Sound Menagerie are a music duo from the UK consisting of singer Abi Parker and songwriter and musician Stephen C Wilson (Guitar/Bass Guitar). 

 

Their music incorporates a variety of enigmatic and carefully crafted songs defined by soft, dreamy vocals creating a unique menagerie of sound, a blend of folk rock, dream pop, melodic and experimental compositions with spells of psychedelia and 60s and 90s influences. 

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Albums and Releases

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In 2011 Sound Menagerie issued their 'Far Or Through' album. This was the first album Steve and Abi worked on together and they chose a lo-fi and experimental approach to the recording process, completing much of the album at home with only minimal overdubs added in the studio. The album gained airplay from a number of radio stations  around the world.  In conjunction with this release, they were given the their own dedicated radio show on Canadian Radio Station Woody Radio.  This was followed later in the year by 'The Silver Tree' single.

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In 2015 their 'Clocks & Towers' EP was released through Monochrome Chair Records. Several tracks were produced by Stereolab's Andy Ramsay including the single 'Stay With Me' which received much praise and airplay being described as 'wonderfully melodic perfect pop'  with a 'catchy folk vibe'. An expanded version of 'Clocks & Towers' was also released on CD featuring guest appearances from Andy Ramsay (Stereolab/Europa 51), Joe Watson (Stereolab/Junior Electronics), Jon Clayton (Blusher/Charlotte Hatherley) and Rowan Robertson (Dio/DC4/Vast). The colourful clock tower cover artwork was created for Sound Menagerie by artist Ann Charlesworth.  'Clocks & Towers' was widely praised and described as a collection of  'enigmatic and carefully crafted songs'

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In 2017 Sound Menagerie released their 'House Of Yesterdays' album. The album gained airplay from a number of radio stations around the world and was also widely praised. The title track was described as 'sixties spookiness' and an album 'recalling yesterdays when pop could challenge your senses with tidy twists and turns of key and tempo to keep your interest and keep you on your toes' 

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In March 2021 Sound Menagerie released their song 'Close The Door' as a single featuring Echobelly's Glenn Johansson on guest guitar with violin arranged and performed by Sharon Sullivan. The single release was accompanied by an animation.

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Sound Menagerie have gained airplay on a variety of radio stations around the world including on BBC Introducing. They are currently working on new material. . 

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'The most important aspect of the songs and performances for Sound Menagerie is to avoid the obvious and take their music and the listener into unexpected directions melodically and structurally...Their sound has been described as "Sublime tympanic membrane enhancement" '  festivalsforall

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“Their sound intrigued the Introducing team when listening to some of the tracks sent into them recently...Influences for their sound come from far and wide and represent all the years of listening to songs seperately and together.” BBC Norfolk Volume Magazine

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“The wonderfully melodic perfect pop of 'Stay With Me was one of the tracks to be born out of the sessions at Press Play Studios. The bands last release, the album 'Far Or Through' came out in 2011 and gained airplay from a number of radio stations. The exposure has seen the band gain a number of fans with the vast majority of these coming from the USA and Canada.” UN Sung Magazine

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“Steve Wilson of Cambridge dream pop duo Sound Menagerie tells us how they came to collaborate with two former members of Stereolab... 'Clocks & Towers is availble on CD, iTunes and Amazon”  Cambridge News

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