The Volume Settings Folder is the work of Italian artist M. Beckmann from a small town on the outskirts of Padua, in the country’s North-East. His musical journey began in 2004 following two parallel paths; a brief flirtation with progressive and nu-metal and a more enduring exploration into Folk Electronica and Post Rock sounds, gradually leading him to Ambient and Drone music. In 2011 he launched The Volume Settings Folder, self-releasing and also appearing on Organic Industries, EKAR Records, Oscarson, Fallen Metropolis and Whitelabrecs, with the 17th edition of Home Diaries back in 2017. The project has drawn inspiration from an eclectic palette; from Electronica giants such as Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada and Autechre to the Scandinavian nu-jazz of Arve Henriksen and Nils Petter Molvær; drone pioneers such as Rafael Anton Irisarri and the Modern Classical works of Max Richter and Nils Frahm.

The creative process remains rooted in improvisation. Tracks often begin with fragments of guitar, samples, field recordings or synths, layered live using looping techniques, hardware and pedals. Recording is immediate, committing ideas in the moment with minimal post-production. For this latest album entitled ‘Corporate Shamanism’, sessions took place throughout 2023 and 2024, using an array of instruments and tools including acoustic and electric guitar, kalimba, cassette and reel-to-reel tape, hardware including an OP-1 Field, monome norns and a carefully curated chain of pedals and effects. Recordings were captured to handheld devices before being shaped in Ableton Live with only subtle adjustments.

This provocatively titled album ‘Corporate Shamanism’ is free from a strict concept, yet the album carries with it a strong sense of place and time; an impressionistic reflection of autumn and winter by the sea, filtered through nostalgia and calmness. Polaroid photographs from these colder seasons inform the mood, with the music evoking shifting coastal light, perishing temperatures and quiet transformation.

For the artist, these pieces trace connections to landscapes tied to childhood memories and the way they shift with the changing seasons. The result is a deeply atmospheric work that invites stillness, contemplation, and a lingering sense of the familiar. The title ‘Corporate Shamanism’ hints at the pressures of modern life which is a striking contrast to the nostalgic warmth of Polaroid photographs and reel-to-reel tape. Yet in many ways, this album seeks to offer a quiet antidote to an overstimulated world.

Credits
Written and produced by M. Beckmann
Mastered by James Edward Armstrong
Photography by Filippo Bordigato
Artwork by M. Beckmann
Art and design by Andrew Heath

Corporate Shamanism

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