Karamel Kel - Over The Sky

Featuring John O'Hara (Bassoon), Yeji Yoon (Violin), Ryunee Ryun (Violin), Ro Rowan (Cello), and Daniel McCallum (Double Bass).
2014.



Chasing Blue

After The Rain

IMPORTANT: THIS ALBUM IS BEST EXPERIENCED THROUGH THIS PAGE:
>>> spacebarman.com/accidental/ <<<

In a time where everything seems to revolve around chatting with AI machines, this album of small instrumentals is an attempt to convey meaning without words*. Its songs were indeed the result of a conversation, but in this case with a few guitar pedals**, a conversation made of knob positions, footswitch pressing, guitar riffs, listening, and pondering. To align with this wordless dialog, songs don't have individual names, they are only numbered for the sake of referencing the resulting audio files.

The album was recorded through a few meditative sessions between November and October of 2025. In those sessions, I prioritised spontaneity, trying to restrain my “producer” self from intervening and polishing, instead, allowing exploration and surprise to come through. In some cases, however, the explorer in me wanted to add a bit extra structure, and that was ok.

Melodies, harmonies or rhythmical patterns were spontaneous responses inspired by accidental noises and sound textures. I captured those textures from multiple sources: unexpected electrical noises***, degraded drones, or loops downtuned beyond recognition. I then acted as an interlocutor, evaluating those abstract sound prompts and replying with musical passages on top, around, or despite them. The result is the set of lucky sonic accidents you can listen to here.

The album is an appreciation of texture in both sound and visual form. The artworks are abstract photographs I've took in the last few years, macro captures of small worlds or surprising textures from simple everyday things. I hope you enjoy the images as much as the music.

NOTES
* Almost. The album has a title, after all. Also this info text is the most I've ever written about one of my musical works.
** For the guitar geeks, I used almost exclusively ChaseBliss' Lost+Found, Empress Effects' Zoia and Line6 HX Stomp. L+F was my master texture generator. With the Zoia, I programmed a very interactive stereo looper that allowed me to mangle loops and the live signal separately. I used the HX Stomp only for amp+cab simulation. Oh, I also used Banana's Abracadabra in one song. Can you guess which one?
*** If I don't play my guitar, my pedalboard spontaneously produces ghostly, bell-like sounds at random intervals. They're beautiful.

Bandcamp - Spacebarman

missing her

papika wants to go adventuring with her friend mimi,
she promises one day, they will.

someday. its a promise.. okay?

astray

Haven't released a mashup in ages. Really enjoyed putting this together, I hope you do too! Make sure to support the artists featured in this mix.

Mixed by BE4TZ

Components:
Nightshift ft. Shing02 - What Do You Love?
Thomas Prime - Waiting For Snowfall (Vashti Bunyan)

Art by Tacosauceninja
https://www.deviantart.com/art/End-Of-Days-650315489

Chasing Blue

Jon Chau