A Subtle Shift
Traces & Materiality
I’m currently refreshing the website to create a more streamlined space, and a make a subtle shift in the blog. In addition to project updates, Journal + Traces is a space for sharing fragments from my creative process. Some of those traces will find their way into the shop as cards and other items.
More specific information about projects and works can be found in Works and Events. These categories are active, but are also being updated as part of the website restructure. Thanks for your patience as pages shift and evolve over the coming weeks.
My first offering is a small batch of fine art cards created with details from previous works. Browse at your leisure in the Shop – more to come soon.
For any specific shop-related enquiries, please feel free to get in touch via the Contact Page.
Warm wishes,
Nichola
BBC New Music Show
7th March – New Music Show
Delighted to have a track from Scenes from the Blue broadcast on the New Music Show. Thanks so much to Kate Molleson for including me in such a fantastic line-up for an International Women’s Day special edition.
Now on BBC Sounds – https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002s4tb
Featured Artist – Glasgow Print Studio
I’m excited to have a Featured Artist Exhibition at Glasgow Print Studio. 🙏😊
A Kind of Scoring
Preview – 5th March 2026, all welcome!
The exhibition runs from 6th – 28th March.
More information at: Glasgow Print Studio Exhibitions
A Kind of Scoring presents a series of abstract landscapes that evoke experiences of sound and listening – part of a body of work I’m continuing to develop over the next few months. I’m grateful to Glasgow Print Studio for this opportunity to share the work.
Radiophrenia Lost in Transmission Performance
I’m delighted to be performing at Radiophrenia Lost in Transmission #3 – a special event with Radio Atlas. I’ll be performing a solo set with new film material.
Details
Wednesday 25th February 2026 at 7pm (doors 6.45pm)
GMAC Cinema – 5th Floor, Trongate 103, Glasgow
Free but ticketed – available through Eventbrite
From Radiophrenia – An evening of subtitled radio works drawn from the Radio Atlas archives. Veteran radio producer and the brains (and ears) behind the organisation, Eleanor McDowall will be there in person to introduce the programme. For this edition we also have a special live performance from Glasgow based composer and sound artist, Nichola Scrutton
Scenes from the Blue – new album
💿 Scenes from the Blue – New Album News 💿
I’m pleased to share new album Scenes from the Blue – available from 6th March 2026 on Bandcamp.
The album is available as CD and Digital Download.
Link: Scenes from the Blue at Bandcamp
While Bandcamp is a good option, this album is also streaming across platforms of choice from 20th March 2026.
Link: https://ffm.to/nicholascrutton-scenesfromtheblue
Thanks to
Creative Scotland and Tramway Glasgow for supporting this work.
New Single Scene 7 Cyan
A single from the new album
New single Scene 7 Cyan from my forthcoming album Scenes from the Blue has now been released across all platforms and is available for streaming. Find your preferred platform here:
https://ffm.to/nicholascrutton-scene7cyan
The single is also available at Bandcamp. The album is currently available for pre-orders, and the single is instant access when pre-ordering CD or Digital Download. The album is releasing on 6th March 2026. Listen and pre-order options at:
https://nicholascrutton.bandcamp.com/album/scenes-from-the-blue
Scene 7 Cyan Track Credits
Track recorded, composed and mixed by: Nichola Scrutton
Mastered by: Jim McEwan, Bark Bark Dog Studios
Cover design: Pascal Blua
With artwork by Nichola Scrutton
Many thanks to Creative Scotland for supporting this work.
New album in development
I’m currently working on a new album and I’m very grateful for support from the Creative Scotland Open Fund.
And many thanks to Tramway Glasgow for a Studio residency in June 2025.
More info to come – the release will be out in 2026. Sign up to the newsletter for updates.
In Motion 2025 Selected Composer
I’m delighted to share that I’ve been selected for In Motion at Sound and Music. The programme runs for 18 months, and I’ll be making new work. More info to follow. Sign up for updates at Newsletter. Read more about In Motion and the selected composers here:
Sound and Music announces new In Motion 2025 composer cohort – Sound and Music
In Motion is supported by:
Test-pitting Live-to-Air on Radiophrenia
Zoë Strachan and I are delighted to be performing Test-pitting live-to-air from the Radiophrenia Glasgow studio on Friday 18th April 2025 at 3pm.
Tune in at 87.9fm or online at https://radiophrenia.scot/listen/
Test-pitting is an evolving practice that gestures towards an archaeological process – delving into a site of enquiry to reveal layers of activity, fragmented artefacts, traces of presence. The emerging palimpsest of sound re-imagines lines of connection across time and place, between inner and outer ecologies.
For this Radiophrenia performance, we would like to thank the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency for the live river flow data used in the performance.
We first developed Test-pitting during a collaborative residency at Glasgow Project Room in 2022, which concluded with a public performance of work-in-progress (pictured above).
Memory Dream Encounter 2 on Radiophrenia
I’m delighted to share that Memory Dream Encounter 2 programme will have it’s premiere broadcast on Radiophrenia on Thursday 10th April 2025 at 9.45 am. Listen at radiophrenia.scot
The composers/artists and works in programme order are:
Clara de Asis – Compass
Go Sing – Casual Friday
Liew Niyomkarn – Third Place
Nichola Scrutton – Hues
Ryoko Akama – Sounding
Memory Dream Encounter 2 is a second series of micro-commissions that I curated in 2023 following the success of the first series in 2021. The invite was to produce a short sound work – up to 3 mins – as a free response to this image I took during a residency I had a Tramway Glasgow in 2023. Many thanks to everyone for being involved. Enjoy!
Micro-commissions supported by Creative Scotland
Work selected for RBA Exhibition – Mall Galleries
My limited edition etching Windborne (soundscape) has been selected for the Royal Society of British Artists | Annual Exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London. The etching was created and printed at the Glasgow Print Studio, Scotland.
The exhibition runs from 26th Feb – 8 March 2025 from 10 am – 5 pm.
More info about the exhibition at: https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/exhibitions-events/royal-society-british-artists-annual-exhibition-2025
GPS Christmas Exhibition – Fleeting Forms
I’m delighted to have three works from my Fleeting Forms series in the 2024 Glasgow Print Studio Christmas Exhibition. Along with all the works in the exhibition, these Monoprints are available to buy directly from the gallery, with framed or unframed options, until the end of the exhibiton 1st February 2025. Pop in, or visit the link for more info and enquiries:
https://shop.glasgowprintstudio.co.uk/exhibitions/89-christmas-exhibition-first-floor-gallery
Sonic Bothy Charity Updates Dec 24
I work freelance with Sonic Bothy inclusive music/arts charity (2013-current) and occasionally post an update of our activities. Please visit Sonic Bothy’s website for detailed information about the charity’s work, team, community, and programmes. Here’s a link to donate to Sonic Bothy, if that’s of interest – to help continue its work and reach more people. www.sonicbothy.co.uk/donate
Sonic Bothy Ensemble
This November (2024) we were excited to perform twice – at the Glad Cafe for 1.5 Months on 14th, and at CCA Glasgow as part of GIOfest on the 30th. We premiered two new works – Public Inconvenience and Feed.Back. More updates on those on Sonic Bothy’s website and socials.
In 2023, Sonic Bothy Ensemble won the Musicians’ Union Award for New Music Performer/s at the Scottish Awards for New Music for our performance film Verbaaaaatim, which premiered at Tectonics Festival, Glasgow in 2021.
Sessions & Projects
Sonic Bothy has been busy with various strands of activity – I’m delighted to have been co-facilitator on a range of Open Sessions, a Rural Project with Strathearn Arts in Crieff (2023) ; and a new Hospice Project in collaboration with The Art Room, Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice, and young people in palliative care (2024).
In November 2024, I co-presented at the 5th Annual International Symposium for the Arts in Palliative Care (with Caroline Hussey) , which took place at St Columba’s Hospice in Edinburgh.
Sonic Bothy Ensemble Album Fields
Sonic Bothy Ensemble’s debut album Fields is still available at Bandcamp in hard copy and digital formats…https://sonicbothy.bandcamp.com/album/fields
More updates in 2025…
International Symposium – Arts in Palliative Care
I was delighted to co-present at the 5th Annual International Symposium for the Arts in Palliative Care at St Columba’s Hospice, Edinburgh in November 2024. Caroline Hussey and I shared some reflections on our sound and performance project working with young adults at the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow, which took place earlier in 2024. The project was a new collaboration between Sonic Bothy inclusive music/arts charity and The Art Room at the Hospice.
The theme of the Symposium was “Creative health care and dying” and our presentation title was:
Exploring sound and performance in sensory-based work with young people transitioning from paediatric to adult palliative care services: Some reflections.
More details on the Symposium and the presenters and guests is archived at:
Radio Art Zone Book Launch Party London Iklectik
Delighted to be performing at the Radio Art Zone book party at Iklectik in London, which is also broadcasting live on Resonance Extra / Resonance FM.
“an evening of ten-minute performances by 20 prominent radio artists and experimental musicians featuring performances by: Batophone, Caroline Kraabel, Sofia Vaisman Maturana & Itinerant Sounds, Ed Baxter with Steffan Cennydd, Catherine Kontz, Post Electronics, Shortwave Collective – Hannah Kemp-Welch and Georgia Meunster, C John Weaver & Adam Bohman, Tricia & Sebastian, Nichola Scrutton, Xentos Fray Bentos & John Glyn, King Alfaman & Needle Boy.”
The Radio Art Zone book, curated and edited by Sarah Washington, explores the central themes, concepts and techniques of artist-made radio, emerging from over 20 years practice in the field.
Radio Art Zone – a new publication
Radio Art Zone – curated and edited by Sarah Washington
“Radio Art Zone explores the central themes and techniques of artist-made radio, emerging from over 20 years of practice in the field by a multitude of artists. It is a reflection of the world’s largest exhibition of radio art, also title Radio Art Zone, a project by the artist duo Modile Radio (Sarah Washington and Knut Aufermann) in collaboration with Luxembourg community station Radio ARA, which broadcast for 100 days as part of the program of the European Capital Culture Esch 2022.”
Book Cover, Radio Art Zone, published by Hatje Cantz
I’m thrilled to have two drawings and a micro-essay included in this new book Radio Art Zone, curated & edited by Sarah Washington. The experimental publication contains a stunning array of visual & textual contributions from artists worldwide.
The book is available in bookshops, online, and direct from the publisher at:
Night Vision at SOUND Festival
Details
Date and Time: Thursday 26th October 2023 at 8.30 PM
Venue: The Lemon Tree, 5 West North St, Aberdeen AB24, Scotland
Delighted to be performing Night Vision in the 2023 SOUND Festival. More information and book tickets at:
https://sound-scotland.co.uk/event/night-vision
Duo Robertson/Scrutton at Old Hairdresser’s
Ali Robertson and I will be performing a duo in a stellar line-up as part of Rob Churm’s event at:
The Old Hairdresser’s, Glasgow
On Friday 6th October 2023
More information and tickets at:
Lying Over Under Another Performances
Doors Open Day University of Glasgow Archives and Special Collections
11th September 2023 – Zoë and I perform Lying Over Under Another in the Archives and Special Collections at University of Glasgow. Some scrapbooks will be displayed after the performance during a Q&A exploring how they inform the palimpsest that we create in our sound art collaborations. More info and book tickets at: https://glasgowdoorsopendays.org.uk/in_person_event/lying-over-under-another-performance-followed-by-qa/
Radiophrenia
2nd September 2023 – We are delighted that Lying Over Under Another had its premiere on Saturday 2nd September as a live-to-air broadcast on Radiiophrenia direct from the Creative Lab in the CCA Glasgow. Big thanks to the Radiophrenia team for making it a smooth and special sail on the airwaves as always!
Lying Over Under Another is supported by the Edwin Morgan Trust through The Second Life Award.
Hospitalfield Interdisciplinary Residency
August 2023
The residency at Hospitalfield was a very welcome break from my usual workspace, and I really appreciated the sea walks and open vistas. The combination of working on own projects and sharing time with the other artists-in-residence worked really well, particularly as some themes in the work resonated across our distinct practices. Everyone was very generous in many ways. I’m currently developing a film iteration of Night Vision. This focused time sparked a new direction in that work, as well as other seed ideas to carry forward in new work.
Many thanks to everyone at Hospitalfield and to all the August 2023 artists.
Night Vision is supported by Creative Scotland.
New release with Ali Roberston / Chocolate Monk
Delighted that recordings made via the internet during lockdown 2021 by Ali Robertson and me have been released by the consistently wonderful Chocolate Monk.
The always excellent Chocolate Monk has turned this collaborative effort into a limited edition of 60 limited edition CD-Rs with gorgeous artwork by Karen Constance. You can get them at: https://chocolatemonk.co.uk/available.html
The Longest Forty Miles
“The last train is at 11:30pm and I wouldnae recommend the night bus. It’ll be full of Lothians troglodytes, Cumbernauld carbuncles and folks what like their improv idiomatic. Best hop in our taxi. It willnae be cheap and, with two drivers pulling in opposite directions on the same wheel, you’ll be unsure which way is up let alone which is East or West. Ensure you’re wearing your seat belt on this tour of the Scottish Central Belt as your escorts are predisposed to unleashing belters for strings, gobs & kerfuffle and you’ll get pure pelters if you dinnae subscribe to their version of the Highway Code.”
Lying Over Under Another Taster Film
A taster film – Zoë Strachan and I working in the Edwin Morgan Trust Archive in Special Collections at University of Glasgow, as part of our Second Life Award project Lying Over Under Another – a new radio art performance inspired by Morgan’s scrapbooks.
Reviews – a few Interzone updates
Audio Crackle Non-Music Roundup June 2023
“‘Interzone’ is a mesmerizing and captivating work of experimental sound art. These haunting and beautiful soundscapes of layered vocals and various immersive noises effectively capture the dream-like twilight state that marks the end of the day, and also heralds the coming night…”
https://audiocrackle.blogspot.com/2023/06/non-music-roundup-june-23.html
The Skinny Scottish New Music Round-Up June 2023
“Sound design fans will be well-fed this month. Nichola Scrutton’s Interzone (15 Jun) earns its experimental distinction with innovations in performance and post-production, as well as themes of liminality, or in-betweenness. In-studio, Scrutton performs idiosyncratic vocal techniques, guttural chanting and sharp intakes of breath, which are intermixed with abstract accompaniments, modulating into the notes themselves. Unfamiliar methods of distortion create the sense that this is all a distant dream, or, as Scrutton’s voice becomes more overwhelming and antagonistic, a restless nightmare.” https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/new-music/scottish-new-music-round-up-june-2023
MUSIC NOW playlist at The Skinny
Delighted Trio from Interzone to has been included on the Music Now: New Scottish Music playlist, 30 Scottish bands and artists. Listen at: MUSIC NOW – Spotify
Late Junction Radio 3
Quartet B was included in Late Junction 9th June 2023
“…Elsewhere in the show, we hear some energetic Cameroonian bikutsi from the late Roger Bekono, experiments on a toy glockenspiel from Australian producer Broken Chip, and vocal reflections on the space between wakefulness and sleep from Glasgow-based composer Nichola Scrutton.” More at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001mdc4
Interzone Release on Nonclassical
New album Interzone was released on Nonclassical label on 15th June 2023, and is currently available in CD and digital formats.
https://nicholascrutton.bandcamp.com/album/interzone
The Interzone series of tracks on the album were composed with voice, field recordings and archive materials by Nichola Scrutton in her studio, then mixed and mastered by Jim McEwan of Bark Bark Dog Studios. The second second series of voice tracks were recorded live in Solas Sound Studios by Jim McEwan, and then mixed and mastered by Jim at Bark Bark Dog Studios.
Cover art: Nichola Scrutton
Interzone has been supported by the PRS Foundation Open Fund for Music Creators, Creative Scotland and Nonclassical.
Night Vision Residency at Tramway
Residency 5th – 9th June 2023
Night Vision has several iterations underway through 2023, including an album, a performance and a film.
I’m working on the film with cinematographer Kirstin McMahon, and the Tramway residency is a space to explore additional visual/sound materials.
Team for Residency
Director: Nichola Scrutton
Cinematographer: Kirstin McMahon
Technical / SM: Jack Wrigley
Production Manager: Nick Millar
Producer: Nichola Scrutton
Additional thanks to performers – Alison Peebles, Ian Spink, Louise Montgomery, Nerea Bello, Belle Jones, to stand-in Deen Fredericks, and to Stevie Jones for sound recording experiments.
Many thanks to Tramway for supporting Night Vision, and to the super-helpful crew.
Main image: Nichola Scrutton © Julie Broadfoot
Guest Artist at GLE4M Festival
Delighted to be a guest artist at GLE4M Festival at Queen Margaret Union, University of Glasgow – Ali Robertson joined me for a duo improvisation in the evening event on 25th May 2023.
“GLE4M 2023 returns with two days of concerts and specially-curated listening spaces in and around the Queen Margaret Union, University of Glasgow. The festival is a collaboration between the 4M netlabel and The Dear Green Bothy, which focusses on environmentally-conscious arts practices working at the intersection of technology and sustainability.”
Read more at: https://deargreenbothy.gla.ac.uk/event/gle4m-sustainability-resilience-stability/
Night Vision at GOMA Glasgow
A second performance of Night Vision at the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) Glasgow on Sat 20th May at 3 pm.
Read more at the GoMA Blog
Vocal Performers: Alison Peebles, Louise Montgomery, Ian Spink, Nerea Bello, Belle Jones.
Director/conductor: Nichola Scrutton
Live Sound: Stevie Jones
Outside Eye: Nicholas Bone
Producer: Nichola Scrutton
Many thanks to Curator/Producer Katie Bruce, and GOMA
Night Vision is supported by Creative Scotland and Glasgow Life-Glasgow Museums
MAIN IMAGE: pre-performance of Night Vision at GoMA, 20th May 2023 Photo. © Julie Broadfoot
Night Vision Released on Bandcamp
The Night Vision album is now available to buy on Bandcamp in both limited edition CD and digital formats.
https://nicholascrutton.bandcamp.com/album/night-vision
Night Vision is a project I’m working on through 2023, and it has several iterations. At the core of Night Vision is a large body of text written in the middle of the night lying down in a semi-conscious state over a two-year period – a very different approach for me as a composer and artist.
On the album, excerpts are performed by five vocalists in chronological order, set in a soundscape I composed with ensemble voices and my own voice/studio recordings.
Vocal performers on the release are:
Alison Peebles, Louise Montgomery, Nalini Chetty, Ian Spink and Mairi Morrison.
The live voices were recorded by Jim McEwan at Solas Sound Studios. All tracks were mixed and mastered by Jim McEwan at Bark Bark Dog Studios.
Many thanks to Sarah Praill for the cover design, which includes a few drawings/marks from the original journals.
Night Vision is supported by Creative Scotland.
Bandcamp New Releases
I now have a Bandcamp page. I set it up during lockdown and am just coming back to it now. I’m looking forward to adding new sounds soon. Here’s a link to follow and be notified about releases – many thanks.