Purchase "Montana" on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/montana-single/id799641047

Tycho "Awake" LP on Ghostly International
Release date: MARCH 18, 2014

Purchase "Awake": http://shop.iso50.com/collections/awake

formats:
CD/LP/DIGITAL

artwork by:
ISO50

For nearly a decade, Tycho has been known as the musical alias of Scott Hansen, but with the release of Awake – his second LP for Ghostly International – the solo project has evolved into a three-piece band. Relating closer to post-rock than ambient soundscapes, the record is situated in the present, sounding more like Hansen than drawing from his influences. “This is, in many ways, the first true Tycho record.”

Following 2011’s Dive LP, the San Francisco-based designer toured extensively, and with a full band on stage, his sound coalesced into a percussive, organic whole. Zac Brown (guitars, bass) rejoined Scott on the road for this tour, but it was the particular addition of Rory O’Connor’s live drumming that ultimately sent Hansen back to the studio with a more precise vision. “After the tour, I decided that I wanted to capture the more energetic, driven sound of the live show on the next album,” Hansen recalls. Bringing musicians into Tycho’s creative process was a step towards expanding his own songwriting and advancing the project beyond its current sound.

In a cabin near Tahoe last winter, Zac and Scott began fleshing out the structure of the new record, but it wasn’t until they set up shop in the hills of Santa Cruz with Rory that it all fell into place. “It crystallized the vision of how the drums would come to the forefront on this record,” says Hansen. The sound was much more stripped-down and concise with more organic instruments in the fold. Songs like “Montana” and “Awake” are a departure from Tycho’s previous material – unique to the group effort poured into the songs on the new record – while “See” and “Dye” echo ideas from previous works, bridging a middle ground between the old and new. Working with Count Eldridge, who also engineered Dive, the team could fixate on the pulses that Tycho might previously layer under synthesizers and exhume them with distinct bass and guitar patterns.

Also known for his design work as ISO50, Hansen’s visual and sonic efforts have dovetailed throughout the course of his career. “This is the first time in my life I've dropped everything to focus on one artistic pursuit,” notes Hansen. Previous Tycho releases came to fruition when an amalgam of songs were nearing completion, but Awake is where music becomes the focus and true expression becomes the result.

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Montana

In 2002 my friend Jules told me about this band "Random Conner and Justice Mann".  She said that it was right up my alley.  Jules and I were in the same music theory class at UCLA (shout out to Paul Chihara!).  Another student, Cole, and I played rhythm section for Jules' band, Lila (she's now in Oh Halo, based in NY).  Jules called me up one night and told me that she's going to go see Random Conner and Justice Mann down at the Roxy on the Sunset Strip, and that I should go with her.  I went with her, saw the show, and was BLOWN AWAY.  It was immediately my favorite band. They had so much fun on stage together, wrote great songs, and had the most charismatic front man I've seen.  Brandon sang and played guitar, David played drums, J.P. played keys, Mike played bass, and Josh played lead guitar.  I told Jules to let me know immediately if they ever needed a bass player.  Not even a few months later, Jules tells me that, indeed, the band we saw at the Roxy was looking for a bass player, and that they're really called Random Justice.  I was ecstatic! So Jules put me in touch with Brandon, the singer, and I scheduled an audition.  I met Brandon by Rock N' Roll Ralph's (the one on Sunset at Fuller) and it turned out we lived a few blocks from each other this whole time.  I got their recordings, learned their songs, and met them at their practice space out in North Hollywood to audition.  I got a message on my machine that I was in the band! This was one of the happiest days ever! We played shows, went on a mini-tour (drove to AZ in a van a few times) and recorded almost half an album until it eventually fell apart.  We even played a show at Spaceland (RIP!). To this day, Random Justice is one of my favorite bands ever. Being in Random Justice is among my proudest accomplishments and probably the most fun time in my life. Thanks, guys!  This song is called "Fruit Loops" and is probably one of the catchiest songs I've ever heard.  It was recorded by Justin Harvey in Reseda, CA (The Sick Water compound), summer 2003.  The song is written by Brandon Conner, performed by Random Justice.

Fruit Loops

machukes

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