D.V.O.A.

Dead Voices on Air (DVOA) is Mark Spybey's main musical project. It was formed in 1992 when he emigrated to Canada from his native England. Using improvisation and sound layering as a source for their music, DVOA blends processed sound from primitive instruments and toys into rhythmic structures or dark clusters of ambient sound. The result is music for the eyes. This is not ambient chill-out, nor is it music for wallpaper. It is organic, eclectic improvisation, cut up and spat out. Either framed into short pieces of music or rough blocks of noise. Panambience is the term coined that perhaps frames this approach most adequately.


Abrader 1994


A1 Concretion 16:38
B1 Vaerglas 9:55
B2 Hafted Maul 6:44


Recordings produced October 1st and 24th, 1993 in Vancouver, Canada.

"Zev Asher suggested I record something for Akifumi Nakajima's label G.R.O.S.S.Although this was the first thing I released,it was actually recorded about the same time as Hafted Maul,which was in the spring of 1993.I deliberately chose to record something that was loud and abrasive.The title was found on a visit to a museum in Victoria B.C.I think,like Hafted Maul,it is a tool made by North West First Nations People.I've lost my only copy."
Mark S.

Also on CD "Fast Falls The Eventide"
see below



Hafted Maul 1995


1 Digging Stick 2:38
2 Vers 4:21
3 Tyme Tryeth Truth 1:47
4 To Which Heart 2:10
5 Urasia Circ (Excerpt) 2:54
Featuring - Zev Asher
6 Madrid-Codex 3:22
7 Eoraen 3:14
8 Caoith 13:50
9 Dockwood 3:47
Featuring - cEvin Key
10 Saeculi 10:29
11 Seminary 2:35
12 Papa Papa Bata Kolm 3:49
13 L'udito 2:17

Produced from Recordings made in Vancouver, Canada between March 1993 and August 1994

Dead Voices On Air is credited with as being "Music for the eyes" and with this release it is so true. Mind you, a few of the tracks are pretty weak, but they dont detract from the overall performance of the CD. "Vers" has this smooth hissing noise in it with a slow melodic keystroke or two. The track "Dockwood", that cEvin Key helped on, it not that great and I wouldnt buy the album just because hes on there. The best two tracks on here both happen to be over 10 minutes long. "Caoith" has 4 parts to it and each one is more mind ripping than the next. "Saeculi", my favorite track, is probably one of the scariest track Ill ever have the pleasure of listening to. It starts off with a very low bass rumble for about 50 seconds, then it carries off this rumbled loop with heavy bass for another 6 minutes. The final 4 minutes are the best; a scary voice persists with a hissed throbbing sound and again there is the low bass loop. A classic DVOA release for the eyes, including the third eye.



New Words Machine 1995


1 Dream Catcher 19:21
2 Soul Catcher 12:57
3 Vran 2:55
Featuring - cEvin Key
4 Gessung 3:17
Featuring - cEvin Key
5 Powerlang 6:20
Featuring - cEvin Key
6 Vuls 11:34
Mixed By - Clancey "Good Product" Dennehy

Recordings in Vancouver between December 1992 and March 1993.

"I recorded this in November and December of 1992. I sent a tape to Gerald Belanger of DoV and he licensed it to Cleopatra.I also gave a tape early on in December of 92 to cEvin Key and we jammed together.I finished it off in the spring of 94,with three tracks that featured cEvin.I had to wait nearly a year to release it..The first two tracks were some of my first recordings after arriving in Vancouver.Clancy Dennehy,an original member of DVOA mixed Vuls,which also appeared on the compilation,Ambient Rituals.That track's important to me.I havn't done a concert without using parts of that song.At that time i was using radios alot,which I would process crudely and switch on and off at random. Some of this record was recorded without a processor,before I bought my SE50.My friend Mark Pilon helped me with the sleeve.The cd face itself is a picture of my Brother,John Spybey,a childhood friend and myself,aged around 3.It was taken in the street where I was born,Chapel Street,Marske-By-The-Sea,in what was then called the North Riding of Yorkshire.My Grandmother still lives in that street." Mark S.


Shap 1996


1 Godesandah 3:05
2 Aetsome 1:59
3 Heaoo-Grim 1:54
4 Ant-Point 2:10
5 Geosceaft 3:33
6 Paet Flag 4:29
7 Eadiglice 9:24
8 Reference 2:38
9 Sha Bu Yah 1:51
10 Swan Reflex 2:28
11 Sibes Werig 2:45
12 From The Intelligence Of Swans 2:05
13 Scan Reflex 4:27
14 Wael-Fagne Winter 5:27
15 Mer-Faran 1:42
16 Papa Papa Repe Wax 2:56
17 Geseah 3:28
18 Hafted Maul 1:03
19 Western-Wardoe 2:12
20 Mer-Nord 2:15
21 Papa Papa Paet Flag 4:32


Recorded in Vancouver between January & March 1995. Additional Recordings made in Chicago at Invisible Studios, April 21-22, 1995.

" consciously set out to record an album of vocal chants.Minimal.I had just finished the first Propeller cd and was fascinated by short tracks.Compressed,short,sharp and minimal.Clancy Dennehy took me onto a local beach at dark during the winter and shot some strange photographs.The lights in the distance are those of the City of Vancouver.The photograph of the toys and I was taken by Clancy at the Download studio during the Furnace sessions.I guess in about May or June of 95. All I hear is the sand in my anxious
toes." Mark S.



Dead Voices On Air vs. Not Breathing

...A Fire In The Bronx Zoo 1997

1 DVOA vs. Not Breathing - Alston Fel 1:50
2 Not Breathing vs. DVOA - Sinkhole 6:29
3 DVOA vs. Not Breathing - Jute Wheel 5:05
4 Not Breathing vs. DVOA - Unknown Kadath 13:00
5 DVOA vs. Not Breathing - Nord Hasp 6:00
6 Not Breathing vs. DVOA - Azathoth Venom 8:11
7 DVOA vs. Not Breathing - Rookhope 10:38

DVOA vs. Not Breathing: Dead Voices On Air remixes new material by Not Breathing.
Not Breathing vs. DVOA: Not Breathing remixes new material by Dead Voices On Air.
Produced March 1997.






New Link
How Hollow Heart1997


1 Mourning Songs. 6:03
Lyrics By, Voice - Desmond K. Hill
2 Jievoao. 2:35
3 Ralbag. 4:13
4 My Wreath Is Of Red Jewels. 20:40
5 Vuls - Credne 35:25

Title taken from a poem of Samuel Beckett: "How hollow heart and full of filth thou art" (Samuel Beckett: "Collected Poems, 1930-1978", John Calder, London 1984).


Recorded live to DAT at Nice and Smooth in Toronto, Ontario. Thursday and Friday, March 28th and 29th 1996. With no overdubs.




Piss Frond 1999


1-1 Geong G'uma 5:15
1-2 The Durrow Book 6:10
1-3 Sulphur 5:00
1-4 Red Kerre 4:56
1-5 Foss Maerum 5:28
1-6 Caw Gap 4:41
1-7 Swan Flax 11:33
1-8 Castered Carts 3:53

2-1 On Hare Hill 25:24
2-2 Of Hare Hill 11:56
2-3 Arbeia 1:14
2-4 Pons Aelius 2:29
2-5 Voss Pilae 3:31
2-6 Aesica 1:54
2-7 Irthing Fell 9:59
2-8 Incthuthil 3:02


Frankie Pett Presents The Happy Submarines,
Playing The Music Of Dead Voices On Air [2000]

1 Introduction 0:07
2 Zeehond 2:57
3 Dogger 3:15
4 Bored Of Canada 6:00
5 Mk Nt 37 G/H/I Class 2:50
6 Dolfijn 5:52
7 Wet Fire Cotton 5:21
8 Son Of The Adding Machine 7:39
9 Sweet Garbage Streets 9:48
10 The Brother Casio 5:02
11 Ice Cream For Girl 4:58

"This cd was originally intended for use with Gvoon, or most of it was. However, we couldn't agree on how it would be released and Arthur didn't like the guitars.
I re-worked some of it with Darryl in Vancouver, then moved to Holland and worked on the rest either by myself or with Frankie Pett. I was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with electronic music and annoyed by musicians who took themselves seriously. So the whole project is, as far as I am concerned, laced with humour and self parody. I think most DVOA albums sound different to each other. This has been accidental. There never has been a plan. Frankie Pett is the death knell of my interest in electronic music. Can't say I ever set out to make "electronic" music anyway. Maybe used electricity but I am still a barbarian at heart. "
Mark S.


Live 2001


1 Geong G'uma 6:58
2 The Durrow Book 4:38
3 Sulphur 7:19
4 Bored Of Canada 5:37
5 Lost In Deming, NM 5:27
6 David Wright Meets The Brother Casio 5:19
7 Ice Cream For Girl 4:09
8 Muffel 5:07
9 Redkerre 16:50
10 Puppet Show 2:51

Recorded live in Portland, OR; Cleveland, OH; Toronto, ON; Leipzig & Potsdam, Germany; and London, England during 1999-2000.

"After playing 100 gigs as DVOA in a six-month period the only logical end was to release a live cd. This is rock and roll, complete with references to Skynyrd. My only goal was to thank the people I had worked with. This cd is an end.
I can't imagine being in a position where I would be able to do this kind of jaunt again and time moves on. " Mark S.



From Labrador To Madagascar 2007


1 Tongue Like Scree 3:24
2 Furtive 2:00
3 Labrador 11:45
4 Halv 3:44
5 Grueland 2:10
6 Madagascar 6:11
7 Papa Papa Nesh 5:28
8 Splay 9:14
Keyboards, Vocals, Chanter - Robin Storey
9 Sissili Mandjao 7:58
Effects [Tube Whirls] - Andy Eardley
Keyboards, Vocals, Chanter - Robin Storey

Recorded Autumn-Winter 2005-2006, Northumberland, UK.



Fast Falls The Eventide 2009

1-1 Ailm 2:18
1-2 Let Meins Awake 2:09
1-3 Seachange 2:06
1-4 Aescher 5:06
1-5 Mete Him Out The Winds 1:41
1-6 Sammer 2:57
1-7 Tear My Salt Eyes 2:39
1-8 LH639 3:15
1-9 Oise Medium 0:36
1-10 lol Doth Yeshu 2:36
1-11 Vebdresden 1:22
1-12 Tangier-Urkunde 3:42
1-13 The Talomon Wire 5:01
1-14 Fast Falls The Eventide 22:51
1-15 Lenin-Blume 2:02

Abrader
2-1 Concretion 16:15
2-2 Vaerglas 10:54
2-3 Hafted Maul 6:59
2-4 Papa Papa Revers 7:18
Keyboards [Moog] , Drums [Barrel Drums] - cEvin Key
2-5 Honour Boe 12:25

Disc 2: Tracks 1,2,3 Previously Released as tape, G.R.O.S.S GR-30, 1994
Recorded October 1st and 24th, 1993
North Vancouver, BC, Canada
With thanks to Akifumi Nakajima

Tracks 2-4 and 2-5 Previously Unreleased
Recorded 1994
North Vancouver, BC, Canada