Taken from "Lil Gem" EP (Presto!? - cat# P!?023)

Buy Vinyl here: http://presto.bigcartel.com/product/palmistry-lil-gem-12-ep

PALMISTRY - Vapore

Billy Bultheel - Two Cycles
Label: PAN
Cat.No.: PAN 138
Release Date: 08 March 2024
Purchase: pan.lnk.to/TwoCycles

Billy Bultheel's debut solo album is an ambitious distillation of the composer's,' sprawling litany of influences and his unique approach to site-specific composition. A compilation of pieces created between 2016 and 2023, the album is a forceful testament to Bultheel's expansive performance practice and collaborations with cutting-edge visual artists like Anne Imhof and James Richards.

Drawing inspiration from industrial music and metal as well as medieval and baroque polyphony, Bultheel devised a way to present this collection of works side-by-side. The record is split into two distinct cycles: the Snow Cycle, which collects Bultheel's electro-acoustic and compositional work, and the Game Cycle, which assembles his electronic productions. These two suites have unmistakable symmetry; Bultheel's traditional compositions are bolstered by his understanding of electronic production, while his electronic pieces are moulded by his knowledge of classical and traditional music. "Two Cycles" is an album that exhibits duality, embodying the dichotomy of Bultheel's roles as both an ensemble composer and an electronic producer.

The haunting opening track of the 'Snow Cycle', 'The Arcades Project', — named after the unfinished compendium of architectural contemplations penned by the eminent German philosopher, Walter Benjamin - places four tubas in strategic towers surrounding the audience, creating an immersive auditory experience. Conversely, 'The Snows of Venice' — named after Alexander Kluge and Ben Lerner collection of short stories and poems — was conceived for two flautists directed to intertwine their melodies as they traversed through knee-high water.

The 'Game Cycle' meanwhile places a strong emphasis on rhythm, crafting a sonic landscape that resonates with overdriven metallic clanks and sharp stabs. Drawing upon his extensive experience in composing for choreography, Bultheel envisions a series of jittery dances that purposefully deviate from conventional timelines. 'Decreation' infuses techno with the visceral qualities of noise music and 'Game Theory' offers an unsettling skeletal barrage of saturated, precisely tuned percussive hits. Bultheel brings 'Two Cycles' to a close with 'Gigue,' a reference to the 6/8 baroque court dance that traditionally marked the conclusion of a dance suite; by merging marching rhythms performed by two percussionists on a single drum set with chaotic and evocative synth leads, he establishes a tantalizing counterpoint.

'Two Cycles' is a musical compilation that explores the themes of locale and landscape, elucidating the intricate dynamics that arise between the musicians and their audience, the ears and the architecture. Considering timbre, density and the psycho-acoustic qualities of communal spaces, from the warehouse to the cathedral, Bultheel draws indelible lines between seemingly distant concepts, merging the celestial with the terrestrial.

The double album cover, one for each side and cycle on the record, features a collage created by the Welsh video artist James Richards that merges medieval iconography with snippets of queer memorabilia.

All tracks written by Billy Bultheel
Mixed by James Ginsburg
Mastered by Enyang Urbicks

Billy Bultheel - Empire of the Senseless (Snow Cycle) (PAN 138)

SPA was founded in 2018 in Cologne and is focusing on club music with a global perspective. The label is run by Salon des Amateurs resident Phillip Jondo, France 98 aka DJ Brom and Friday Dunard who put in their different musical backgrounds and influences together, ranging from Baroque choir music to high definition experiences. For their monthly show on NTS they reflect on current moods, play the labels output and invite artists around them. 
Find the full tracklist and related episodes on NTS: https://www.nts.live/shows/spa/episodes/spa-26th-march-2024

SPA w/ bambinodj & Phillip Jondo 260324

First Circle is a London based producer and DJ, playing raw SoundCloud baile funk, icy drill, low fi indie and folk, with fistfuls of edits and originals.

http://www.instagram.com/fcfirstcircle
https://soundcloud.com/firstcirclemusic

First Circle @ The Lot Radio 09-02-2024

Temporal Cove With Smilegoth @ The Lot Radio 08 - 22 - 2024

white birds

ATARRAYA

seasonal releases (09/09/24)

[2/4] ojsdron EP
Released on https://daddypower.bandcamp.com/album/ojsdron

how long have we lived here

One Belt, One Rage 一帶一怒 - 10/01/2025

MERKSTE SELBER

From the "Simon's Mind EP"

https://sosotharpa.bandcamp.com/album/simons-mind-ep

artwork by Madeleine Sargent

Kala Pani

smilegoth/ari/untitledhalo

https://www.nts.live/shows/temporal-cove

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg4V5WmSWX9owjnCd5cMB5A

https://untitledhalo.com/