Musician
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About
Thanks for visiting my wee corner of the web. I come from Fair Isle - the gorgeous, wild rock which lies between Orkney and Shetland.
I make music for myself and for other people. I produce shows and records. I sing and play several instruments, some better than others. My main instrument is the piano keyed accordion but I find myself increasingly drawn to the creation and recording of new sounds and the possibilities and parameters of sound manipulation. Much of my work is inspired by our environment and my place in it.
I love collaborations, multi discipline and overseas work. See below for current projects:
news
Vietnam residency
I’ve just returned from the second phase of the Thanh Cánh residency in Vietnam. A collaboration between Counterflows and Lên Ngan where myself and another participant from Scotland, Sholto Dobie an experimental musician and instrument maker, met and and worked alongside four other musicians from different areas and musical disciplines in Vietnam.
We began with an expedition up to the mountains of Ha Giang to stay in a Hmong village and meet and learn of the cultures and traditions of the Hmong people. The project culminated in the composition and performance of a piece of music ‘Two Moons’ set in four movements as response to my experiences in Ha Giang and Vietnam in general.
Announcing a new gigging entity!
Born from a mutual love of birds, harmonies and kitchen discos, introducing Birdvox – a new band whose core members comprise Sarah Hayes (vox, flute, synths, programming), Jenny Sturgeon (vox, guitar, synths, sampling) Suse Bear (vox, bass, programming) and Inge Thomson (vox, accordion, electronica). These women are all multi-tasking producers and creators in their own right and share a passion for creating fresh sounds exploring the potential of traditional and electronic instruments. Birdvox is an evolution of the Northern Flyway project and together they embrace energetic, shapeshifting synthesis and the joy of vocal interplay. Expect velvet harmonies, considered lyrical stylings and lively bespoke beats.
Enquiries contact lisa@activeevents.org
Fight : Flight : Freeze : Fawn
A commission piece influenced by the four emotional responses to trauma. Performed at the opening of Tectonics Festival
Wild Edges - new commission
In February 2019 Fair Isle’s famous Bird Observatory was completely destroyed by fire. Devastating for the island. Re-building on such a remote island poses a unique set of challenges, a fundraising campaign is currently in full swing.
I was approached by the Fair Isle Bird Observatory Trust to write a body of work celebrating the isle, the birds, the people and Wild Edges is the result. Featuring Phil Cunningham, Chris Stout, Jenny Sturgeon and a special appearance from Jimmy Stout. You can buy a digital download here, where all profits go towards the rebuild.
Hen Hoose
Much of my time over the last year has been spent creating new music as part of this exciting collaboration https://www.henhoose.com
Led by the artist Malka, Hen Hoose paired up writing partners with a view to sync pitching, it was a such a fruitful and positive project. There will be an album dropping later this year.
I personally collaborated with Amandah Wilkinson from Bossy Love, Malka and Beldina Odenyo
Modern Fairies is a unique collaboration between leading songwriters, musicians, artists, poets, filmmakers & researchers to develop an exciting new work, presenting fresh perspectives on what folklore means to us in the modern world.
Northern Flyway
A musical, visual experience co created with Jenny Sturgeon exploring human/bird connection. “Northern Flyway is a rich evocation of wildlife and nature, place and time and Thomson and Sturgeon bring it to fruition with verve, imagination and great musicality” Featuring Jason Singh and Sarah Hayes. Limited live performances in 2021. See gigs below
You can also buy the album here
The BBC mini series Fair Isle: Living on The Edge earned two Scottish BAFTA nominations last year. The inimitable
Lou Lockwood took the best director : features and factual, and we had an absolute blast! I was involved in the soundtrack for this production.
I have a longstanding relationship with Donna Rutherford, an artist and theatre maker who continually blows me away with her work. Here’s a beautiful, poignant project I was involved in last year
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Northern Flyway
Humans have always looked to the birds. In mythology, they are the carriers of souls, messengers to the gods, our familiars. In ecology, they are our measure, our meter, they mark the seasons…
Produced by Inge, written by Inge and Jenny Sturgeon, this album also features Sarah Hayes and Jason Singh.
Da Fishing Hands
The album of Inge's acclaimed new work Da Fishing Hands, featuring world class musicians - Sarah Hayes, Fraser Fifield, Steven Polwart and Graeme Smillie.
Supported by Creative Scotland's 'Year of Natural Scotland' this album was recorded as a live session in Mareel, Lerwick.
"If I had to categorise this, I'd call it melodic electro-folk"
Shipwrecks and Static
Inge’s first solo venture, Shipwrecks & Static is an eccentric marriage between melodic instruments and the bleeps and squeaks of electronic tomfoolery.
Inge wrote, recorded and produced the bulk of the album and is joined here by the angelic voice of Heidi Talbot, the edgy guitars of Brighton based Tom Cook and a cameo appearance of Martin Green of award winning diddle-superstars Lau.
Crows Bones - Martin Green
"Crows' Bones" is a journey into the real dark side, it's lead track being a cover of Villagers' "I Saw The Dead". Martin Green (from award - winning group Lau) is joined by singers Becky Unthank (The Unthanks) and Inge Thomson & nyckelharpa Niklas Roswall. Production by Portishead's Adrian Utley & Martin Green.
"Songs about ghosts remembering when they were murdered, pregnant widows burying slain knights, and dead souls in back rooms - Crows' Bones reminds us that sorrow, sadness and tragedy have always loomed large in folk-culture"
THE GUARDIAN
"Positively revelatory" ***** 5/5 THE SCOTSMAN