Ethereality | Releases

Bjorn Salvador - Something Different

Welcome to 'big hell' or as the Icelanders call it: Stóra Víti. The two heads of Ethereality prove once again they're better than one with three new sonic paintings of dramatically beautiful landscapes. We start off the crater rave in Kerið with its floating chords, delicate-yet-catchy piano hook and the bounciest of basslines. A sweeping vintage synth leads the way on our expedition. Was that an elf? Next we find ourselves on the hot springs mountain that is Hverafjall, where someone seems to have left their hangdrums and horns. Fluttering arpeggios prove a welcome travelling companion to the beefier bass and synth chords, with one of Iceland's famed mythological beasts providing peculiarly pleasant poetry. Before heading home we must check out the sunrise over Bláhylur though. Ethereal soundscapes are sprinkled over its thick bass, with soothing ad libs and string ensembles providing a smooth aesthetic. Like a break in the clouds, a cascading synth arpeggio pierces through, reminiscent of the classics of yesteryear, on a different island far away. But with less puddles.

Stóra Víti

Jakhira & Bjorn Salvador - Kerið

Jakhira & Bjorn Salvador - Hverafjall

Jakhira & Bjorn Salvador - Bláhylur

Welcome to Fiordland. Our friend lives right on the edge of the eponymous national park in New Zealand, where he's undoubtedly and understandably inspired by the mountains, forests, fiords and sounds. After releases on noteworthy labels like Seven Villas and Nordic Voyage Recordings, he joins forces with Jakhira to show the world the beauty of the Tail End Of The Land. Spirit Of Piopiotahi (that's Māori for Milford Sound, if you're into languages or geography) gets things off to a roaring start with its mesmerising melange of organic instrumentation and sizzling synths. Pretty pianos and soaring strings meet for a treasured tryst, but it's the whispers and the calls of the kea bird that perhaps embody the spirit above all else. In Dusky Waters there's less to hold on to, with a stripped-down approach. But jazzy keys and old skool organs lay a lovely foundation for the tribal percussion and melodic hooks. Fat synth chords join the party, followed by an array of catchy arpeggios and delicate bells. A truly delightful, dusky sound. Closing things off with a more mellow approach, we have Doubtful Tranquility. Warm pads and colourful chords set things up nicely for soothing riffs and melodies. Reminiscently retro stabs add a delightful dollop of melancholy, but the finishing touch is the wonderfully wavering lead synthesizer. You won't want to go back home either.

Tail End Of The Land

Jakhira & Fiordland - Spirit Of Piopiotahi

Jakhira & Fiordland - Dusky Waters

Jakhira & Fiordland - Doubtful Tranquility

Our fifth adventure into Ethereality takes us back to ancestral roots, because it's as Irish as Crann Bethadh, the Celtic tree of life in our logo. With pride and pleasure we welcome Richard McMaster from the Emerald Isle, known for releases on Minds Alike, Nordic Voyage Recordings and Canopy Sounds. The trilogy of tracks gets going in leaps and bounds alongside Jakhira with Giant Steps. Resting on a bed of atmospheric pads and felt piano chords, the groovy bassline and angelic cries light the way for stuttering synth plucks. However its the heartfelt string ensembles that really set us sailing on our journey. Next we Trip The Lights Fantastic in an ode to those perfectly-timed flashes of nightlife. Deep rumbling bass and the grandest of pianos shine brightly, accompanied by warm vintage pads, sizzling shakers and catchy congas. But its the pair of lead synths that really take the cake as they flutter and whirl, twist and turn back again. Then we have the Bjorn Salvador remix. Our Nordic brother gives us a deep and thoughtful rendition, with clever use of everything fantastic and trippy from the original. But its all drenched in his special sauce, which offers a completely different, laidback vibe. Theres something in the Éire tonight.

Giant Steps / Trip The Lights Fantastic

Jakhira & Richard McMaster - Giant Steps

Richard McMaster - Trip The Lights Fantastic

Our fifth adventure into Ethereality takes us back to ancestral roots, because its as Irish as Crann Bethadh, the Celtic tree of life in our logo. With pride and pleasure we welcome Richard McMaster from the Emerald Isle, known for releases on Minds Alike, Nordic Voyage Recordings and Canopy Sounds. The trilogy of tracks gets going in leaps and bounds alongside Jakhira with Giant Steps. Resting on a bed of atmospheric pads and felt piano chords, the groovy bassline and angelic cries light the way for stuttering synth plucks. However its the heartfelt string ensembles that really set us sailing on our journey. Next we Trip The Lights Fantastic in an ode to those perfectly-timed flashes of nightlife. Deep rumbling bass and the grandest of pianos shine brightly, accompanied by warm vintage pads, sizzling shakers and catchy congas. But its the pair of lead synths that really take the cake as they flutter and whirl, twist and turn back again. Then we have the Bjorn Salvador remix. Our Nordic brother gives us a deep and thoughtful rendition, with clever use of everything fantastic and trippy from the original. But its all drenched in his special sauce, which offers a completely different, laidback vibe. There's something in the Éire tonight.

Richard McMaster - Trip The Lights Fantastic (Bjorn Salvador Remix)

The sixth journey into Ethereality quickly takes us back to the land of the Kiwi on a solo flight from Fiordland. Hot on the heels of recent collaborations with Jakhira, our friend in the South effortlessly exhibits his silky skills and clever creativity with a deeply personal triptych, where emotion and music meet in the middle. Our story begins with Hunting A Whisper, which starts off atmospherically with blissful bells and calm chords. But the introduction of a plucked melody hook and catchy vocal snippets suggest something more is afoot. And then it twists: lush synth stabs and rasping pads build to an epic climax. We see you too, Fiordland. I Spoke Too Late is a much darker affair. Moody violins and suspenseful stabs take centre stage as they lead the way for an array of wild percussion. Warm pads and enchanting voices are lavishly layered for a quick little break before the exhilaratingly energetic main drop. Finally we head over to Broken River for the deepest trip of the three. Built on a firm foundation of sweet sounding sweeps over a steady tom groove, chops of vocals and smooth stabs, it bumps along nicely until the breakdown. There we are introduced to a gorgeous organ which starts off open and bright but is cut up and scattered all over the rest of the track to great effect. Fiordland will be hunting for the dancefloor next.

Hunting A Whisper

Fiordland - Hunting A Whisper

Fiordland - I Spoke Too Late

Fiordland - Broken River

Ethereality number nine happily welcomes back Northern Irish Richard McMaster from his travels into outer space, because there really is no place like home. It was clearly an inspiring endeavour though, as the quality of tracks show. The first of which comes in the form of Tesseract which is absolutely brimming with ear candy of various varieties. Tribal percussion, processed pianos and pretty plucks allow the fluttering stutter synth its place to shine and synths of both the sweeping and stabbing kind add an extra dimension. The arpeggio piano melody adds a sweet sense of playfulness, a cherry on top to be cherished. The next journey truly is Interstellar, and proves space is a much groovier place than you might imagine. The fabulously funky bassline forms the foundation with snappy riffs providing perfect company. A wide array of melancholic melodies take turns to make their mark and join in the fun, like an extraterrestrial jazz band. Then we unfortunately close out our journey between the stars with TARS. An unquestionably deeper trip filled with warm, spaced out synths and organic melodics. In the breakdown comes the pièce de résistance when the track gets flipped and the filters open, sucking you in faster than a black hole. To infinity and beyond!

Tesseract

Richard McMaster - Tesseract

Richard McMaster - Interstellar

Bjorn Salvador - Cream

Ethereality presents our first full length feature: Retrofuturism. The debut album of Jakhira is both an exploration of the boundaries of organic house music and homage to its origins and future. It is also an adaptation of sorts, as each individual track is inspired by a particular story and aims to capture its essence. The Naked Sun gets things going with ambient soundscapes and field recordings before being joined by subtle shakers and punchy percussion. Shortly after the kickdrum drops and welcomes flurries of piano, live bass and classic analog and digital synthesizers. Swelling strings and plucked guitars form a bridge to the breakdown where a legato cello and electric guitar lead add a sweet sonic sensation. Against The Fall Of Night provides a perfect daydream with its lavishly layered organs, acoustic hi hats and more stick hits than you can shake a stick at. A groovy pattern of pitched toms is swiftly joined by felt piano chords and an evolving ensemble of strings before the deep, subtle bassline and cymbal rides arrive to increase the energy level. The spoken vocal makes its plea into the breakdown where pulsating arpeggios and weeping celli shine brightly against the dying of the light. Next we set sail for the Sun to Rendezvous With Rama. What begins as a dark and uncharted place slowly reveals its beauty as organic melodics simmer nicely. But this is only temporary as Rama continues to evolve and develop, introducing synth pads and a scintillating arpeggiated lead. It is then broken down with choirs and a full brass band accompanying the reintroduction of the main elements, reaching its climax and beyond. The Future Eve is a darker tale that showcases a touch of diversity with its thunderous stabs, rumbling bassline and modulated melodies. Warm pads and slowly evolving strings introduce the astonishing stuttering synth lead as the climax drops into madness. Neuromancer heads deep into cyberspace where rhythmic reggae guitars and a throbbing sub bassline make it clear we are in dub territory, with timeless tape echoes and spring reverb adding authenticity. Electric pianos and vintage synths play along with the earthy violins, until the track is broken down and presents a softer touch with the fainted hints of Oriental harmonies. Forward The Foundation lifts energy levels whilst keeping its cool with liquid pad ambiences and Afro Latin percussion and idiophones. Arpeggios and driving synth stabs pave the way for the uplifting modular synth lead that forms another highlight. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress brings together synth stabs, organs and a touch of acid which serve as the unlikely companions to the thick bass. Vocal snippets from NASA communications welcome tribal percussion, sweeping pads and a string ensemble as we move ever closer to ignition. Following up is Escaping Ubiquity with choirs, stabs and arpeggios aplenty. But what really grabs the attention is the stellar impression of a certain Greek god on a particularly legendary synthesizer, sounding like the theme tune of a sci-fi classic that never was. We then find ourselves a Stranger In A Strange Land, where the thumping bass is met with organic percussion, punchy pianos, soaring strings and glistening guitars. But the true beauty here lies in the otherworldly sounds as pitch-bending monosynths and vocoded vocals team up with sforzando brass and makeshift mallets to create something extraordinary. And that just leaves us with San Junipero. This very special passion project was created entirely with technology as old as the artist who made it. Vintage drum machines and synthesizers are paired with electric guitar, digital pianos and sultry vocals to great effect. String machines and polyphonic arpeggios provide the perfect vessel to take us back to the future. But thats a story for another time.

Ethereality | Releases

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