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The Foundation

Off Nights (2020) is the first solo venture of Philly-based producer, multi-instrumentalist and DJ Lee Clarke, known for his jazz-inflected, texturally rich beatmaking. As executive producer of Kingsley Ibeneche’s Realms EP (2019), Lee Clarke’s studio work has recently received praise from Afropunk, The Fader, OkayPlayer, OkayAfrica, and NPR.

After years co-writing and producing music behind the scenes for a number of artists soon to be released in Astro Nautico's Atlantics X series (Kingsley Ibeneche, Jasmine Cassell, KillerWhale) and managing and performing with Kingsley Ibeneche’s live band, Clarke's individual expressions find pockets of atemporal melodic bliss circulating over funk, hip-hop, and RnB rhythm sections.

There is a unique lyricism in Clarke's idiosyncratic production techniques, with stylistic nods to jazz and Brazilian samba. The music is additionally layered with colorful contributions from Jarrett Gilgore (saxophone), Martin Gottlieb-Hollis (trumpet), and Astro Nautico co-owner Bennett Kuhn (additional production).

Off Nights marks the beginning of Astro Nautico’s Atlantics X campaign to benefit artists negatively impacted by COVID-19. Clarke’s next productions for this campaign include releases by Kingsley Ibeneche, Jasmine Cassell, KillerWhale, and a collaboration with Kingsley Ibeneche and Ivy Sole. Kingsley Ibeneche’s debut full-length album, executive produced by Lee Clarke, is also forthcoming on Astro Nautico.

Stream/download links: https://astronautico.ffm.to/onlc

Off Nights

Lee Clarke - WYO

Lee Clarke - No Shaman

Lee Clarke - Off Nights

Stream/download everywhere: https://ffm.to/ax2020
Bandcamp: https://bit.ly/2T0YqzM
GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/atlanticsx

Astro Nautico’s Atlantics X is a compilation celebrating a decade of the label’s existence and fundraising to provide financial assistance for its community members impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

A wide range of beloved artists return to the label, including Photay, Time Wharp, Honey Oat, Michael Beharie, Lee Clarke, IGBO, Tatiana Heuman, Persona La Ave & Baraka, Andre Wiken, Basile3, and C. Form. Label co-founders Paul Jones (P X A), Sam O.B., and Kuhn all contribute new music in the tradition of the original Atlantics Vol. 1-3 compilations (’09-’13).

Astro Nautico’s first all-label compilation since 2013’s Atlantics Vol. 3, Atlantics X serves as an index of the artistic and curatorial development of a ten-year exploration of the interstices of genres, moods, and modes of musical creation.

From Photay’s chirping, thunderous dark mechanics on ‘Sea Urchin’ to Time Wharp’s feather light synth meditation ‘12-31-12,’ dynamic curves traverse a terrain of many sounds at many plateaus. Pop experimentalism in Michael Beharie, IGBO, and Sam O.B. sets a heartbeat that cracks, melts, and is resampled in the shattered electronics of Tatiana Heuman and fragmentary lo-fi trap of Kuhn, while Andre Wiken and C. Form differently treat the dancefloor as a space of reverie and intrigue.

Atlantics X is a crowning jewel of the mutual aid fund and fundraising campaign of the same name. Astro Nautico initiated this fundraiser in spring in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. All sales and streams of the Atlantics X compilation support members of the label's community with financial needs due to Covid-19. Since May, the label has published 12 projects, from singles and EPs to albums and contemplative dance videos, in this series. Astro Nautico has distributed $4,262.65 to date to fund recipients, with priority to BIPOC recipients.

More information and donation links for the Atlantics X mutual aid fund are available on GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/atlanticsx  
credits

Mastered by Sam O.B. in Enfield, NH
Artwork by Bennett Kuhn
Graphics by Kewi Bedoyan
Illustrations by Lee Clarke, Manuela Guillén, Michelle Ishikawa, Paul Jones, Bennett Kuhn, Sam O.B., Demi & Parker

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