Biography

Spatialize is the project of 31 year old Neil Butler. Electronic experimentation began at fifteen years old (a Roland D-5 synth, a 4 track and a boss delay pedal) whilst being heavily influenced by bands such as Porcupine Tree, Aphex Twin, Biosphere and Ozric tentacles. Having played synths / bass and also doing production work for bands such as Cadence (Robin Hughes and Anna Naylor) in his late teens and early twenties, Neil learnt a great deal about the synthesis of real instruments with electronic sounds and also production techniques.

During this time he also completed a diploma in Sound Engineering from Earth studios in Birmingham. Throughout this period Neil's studio consisted of an Atari sequencer with various analogue and digital synthesizers, a Fostex 4 track and an Akai S01 sampler which could hold 8 samples in memory at once. When this group disbanded and Neil started working on his own material the Spatailze style began to emerge. It’s first public outing was the track "Inner Glass House" (from the early 'Halcyon' tape) on the Future Music mag CD in 1998, the reviewers impressed by the sound production using what was at that point quite basic equipment.

In 2000, having upgraded to modern sampling via the Yamaha A3000, Spatialize won Sound-Sound’s (international music tech mag) top tape competition; a nice way to start the millenium. The same year saw the start of live appearances with the debut gig at the chill out room of the Dionysus Sound System in Sheffield, through whom the "Walking Between Worlds" EP was made available. Neil also spent a short time playing keyboards for a trip-pop group (Momo) in Sheffield.

A more determined effort to improve the sounds and production spelled the end of live gigs for a while and the acquiring of digital mixing facilities and analogue modelling synthesis. At this time Neil was heavily influenced by the more textural tones of Brian Eno and Robert fripp and so this period of time also saw the development a separate ambient project called Dreaming Tree which fused global sounds with atmopsheric beds.

Whilst taking time out to travel in South America (complete with minidisc recorder!) Third Stone records (who have released artists such as No-Man, The Enid, Bass Communion) got wind of Spatailize and subsequently released 'Dryad’s Bubble' in 2004 which was completed in Neil's new Devon based set up. A series of gigs followed the release of Dryad's Bubble at some of the land's finest chill-out rooms (ID Spiral, Tribe of Frog, Barakasphere) including support slots to trance legends System 7, Eat Static, Astralasia and Zion Train.

Following moves in modern music technology, Neil's studio became much more more software focused, replacing the ageing Atarti sequencer with a Mac / Logic set-up. The first fruits of this way working came in 2006 with the follow up release to "Dryad's Bubble", a 34 minute mini-album called 'In the Midst of Myriads" released on Spiral Sounds to positive reviews and reaction from labels and dj's alike.

Based now in Cornwall, but very much musically in the software world, Neil is at present working on a third album alongside development of work for television media productions, a setting particularly suited to Neil's original and polished sound.