Debuting on Eastern Nurseries with "On a Grain of Rice", Berlin-based, American sound artist Mitchell Keaney traces a compelling line through the metaphysical nature of Arizona's deserts. Derived from a collection of recordings made while wandering the quiet streets of downtown Sedona after hours, Keaney captures the stillness and quiet intensity of the area and transforms it through digital collage and electroacoustic composition.

Forming part of his live performances throughout 2023, the pieces on "On a Grain of Rice" began to emulate their namesake buttes, with their rising tensions, crescendos and descents capturing the essence of the geological landmarks Keaney had hiked around earlier in the year. Connecting these buttes, Keaney built a trio of briefer “trails”, contextualising the mountainous compositions of the buttes with intermissions filled with distant unintelligible conversations, live music bleeding from a neighbourhood bar and gravel crunching underfoot.

Blending harsher textures with a delicate, almost pastoral sensibility, Keaney’s ear for detail has culminated in a body of work that offers an ode to all of the desert dwellers; those who have resided there in the past and present, and especially those who have gone through one in the psychological, or spiritual, sense.

Eastern Nurseries no. 38

All music by Mitchell Keaney. Recorded 2023-2024
Cover image by Mitchell Keaney
Mastering & additional mixing by Aleksander Filipiak

Special thanks to Davide, Aleks, Francisco, Hannah, Kyle, Ian, Matthew, Paola, Paula, Selu, Samuel, Lou Croff Blake, Ludovica, James Roemer, Eric Frye, Michael Flora, Adam Lovelady, Cesar Ruiz, James Fella, Michael Casteñada, Alex (Djents) and Vida Vojiç for directly or indirectly guiding the completion of this record. 

On a Grain of Rice

Mitchell Keaney - Bell Loop Butte

all about music...
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