Residency Patterns and their Molecular Interactions

Recorded during an artist residency at Elektronmusikstudion (EMS) in Stockholm in October 2024, 'residency patterns and their molecular interactions' emerged from an extended improvisation using the Serge modular system and SYNTRX.

Beginning with rhythmic structures of static and irregular pulses created on the SYNTRX, the piece gradually builds through interweaving, touch-controlled patterns, tuned by ear and continually adjusted in pitch and timing. Played and manipulated throughout the improvisation, the two instruments move between flickering textures, fluctuating arpeggios and expansive, reverb-washed drones, at times taking on an almost orchestral quality.

Originally recorded as a continuous two-hour-and-forty-five-minute session, the music was subsequently shaped into a more focused 46-minute composition through editing, cuts and the use of onboard reverb, before being further mixed and mastered throughout 2026.

The complete original live take is also included as a special bonus, offering an opportunity to experience the full improvisation and the gradual development of its many interacting elements.

Recorded at EMS, Stockholm, October 2024.

Mixed and mastered by Ian Hawgood, 2026.

Cover photograph by Stijn Hüwels.

With thanks to all the wonderful staff at EMS, Wil and Stijn, and special thanks to David for his constant support — and, of course, the big red light.

Ian Hawgood

Ian Hawgood is a British ambient composer, sound artist, field recordist and mastering engineer known for his texture-rich, reel-to-reel tape-based music and his curation of independent record labels.

Born in the United Kingdom, Ian studied sound engineering with a particular focus on analogue studio building. He spent roughly 15 years living and working abroad, including extended periods in Italy, Japan and Poland, before returning to the UK in mid-2019. He is now based on the East Sussex coast, where he operates his specialised Mokoshi Mastering suite.

Ian’s music is characterised by low, warm, wistful drones that evoke a sense of nostalgia. He blends acoustic instruments, including piano, pump organ and vibraphone, with modular synthesis, processing these sounds through vintage reel-to-reel tape recorders and old tube amplifiers. His use of local hydrophone and geophone recordings, including sounds from the Sussex coast, anchors his music in physical space. Listeners in online ambient music communities have praised his immersive style and described him as an underrated figure in the genre.

Alongside his solo work, Ian has established several independent record labels. His best-known imprint, Home Normal, was founded in Tokyo in March 2009. Emerging from the late-2000s netlabel scene, it focuses on physical releases of modern classical and ambient music. He is also the founder or co-founder of Nomadic Kids Republic, Tokyo Droning, Koen Music, Black Elk and Tiny Isles. Since making his official debut around 2007–2008, Ian has released dozens of EPs and full-length albums. His solo releases include Snow Roads (2009), Love Retained (2016), Impermanence (2019) and Shifting Times (2026).

He also records under aliases including Koen Park and Oh No Nuno! and has collaborated with ambient musicians such as bvdub, Danny Norbury and Wil Bolton. His collaborative projects include Slow Reels with James Murray, Monogoto with Porya Hatami and David Newman, and Observatories with Craig Tattersall.