Pemberton moved into the composing for TV – he produced the classic “Pip Pop Plop” which anoraks among us will know was the theme tune for Series 1 of the classic Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show (replaced from Series 2 onwards by Harvey Danger’s “Flagpole Sitta”).
But given Fax’s penchant for endless series of sequel CDs (Dark Side of the Moog 11, Jet Chamber 5 etc.) it’s a real shame there’s never been a Bedroom 2 – and also, that the original has never been reiussed. (Another track from the album, “Antartica”, is on the Ambient Cookbook quadruple CD compilation.)
Download MP3 (0:00min / 0MB)
- discogs page for 'Bedroom'
- Long out of print but reasonably priced 2nd-hand...
- The Daniel Pemberton Orchestra presents TVPOPMUZIK
- compilation of Pemberton's TV work including original 'Peep Show' theme
Comments 
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Remember hearing this on the John Peel Show, and that you could send off for the CD. I never did get round to buying it :(
This is such a lovely track.
Many thanks for this. Not really heard much of his stuff before