Elba is a collaboration between producer/engineer Dark Arps (Jon Bierman) and singer/songwriter amsii (Amber Sawicki). They met in Vancouver in 2018 through a mutual friend who acted as a go-between, sending rough demos recorded with a cheap cell phone. A graduate of Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Amber was already performing with bands and forging her own solo identity. He instantly recognized her immense talent as a vocalist and composer, and encouraged her to create more intricate arrangements as she delved into sequencing and production. Working together as Elba, eight dynamic tracks emerged for their eponymous debut album around the grounding force of her powerful vocals. 

Sawicki's orations elate the body and soul, while her lyrics tap into the zeitgeist of urban decay presently unfolding amidst late-stage capitalism. She possesses the introspective prowess of Erykah Badu as much as the sugary hook of Jessie Reyez. Her vision imbues Bierman's technically sophisticated techno-tinged breakbeats with an elevated pop sensibility that would sound perfect on any genre-spanning contemporary R&B/electro/new wave playlist alongside the likes of Joe Goddard (Hot Chip) and Amy Douglas project HARD FEELINGS, or Ninja Tune producer Anz.

Elba - Elba

Elba LP

Rambling Mind

Sick And Sold

Get You Out

Gave It A Chance

Elevate

Busy Bodies

Chatter

Lokisphere is a three-part album of ambient and sci-fi soundscapes. Each piece was composed and then recorded live in a single take, using the "Audioship", a tightly integrated machine of machines. Please see my facebook page (facebook.com/darkarps) for more. 

There are no project files, no stems, the tracks have no names. No hours were spent labouring over minute details of the mix, the music emerged in as direct a way as possible, from hand to machine to zeroes and ones, to flow anonymously across the vast wastes of transmitted data, fleeting yet permanent, as music in the digital age. 

Each part features cover illustrations by three different artists, the cover art for Part Two is by Kir Mokum.

Additional performances by Richard Meehan, Anna Esslemont and Alex Campbell.

To purchase the album, please head on over to Bandcamp: https://darkarps.bandcamp.com/album/lokisphere-part-two

Lokisphere  (Part Two)

Lokisphere is a three-part album of ambient and sci-fi soundscapes. Each piece was composed and then recorded live in a single take, using the "Audioship", a tightly integrated machine of machines. Please see my Facebook page (facebook.com/darkarps) for more.
 
There are no project files, no stems, the tracks have no names. No hours were spent labouring over minute details of the mix, the music emerged in as direct a way as possible, from hand to machine to zeroes and ones, to flow anonymously across the vast wastes of transmitted data, fleeting yet permanent, as music in the digital age.

Each part features cover illustrations by three different artists, the cover art for Part One is by Myles Away: https://sixsidesdesign.tumblr.com/

Please visit Bandcamp to support my work: https://darkarps.bandcamp.com/album/lokisphere-part-one

Lokisphere

Lokisphere, Part One

Lokisphere (Part One)

Lokisphere is a three-part album of ambient and sci-fi soundscapes. Each piece was composed and then recorded live in a single take, using the "Audioship", a tightly integrated machine of machines. Please see my facebook page (facebook.com/darkarps) for more.

There are no project files, no stems, the tracks have no names. No hours were spent labouring over minute details of the mix, the music emerged in as direct a way as possible, from hand to machine to zeroes and ones, to flow anonymously across the vast wastes of transmitted data, fleeting yet permanent, as music in the digital age.

Each part features cover illustrations by three different artists, the cover art for Part Three is by Arya Hawker and Justin Snell.

Additional performance on Lokisphere 3.1 by Andrew Van Hassel.

To purchase the album, please head on over to Bandcamp: darkarps.bandcamp.com/album/lokisphere-part-three

Lokisphere (Part Three)

My first set at the fabled Gorg-O-Mish. Recorded April 18th 2019.

Gorg-O-Mish (Open) 04.18.2019

Ghost in the Machine Presents: Altered States III

[[[ An Extended Sonic Expedition with DARK ARPS performing LOKISPHERE ]]]

Performed and recorded live in Vancouver, Canadas on Sunday November 10th, 2019.
_______________________________________________

Veteran producer and engineer Jonathan Bierman is best known for his long running omni-genre electronic music project, Dark Arps. Originally inspired by the slew of groundbreaking acts that arose from the UK’s DnB and triphop scenes in the 90’s, his tastes evolved to incorporate nu-skool breaks, progressive, and techno. Timeless acts such as Hybrid, Underworld and The Prodigy were influential role models that forged in him an equal commitment to musicality, high production standards and of course, dance-ability. Throughout the 2000’s he spent eight years producing, engineering, touring and performing with one of the UK’s first truly live DnB-breakbeat acts, Keiretsu, rocking dance floors all across Britain, from Edinburgh to Brighton. As well, during this period he continued to produce, remix and collaborate with an endless variety of electronic and traditional acts, giving him a diverse pool of influence from which to draw inspiration.
 
Lokisphere is a far more experimental side project of Bierman's that inspired an epic three-part album of ambient and sci-fi soundscapes of the same name. Each part was composed and then recorded live in a single take, using his "Audioship", a tightly integrated machine of machines. The music emerged in as direct a way as possible, from hand to machine to zeroes and ones, to flow anonymously across the vast wastes of transmitted data, fleeting yet permanent, as music in the digital age.
 
For this event, Bierman performed an extended three hour improvised set in similar stylings to his three part Lokisphere conceptual release. Pack your onesie and pillows, lay down and enjoy an extended sonic expedition unlike any you have experienced before.

* Cover photo by Reylinn McGrath

Lokisphere Live

Altered States III: Dark Arps - Lokisphere Live [2019.11.10]

Ghost in the Machine is excited to present the third event in the Altered States ambient / experimental series:
 
 An Extended Sonic Expedition with
 
 DARK ARPS performing LOKISPHERE
 
 The ticket price for this experience will be $20 per person. Please note there will only be 50 tickets available for this event and must be purchased in advance - TICKETS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR.
 
 Tickets: https://ghostinthemachine.bandcamp.com/merch/gitm-presents-an-extended-sonic-expedition-with-dark-arps-performing-lokisphere
 _______________________________________________
 
 Sunday November 10th 2019
 254 E Georgia Street (upstairs)
 
 Doors: 2-3pm
 Performance: 3-6pm
 Social: 6-7pm
 
 ** In order to create the atmosphere and experience we wish for this performance, please arrive at the venue before 3pm to ensure you get in and do not disturb the collective after the performance has begun.
 _______________________________________________
 
Veteran producer and engineer Jonathan Bierman is best known for his long running omni-genre electronic music project, Dark Arps. Originally inspired by the slew of groundbreaking acts that arose from the UK’s DnB and triphop scenes in the 90’s, his tastes evolved to incorporate nu-skool breaks, progressive, and techno. Timeless acts such as Hybrid, Underworld and The Prodigy were influential role models that forged in him an equal commitment to musicality, high production standards and of course, dance-ability. Throughout the 2000’s he spent eight years producing, engineering, touring and performing with one of the UK’s first truly live DnB-breakbeat acts, Keiretsu, rocking dance floors all across Britain, from Edinburgh to Brighton. As well, during this period he continued to produce, remix and collaborate with an endless variety of electronic and traditional acts, giving him a diverse pool of influence from which to draw inspiration.
 
 Lokisphere is a far more experimental side project of Bierman's that inspired an epic three-part album of ambient and sci-fi soundscapes of the same name. Each part was composed and then recorded live in a single take, using his "Audioship", a tightly integrated machine of machines. The music emerged in as direct a way as possible, from hand to machine to zeroes and ones, to flow anonymously across the vast wastes of transmitted data, fleeting yet permanent, as music in the digital age.
 
 For this event, Bierman will be performing an extended three hour improvised set in similar stylings to his three part Lokisphere conceptual release. Pack your onesie and pillows, lay down and enjoy an extended sonic expedition unlike any you have experienced before.
 
 To stream or purchase the Lokisphere trilogy, see the links below:
 
 Part One: https://darkarps.bandcamp.com/album/lokisphere-part-one
 
 Part Two: https://darkarps.bandcamp.com/album/lokisphere-part-two
 
 Part Three: https://darkarps.bandcamp.com/album/lokisphere-part-three

Altered States III - Dark Arps presents Lokisphere Live

A year ago today we lost my good friend and mentor Phil Western. Phil inspired and taught me a great deal and remains one of my favourite musicians of all time. I made this tribute entirely out of analog synths (except the drums)including his own Andromeda as he would have appreciated that. I also tried to include as many "Philisims" as I could such as the delay arps, stretched snares, ghostly crooning ladies, samples about psychedelia and of course what I like to call "the Phil riff" (3:45) Phil started doing yearly tributes to his lost friend Dwayne Goettel whom I never got to meet but he continued them for more than 20 years as I knew it meant a lot to him and I hope to do the same for his memory. Please do yourself and Phils daughter a favour by going to his bandcamp, clicking on any release and select "Buy Digital Discography" for 30$ Its a truly staggering amount of work for that price and remains some of my favourite music of all time. I miss you buddy I think you would have got a kick out of this. Turn this one up for Phil and get lost in the drift. He was the loudest monitor abuser I've ever encountered haha. Hope you like it buddy we love you.

One Year - Longwalkshortdock (Phil Western Tribute)

16.02.2020 @falconettis
@ownside.music 
linktr.ee/ownside.sound
lostinlustrecords.bandcamp.com/track/own…te-lil001
www.residentadvisor.net/dj/ownside

ClubSoda Livecast @Falconettis

Edgy, soul vocals with triphop production. Collaborative duo between Amsii (www.amsii.ca) and Dark Arps (www.darkarps.com)

Rambling Mind

Elba

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