Ganglion (band)
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2005 in Calgary, Canada |
| Founder | Ivan Reese |
| Defunct | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Calgary , Canada |
| Products | Albums, live performances, film and theatrical scores, video game soundtracks |
| Website | www |
Ganglion was a Canadian electroacoustic rock ensemble established in 2005 in Calgary. It functioned primarily as the solo endeavor of its founder, Ivan Reese. Their sound was characterized by a blend of various instruments, integrating elements from classical, contemporary, and extended techniques. Over time, Ganglion produced hundreds of hours of recordings and issued numerous albums.
Sound
Ganglion's live shows spanned from traditional pieces to spontaneous improvisations, often delivering performances that diverged significantly from their studio recordings. The group’s membership was dynamic, including both regular collaborators and occasional participants, with the number of performers varying between a solo act and more than twenty musicians. Audience engagement was a common feature during concerts.
History
Ivan Reese embarked on his musical journey after departing the Alberta College of Art and Design in 2004. Among his initial projects was composing a commissioned score for the theatrical production Alarum Within, completed in the summer of 2005 alongside future bandmate Owen Thelwall.
In the winter of 2005, Reese unveiled his debut solo release under the Ganglion name, About To Be Pretty, which consisted of demos and experimental tracks. Following this, he wrote the soundtrack for Edward Bond's play The Bundle in autumn 2006.
Reese initiated work on a double album entitled Point and Laugh. Prior to its completion, Kris Ellestad invited him to contribute an album for Ellestad's 6Sided Records label. Utilizing material from the unfinished double album and earlier demos, In An Incubator was issued in February 2007.
The double album project was eventually set aside in favor of an expansive eight-album conceptual collection named GANGLION8, with each album titled after a letter from the word "Ganglion". Much of this work was recorded in May 2007 at Reese's residence in Half Moon Bay, Alberta. The first installment, Go!, was released digitally that autumn to promote the series. Additionally, Reese composed the soundtrack for the short film Wanderrordinary.
The follow-up album, Away, encountered delays due to mixed initial reactions. During summer 2008, Reese collaborated with Slake, a band based in Sylvan Lake, resulting in the Slake/Ganglion Split EP, which featured reworked tracks from Go!. The fifth album in the series, Listen, saw a physical release in March 2009 and an online release in April; although an incomplete leak appeared late in 2008, it did not affect sales.
By April 2009, a stable lineup had been established for live shows: Ivan Reese (playing bass clarinet and guitar), Owen Thelwall (saxophone), Megan Gerbrandt (drums and jawharp), Kiri Rix (vocals), Jessica Yeandle-Hignell (piano), Audrey Burch (piano and accordion), Mark Webber (guitar and banjo), and Kyle Cheadle (bass guitar). This ensemble performed at events including the Mukwah Jamboree festival and Arbour Lake School in July 2009.
In late 2009, Reese composed the score for Sticks Sutton’s feature-length dark comedy film Mirror rorriM. The following January, Reese and Thelwall presented The Unlimited Dream Company at Calgary’s High Performance Rodeo festival within the Soundasaurus experimental music series. Their performance incorporated a variety of sound sources such as electronic equipment and unconventional instruments.
After two more years dedicated to refining it, Away was finally released during summer 2010 and is widely considered Ganglion’s most celebrated album. That same season, Reese also created scores for the films Butt Ugly and Mapping Creativity.
Tragically, on September 26, 2010, while on tour in the United States, Ganglion's van crashed in Montana, leading to fatalities among nearly all band members as well as the driver. Ivan Reese survived with only minor injuries; this catastrophe profoundly affected Calgary’s independent music community and had lasting repercussions on Canadian music.
Reese made one final appearance in January 2011 at Soundasaurus with a composition titled Mary Everest Boole, which paid tribute to the mathematician by using specialized software that converted his spoken words into musical expression. During this event, he announced his withdrawal from future recording and performing activities due to the emotional impact following his bandmates' passing.
Film and Theatrical Scores
- Alarum Within (credited to Ivan Reese & Owen Thelwall, Independent release, 2005)
- The Bundle (as Ivan Reese, Independent, 2006)
- Wanderrordinary (credited to Ivan Reese, Independent, 2007)
- Mirror rorriM (as Ivan Reese, Independent, 2009)
- Butt Ugly (credited to Ivan Reese, Independent, 2010)
- Mapping Creativity (as Ivan Reese, Independent, 2010)
Studio Releases
- About To Be Pretty (Societal Records, 2006)
- In An Incubator (6Sided Records, 2007)
- Go! (Societal Records, 2007)
- Slake/Ganglion Split EP (Societal Records, 2008)
- Listen (Societal Records, 2009)
- Away (Societal Records, 2010)
- Quadrate Honey and the Baleen Mysterians (Antithetical Records)
Live Recordings and Compilations
- Abreast Of (Societal Records, 2011)
- Live at the Arbour Lake School (Societal Records, 2011)
Works Outside Albums
- The Unlimited Dream Company (multimedia performance piece, 2010)
- Mary Everest Boole (interactive media performance piece, 2011)
Video Game Soundtracks
- A Shrinking Feeling, Breakin, Chord (created by Ivan Reese for Quintessent Games, 2011)
External links
- Ganglion Official site
- Societal Records official website