Return To Self

Hotel Neon is a trio from Philadelphia, which has appeared on these pages [and hopefully on your rotations] ever since their self-released and self-titled Hotel Neon debut in 2013. The album has been subsequently picked up by Home Normal, with the band’s followups, Remnants (2016) and Context (2017) appearing on Fluid Audio, and migration with Means of Knowing (2018) to Augustin Mena’s (aka Warmth) Archives imprint. For their latest release, titled Vanishing Forms, the trio returns to Archives, with eight ambient atmospheres that blanket a spinning mind. The vastly spanning and highly textured pieces drown all anguish and polish the sharp edges of that troublesome thought. 

Listening to this music is like opening your eyes on the beach facing a boundless ocean, with an intense realization that at this moment all is real and everything else is just product of a projected and forever fueled in worry ego. This is how things truly are… And if you don’t have the luxury of an ocean near your dwelling, at least you can reflect on the presence in your headphones, with Hotel Neon spraying all the vapours of their waves.

The album will be available for pre-order this Friday (April 12th), available on digital, CD, and of course, vinyl. You may have already noticed in the above Release Notes section, but it’s worth pointing out again the mastering touch of Rafael Anton Irisarri from his Black Knoll Studio in New York. Hotel Neon is setting out on tour for the album premiere events, which also include performances by Lowercase Noises and Slow Meadow! Be sure to catch them in the US plus London and rest of Europe with Marcus Fischer and Kate Carr sometime in September! See all dates and venues on hotelneonmusic.com.

Vanishing Forms

TRACK PREMIERE : Hotel Neon - Vanishing Forms

Gray Acres are brothers Michael and Andrew Tasselmyer, whose debut album was released last year on Sound In Silence. The project began in 2017 as another creative avenue for these two artists, who are already established as Hotel Neon as well as working on other collaborations and solo ventures. Andrew records under his own name as well as working with Tobias Hellkvist as Mordançage whereas Mike records under the alias Transient Sounds.
The brothers are originally from Baltimore in USA and whilst Mike still lives there, Andrew moved a hundred miles or so away to neighbouring city Philadelphia. Their work is initially created independently by building ideas, loops and recordings and these are realised into full tracks once they get together in person.

Material Forces became the name of the follow-up to last year’s eponymous unveiling, a dense but physical drift session which is as tactile as it is lulling. They did not initially have a clear vision on what this record would eventually become and much of it was performed live, with limited post-production. A key element is some field recordings taken in Asia, which provided the influence for the concept as they were all selected specifically for their powerful, intense characteristics. Rushing water, thunder claps, rock, earth and other heavy materials helped inspire the title ‘Material Forces’ as these field recordings become a focal point in which the power of the natural world collide with softer, processed guitar and synth drones to mimic the undeniable beauty that is left behind by nature as it shifts and evolves.

Material Forces

wlr064 Gray Acres - Material Forces

Gray Acres is Andrew and Michael Tasselmyer.

Return To Self

Gray Acres

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