Listen / Purchase: https://lnk.to/alapastel

This album is also part of Lost Tribe Sound's Salt & Gravity Series:
https://losttribesound.bandcamp.com/album/salt-and-gravity-series

‘Ceremony’ is the second album from Slovakian composer Lukáš Bulko, who records under the name Alapastel. Bulko’s 2018 debut album ‘Hidden for the Eyes’ for James Murray’s Slowcraft was met with praise from critics and fans alike. Much like ‘Hidden for the Eyes’, the new album ‘Ceremony’ provides no easy comparisons.

Lost Tribe Sound was introduced to Alapastel by composer William Ryan Fritch in early 2021. Immediately upon listening to the demo it became clear that ‘Ceremony’ was unlike any album we’d heard before.  It’s an album built from mammoth sound objects, carved from organic sources, that feel so palpable that one could reach out and touch them. Often spanning ten + minutes, these expansive compositions are crafted with such intent and intricate detail that they never overstay their welcome.

There’s a purity and a gentleness to Bulko’s musical voice that speaks of connection, mending, of building a better existence. Subjects that are often swallowed up by the noise, the cruelty, and lack of compassion found in modern society… written off as idealistic or naive. Bulko describes the intention of ‘Ceremony’ is to facilitate a transformative experience. Much of ‘Ceremony’ was written to highlight his interest in Indigenous Peoples ability to survive using sustainable methods passed down over thousands of years, making use of techniques that helped to conserve biodiversity for future generations. Bulko’s work with Fairtrade International has nurtured this connection and belief that adopting these ancient practices is the key to continued life on this planet.

cover art by Silvia Bobeková Art

Ceremony

Releaseness

Alapastel - Releaseness (from Ceremony)

Order the Ltd. Edition 10"/DL here:
www.erasedtapes.com/store/index/ERATP063

"If I knew I were alive, I could do so much better. If I knew what I had, then I could use it more wisely. If only I’d known before then I’d be in a better place already. If only."
London-based singer-songwriter Douglas Dare releases new EP, following on from his debut album Whelm. Named after album track Caroline and new track If I Knew I Were Alive, it also features remixes by fellow label mate Ryan Lee West aka Rival Consoles and Houndstooth’s own electronic producer Ross Tones aka Throwing Snow.

Caroline has always been a precious track for Douglas, one of the first tracks he recorded and a story in which he imagines his grandfather is writing to a loved one during the war. As the only song on his debut album that is stripped down to just his voice and piano playing, and it being a favourite amongst fans at his concerts, it was a natural choice as a first single.

The new track If I Knew I Were Alive Douglas wrote by creating beats, looping them and recording parts live. Dancing around to the beats in his room, he started singing melodies and coming up with ideas that he wouldn’t usually have, sitting at the piano. The idea that we can do a lot more if only we appreciated our own ability and opportunity encouraged Douglas to not take the track to anyone else to re-record it, but to work with what he had created himself.

“The recording has this demo quality, which I really enjoy. I love how revealing a demo can be. It seems to expose the fundamental ideas the songwriter had and the basic quality of the recording is very revealing. One of my favourite records is PJ Harvey’s ‘4 Track Demos’, where the songs are so stripped back that you can appreciate the finest details.” – Douglas Dare

Ryan Lee West, who crafted the Rival Consoles remix of album track Swim explains, “the track existed in a minimal state for a while, and I kept thinking something was missing. There's always something missing! And then out of casual chance, I was sorting through my portable recorder files, and I came across a recording of an installation that I did, which included four motors hitting glockenspiel or xylophone notes at random. I chopped it up in a few seconds and it worked perfectly. It adds texture and movement to the remix. But what's important about these sounds is that they are not in time. I think this remix creates sense of space, subtlety and physicality.”

"The original is so well put together, and the vocal so unique that it was a hard one to approach. I set out to reflect the beauty of the vocal in the intro, so that I could build it into something darker later on. This also mirrors the meaning of the vocal. The last sections are meant to evoke feelings of being washed away by a torrent” – Ross Tones about his Throwing Snow remix of Nile.

The cover photograph was taken by Douglas Dare himself; printed on silver card, so that the seawater shimmers against the light.

Douglas Dare and Rival Consoles will both perform a special in-store show at Rough Trade, presenting their respective EP releases, before embarking on an Erased Tapes U.S. West Coast tour and Douglas accompanying Fink throughout 13 countries in North America and Europe from September to November as their special guest.

TICKETS: www.erasedtapes.com/artists/events/22/Douglas+Dare

TRACK LISTING:

A1. Caroline
A2. If I Knew I Were Alive
B1. Swim (Rival Consoles Remix)
B2. Nile (Throwing Snow Remix)

MORE INFO: douglasdare.com · erasedtapes.com

Whelm

Caroline

Buy 10"/DL

Douglas Dare – Caroline

Track #03 of the Einklang Remix Album....

Einklang Remixed  - 03 - East - Minimal Redescription Edit (feat. KRLL)

from 'The Unified Field Reconstructed' [CD|LP|DIGITAL]
Denovali Records ·  den226
available on all formats at [http://denovali.com/pianointerrupted]

Piano Interrupted, the anglo / french duo formed by Tom Hodge and Franz Kirmann is a musical entity in continuous reinvention, their music constantly evolving and transforming from concert to concert, record to record. Studio compositions are deconstructed for live shows, becoming brand new pieces, which in turn serve as a basis for future new compositions, like a never-ending “mise en abyme”
It was just a question of time then before the pair turned to other producers to ask them to rework their music. Concentrating exclusively on material from their last LP “The Unified Field”, Piano Interrupted invited a handful of artists and producers from Denovali Records' roster including Hidden Orchestra, Floex, Origamibiro, John Lemke, Saffronkeira and Second Moon Of Winter to reinvent some of their compositions. Oscillating between dub, techno, abstract hip hop, ambient and post-classical, each interpretation offers a completely fresh approach to the work, sometimes barely recognisable, and sheds new light on the infinite directions that Piano Interrupted's intricate compositions can be taken.
“The Unified Field Reconstructed” is a reminder of the possibilities and a promise of more exquisite exploration in the duo's 3rd album, scheduled for later this year, based on recordings taking place in Senegal (where Franz spent his childhood) in February 2015.


The Unified Field Reconstructed

Piano Interrupted - Darkly Shining (John Lemke Rework)

Written, performed and recorded by Jim Perkins
Mastered by Ben Wiffen

https://www.facebook.com/JimPerkinsComposer
https://www.instagram.com/jim_perkins_
https://twitter.com/Jim_Perkins_

Pairs

Jim Perkins - Junk Bonds - Free Download

Armand Amar - Home

Contemporary double bass music that blurs the boundaries between jazz, classics, orient und occident, ancient music, and electronica. This album has been inspired during concerts during the blue hour, where Mich Gerber celebrates this magic time between day and night, as he plays concerts along shorelines. For more information: www.michgerber.ch

Thomas Feiner - Guide For The Perplexed, Instrumental Piano Version

Thomas Feiner