The Sea of Wires

The Sea of Wires

The Sea of Wires is a United Kingdom electronic group formed by Chris Jones and Tony “T” Murphy. The duo are associated with minimal synth, ambient, experimental and industrial music, and their work also draws on the German electronic scene and kosmische krautrock. They are Hawkwind fans and follow acts such as Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra Tempel, Popol Vuh, Harmonia and Cluster.

Early years and sound

The original line-up runs for a couple of years in the early 1980s. The group develops its material through live improvisation over multiple layers of recordings, and it also aims toward combined sound and visual performances. Like several British artists of the period, including Ian Boddy, Carl Matthews, Paul Nagle, Ron Berry and Colin Potter, it uses elements of German kosmische music in its compositions.

Releases and cassette culture

The Sea of Wires distributes its music through cassette tapes and live appearances around Coventry. Its first release, Individually Screened from 1980, has the widest circulation and receives a favourable review in Sounds as well as a recommendation from Geoff Wall’s Stick It In Your Ear magazine. It is later licensed to Ian Dobson and Gordon Hope’s Flowmotion label. In 1981, Chris Jones issues a solo tape under the Sea of Wires name, Diversions, on his own label, and this also receives strong reviews in cassette-culture magazines. The group also contributes to compilations including Snatch Tapes Number 2, Inkeys No. 3 and National Grid 2 on Conventional Tapes.

Later activity

In 1982, Jones and Murphy release Beyond The Edge of Tomorrow on their own label. Jones also works with the project Carn Dum, which releases a tape on Music For Midgets. The group then goes its separate ways in the mid-1980s.