Where does fantasy end and reality begin? The dichotomy of the Apollonian and Dionysian nature of man represents our greatest inner duel - the dance of chaos and order, the struggle of mind versus heart, the battle of immaculate harmony and intoxicated euphoria; a lifetime of chasing one's wildest dreams and divine muses, raised to the heavens by sheer imagination, only to be washed ashore by the unrelenting waters of Earth, crashing against the jagged rocks of existence, faced only by one's own truthful reflection staring back from the indifference of the sea. That is our ultimate, inevitable fate: the futility of our desires, the certain tragedy of living torn between two tides. 

The Birth of Tragedy is a compilation in two halves reflecting the mythological symbolism of Apollo and Dionysus, descendants of Zeus. The first half presents the Apollonian form - order, harmony, clarity. The second half is Dionysian - a state of chaotic liberation without boundaries, driven by instinct, blinded bliss and disarray. The collision between these worlds unveils the drama that we find ourselves in.

TEARS001 
Various Artists
The Birth of Tragedy
Limited edition vinyl/cassette 

https://amuletoftears.bandcamp.com/album/the-birth-of-tragedy

OUT NOW.

The Birth of Tragedy

In the dark rays
Beyond the shadows of bliss
Remind you softly - everything upheld for too long meant to be freed and the kindness will be composed.

An interpersonal relationship is ultimately a story of distance. In a lifelong dance of secrets, contemplation and self-absorption, only a rare moment of unity, a scarce connection punctures the solitude. Thus, even a story of love, friendship or family is always a striving towards understanding, a constant seeking of honesty amidst the untold, a faithful yearning for connection against all odds.

Dunya is the creative partnership between Georgian artist FH HF and Tunisian artist Anasisana. 'Pay It Forward', the result of a long-distance collaborative effort, is an 8-piece album fusing the differing techniques of the two creators. Translating into 'Life' from Arabic, Dunya invites the listener to a communion, a connection to the senses.

Dunya - Pay It Forward

The tenth Amulet is an exception: part hymn, part eulogy, part elegy. Against the harmonious backdrop of her musical selection, the voice of FH HF recites chosen poems, including those of Maya Angelou, Andrei Tarkovsky, Forugh Farrokhzad and of her own writing. The soft-spoken lyrical journey, guided by the novel Georgian artist, conveys a heartfelt search for truth in emotion. "I Saw His Plane Taking Off to the Clouds", the debut album of FH HF, was released under the label @eastern-nurseries in 2019.

Amulet of Tears 010: FH HF

Music: @kunuist

Artwork: @anasisana

Amulet 010: FH HF

Together with the unpredictable April showers, a gentle wave of ambient tones washes over our Spring - a transmission from Joshua Stefane a.k.a. Endurance, a Canadian based in Japan, label runner of @muzaneditions, researcher, translator, composer and all-around creative phenom. Endurance is a project of dreamy ambient music decorated by Stefane's love of fiction, film imagery and the vibrancy of our (un)natural world.

Amulet of Tears 011: Endurance

Music: @joshua-stefane

Artwork: @anasisana

Amulet 011: Endurance

Ybalferran is a music project of sound artist and researcher Błażej Kotowski, one of his many projects delving into interdisciplinary sonic phenomena. The sound of Ybalferran is explorative, deliberate, careful and constructive: its minimalist façade reveals a rich sonic palette teeming with untraditional ideas. His Amulet is a journal of travels, influences and recordings of past, a refined exhibition of tones and places.

Amulet of Tears 012: Ybalferran

Music: @ybalferran

Artwork: @anasisana

Amulet 012: Ybalferran

Pay It Forward

Dunya - He Completes Her Silhouette

Dunya - To Feel Sad, Without Being Sad

Dunya - Gravity Elastic Feelings

Dunya - You Are the Rain on My Dry Land

Dunya - Sympathy for Melancoly

Dunya - I Noticed You in the Dark

Dunya - I Can Hear You in Your Silence / Your Silence Is Not My Enemy

Dunya - A Wound Kisser

Appropriate Savagery is a familiar name in the realm of ethereal electronics, moreso to the circle of Amulet of Tears - the French artist's work is etched into 'The Birth of Tragedy', while his active production is widely adopted by such record labels as @audiovisualsatmosphere, @perfectaesthetics, @vaagner et al. His latest album, 'Behind The Rope, Your Treacherous Smile', is a display of cinematic scenes, fragile, fleeting moments and revealing confessions. For its one-year-of-music anniversary, the Amulet invites an old friend to tell a story of hindrance and perseverance.

Amulet of Tears 013: Appropriate Savagery

Music: @appropriate_savagery

Artwork: @anasisana

Amulet of Tears 013: Appropriate Savagery

Amulet 013: Appropriate Savagery

tethering rain fall, the open
light in the rain, flowing
silently

The work of sound artist Ryan Hill from Illinois, USA is better revealed through poetry and imagery rather than verbose descriptions. KAGAMI Smile is his most recent active project, already considerable in its vast output of releases across labels such as Søvn Records and Opal Tapes. His own record label Forgot Imprint, much as his personal production, exhibits digital relics, lost dreams and the innate nostalgic emptiness of the 21st century.

Amulet of Tears 014: KAGAMI Smile

Music: @kagamismile

Artwork: @anasisana

Amulet 014: KAGAMI Smile

A much welcome guest returns for a short stay before heading out again. yolabmi carries the Amulet further, this time telling new stories - ones of strife, challenge and searching for faith. The artist from Japan describes the new mix as one that is particularly sensitive of time, silence and subtraction.

Amulet of Tears 015: yolabmi

Music: @yolabmi

Artwork: @anasisana

Amulet 015: yolabmi

The 16th Amulet is a plot full of twists and turns, a mystery unraveling; brief flashes of digital artefacts seems to appear in the landscape that it leads through. Is it real at all? The story is best experienced unspoiled. Concrete Fantasies is a producer from Madrid; his album 'Which Angel Gave Us Their Wings' was released on @audiovisualsatmosphere in June of 2021. The project explores 'elemental electronics', poetic impressions, and visions of the future, unafraid of wandering into unexplored territory.

Amulet of Tears 016: Concrete Fantasies

Music: @concretefantasies

Artwork: @anasisana

Amulet 016: Concrete Fantasies

The first Amulet unravels with a piano chord, a flurry of distant voices and a familiar dusty hiss. With a body of work equally cinematic and sonically vivid, Japanese composer yolabmi has already set a considerable musical footprint with a string of albums released on VAAGNER, Casement Exchange, Perfect Aesthetics and other initiatives. Each segment and soundscape by yolabmi appears to be a dream-like vision where intimate atmospheres, alluring melodies and unexplored experiments intertwine. The following adventure seems to lead through many different lands.

Amulet of Tears 001: yolabmi

Music: @yolabmi

Artwork: @anasisana

Amulet 001: yolabmi

A companion and a friend, Undveld guides through a path of piercing heights and desolate, barren plains. Every peak of emotional distortion seems physical, each pulled string heartfelt and raw. The young Lithuanian artist has amassed an extensive discography of experimental electronic work released on offworldcolonies, Perfect Aesthetics, static motion including others, his talent in production marked by deeply sensitive compositions and dynamic structures. It is safe to assume that there is much discovery to be made on the artistic and personal journey with Undveld. 

Amulet of Tears 002: Undveld

Music: @undveld

Artwork: @anasisana

Amulet 002: Undveld

Personal experiences, uplifting hopes, meditative fantasies and harsh realities are all carried in the third Amulet by Anasisana. A visual artist as well as a musician under several different aliases (Buried Alive, Nonchalant, Perfect Stranger), the Tunisian creator blends emotional slowcore songs, hypnotizing melodies and more abrasive experimental rhythms to breathe new air into the accustomed field of ambient music. His most recent release, a cassette titled "Perfect Stranger", was released by Trust Collective in September of 2020. In the work of Anasisana, thoughtfulness and subtlety shine a bright, yet melancholic light.

Amulet of Tears 003: Anasisana

Music: @anasisana

Artwork: @anasisana

Amulet 003: Anasisana

Ardor is the brilliant collaborative effort of Canadian sound artists B.P. and Body of Intrigue. As a duo, the two have recorded and released joint works on the Male Activity label, previously ran by B.P.; as Ardor, they continue to foster a sonic garden of flowers seemingly blooming and withering over and over, with a scarce piece of everyday meditation occurring in between each cycle. The mix for Amulet of Tears includes only original works, either recorded individually by each of the two, or created together.

Amulet of Tears 006: Ardor

Music: Ardor

Artwork: @anasisana

Amulet 006: Ardor

The seventh Amulet carries elements of water, burgeoning life and subtly glowing electricity. The Bulgarian artist Evitceles has been exploring themes of (un)natural life and personal vulnerability in his musical work since 2014, releasing a variety of albums and collections, several on labels such as Yerevan Tapes and Opal Tapes. The compositions of Evitceles do not shy away from tonal experimentations, unique forms of songwriting as well as different uses of rhythm and style; listening to his work feels much like a slow walk through a gallery of impressionistic paintings.

Amulet of Tears 007: Evitceles

Music: @evitceles

Artwork: @anasisana

Amulet of Tears

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