We’re pleased to welcome back Toronto, Canada’s anthéne in the form of this collaborative album with UK cellist and composer Simon McCorry. Between them, they have released solo recordings on labels such as Home Normal, Archives, Past Inside The Present, Naviar and Fallen Moon. They’ve also both released on Polar Seas, a label helmed by Brad Deschamps, the man behind anthéne.

Both artists are comfortable collaborators, having worked alongside the likes of Ian Hawgood, Andrew Tasselmyer and Andrew Heath. It was in 2020 when their remote recording sessions translated into The Equation Of Time, combining and processing Brad’s guitar and Simon’s cello into a collage of droning textures. A concept sprang from their work together, during the unfolding pandemic and its resulting lockdowns, where time itself seemed to stand still, go backwards and go forwards, all at once. Add to this the the sheer geographical distance and time zones separating these artists, the often-explored artistic muse of time and space became the central theme.

The title ‘The Equation Of Time’ relates to the differences between the day of the earliest sun rise, the day of the latest sunset, the longest day. Each of these days are different, noted by the ancient Greeks and the Persians before them. The enormity of time and the ability for humans to occupy the same space as multiple predecessors is particularly fascinating when faced with something ancient, such as a cave painting, a forest or the ruins of a fallen civilisation. The track titles are aptly borrowed from parts of T.S. Eliot’s 4 Quartets, which also deals with the contemplation of time. You can surmise from these poems that ideally, one would focus only on the present, in order to make the most of each turn of the clock; the past cannot be altered and the future is unknown. Our memory can subconsciously serve us back our own recollection of past times, which can result in nostalgia, melancholy or both. Our minds can also influence our perception of the future, with feelings of either fear, excitement or both.

The Equation Of Time grapples at these themes and ideas without the intention of ever truly being able to define time. A wash of faded memories, unknowns and current thoughts stir into one-another; ambient music itself always seems so able to reflect and evoke a sense of wonder, at things far bigger than we can ever comprehend. 

Releases May 22, 2021

Written and Produced by Brad Deschamps and Simon McCorry
Mastered by Ian Hawgood
Artwork by Tom Tebby
Packaging design by Tom Tebby

The Equation Of Time

wlr093 anthéne & simon mccorry - the equation of time

In 2020 we released both the physical album ‘Playground’ and Home Diaries piece ‘I Need Space’, from Krakow, Poland based artist Pruski. Aside from these releases, other material has been made available through labels such as Four Tapes and KrysaliSound.

Pruski’s background has been informed by nineties electronica including much of the legendary Warp catalog and it’s from here that he became very interested in the technical side of making music himself. This is both in terms of hardware but also, functional processes and mathematics. His current taste in quiet music has been informed by labels such as 12k , Japanese ambience and many of his peers within the ambient community.

Returning to our catalog, Pruski has created ‘Whispers’, a series of organic drones created using an OP-1 modular synthesiser which has been a key source of experimentation, discovery and evaluation for several years. Part of the production process fell during lockdown, in which there were limitations on travel and human interaction. On the other hand, Pruski started walking a lot in the forests around him, allowing him to listen and connect with nature; he would encounter the rustle of leaves that began to resemble whispers. It was from here that he had the idea of nature's constant whisper, evident all around us, if we choose to listen. Each track represents a whisper from the natural world, which combine as a whole to be a metaphysical journey.

Whispers

wlr094 Pruski - Whispers

Kraut Sounds is sort alias for an artist that followers of Whitelabrecs will recognise; South Germany’s Polaroid Notes. This project is reserved for more electronic, purer ambient explorations having been initiated in 2012. Previous releases have featured on Büro für Erdrotation, Stellar Transitions, Diametral and Drone Works International.

This digital-only edition is a debut under this name, for Whitelabrecs and clocks in at just over 35 minutes of audio. Silence is a peaceful journey through quiet and meditative soundscapes, based on personal studies about sleep, subconsciousness and higher awareness, in combination with a deep interest in old electronic sounds from the past century.
It is an attempt to play less, in order to gain more. Like minimal music with repeating and shifting multi-layered soundscapes. Like slow motion sound painting, with a curious view of how things evolve naturally.

All five tracks are based on improvisations, following no specific rules or schemes. Everything flows in way that works uniquely for you, as you drift along in sound and time.

Written and produced by Kraut Sounds (while the cat gently slept beside)
Recorded February/April 2021
Mastered by James Edward Armstrong
Photography by Kraut Sounds

Links:
https://krautsounds.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/kraut-sounds
https://www.facebook.com/krautsounds/

wlrep006 Kraut Sounds - Silence

artist: spheruleus
title: inaugurate
catalog: eR001
release date: 26th of february 2022

release type: ep
series: eRecords digital series
playing speed: 45rpm

written and produced by: harry towell
mastered by: james edward armstrong
cover photography by: harry towell

https://whitelabrecs.com/erecord-series/

eRecords are a series of digital editions which aim to transform the digital format into something that can be experienced in a similar way to a listener’s interaction with a real, whitelabel vinyl record. Each edition includes a special PDF scrapbook including polaroids and liner notes and you will only be able to find out more about the themes and ideas about each record, once you’ve downloaded them.

Inaugurate

eR001 spheruleus - a blank horizon

morimoto naoki is an electronic and ambient composer from Tokyo in Japan, with previous releases on labels that include Seil, Inner Ocean and ROHS!. He started writing music around a decade ago and his approach draws in various instrument samples and every day sounds which he captures from his daily routines.

There is an undoubted influence from the Japanese ambient and electronica scenes and his restful, lightly fractured acoustic sound stands up to that of his peers. In this new record ‘Soak’, morimoto’s breathes a sense of warmth and stillness into the world as acoustic and electric guitars, synthesizers, toy pianos and metallophones are woven into a tapestry of beautiful tones. Field recordings add narrative whilst cassette tape recordings give further warmth and charm.

The concept for this record is to ‘soak’ the listener into the happenstances of daily life around them. The idea came about during the recording process as the field recordings were captured; morimoto found that listening to the world around him revealed many ambient textures that might normally go unnoticed. The process of trying to absorb these consciously felt like a ‘soaking’ process.

soak

wlr111 morimoto naoki - soak

artist: jens pauly
title: 1989
catalog: eR002
release date: 26th of march 2022

release type: ep
series: eRecords digital series
playing speed: 45rpm

written and produced by Jens Pauly
mastered by Alexandr Vatagin
cover photo taken in 1989 by Jens Pauly
art and design by Harry Towell
whitelabrecs.com/erecord-series/

eRecords are a series of digital editions which aim to transform the digital format into something that can be experienced in a similar way to a listener’s interaction with a real, whitelabel vinyl record. Each edition includes a special PDF scrapbook including polaroids and liner notes and you will only be able to find out more about the themes and ideas about each record, once you’ve downloaded them.

1989

eR002 jens pauly - slope

With this latest edition to the Whitelabrecs discography, we welcome back composer Sven Laux with a collaboration with fellow Berliner and musician Fione. This record began from a chance meeting at a party after Fione had discussed her improvisational piano performances and how it might lend itself to Sven’s orchestral Ambient music. After over a year, Fione recorded a track and sent it to Sven, who added layers of additional texture and detail; enough to be a catalyst from which they produced an album.

Each original piano composition was adapted one by one, piece by piece, into its magical whole. Fione tells us that for her, the music was always about what could have been, a sort of pain that we feel inside of us that we know we can’t change, because it is impossible to turn back time. Instead, we live with what we know we have to deal with, facing every day with the uncertainty that something might change in a minute, an hour or, tomorrow. From here, Tomorrow Everything Could Be Different’s concept can be gleaned as we contemplate the past, present and future and it can be interpreted differently by the listener.

Quiet moments of reflection weave a pensive environment in which you can either concentrate your thoughts, or allow them to evaporate. The music feels at times as if it is containing and conserving its energy, only for swells of strings and fleeting crescendos to release the tension. It’s a release which reveals either negative, or positive energy, depending on its listener. The artwork from painter Maliana Wang reflects the album’s themes by offering what appears to be storm clouds or crashing waves.

We all see the future in different ways. Tomorrow Everything Could Be Different doesn’t tell you what will change, that things will get better, or worse. The clouds may thicken, or they may disappear.

Credits
Written and Produced by Sven Laux and Fiona Mortimer
Mastered by James Edward Armstrong
Painting by Maliana Wang
Art and Design by Andrew Heath

Tomorrow Everything Could Be Different

wlr117 Sven Laux & Fione - Tomorrow Everything Could Be Different

Once again, we’re excited to unveil another Polaroid Notes release, the fourth album by this Germany based artist in our discography. Alongside his side-project as Kraut Sounds, editions have also appeared on labels such as Büro Für Erdrotation, Weber & Alcantu and his own label Drone Works International.

In this latest edition ‘Cloud Anthems’, the music takes influence from the packaging photography, which was taken by the artist one sunny January at the Riegsee, a small lake in front of the Bavarian Alps. The entire lake had frozen over due to low temperatures in the weeks before. Later that afternoon fog rolled in and together with the sun, the frozen lake and leafless trees made a wonderful contrast. The whole scenario lasted only a few minutes before everything disappeared into the clouds of dense fog. As beautiful as the whole day was, those few moments were something very special to behold.

Polaroid Notes enjoys these contrasts, both in nature and in music too. ‘Cloud Anthems’ is a series of unique contrasts that harmonise perfectly, remaining in mind for a while after they have passed. Piano sounds and loops interact with flashes of harsh energy and strange experimental sounds from old analog synthesizers. A particular focus for this record is the VCS3 synthesiser, a portable synth from the late 60s; whilst a digital replica was used here, the artist found this to be the perfect way to express the themes for this record. Sounds and melodies flow into each other spontaneously like colours of an abstract painting, layer by layer.

Credits:
Written and produced by Polaroid Notes
Mastered by James Edward Armstrong
Photography by Polaroid Notes
Art and design by Andrew Heath

Cloud Anthems

wlr123 Polaroid Notes - Cloud Anthems

Since 2018 we’ve released five albums from Berlin, Germany based composer Sven Laux, including his most recent collaboration with Fione and solo albums ‘Schachmatt’, ‘ODD’, his Home Diaries edition and 2020 and the extended version, Scattered Fragments of Separation (The Complete Story). Sven’s sound design has found its home in short films, advertisement and in audio branding but he also maintains his discography as an artist, focusing on deeply stirring cinematic themes.

A well-balanced contemporary sound awaits you in this latest edition ‘What Remains’ and you are urged by the title to consider what you think about when something is left over? The record uses a depth of sprawling orchestral timbres, across its at-first cryptically titled tracks, to set out the phases of processing an event. At first there is ‘patience’ and ‘hope’, then there is the passing of the event (‘the goodbye’) followed by ‘what remains’; the now. Memory may serve ‘the return’ and perhaps ‘the cohesion’ and for some, there may be ‘the ending’.

You may choose a past experience to relate with these titles or, you might choose to allow it to relate to the present day. It does not matter whether you think positively about something from the past, or whether you mourn something afterwards in a sad or melancholy way. Whether negative, positive or even indifferent, it is the contemplative environment that each track brings which will allow this record to become a thinking space; a ceremonial framework to process events.

Written and Produced by Sven Laux
Mastered by James Edward Armstrong
Artwork by Zoë Heath
Art and Design by Andrew Heath

What Remains

wlr124 Sven Laux - What Remains

artist: wodwo
title: veils
catalog: eR012
release date: 16/12/2022

release type: ep
series: eRecords digital series
playing speed: 45 rpm

written and produced by ray robinson
mastered by james edward armstrong
cover artwork by sydney rae
art and design by harry towell
whitelabrecs.com/erecord-series/

eRecords are a series of digital editions which aim to transform the digital format into something that can be experienced in a similar way to a listener’s interaction with a real, whitelabel vinyl record. Each edition includes a special PDF scrapbook including polaroids and liner notes and you will only be able to find out more about the themes and ideas about each record, once you’ve downloaded them.

veils

eR012 wodwo - men in wooden ships

eRecords is a digital record series created by Whitelabrecs, to run alongside our physical releases. These editions aim to transform the digital format into something that can be experienced in a similar way to a listener’s interaction with a real, white label vinyl record. Each edition includes a special PDF scrapbook including polaroids and liner notes.

We do not publish details about the concepts or production methods of a release, so that the liner notes and content in each scrapbook will give you the background of each edition in the series.

catalog: eR020
artist: harry towell
release title: photo synthesis
runtime: 12:55
location: morton, lincolnshire, uk

Photo Synthesis

eR020 harry towell - camellia

Glacis is London-based Scottish composer Euan Millar-McMeeken, who some may recall from his previous collaboration work on Whitelabrecs including ‘Nothing Hurts Forever’ with Gavin Miller and as one half of Dead Bell, alongside The Green Kingdom. Euan also records as Civic Hall with Craig Tattersall and as Gallowglas alongside Johan G Winther. His most recent work 'Distances' with Adrian Lane was released on vinyl via Oscarson.

As a frequent collaborator, it is fitting that Euan’s debut for Whitelabrecs is in fact further partnered music in the form of ‘Interpretations’. He invited 11 artists to adapt, distort and deconstruct a collection of his original compositions, realising these into an album in its own right. Interpretations are not simply remixes. Euan explains that he’s never really liked the term ‘remix’ as it simplifies the process of working with original material. He never intended for this record to be a remix record and now it is complete, this feeling remains.

Euan aimed high in curating his artists, enlisting the likes of Tape Loop Orchestra, the Humble Bee, C.Diab and Satomimage and placing them alongside friends and regular collaborators including The Green Kingdom, Simon McCorry and Adrian Lane.

The tracks contained on Interpretations are all careful sonic studies of the original work that respond and react in different ways. Some of the pieces contain moments of the original pieces, some are unrecognisable, all are fascinating examinations. A rebirth, of a kind, from the original idea. Through these interpretations, the tracks are given new meaning and new life. Remarkably, this hour of music stands together as an album experience, despite the variety of the line-up and each artist’s approach to composition.

interpretations

wlr142 glacis - interpretations

Old Amica is a two-man band originally from Norrbotten, Sweden. Today they are separated by 1864km with one part in Stockholm, Sweden, the other in Genève, Switzerland. Fyr is their 8th record and it was recorded between February and April, 2023. It’s their third instrumental album to date and Fyr is very much the spiritual successor to Taiga, which we released on Whitelabrecs back in 2019.

Fyr is a collection of memories suspended in time. It is the overgrown park, the written word on the demolished building, the pulsating light of a dead star, the tiny fragments of color breaking through the concrete, the fear that love isn’t enough, the silence after the machines stopped. It is to save these places and people from fading into oblivion.

It was inspired by the words of Tove Janson, the nameless voices on the shortwave radio, and the sounds of The Beach Boys.

releases October 14, 2023

Written, recorded and mixed by Old Amica
Mastered by James Edward Armstrong
Photography by J.M. Almqvist and Yuliana Pavanko

wlr145 Old Amica - Fyr

eRecords is a digital record series created by Whitelabrecs, to run alongside our physical releases. These editions aim to transform the digital format into something that can be experienced in a similar way to a listener’s interaction with a real, white label vinyl record. Each edition includes a special PDF scrapbook including polaroids and liner notes.

We do not publish details about the concepts or production methods of a release, so that the liner notes and content in each scrapbook will give you the background of each edition in the series.

catalog: eR023
artist: montelune
release title: montelune #1
runtime: 19:29
location: earth

Written and produced by montelune
Mastered by James Edward Armstrong
Cover art by Harry Towell
Booklet art and design by Harry Towell

montelune #1

eR023 montelune - air

Since 2019 we’ve run our now-flagship compilation series known as the ‘sleeplaboratory’. These full length records gather together artists who have previously released with Whitelabrecs, alongside future collaborators and other renowned names in the ambient and related scenes. It is a series which aims to induce the listener into a peaceful sleep, or if not, at least instil a sense of calm. The line-up of past contributors, including Offthesky, Janek Schaefer, Stijn Huwels, Ian Hawgood, The Green Kingdom, Warmth and Halftribe as well as label artists including Mikael Lind, Gray Acres, Sven Laux, Glåsbird and Andrew Heath continues with this fourth edition to the series.

This new record sees further artists from Whitelabrecs join the project, such as The Inventors of Aircraft, Paper Relics, Michael Scott Dawson, Tatsuro Murakami and Glacis & Adrian Lane. These are joined by the likes of David Cordero, Giannis Gogos, Low Altitude and Wil Bolton in a blend of ambient drones, sleepy electro-acoustics and modern classical composition. This album is intended as a relaxing companion for either conscious or sub-conscious listening, with each of the contributing artists briefed to create something vacant and restful. It is released in a run of 100 physical copies in our signature ‘gatefold LP’ styled vinyl-effect CDr package, complete with beautiful artwork provided over 4 panels featuring photography by our label owner Harry Towell.

As always, we will not make any recommendation on how our listeners might best enjoy this record and so it’s down to you to choose the best environment to listen, whether this be late at night with headphones, on a loud hi fi system or streamed quietly in a dimly lit room.

Sleeplaboratory4.0

wlr151 various artists - sleeplaboratory4.0

David Cordero is an artist from Cadiz in Southern Spain, whose previous works have been released on several labels, such as Home Normal, Dronarivm, Archives, Lontano Series, Past Inside the Present and more. He has been active as an artist recording under his own name since 2012 and also performs live regularly, predominantly in Spain for festivals such as Lapsus, Offf, Eufónic, Nocturama and Spai Sonor, and has also toured in Japan. Live performance has seen David share a stage with the likes of Donnacha Costello, Space Africa, Alva Noto, Minamo, Pepo Galá, Ylia and Kenji Kihara and he has collaborated to make albums with artists including Ian Hawgood, Anthéne, Rhucle, Kenji Kihara, Carlos Ferreira, Pepo Galán, Miguel Otero and Warmth to name just a few.

David has no defined approach when it comes to recording and creating music in his home studio, allowing the moment alone to dictate the sounds he’ll create, from the instruments he chooses and the concepts he wishes to explore.

In his debut album for Whitelabrecs which is entitled ‘Restless Nature’, he carved a collection of minimalist ambient tracks by using a modular synthesiser, effects pedals, field recordings and tape processing. David wanted to work mainly with atmospheres, using small melodies and just a few sounds, fed through many effects including plenty of reverb, which generated a peaceful atmosphere. The album does not have a clear concept in which to share with the listener however, the music was strongly influenced by walks in which David admired the natural landscapes around him, as he listened to the work he was creating. For us as listeners, the album may also help us connect with the natural world, whilst reminding of both its fragility, and its constant state of cyclical change and bio rhythms.

Restless Nature

wlr152 David Cordero - Restless Nature

Luis Miehlich is a composer originally from Heidelberg in Southern Germany, who moved to the small town of Trossingen to study music design in a rural conservatory. He has previously released music through labels such as Archives, Hibernate, Inner Space Travels and also Whitelabrecs with Timecuts in 2019 and the final edition of our Home Diaries series back in 2020. He has also contributed to albums and compilations on eilean rec, Shimmering Mood Records, Ambientologist and El Muelle Records.

Through his studies, Luis has had the opportunity to develop formats for the concert hall and has been able to realise numerous concert projects, bringing together instrumentalists, experimenting with pieces from classical and early music, electronics and visuals. This developed into a further opportunity, in which he had the chance to perform live Ambient sets during a 3-stop mini-tour of japan. These live performances became the backbone of this album.

‘Re-Cartographies’ is based upon a three step process: first the music was sketched out to be played by an ensemble made up of fellow students. It was then rehearsed, developed and finally recorded. Luis then used these recordings to make new ambient pieces, using processing such as granular synthesis, rearranging and looping the material and using spatial effects.

The opening ‘Cartographies’ pieces developed upon the Home Diaries project, adding long silences to the approach to further explore the idea of slowing down time. Then around the same time, still during the Covid-19 pandemic, Luis started sketching small watercolour scores every morning. These later became the base for the two ‘Small Score’ tracks; photographs of these original paintings have been included inside the CD sleeve. These sketches left a lot of freedom to the musicians playing, only notating the contour and structure of the melodies to be played with no set pitches being specified. The charm of the resulting music stems from the fact that everyone interpreted the sketches differently.

At Trossingen, Luis became interested in revisiting these concepts and turning them into a concert programme and this album is made of music recorded in preparation for the concert, which had the subtitle Halbschlafkonzert, which translates to ‘half-asleep concert’. Luis enjoys the state of listening to music whilst almost dozing off to sleep, and wanted to create a stream of music that fits this somewhat subconscious listening-mode. 

Whilst compiling the material for this album, Luis was trying to work with space: The pieces, or blocks, often start out very intimately and end in big ambient spaces. Often, artists will approach ambient music using either synthetic or reverb-led drones, or through more traditional sound sources such as Modern Classical sound. Luis wanted to combine dry chamber music and enveloping ambient in one record and the result is something which feels half-asleep, yet focused at the same time, as Luis aimed to slow down the world.

Credits:
Elisa Wörner - Violin (5-10)
Viola Bürck - Violin (9-10)
Tristan Dorn - Viola (5-10)
Kevin Santana - Cello (9-10)
Haeseong Seo - Alto Flute (9-10)
Manuela Pinto - Clarinet (2-5)
Laura Mingo Perez - Piano (9-10)
Marius Jentschke - Guitar (3-5)
Luis Miehlich - Electronics (1-10) and Piano (1-8)
Franziska Kewes - Vocals, Lyrics and additional Composition (10)

Written and produced by Luis Miehlich
Audio Engineering by Luka Swoboda
Mastered by James Edward Armstrong
Cover art reinterpreted by Harry Towell
Original cover concept by Luis Miehlich
Art and design by Andrew Heath

Re-Cartographies

wlr153 Luis Miehlich - Re-Cartographies

Henrik Meierkord is a cellist, artist and composer from Helsingborg, Sweden who currently lives in Stockholm. He returns to Whitelabrecs following his ‘Cello Improvisations’ EP (2023) and the collaborative album ‘Inseln’ with Logic Moon (2022). He has also previously released music on labels such as Ambientologist, Audiobulb, Projekt records, Ella ruth Institutet and Subcontinental Records. Henrik began playing cello aged of 12, progressing to play in classical orchestras, onto performing in bands and then creating his own music. He has also collaborated and performed for artists such as Ossler, Pawel Kobak, Marco Lucchi, Meipr, Sole and Strulgattu.

Typically Henrik’s approach to composition tends to begin with the cello, before further layers of strings are added, such as double bass or violin. But often, he will create music intuitively and free from set rules; sometimes a piece of music can be started with a synthesiser or piano, or written purely as an experiment. In this album entitled ‘Proscenium’, Henrik gathered a collection of instinctive compositions, inspired by nostalgia and a longing for a different world. Fragile piano, emotive strings and earthy cello weave out dream-like sequences, expressing hard-to-recall bitter-sweet experiences.

The album was recorded in Henrik’s Soundbread  studio in Stockholm, including a West German cello from the seventies, a double bass and a violin belonging to his son. Whilst over a long period of time he’d gathered together numerous pieces of music, there is a thematic vibe present within these chosen tracks. ‘Proscenium’ is the view the audience have when watching an Ancient Greek theatre performance, or indeed the location from which the actors carry out their performance. Henrik felt drawn to a loose theme of Ancient Greek theatrical culture for the concept, and the artwork and track titles give listeners something in which to meditate, or a scene in which to place themselves if they wish. There is however no specific play or plot in mind. It could in fact be numerous stories collected together as many overlapping emotions, played back all at once, as if recalling centuries of moments emitted from a theatre stage.

Credits:
Written and Produced by Henrik Meierkord
Mastered by James Edward Armstrong
Imagery by Harry Towell
Art and Design by Andrew Heath

Proscenium

wlr154 Henrik Meierkord - Proscenium

eRecords is a digital record series created by Whitelabrecs, to run alongside our physical releases. These editions aim to transform the digital format into something that can be experienced in a similar way to a listener’s interaction with a real, white label vinyl record. Each edition includes a special PDF scrapbook including polaroids and liner notes.

We do not publish details about the concepts or production methods of a release, so that the liner notes and content in each scrapbook will give you the background of each edition in the series.

catalog: eR024
artist: gregory paul mineeff
release title: so many, diminishes
runtime: 42:19
location: wollongong, australia

So Many, Diminishes

eR024 Gregory Paul Mineeff - To Recover

Hailing from Belfast, raised in Manchester, and currently residing in the serene Welsh countryside, we welcome Low Altitude to the Whitelabrecs discography with the release of the captivating album ‘Boat’. With a musical journey spanning over three decades, Bruce Magill has evolved from a frontman in local guitar bands to solo work, exploring electronic music as a producer. He has released music with labels such as Criminal Communications, Skinny Dog Records, Supermarket Records, and Mailbox Records.

The decision to step away from music in 2006 was a defining moment, but 2020 provided the perfect opportunity for a creative resurgence; "After a 14-year hiatus from music, I found solace and inspiration during the lockdowns of 2020" shares Bruce. Under his new moniker, the recording sessions led to the creation of ‘Boat’, an album that serves as a profound exploration of tranquility and solitude.

In recent years, Low Altitude’s sonic contributions extended to diverse projects, including the use of tracks from the ‘Waves’ LP in the wellbeing app Syntropy States. His participation in the Sony-sponsored immersive audio compilation, 'Immersive London Calling,' showcased his versatility with Low Altitude ambient tracks and Dub Techno creations under the name 'Seion’.

‘Boat’ is a testament to Bruce’s meticulous creative process. Drawing inspiration from modern minimalism, astral jazz, and movie soundtracks, the album explores emotions anchored by a recurring drone motif. You are invited to join on this sonic voyage, inspired by the sensation of sailing by the light of the moon and the stars. A postcard of a 2022 coastal retreat along the Pembrokeshire coast, Boat captures the essence of nature with encounters with seals, dolphins, and seagulls.

Boat

wlr155 Low Altitude - Boat

Adrian Lane, from Southend, Essex, UK returns to Whitelabrecs with his latest masterpiece, 'Vignettes' following ‘The Fleet’ (2021) and ‘Missing The Crows’ (2022). Having previously released with respected labels like Preserved Sound, Hibernate, Oscarson and Chitra, Adrian’s musical journey now spans 13 albums, not to mention the music he self-releases from time to time.

Adrian Lane's musical career began in his teenage years playing in bands before ultimately evolving into an 11-year solo career. His creative process involves recording and mixing at home, blending acoustic instruments with synths and virtual elements, whilst simultaneously exploring visual art ideas to accompany his music. Drawing inspiration from a diverse array of genres, his influences include luminaries such as Arvo Pärt, Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Johan Johannson, Hildur Gudnadottir, and Ryuichi Sakamoto.

'Vignettes' is a captivating exploration of Lane's sonic landscape. The album features work created using a minimal studio setup, with a focus on piano and strings. Musically, there are two distinct aspects to the album. Roughly half the tracks revolve around the piano, while the other half are string quartet-based, showcasing Lane's ability to compose using counterpoint and the techniques of stretto fuga. The interplay between the piano and strings creates a dynamic journey for the listener and this is enhanced by the fact that the instruments vary between real and virtual.

True to its name, 'Vignettes' unfolds like a series of evocative snapshots. 'Vignette: a brief evocative description, account, or episode' - The dictionary definition pretty much describes the conceptual approach for this album. It gathers together a collection of musical vignettes, each track telling a story or setting a mood in a concise period, inspired by haiku poems; the pieces capture fleeting moments of emotional depth. The work is complete with Adrian’s own photomontage artwork, which is used across the three panels of the gatefold sleeve.

Vignettes

WLR156 Adrian Lane - Vignettes

eRecords is a digital record series created by Whitelabrecs, to run alongside our physical releases. These editions aim to transform the digital format into something that can be experienced in a similar way to a listener’s interaction with a real, white label vinyl record. Each edition includes a special PDF scrapbook including polaroids and liner notes.

We do not publish details about the concepts or production methods of a release, so that the liner notes and content in each scrapbook will give you the background of each edition in the series.

catalog: eR025
artist: mark david hadley
release title: homegrown apples
runtime: 32:10
location: sheffield, uk

homegrown apples

eR025 mark david hadley - lichen

eRecords is a digital record series created by Whitelabrecs, to run alongside our physical releases. These editions aim to transform the digital format into something that can be experienced in a similar way to a listener’s interaction with a real, white label vinyl record. Each edition includes a special PDF scrapbook including polaroids and liner notes.

We do not publish details about the concepts or production methods of a release, so that the liner notes and content in each scrapbook will give you the background of each edition in the series.

catalog: eR026
artist: christian wittman
release title: the story of the sun, moon, and stars
runtime: 49:24
location: paris, france

produced by christian wittman
mastered by james edward armstrong
cover artwork by harry towell
booklet art and design by harry towell   
        
inner imagery adapted from open source imagery by Agnes Giberne, from her book: ‘The Story of the sun, moon, and stars’

The Story of the Sun, Moon, and Stars

eR026 christian wittman - expanding galaxies

Gloucestershire, UK based artist Andrew Heath returns to Whitelabrecs, following up on his album ‘Quiet Noise’ (2022) and collaborations with Simon McCorry ‘A Is For Autumn’ (2022) and Anne Chris Bakker ‘How To Breathe Like A Stone’ (2021). Andrew has also released music on labels including Fluid Audio, Disco Gecko, Audiobulb, Dronarivm, Shimmering Moods and more, through his solo output and collaborations with other artists.

Charting a lighter more open sound than recent albums, The Cloud Machine returns to and explores one of Andrew’s constant themes - his continuing fascination with and the depiction of, the simple innocence of his own childhood. In this case, a sound painting of light, radiance and naive joy through the metaphor of clouds and of a gaze drawn to the skies. From the ethereal beauty of The Cloud Machines and The Age of Enlightenment, to the memories of racing the shadows of clouds blown by the wind across fields as a young boy in Chasing Clouds, there is the ever present feel of blissful, innocence and wonderment at the beauty of the natural world around and above us.

The album explores these themes through Andrew’s use of his much loved piano and guitar and balancing them against constantly shifting, delicate and fragile electronic tones and textures. Using a lighter, more transparent tonal palette, The Cloud Machine has a gentle, blissful tone as though touching the drifting clouds overhead.

Written, Produced and Mastered by Andrew Heath
Artwork (Ghost Mills) by Zoë Heath
Art and Design by Andrew Heath

The Cloud Machine

wlr157 Andrew Heath - The Cloud Machine

Simon McCorry is a composer based in Gloucestershire creating music and sound design mainly for theatre and contemporary dance, working with companies such as Old Vic Productions, Tiata Fahodzi, House of Absolute, Javaad Alipoor Company & Fabula Collective. Simon is a cellist, often using the instrument in his work processed and combined with electronics, field recordings, and other instruments. His work has been described as “electro-orchestral drone-scapes of, by turns, gauzy intimacy and soaring grandeur” MOJO. He has recently collaborated with artists including Andrew Heath, anthéne, Requiem and, on this record, Wodwo.Wodwo is the alias of Derbyshire-based musician Ray Robinson.

An award-winning novelist and coveted screenwriter, Robinson's foray into the music world began in 2018, and his gentle ambient guitar and lush neo-classical compositions have quickly attracted a blossoming legion of fans. Ray also records as one half of JARR, alongside fellow Brit, Jon Attwood (Yellow6). Their albums have been released by Hush Hush Records and on the Sound in Silence imprint. Ray's solo output has appeared on NCTMMRN, Soundtracking The Void, Submarine Broadcasting Company and Fallow.

Every Creeping Thing is a celebration of mud and moss and slugs and bugs and roots and damp – songs of the forgotten, the small, the overlooked. A musical approach of letting things unfold and follow their path, passing material back and forth, leaving space and following a philosophy of less is more. A journey that evolved through coincidences, and shared interests in literature and the natural world – the music took its course, taking on its own life. 
 
Guitar, cello, and modular synth are played, processed, and recorded live. Nothing is sequenced or quantised, maintaining an organic breath-like quality flowing throughout the tracks. Through the music’s echoes, whisperings, creeks, calls, fluttering and murmurings – sometimes as walls of sound, often as spiderweb-fine textures – Every Creeping Thing invites the listener to immerse themselves in the intricate net of the beauty of the more-than-human world.

The cover art illustrates John Masefield's lines from The Everlasting Mercy: ‘A rushing comet, crackling, numbing the folk with fear of judgement coming.’ Taken from their collection, The Book of Comets, the artists Christopher Crouch and Cherish Marrington worked together to create something that would be a synthesis of their practices, but which would also propel them into new ways of thinking about representing their ideas. However, these illustrations are less about comets and more about the artists’ retreat into the imaginary.

The track titles for Every Creeping Thing are from Jacob Polley’s wonderful poetry collection, Jackself, which Ray happened to be reading at the time of this collaboration. As the album was coming together, he felt a real connection between the sometimes off-kilter, ‘organic’ music he and Simon were creating and Jacob’s collection. It felt as if they were inhabiting similar worlds: a world of frosty mornings, kidney-coloured pools, rosehips, and buzzards’ wings.

Credits:
Written and produced by Simon McCorry and Ray Robinson
Mastered by Simon McCorry
Art and design by Andrew Heath

The titles in this album are taken from the poetry collection ‘Jackself’ by Jacob Polley (Picador) and reproduced with kind permission.

The artwork is an illustration from ‘A Book of Comets’ by Christopher Crouch and Cherish Marrington, reproduced with kind permission.

Every Creeping Thing

wlr158 Simon McCorry & Wodwo - Every Creeping Thing

Giannis Gogos is a self-taught musician and composer from Alexandroupolis in northeastern Greece. He began making music back in 2005 before switching artforms to focus on photography in 2008. After over a decade of hiatus, the upheavals of 2020 drew him back to music production again with a new-found vision. Giannis had already been inspired by Ambient and Experimental music, citing Future Sound of London, Aphex Twin’s ‘Selected Ambient Works’ and Trentemøller’s ‘The Last Resort’. Yet since his return to producing Ambient music, he discovered the work of artists such as Taylor Deupree, Dictaphone, Federico Durand and Marcus Fischer. In his own sound, Giannis seamlessly merges analog and digital elements in his compositions, weaving intricate melodies with keyboard, glockenspiel, kalimba and guitars through various delay and reverb pedals. His debut album ‘Roads’ was released in March 2024 on Tasmanian cassette label Perceptual Tapes.

This new album 'Linger' is a testament to tranquillity, characterised by its calm and dream-like aesthetic, imbued with a sense of nostalgia, crafted using cassette recordings and degraded tape loops. These seven delicate soundscapes are formed from an array of organic instruments such as the Kalimba, glockenspiel, and a vintage Yamaha VSS30. 'Linger' embodies a concept of lingering—translating to staying in a place longer than necessary because of reluctance to leave.

Giannis writes “The rustle of leaves, the water flow, a flickering light through the curtain, a warm sunset, clouds clearing from a mountain after a storm; an invitation to a quiet frequency, away from our daily routine. I am losing myself. I am disconnecting from reality. But it is not true. The more I am losing myself, the more I find inner peace. The more I am letting my senses open to my daily impression, the more I connect with my inner truth. I am carrying those moments, holding them tight into to my soul, and I try to convert them into sustaining musical notes.”

Each note, each tone is a reflection of Giannis' endeavor to translate ephemeral moments into timeless musical experiences, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in a quiet frequency far removed from the chaos of daily life. Through 'Linger', Giannis extends a heartfelt invitation to wanderers in search of solace, hoping his music will serve as a vessel for shared moments of contemplation and connection.

Written and produced by Giannis Gogos
Mastered by Francis Gri
Artwork by Giannis Gogos
Art and design by Andrew Heath

Linger

wlr159 Giannis Gogos - Linger

Nicola Fornasari was born in Cremona, Italy in 1977 Italy. He began his musical career as the bass player and singer for hardcore band Entropia in 1995. Over the following eleven years, he contributed to releases on various international compilations, a 7” vinyl record with Tenia Records (ITA), and a full-length CD with Six Weeks Records (USA), while playing over a hundred shows across Italy and Europe. Since 2007 he has embarked on new musical projects, including Xu(e) (a duo with Andrea Poli), Xu (his solo project), La Petite Vague (a duo with Diego Balconi), and That Which is Not (a duo with Pier Giorgio Storti / Belaqua Shua). He is also a member of Twyxu and Zero Wait Ensemble. His works have been released on numerous labels, including Fluid Audio, Shimmering Moods, Slow Tone Collages, Krysalisound, Eilean, Flaming Pines, Rottenman Editions, Rohs! / Lontano, Twice Removed, Cathedral Transmissions, Triple Moon, Thirsty Leaves Music, Audio Gourmet, Tessellate, Haze, Many Feet Under, Subterranean Tide, and Laverna. He has also released with Whitelabrecs previously, with ‘Embodying Formlessness’ (2019) and ‘Slicing Space-time Into Objects’ (2022).

Francis Gri is an Italian composer based born in Geneva, Switzerland in 1982 and is based in Milan. Co-founder in 1999 of the ethereal dark band All My Faith Lost (Cold meat industry, Projekt Records) he left the band to create electronic and acoustic sounds. His first works with under the moniker Apart have been published by the Italian label Final Muzik. Francis is the founder and curator of KrysaliSound, a record label dedicated to experimental Ambient music and active between 2011-2023. While most of his works can be found in the KrysaliSound catalogue, he has also released music with many other labels including Final Muzik, Slowcraft Records, Time Released Sound, Shimmering Moods, and Midira. His music for Whitelabrecs includes ‘Apart’ (2018), Home Diaries 015 (2020) and ‘Soolo’, a collaboration with Grotta Veterano (2022). Francis’ sound is in a constant state of evolution, encompassing various ambient styles and techniques that blend oneiric and emotional resonances. With the use of acoustic instruments and electronic textures, his focus is to create a balance between darkness and purity that cohabit within our souls, moving around abstract imperfections, poetry and meditation.

‘Valley of Languages’ is the brainchild of these two musicians who, despite having never met in person, found themselves sharing and understanding the same musical space; which became the inspiration for the album title and its concept. This album is not just a collection of songs; it's a collaborative exploration of diversity and emotional resonance. It serves as a metaphorical meeting point where diverse musical languages and techniques converge, creating a rich tapestry of sound that transcends geographical boundaries. This album comprises six tracks, each a testament to the harmonious collaboration between two minds separated by distance, but united by a similar way of seeing and perceiving things.

Written and produced by Nicola Fornasari and Francis Gri
Mastered by Francis Gri
Photography by Francis Gri
Art and design by Andrew Heath

Valley Of Languages

wlr160 Xu & Francis Gri - Valley Of Language

Robert Farrugia is a composer from Malta who has released through labels such as Assembly Field, Post Global Recordings, Batenim and more recently Spanish imprint Archives. Robert is a classically trained pianist although his earlier work saw him produce experimental guitar-based music before returning to focus more on piano recordings in 2013. 
Citing Ólafur Arnalds, Stars of the Lid and Taylor Deupree as his major influences, Robert’s work usually starts off with small motifs which are layered with a largely improvisational approach. 

Robert has also performed live many times alongside artists such as Jimmy Bartolo, Joseph Wilkins, Timothy Garrett & Cosmicomics and he has also collaborated with Roman Willi, Warmth and SineRider. He’s also a member of Eyes To Argus, an atmospheric/shoegaze band who have recently released an album entitled ‘VEER’ in October 2017.

‘Almost There’ is an Ambient record with droning synth/piano texture in a similar vein to the aforementioned Stars of the Lid as well as Hammock and is a record that Robert quotes as being his first serious attempt at recording a full length album. It was recorded during the examination period of his first year at University and he used it as a means of breaking away from his hectic routine, over the course of 3 weeks. The contents of the record are soothing yet dramatic as they map out a relaxing space that pauses all of life’s challenges into microscopic slow motion frames. Almost There gives a sense of being on the brink of achievement and as the finish line comes into focus, moments of reflection and triumph overflow. 
credits
releases February 24, 2018 

Written and produced by Robert Farrugia 
Mastered by Tim Diagram 
Artwork by Chris Vella

Almost There

wlr035 Robert Farrugia - Almost There

Our next release sees the return of Ben Rath, who released ‘This Body Is Not Me’ under his other alias Slow Heart Music back in 2017. The record was well received by many circles and featured in A Closer Listen’s top ten Ambient releases that year. Between this and a project under his own name, Manchester, UK based Rath has released on labels such as Eilean, Unknown Tone and Cathedral Transmissions.

Slow Heart Music focuses on Ben’s acoustic guitar playing whilst work under his own name is typically more Experimental and drone based. In ‘Any Given Moment’ we have an album that shows glimpses of plaintive guitar combined with Ambient drones to represent fleeting moments, memories and nostalgia. The combination is both restful and tinged with warmth, perfect for the Spring and the Summer months ahead.

The music on this album focuses on experimenting with the guitar as a sound source, both for processed and treated instrumental compositions and free improvisations. Ben wanted to take some of the more Folk inspired guitar instrumentals he has created as Slow Heart Music and incorporate them into more ambient soundscapes. He also had in mind a lighter, more uplifting sound after the darker, more meloncholy themes of Black Heart Music which was released on Eilean Recs. We’re informed that Ben is brining this phase of musical creation which began in 2014 to an end, so this record acts as his penultimate full album release, with the final part due to be released this year if all goes to plan.

Any Given Moment is presented in a limited edition run of 100 copies, including artwork provided by David Gonzalez Fuster, which is a set of vintage and Polaroid photos. The faded images that represent untold memories are placed against a bright orange credits panel, which brings a warmth and splash of colour as these stories are brought to life.

Any Given Moment

wlr054 Ben Rath - Any Given Moment

Gray Acres are brothers Michael and Andrew Tasselmyer, whose debut album was released last year on Sound In Silence. The project began in 2017 as another creative avenue for these two artists, who are already established as Hotel Neon as well as working on other collaborations and solo ventures. Andrew records under his own name as well as working with Tobias Hellkvist as Mordançage whereas Mike records under the alias Transient Sounds.
The brothers are originally from Baltimore in USA and whilst Mike still lives there, Andrew moved a hundred miles or so away to neighbouring city Philadelphia. Their work is initially created independently by building ideas, loops and recordings and these are realised into full tracks once they get together in person.

Material Forces became the name of the follow-up to last year’s eponymous unveiling, a dense but physical drift session which is as tactile as it is lulling. They did not initially have a clear vision on what this record would eventually become and much of it was performed live, with limited post-production. A key element is some field recordings taken in Asia, which provided the influence for the concept as they were all selected specifically for their powerful, intense characteristics. Rushing water, thunder claps, rock, earth and other heavy materials helped inspire the title ‘Material Forces’ as these field recordings become a focal point in which the power of the natural world collide with softer, processed guitar and synth drones to mimic the undeniable beauty that is left behind by nature as it shifts and evolves.

Material Forces

wlr064 Gray Acres - Material Forces

Whitelabrecs was set up by Harry Towell in late 2015 as another outlet to put out experimental electronic/acoustic music. It followed Harry’s previous labels Audio Gourmet, Tessellate and Warehouse Decay and focuses on a collectable series of highly limited edition vinyl-effect CDr packaging, with the first 50 releases influenced by white label vinyl records. The label also runs a digital only series called eRecords, with each of these releases including a special PDF booklet.

https://www.whitelabrecs.com
https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/

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