in may of this year, dirk serries did not need to take a long drive for his drone-demonstration at the livelooping festival: the event, which featured an international cast of artists rooted in ambient and experimental sound art, took place in antwerp, just a few kilometres off his home. with a bit of foresight, serries' regular recording engineer ronald marien was also present, allowing tonefloat to now publish this work only three months after its live incarnation.
perhaps the geographical proximity explains for the particularly personal feel of serries' performance. after firmly establishing microphonics as the atmospheric branch of his fear falls burning alter ego, 'microphonics vii' shows him increasingly carving out a unique language for the project. loops and canon-techniques are still at the foundation of this 25-minute-track, but they are hardly recognisable as such any more. instead, the piece feels as though it were based on a single, discreetly shifting harmonic cycle. if microphonics releases have been getting more and more minimal over the past year, the process has arrived at a natural climax here: delicate variations in texture and tonal colour provide for a subtle sense of development and direction amidst a galaxy of oceanic calm and gentle drift.
less complex and more purified than his work with drone trio 3seconds of air, the music nevertheless shares some of its sacral ambiance – turning 'microphonics vii' into an intensely quiet mass of immersive and intimate guitar-tectonics. microphonics vii is set for late september.
tf070
judy dyble's story and place in modern music folklore is interesting and unquestioned. from the original vocalist of fairport convention to the beginning of the king crimson story; one half of revered acid duo trader horne, crossing paths with hendrix, pink floyd, yes, genesis, cat stevens et al, to thirty years of almost complete silence. and that was a gap that saw the world change beyond all comprehension, to a 2009 album - this album - which breaks ground in terms of production, but most importantly brings a contemporary slant to a body of work created by legendary musicians. so what of these old and new friendships, and what of talking with strangers? judy's first tentative steps back into the world of recording and releasing began with three cult albums produced by marc swordfish between 2004 and 2006. a top 10 uk indie chart position ensued in 2008, with judy backed by yorkshire headturners, the conspirators. then the embryo of an album, this album, took shape. judy, no-man's tim bowness, and cromer museum's alistair murphy, together wrote the majority of this stunning body of work, hand picking friends - old and new - to contribute.
the end result is a compendium that draws influence from the fields of prog rock, acid folk, jazz, and contemporary pop music. judy's vocal performance is heart stopping: occasionally uncomfortable, as she divulges vital autobiographical moments from her career so far. the album ebbs and flows with dark and light, from the melancholic but beautiful 'grey october day', to the inspirational, optimistic 'jazzbirds'. the album was recorded remotely, contributions raining in from all over the world. from the usa, king crimson's ian macdonald and pat mastelotto; stunning vocals offered in london by all about eve's julianne regan, and from france by acid folk legend, trees' celia humphris. there was more from home, on location in oxfordshire by fairport's simon nicol, and pentangle's jacquie mcshee. robert fripp added lush guitar soundscapes from both spain and the uk. major contributions in norfolk came from tim bowness, and alistair murphy, and via various machines in studios and garden sheds in the east of england, with mastering taking place in nashville, usa. one of the most vital and important studio albums of the decade shone brightly from the most unlikely beginnings. it's hard to imagine how talking with strangers could have come together in the manner, and with the quality, that it has. the fact that it has is something to be grateful for, by the old and the new.
the 180 grams lp will be available in a limited edition of 500 copies on black 180 grams vinyl, complete with postcard autographed by judy. the release date is set for september 25.
talking with strangers can be pre-ordered from the tonefloat store.
the end result is a compendium that draws influence from the fields of prog rock, acid folk, jazz, and contemporary pop music. judy's vocal performance is heart stopping: occasionally uncomfortable, as she divulges vital autobiographical moments from her career so far. the album ebbs and flows with dark and light, from the melancholic but beautiful 'grey october day', to the inspirational, optimistic 'jazzbirds'. the album was recorded remotely, contributions raining in from all over the world. from the usa, king crimson's ian macdonald and pat mastelotto; stunning vocals offered in london by all about eve's julianne regan, and from france by acid folk legend, trees' celia humphris. there was more from home, on location in oxfordshire by fairport's simon nicol, and pentangle's jacquie mcshee. robert fripp added lush guitar soundscapes from both spain and the uk. major contributions in norfolk came from tim bowness, and alistair murphy, and via various machines in studios and garden sheds in the east of england, with mastering taking place in nashville, usa. one of the most vital and important studio albums of the decade shone brightly from the most unlikely beginnings. it's hard to imagine how talking with strangers could have come together in the manner, and with the quality, that it has. the fact that it has is something to be grateful for, by the old and the new.
the 180 grams lp will be available in a limited edition of 500 copies on black 180 grams vinyl, complete with postcard autographed by judy. the release date is set for september 25.
talking with strangers can be pre-ordered from the tonefloat store.
tf082
the incident - like the elaborate and conceptual previous record fear of a blank planet - takes the listener on a thrilling audio journey. in turns haunting, desolate, hypnotic and euphoric, its centre-piece is the title track – a stunning 55-minute musical statement that breaks down into 14 separate and often diverse (though interlinked) vignettes. the tale begins slowly with occam’s razor, gaining momentum and intensity with the blind house, drawing the line, and the incident itself, though the group’s masterful manipulation of sounds and textures is never overlooked. the mellowness of the yellow windows of the evening train, for instance, is accompanied by the gentle crackle of a needle on vinyl – for all his skill as a producer and remixer, wilson is a staunch supporter of the ‘old’ ways of listening to music. incorporating both of these styles, octane twisted somehow batters and seduces simultaneously, while i drive the hearse, further sweetened by an uplifting guitar climax, is an intoxicating slice of melancholy with which to book-end the record’s 14-piece song cycle. the seeds of the idea that led to the incident came to singer/guitarist/songwriter steven wilson as he became caught up in a motorway traffic jam whilst driving past an accident. “there was a sign saying ‘police - incident’ and everyone was slowing down to rubber neck what had happened,” he recalls. “afterwards, it struck me that ‘incident’ is a very detached word for something so destructive and traumatic for the people involved. and then i had the sensation that the spirit of someone that had died in the car accident entered into my car and was sitting next to me.”
“the irony of such a cold expression for such seismic events appealed to me, and i began to pick out other ‘incidents’ reported in the media and news,” continues wilson. “i wrote about the evacuation of teenage girls from a religious cult in texas, a family terrorizing its neighbours, a body found floating in a river by some people on a fishing trip, and more. each song was written in the first person and tried to humanize the detached media reportage.” additionally, wilson delved back into incidents in his own life that had profoundly affected him, including a lost childhood friendship, a séance, his first love, and the day that he decided to give up secure employment to follow his dream of making music. the album’s epic song, an 11-minute pink floyd-flavoured masterpiece called time flies, for instance, begins with the line: “i was born in 1967.” “1967 was possibly the most significant year in the history of rock music; sergeant pepper by the beatles and the first albums by jimi hendrix, pink floyd, and the doors were all released that year,” says steven. “i found myself wondering whether those facts were significant … maybe it’s why i ended up becoming a musician?”
the incident is not the kind of album that will be fully absorbed in a single sitting - repeated listening will reveal hidden detail. pushed for a succinct description wilson calls the incident: “a slightly surreal song cycle about beginnings and endings and the sense that ‘after this, things will never be the same again’.” the self-produced album is completed by four standalone compositions from band writing sessions last december – flicker, bonnie the cat, black dahlia, and remember me lover.
following a much heralded vinyl release of porcupine tree's 2007 studio album fear of a blank planet, tonefloat is pleased and honoured to house the vinyl edition. the incident is captured on three sides, with the additional tracks on side four. mastered from the original 24-bit audio files, the album will be out in two versions: a regular 180 grams edition in a gatefold sleeve, and a special edition that is limited to 2000 copies worldwide. this incorporates the two discs in separate picture sleeves, a superb 48-page 12inch book, and all of that house in a custom printed pvc slipcase.
the incident can be pre-ordered from the tonefloat store. all pre-order sales from tonefloat will count towards the dutch album charts! the release date is set for september 11.
“the irony of such a cold expression for such seismic events appealed to me, and i began to pick out other ‘incidents’ reported in the media and news,” continues wilson. “i wrote about the evacuation of teenage girls from a religious cult in texas, a family terrorizing its neighbours, a body found floating in a river by some people on a fishing trip, and more. each song was written in the first person and tried to humanize the detached media reportage.” additionally, wilson delved back into incidents in his own life that had profoundly affected him, including a lost childhood friendship, a séance, his first love, and the day that he decided to give up secure employment to follow his dream of making music. the album’s epic song, an 11-minute pink floyd-flavoured masterpiece called time flies, for instance, begins with the line: “i was born in 1967.” “1967 was possibly the most significant year in the history of rock music; sergeant pepper by the beatles and the first albums by jimi hendrix, pink floyd, and the doors were all released that year,” says steven. “i found myself wondering whether those facts were significant … maybe it’s why i ended up becoming a musician?”
the incident is not the kind of album that will be fully absorbed in a single sitting - repeated listening will reveal hidden detail. pushed for a succinct description wilson calls the incident: “a slightly surreal song cycle about beginnings and endings and the sense that ‘after this, things will never be the same again’.” the self-produced album is completed by four standalone compositions from band writing sessions last december – flicker, bonnie the cat, black dahlia, and remember me lover.
following a much heralded vinyl release of porcupine tree's 2007 studio album fear of a blank planet, tonefloat is pleased and honoured to house the vinyl edition. the incident is captured on three sides, with the additional tracks on side four. mastered from the original 24-bit audio files, the album will be out in two versions: a regular 180 grams edition in a gatefold sleeve, and a special edition that is limited to 2000 copies worldwide. this incorporates the two discs in separate picture sleeves, a superb 48-page 12inch book, and all of that house in a custom printed pvc slipcase.
the incident can be pre-ordered from the tonefloat store. all pre-order sales from tonefloat will count towards the dutch album charts! the release date is set for september 11.
tf041, a review (7)
the first thing that struck me about this recording was the exceptionally nice packaging and attention to detail. this was pressed on some of the heaviest vinyl i have encountered and came in a really beautiful gatefold sleeve of thick cardstock for maximum protection and aesthetic appeal; nice job tonefloat! the cover art is comprised of some slightly hazy photographs of what i assume is an old dutch church of some sort with some nice white birch trees accenting the scenes.
the pieces on this release all blend together into this nice wash of darkly “tribal” droning ambiance that swirls with a deep shamanistic psychedelia that is hard to resist. chanting voices, drumming, and deep gregorian sounding drones are expertly mixed into sound scapes that seem to disappear in a swirling puff of smoke into the ether. somehow van der Vleuten manages to blend the elements of “tribal”, “ambient”, and hints of “house” music in such a way that it creates something else entirely and erases all of the aspects of this triple combination that would normally be considered deal-breakers for me.
this is by far some of the most intelligent and interesting electronic music i have heard lately. this release is definitely on par with some other recent releases from the likes of burial, or flying lotus with regard to sheer creativity and originality but is far less beat oriented. there are beats and bass lines to be sure, but all are obscured and manipulated in such a way that they are at once familiar and yet, like all of the other elements on this release, seem to dwell in an intangible form due to the high level of impressionistic implication. you hear but you don’t hear, you see but you don’t see, and then all dissipates into a swirl of vapors. 9/10.
source: foxy digitalis
the pieces on this release all blend together into this nice wash of darkly “tribal” droning ambiance that swirls with a deep shamanistic psychedelia that is hard to resist. chanting voices, drumming, and deep gregorian sounding drones are expertly mixed into sound scapes that seem to disappear in a swirling puff of smoke into the ether. somehow van der Vleuten manages to blend the elements of “tribal”, “ambient”, and hints of “house” music in such a way that it creates something else entirely and erases all of the aspects of this triple combination that would normally be considered deal-breakers for me.
this is by far some of the most intelligent and interesting electronic music i have heard lately. this release is definitely on par with some other recent releases from the likes of burial, or flying lotus with regard to sheer creativity and originality but is far less beat oriented. there are beats and bass lines to be sure, but all are obscured and manipulated in such a way that they are at once familiar and yet, like all of the other elements on this release, seem to dwell in an intangible form due to the high level of impressionistic implication. you hear but you don’t hear, you see but you don’t see, and then all dissipates into a swirl of vapors. 9/10.
source: foxy digitalis
tf077, a review (14)
3 seconds of air is de benaming van het vehikel waaraan dirk serries (fear falls burning en vidnaObmana) en paul van den berg jarenlang hebben gesleuteld om nu dan, samen met bassist martina verhoeven, tot het debuut 'the flight of song' te komen. in twee dagen tijd heeft het trio vier uitgesponnen soundscapes opgenomen in een ijzige sint-theobalduskapel, waarin van den berg's bluesinvloeden en serries' drang naar lichte drone verwerkt zijn. het is minder ambient dan we van serries gewend zijn. de kilte van de opnamesetting is overgeslaan op de minimalistische muziek, die ook regelmatig melancholische wenken bevat. 'the flight of song' komt eveneens in een zeer gelimiteerde, speciale vinylversie (500 stuks) op de markt waarop steven wilson (porcupine tree, bass communion) een eigen draai geeft aan de composities.
source: www.dreun.be
source: www.dreun.be
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