Lawrence English: Capturing the Impossible Trio
Sun Feb 08 2026
Show NotesAustralian composer Lawrence English has spent over two decades treating sound as something that occupies your body, not just your ears. Putting The Tonearm's needle on Lawrence English means entering a sonic world where you're never quite sure what you're hearing or where it's coming from, and if you are a listener like our host, that will suit you just fine.
Lawrence’s recent album Trinity pairs him with Stephen Vitiello and guests like Brendan Canty from Fugazi and Chris Abrahams from The Necks. Each track builds what English calls "impossible trios," turning geographic and other constraints into creative fuel.
Lawrence is here to discuss collaboration, the art of curation, and what it means to make meaningful work in an age drowning in content.
(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Lawrence English & Stephen Vitiello's album Trinity)
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Dig DeeperArtist and AlbumVisit Lawrence English at lawrenceenglish.com and follow him on Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook, and BandcampPurchase Lawrence English & Stephen Vitiello's Trinity from American Dreams, Bandcamp, or Qobuz and listen on your streaming platform of choiceLearn more about Room40, Lawrence English's label celebrating its 25th anniversaryCollaborators on 'Trinity'Chris Abrahams (The Necks) - pianistStephen Vitiello - sound artist and composerAki Onda - multidisciplinary artistMarina Rosenfeld - turntablist and composerBrendan Canty (Fugazi, The Messthetics) - drummerThe late Steve Roden - artist and lowercase musicianBooks and TheoryPeter Szendy - 'Listen: A History of Our Ears'Neil Postman - 'Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business'Lauren Berlant - Cruel Optimism theoryMark Fisher - cultural theoristPlaces and ConceptsGunkanjima (Battleship Island) - abandoned coal mining island off NagasakiHashima Island history - most densely populated place in historyJapanese Metabolist architecture - architectural movement English researchedArt Gallery of New South Wales - collected English's bell workMusical Groups and EnsemblesThe Necks - Chris Abrahams' improvisational jazz trioTenniscoats - Japanese duo Saya and Takashi UenoAcademic and Philosophical ConceptsRelational listening - English's PhD theory on reconciling psychological and technological auditionAcid nostalgia - English's working concept on how contemporary nostalgia corrodes the pastNatsukashii - Japanese concept of longing for a time/place you were never part ofTsundoku - Japanese word for collecting books you don't readMa - Japanese concept of the space between elementsRelated WorksLawrence English - 'Cruel Optimism' (Room40)Lawrence English - 'Wilderness of Mirrors' (Room40, 2014)Chris Abrahams - 'Thrown' (Room40)Chris Abrahams - 'Appearance' (Room40, 2020)–
Dig into this episode's complete show notes at podcast.thetonearm.com–
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Show NotesAustralian composer Lawrence English has spent over two decades treating sound as something that occupies your body, not just your ears. Putting The Tonearm's needle on Lawrence English means entering a sonic world where you're never quite sure what you're hearing or where it's coming from, and if you are a listener like our host, that will suit you just fine. Lawrence’s recent album Trinity pairs him with Stephen Vitiello and guests like Brendan Canty from Fugazi and Chris Abrahams from The Necks. Each track builds what English calls "impossible trios," turning geographic and other constraints into creative fuel. Lawrence is here to discuss collaboration, the art of curation, and what it means to make meaningful work in an age drowning in content. (The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Lawrence English & Stephen Vitiello's album Trinity) – Dig DeeperArtist and AlbumVisit Lawrence English at lawrenceenglish.com and follow him on Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook, and BandcampPurchase Lawrence English & Stephen Vitiello's Trinity from American Dreams, Bandcamp, or Qobuz and listen on your streaming platform of choiceLearn more about Room40, Lawrence English's label celebrating its 25th anniversaryCollaborators on 'Trinity'Chris Abrahams (The Necks) - pianistStephen Vitiello - sound artist and composerAki Onda - multidisciplinary artistMarina Rosenfeld - turntablist and composerBrendan Canty (Fugazi, The Messthetics) - drummerThe late Steve Roden - artist and lowercase musicianBooks and TheoryPeter Szendy - 'Listen: A History of Our Ears'Neil Postman - 'Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business'Lauren Berlant - Cruel Optimism theoryMark Fisher - cultural theoristPlaces and ConceptsGunkanjima (Battleship Island) - abandoned coal mining island off NagasakiHashima Island history - most densely populated place in historyJapanese Metabolist architecture - architectural movement English researchedArt Gallery of New South Wales - collected English's bell workMusical Groups and EnsemblesThe Necks - Chris Abrahams' improvisational jazz trioTenniscoats - Japanese duo Saya and Takashi UenoAcademic and Philosophical ConceptsRelational listening - English's PhD theory on reconciling psychological and technological auditionAcid nostalgia - English's working concept on how contemporary nostalgia corrodes the pastNatsukashii - Japanese concept of longing for a time/place you were never part ofTsundoku - Japanese word for collecting books you don't readMa - Japanese concept of the space between elementsRelated WorksLawrence English - 'Cruel Optimism' (Room40)Lawrence English - 'Wilderness of Mirrors' (Room40, 2014)Chris Abrahams - 'Thrown' (Room40)Chris Abrahams - 'Appearance' (Room40, 2020)– Dig into this episode's complete show notes at podcast.thetonearm.com– • Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate The Tonearm ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. • Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of The Tonearm in your podcast app of choice. • Looking for more? Visit podcast.thetonearm.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Talk Of The Tonearm email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn. • Be sure to bookmark our online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.