Antique crackle, the gentle wax and wane of electronics, quietly effervescent field recordings and an organic softness of touch that envelopes all within a delicate gauze of sfumato lambency all characterise Michael Cottone’s work under the Green Kingdom moniker and ‘Egress’, his newest album on the Nomadic Kids Republic label, is the perfect culmination of all his work to date.

Falling somewhere between Xela’s first forays, Four Tet’s more chilled-out ‘folktronica’ work and Richard Skelton’s pastoral modern classical, The Green Kingdom makes music that doesn’t so much grip you as it does creep in and possess you. ‘Egress’ is glacially paced but it works like a vapour; it’s an album to lie prone to, without extraneous intervention. The music is evocative enough taken as it is, just allowed to drift and wisp around the room or – for full potency – straight into the ears through headphones.

The opening tracks (‘Emerald Perspective’, ‘Sept.’) don’t go far but they set the scene. Almost motionless, forming gradually and imperceptibly like clouds, they layer towards subtle crescendos. Where there are obvious propellers, such as on ‘Woolgathering’ and ‘Rusticlub’, they’re pulses as opposed to beats and are naturally hewn from the existing elements. The guitar on ‘The Caves of Summerisle’ falls like rain and ‘Crmbld’ is the resultant, dewy rainbow. Only one brief moment of noticeable darkness is allowed to penetrate and that comes at the start of ‘Gray Waves’ but the rumble of thunder quickly gives way to shafts of light and when the stunning ‘Sleep/Snow’ closes proceedings there can be no doubt that Cottone’s world has once again been bathed in pale, slowly warming sunshine.

‘Egress’ may take a while to sink in fully (don’t all the best albums?) but it’s not hard to become enamoured. A couple of times through and you’ll find yourself hearing it everywhere and in everything, as though it’s somehow entered your very fabric.

- Steve Dewhurst (@steve_dewhurst) for Fluid Radio

www.nomadickids.com
www.thegreenkingdom.wordpress.com

Stephen Lewis and Spencer Grady – two members from the (currently dormant?) post-folk, drone trio Rameses III – are Padang Food Tigers, and Ready Country Nimbus is their new long player. Where Rameses III stretched out their sounds into long-form explorations of folk instrumentation and drone smudge, Ready Country Nimbus is a series of brief sparkling miniatures. Only one track here (sedate closer Hey, Relaxer) passes the three minute mark, and most are less than two. Rather than give the album a rushed feel, these little fragments work cumulatively to create an over-arching sense of calm, and unabashed prettiness.

The tracks generally revolve around simple guitar figures and sparse piano chords, while banjo adds counterpoint, and spacious field-recordings add a wash of echoing space to tracks like Juliette. In fact, one of the joys of this album is they way the miniatures interact – for example, the two note piano motif that punctuates Pymers Mead’s opening of park and bird calls, sounds like the announcement chime in some benign airport lounge – perfectly setting up the more cavernous, populated environments of Lone Carson. The piano tends to alternate between deep, shadowy chords and pinpricks of individual notes in the upper register, which gives the guitar and banjo space to shape the music.

What distinguishes this album though, aside from the gently nostalgic pull of the songs, are the production touches that lift it beyond the day-to-day. The way that reverb becomes another texture on some tracks (like Juliette) rather than a spatial-ising tool, the swells of noise that drift into the album from time to time – witness the second half of Lone Carson, or the crackly touches in Little Smiler. The tiny hints of lap steel in the same track, the thump of piano pedal detectable in the background, the click of guitar-pedal footswitch. All add to the there/not-there sense of the album – there is the sense of rain and filmic-ness, but a dreaming, skywards glance too.

Highlights? The way For Esmé’s melodic coherence anchors the second side – and meshes perfectly with the grainy Super-8 footage in its video version. The way opener Lings Coppice sounds like a collection of two or three folk bands finishing a set, or warming up – a gentle lean into the banjos, piano chords and field recordings that sets the tone for the set. The way the serene harmonium waves of Hey, Relaxer combine with the crunch of boots of snow, jangled bells, pointillist music box, to close the album in gentle style.

- John Boursnell for Fluid Radio

www.batheticrecords.com

For those in the UK, we are lucky enough to be treated to Rafael Anton Irisarri and Benoit Pioulard live solo shows on May 26th at Cafe OTO. Even luckier still, the two will also be playing as Orcas for their first ever London show as part of the Centrifuge event.

Rafael Anton Irisarri has been pleasing the ears of Fluid Radio with a variety of releases on Room 40, Miasmah, Ghostly International and Immune and has worked with the likes of Goldmund, Pantha Du Prince, Simon Scott, Echospace and, most recently, Benoit as ‘Orcas’. Fluid Radio’s Andy Gillham recently caught up with Rafael to find out a bit more about the up and coming gig, studio kit , Seattle festivals and good books amongst other things…

We are looking forward to seeing you and Benoit play live at Cafe Oto in London. Can you tell us a bit about what we can expect at the gig?

We will be playing solo sets first – Benoit will be playing an electroacoustic version of his live set, and I’ll be performing some new pieces made for electric guitar, laptop and amplifiers.

My new RAI set is all about live signal routing and processing, while still incorporating elements from field recordings captured in the Pacific Northwest and pseudo-classical multi-sectional arrangements created as part of the improvisational process.
For our Orcas set – we will be playing songs off our Morr Music debut album, along with a few improv sections and etudes in signal routing. It’s nice to be able to play with somebody else, grab their signal, loop it, process and re-process it live, as new layers and textures appear. It is a very similar way we started to work on the music that became part of our first album.

Your music draws on numerous influences and, to my ears, is invariably steeped in a fair degree of emotional introspection. I appreciate that music provides different feelings for different people – and it’s remiss to describe anybody’s work with just two words – but what is that draws you to making the kind of music you do?

You know, that’s a very tough question. I don’t think I consciously made the decision to sound like “X” or “Y.” I think as I’ve built my vocabulary, I’ve drawn from many elements, not just musically speaking, but in general and ultimately have form a complex ecosystem of ideas – they all converge into forming an artistic identify. Emotion is still present, as I find music the way to express my thoughts and feelings and it forms the basis for many of my compositions. I view the music I make as an extension of my own personality – sometimes if sad, sometimes, angry, others pleasantly surprised.

I also like spontaneity, I feel that letting go of constrains and preconceptions is rather liberating, hence trying to improvise as much as I can while in the studio or while performing live. In the studio, great accidents happen while doing so, thus my “job” becomes that of managing those ‘accidents’ and shaping them into a cohesive form, much in a way a painter will accidentally damage a canvas with paint, only to realize on second look that there is a very interesting shaped formed when viewed from a specific angle – I would say that putting things in the correct angle to view such perspective is the managing part. In a live scenario, it’s a huge risk to undertake, not really having a plan of action, but that’s the beauty of the risk – it’ll turn out to be terrible or absolutely brilliant, but without taking that risk, well, great (or terrible) things are not possible. Risk keeps life interesting and evolving.

What pieces of kit are the mainstays in your studio or as part of your composing process?

I pretty much use anything at my disposal, so gear-wise I don’t know if this is something I’m even aware of. I tend to gravitate towards my guitars and amps, but I don’t necessarily view them as essential. I could perhaps just use a sample and a turntable and make something with it. It’s not really about the tools at hand, but the aesthetic and feel. Lately, I’ve been more concerned with finding the right feel – something that flows naturally, is organic and relates to my surroundings. The everyday tends to affect you more than anything else, so it’s important how everyday things affect your process. Most importantly, I try to use any limitations (technical or otherwise) as part of my compositional process. A very good example of this: with digital technology you now have unlimited number of tracks (as much as you have ram avail). I try to do the opposite and create perhaps a patch with just X number of tracks and then find ways to make things work how I want based on that limitation. If you can’t make an interesting piece with just a few tracks, you won’t be able to make it with a million.

Your ‘Demo Vault’ project gave insight into some of the creative processes behind your work – did this change in any way for the Orcas project and, in particular, working with Benoit and more song based compositions?

It has changed quite drastically I think – just the fact that there are lyrics and vocals change your approach significantly, not to mention having a second opinion in the room to bounce ideas off each other. I find this process very inspiring at the moment, particularly the way that one will fill each other lacking areas. I cannot sing to save my own life, and on the other hand, Tom’s blessed with a terrific voice, so it was only natural for me to try and write some pop songs and fill some of that void.

Can you tell us a bit about your work as a media artist? What else do you have planned in this sphere?

Well, at the moment I’ve gotten a bit tired of creating audiovisual projects for an assortment of reasons. I feel lately that with the visual components, everybody is trying to make things as impactful as possible, so there’s the potential for saturation, specially when working with more artists in a live setting. That said, Orcas has some visual elements I curated (based on the video works of our friend Sean Patrick, who also directed the video for “Arrow Drawn”). To be honest, I’m more interested at the moment in curating content than creating my own, so I feel that this relationship works for me, specially since I feel there are so many great artists out there creating amazing works, I feel that bringing those to the forefront is a good thing and it helps filter and help sort thru all the clutter, a consequence of media overproduction.

What other artists are you enjoying listening to at the moment?

I haven’t been listening to much new music lately, so I’ve been mostly listening to works by friends – I find that with all the music out there, we tend to miss out on what is the closest to us, so I’ve been making a conscious effort to focus my attention (at least for the time being) into friends and colleagues’ works. That said of course, I still listen to the same music I’ve been listening on a regular basis for the past 15 years – anything from Augustus Pablo and The Abyssinians to Mika Vainio and friends like Mirrorring, Windy & Carl, Marcus Fischer, Loscil, Simon Scott, and many others.

I’m always on the hunt for good book recommendations and I’d be willing to bet you can recommend me something – read anything good recently?

You know the last book I read was ‘The Toaster Project” – a book about an Englishman trying to build a toaster from scratch – not so much about the actual toaster but a very good indictment on our consumerist cultures. Atm, I’m kind of geeking out on “A Song of Ice and Fire,” mostly cause this girl I know got me hooked on the Games of Thrones HBO series last year, so I started to read the books it is based on, and it is quite nice. I know, it’s pretty geeky fantasy stuff, but it is quite enjoyable and intriguing at the same time.

Many thanks – I shall track down the toaster book. Finally – what can we expect from you next project wise?

I’m working on new material for both The Sight Below and RAI, whilst working on new Orcas songs remotely with Tom. I’m also completely immerse curating my own festival, called Substrata, which happens in Seattle this Aug 3 – 5. That’s keeping me quite busy, but I’m looking forward to writing some more and keep working on my live performances – I love playing live, so I try to take as many opportunities as I can.

- Interview by Andy Gillham (@AndyEchaskech) for Fluid Radio

www.thecentrifuge.co.uk
www.irisarri.org
www.pioulard.com

It’s a Friday night in Shanghai. The temperature is cool, as people wave goodbye to their working weeks and slowly embrace the commencement of another period of recreation. Restaurants fill, bars spill out in to the open and smoke bellows from the many street food sellers who are readying themselves for a long night. On the corner of one such street is Lune. An unusual venue, that is caught somewhere between a dive bar, cocktail lounge and live music space, it will attempt to embody all of these traits as it welcomes three musicians from Japan for the second night of their first tour of China.

Arriving early at the venue serves as a prelude for what is to come. The musicians are left to their own devices, albeit with the assistance of their promoter, to set up their equipment, run sound checks and ensure everything is optimized for performance. In truth they are limited by some below par acoustics, however their rehearsal serves as a hint for what promises to be an honest, homely and intimate show.

Small droves of people arrive. Some opt for couches, others rest at the bar, while keener members nestle on the floor space just in-front of the artist’s stage. First to perform is dreamy female vocalist Cuushe. She sits at a desk with her laptop and keyboard, while a guitar rests on her lap. As her tracks slowly build with layers of sound comprising of looped synths, guitar riffs, vocal chants and electric beats, slow motion visuals project on to the wall behind her. It is a heartfelt performance, one that is emotionally engaging and its intimacy is enhanced by the limitations of the performing space.

In between acts serves as a time of transition; the stage is adjusted to welcome the next artist, the punters are able to recharge their beverages, and a DJ serves some music to maintain a vibrant atmosphere. This period passes with relative speed, before the second act of the night, Cokiyu, takes centre stage. Opting to stand, her set is comprised of five songs from her two albums. She graces her keyboard, swaying to her compositions and delicately constructing chord patterns.  Live vocals are mixed with pre-recorded ones, while bright animations of jellyfish project behind her. The music is colourful, effervescent and warm. Once again, the closeness of the night is enriched by the small crowd and their connection with the performer.

The third performance comes at a time when the Shanghai nightlife is in full swing. It’s close to midnight, and revellers who may ordinarily associate the venue with its dive bar status, have chosen this time to progress their evening at Lune. It’s an unusual contrast to the preceding atmosphere that was the epitome of calm. Thankfully aus, the concluding performer of the night, has chosen a set that breaks away from the acoustic and more downbeat sounds he is usually associated with. By chance, his set unintentionally serves as a tonic to the slightly more intoxicated members of the audience who have subsequently arrived. Equipped with computer and sampler, aus embarks on a continuous twenty minutes of upbeat, bass heavy and beat driven electronica. It’s a clean, thought provoking set and one that encourages movement. Indeed the crowd are influenced by this with a juxtaposition met between the head nods of the original audience members and the over elaborate dance moves of their newly frequented, drunken counterparts.

So with that the night at Lune concludes. Exiting the venue leads one back on to the chaotic streets of Shanghai at a time when they are at their most raucous. However amongst the haze of lights, the loud sounds of partying and the wafted scents of food, a degree of calm is installed in those who have enjoyed an evening in the company of these three artists.

- Josh Atkin for Fluid Radio

www.flau.jp

On first listen, you wouldn’t think to associate Evan Camaniti’s “Night Dust” with either dub or vampire movies, but after spending some time with it you wouldn’t necessarily be surprised to hear that those things were influences on it either. Described in terms of smoky blue hues and washed out lights, and covered in painted artwork to match, the album marks something of a departure from the Americana desert amplifier worship and kosmische inspirations Camatini is best known for exploring in his work with both Barn Owl and Higuma.

On his debut release for Immune, the musical and narrative focus instead shifts to mediations on texture, fractured dub techniques and spacious electric guitar compositions; all filtered through a homage to tape – the album sees a release to cassette in addition to high quality virgin vinyl, having also been committed to 4 track tape recorder.

Evan graciously took some time at the end of a recent set of European shows with Barn Owl to discuss “Night Dust” via email…

……………………………………………………………….

Was the album recorded direct to 4-track tape? How was that done?

EC: I just used a cassette 4 track for basic tracking but then bounced the tracks through an effects chain to a DAW and layered gradually on top of that.  I was influenced by the approach of dub mixes so there is a lot delay involved but I experimented with other techniques like playing cassettes back through different amps and re-recording them or playing tapes backwards.

The idea was to add different colors and dimensions to pretty minimal and spacious guitar pieces.

Why the focus on cassette?

EC: I was just drawn to the sound of cassette tape and it was the only feasible way for me to record to tape on my own.

If it was done to tape, you’d expect it to be hissy, but it’s very clean. Who mastered it?

EC: As for the tape hiss, I EQ’ed a lot of the hiss out purposefully to give it the “dusty” sound I was looking for, where everything is kind of soft and distant and aged.

That being said the awesome mastering job was done by Andreas Lubich at Duplates & Mastering.

How long did it take to finish?

EC: The record took somewhere around a year to finish including the art and everything.  The music was the focus for around 9 months of composing, recording and mixing.

The artwork happened at various points along the way and was a mixed media project with painting and printmaking involved.

How long were you in Europe for?

EC: We played 17 shows in 17 days and had a day in Berlin at the beginning and end to relax.

How was the tour?

EC: The tour was great, some really memorable shows.  Playing an original Sunn Model T through a full stack at Roadburn was amazing, so physical.

Played a church in Erfurt, Germany with TVs set up on the altar, playing the video that accompanies our set (made by John Davis).  It’s usually projected as one big image but there were 9 TVs set up…slightly blasphemous.  Some great shows with OM, including the amazing UT Connewitz in Leipzig, an old theater.

What’s happening for you next?

EC: Well, I actually have a new record coming out on Thrill Jockey called “Dreamless Sleep” in August.  It’s a companion to “Night Dust” in a way because I focused on recording to tape and my process of obscuring the source material. However, this record is much more inspired by devotional music.

……………………………………………………………….

Devotional music isn’t something immediately attributable on first listen either, but this and the disparate components all mentioned above do coalesce into a fascinatingly detached mélange of cavernous molten guitar.

The dusty and aged sound Evan mentions is neatly counterbalanced by the dry immediacy of tape warmth, and the space in the mixes means a lot of the material sounds quite physically deep. Opening track ‘Near Dark’ could be visually represented by sunset light shining down a long marble hallway, such is the length and presence.

‘Red Sun Blues’ is a faded and shuddering dub-like decay, and the distant percussive thumps of ‘Returning Spirits’ mingle with flickering distorted guitar leads; with a hint of tape noise to open, this is one of the only tracks to really show its hand in regard to origin (‘First Light II’ being another).

‘A Memory or a Mirage’ is closest to what one might expect from Camaniti upon reading the description of the project, and comes closest to encapsulating the album brief whilst being easily identifiable as his work. It’s also a good case in point for the element I found most interesting in the whole exercise – there’s a sense of there being a partially transparent veil over the material, which results in different shapes, shadows and movements being identifiable from a distance; yet only when the light coming from behind allows.

I drifted off to sleep listening to the album on headphones more than once, and often awoke to find myself in different places in the album (on shuffle) with tracks that I had heard before sounding markedly different, almost unrecognizable. Asleep, I’d be up the back of the sound with the devotional hum. Awake, up the front with the crackling guitar lines. Coming out of the twilight between both, the material bridges the fugue state and occupies a territory that is difficult to define.

When the leads of ‘Moon is the Hunter’ pierce that veil, all the devotional references to the undead make sense, and when the distant booming amp hum of ‘Last Blue Moments’ is placed next to it, the dub references align perfectly.

A confident, articulate meditation of depth and clarity, “Night Dust” is available from Immune as of the 15th May, and is available for preorder now. For discerning waxheads, the LP has been presented as displaying the utmost highest production standards in all regards; heavy-duty old-style tip-on gatefold jacket printed on uncoated stock. The C40 cassette is extremely well priced (six US dollars!), but Immune have cautioned that due to the long turn around times and unpredictable nature of cassette manufacturing they may not quite be able to ship on street date.

Immune also make prominent mention of the fact that due to the heavy gatefold jacket the item weighs more than normal single LPs and shipping costs are affected accordingly – it seems that unfortunately postage is going up sharply everywhere, not just in Europe. I’m confident in saying that listeners would find the end result rewarding, regardless of cost and timeframe, and I personally appreciate the direct and upfront honesty from the label about costs and manufacturing.

- Charles Sage (@sagecharles) for Fluid Radio

www.electrictotem.com
www.immunerecordings.net

Future Self studies human movement, mirroring interaction in dance, light and sound, while exploring the self, present and future…

Future Self brought together a media artist collective, random International, a choreographer, Wayne McGregor, and a composer, Max Richter in a unique interdisciplinary clash at MADE.

The Future Self Project Film documents the creative working process, which began in London, England, continued in Berlin and culminated in three wonderful performances at MADE.

www.vimeo.com/madeblog

Beautiful video and photography by Vincent Fugère for Evo Luthi’s contribution on Camomille’s 2010 relaunch compilation ‘Hope’s Not Lost’…

Words from the label…

Yes, after closing down last year, we’re back. We decided it was time to have fun again. Since we closed, the netlabel scene has changed a lot. The internet has changed a lot. Most of our favorite netlabels don’t exist anymore. Everything has changed, for the better we think.

The thought of reopening occured to me in January 2010, after the haiti earthquake. As I stood helpless in front of my television screen, the way I envisioned to help was to make a compilation to raise awareness and funds for haiti. While that didnt turn out the way I wanted it to, I strongly and whole-heartedly advise you to go over to any of these fine establishements : Oxfam, Earthship, Google crisis response. If you think i’m missing some, please email me and i’ll add them.

A slew of artists, new faces, old friends, have given their time to create these wonderful pieces for your enjoyment. Emanuele Errante, Makunouchi Bento, Casper, Evo Luthi, Shiftless, Maps & Transit, Ilkae, Muhr, Transient, Ian Hawgood, Nunu, Woodworkings, Hior Chronik & Logreybeam remind us all in their own way, hope’s not lost.

Download the album here

www.camomillemusic.com
www.vimeo.com/user1014094

One of my favourite movie scenes is at the start of David Lynch’s Blue Velvet. The film which in essence is about a darkness that lies beneath the surface conveys this sense of mood quite brilliantly when a man watering a pristine suburban lawn pulls up with what appears to be a stroke. Lying on the floor, water spraying around, the camera moves away from its subject and delves deep into the lawn before focusing on a group of ants who are feasting on the turf below. One of the most disturbing parts of this moment, apart from its obvious symbolism, is the sense of magnitude that is conveyed. Everything feels incredibly close, uncomfortably so and the eerie sounds that accompany this scene seem to bring with them a very real sense of foreboding.

When listening to “The Folkestone Lighthouse EP” from Wist Records, I was immediately reminded of the Blue Velvet scene, not so much in its conveyance of meaning, nor thematically, but more so in the overpowering feeling of intimacy that the music here provides. A true artists’ project, the record sees the collaboration of field recorders, musicians, photographers and sound engineers. Based on cymatics research at the Folkestone and international lighthouse relay events, the EP also begs a lot of questions concerning our perception, as listeners, of what really constitutes music.

The EP is split over four tracks, and each house an incredibly acute attention towards sound. Some feature traditional instruments, such as “By Day” which sees the melancholic bows of Danny Norbury’s cello intermingle with the microscopic detailing of supporting field noises. Norbury’s collaborator from The Boats, Craig Tattersall also displays his musical talents, albeit in more avant garde form with his tape looping systems integrated into “By Night.” However the remaining two tracks “Kyoto to Folkestone” which feature field recorder Jez Riley French, and “Folkestone Field Recordings” which are gathered by photographer Russell Burden, afford a widely different approach to sound creation. These are sound constructions built from every day noises, they exist as part of our daily atmosphere, yet presented in this contained form, they bear a greater relevance. Such is the subjectivity of art, it is ultimately debateable as to whether they  can be classified as pieces of music, but there can be no denying that their honesty and their ability to convey an emotional sense of purpose allows them to stand on equal stead with their melodic counterparts.

“The Folkestone Lighthouse EP” is a triumph in its study of cymatics. As a listener it pushes one to appreciate the art of sound, and serves as a strong statement that music can be comprised of more than just instruments. While Blue Velvet talked of a darkness beneath the surface, this record is less direct. It encourages one to explore what lies beneath, and what does exist can indeed be very beautiful.

- Josh Atkin for Fluid Radio

www.wistrec.com

Counterflows is a new series of festivals exploring international networks of underground music. This first festival took place across London, Berlin and Glasgow from 6th-15th April. Produced by OTOProjects in Berlin and London and AC Projects in Glasgow the festival was made possible with support from Sound and Music, The British Council, Creative Scotland, The PRS for Music Foundation and The Goethe Institut.

The festival also proved an all to rare opportunity to see Tomokawa Kazuki, performing for the very first time in London. Tomokawa is a poet, singer, artist, bicycle race commentator, essayist, actor and drinker, an artist who miraculously embodies the romance of the vagabond poet, a rarity in an age where our freedom means we have forgotten how to live. The below clips from Tomokawa Kazuki, Steffen Basho Junghans and Margareth Kammerer are personal highlights from the festival. Other highlights included Kim Doo Soo, who despite nursing a bad cold gave a touching and restrained performance, and Michael Gira, who attracted a younger and rock’n'roll audience.

- Gianmarco Del Re for Fluid Radio

www.cafeoto.co.uk
www.kazukitomokawa.com
www.bluemomentarts.de
www.myspace.com/margarethkammerer

‘Paths’, the new album from Olan Mill, sees the unashamedly romantic music of Alex Smalley and Svitlana Samoylenko moving away from piano based vignettes towards broader compositions of processed guitar, pipe organ and violin. The album displays a striking economy of instrumentation that is the logical progression from their earnest neo-classical debut ‘Pine’, released on Serein in 2010.

The focus of ‘Paths’ is the manipulation of boundaries, a direction embarked on more by necessity than choice – reconciling the ambition of an orchestra with the limitations of a duo. The restraint in sound stems from a foray into the previously unexplored realm of live performance – the pair also admitting they were “supporting some serious piano dentists and we were never up to their kind of surgery, so it was as much a white flag maneuver as it was artistic decision”.

‘Paths’ represents a growth in both sound and style, with each song possessing its own identity within the record – the exploration of both structure and composition revealing new events each time the listener delves into the immersive narrative of their communication.

The end result is a richer harmonic sound field, intended to physically move an audience as much as it aimed to devastate them emotionally. The six pieces were captured from two live performances in Bristol and Reading in late 2010, and have been sewn together from the multi-track recordings into a run of 300 limited edition 180gm vinyl mastered by Shawn Hatfield. This release is presented with a 4 panel letter pressed CD, a booklet written by Olan Mill in collaboration with Alexander Ross Petersen, limited edition 12×12 prints, A2 poster and interconnected artwork by Jurgen Heckel. All collated in the characteristic hand stamped, sealed and numbered Facture fashion.

Direct and melodic without the obsession of minimalism, ‘Paths’ is an honest and engaging account of both melancholy and euphoria.

Limited Edition Of 300 Includes:

* 180 gm Pure virgin vinyl encased in 300 gm heavy matt FSC sustainable board printed using vegetable-based inks with black inner sleeves

* Letter pressed four panel / glass mastered CD

* ‘On Rainbow Corner’ booklet by Vincent Vocoder, voice for Olan Mill

* 12 x 12 Bespoke print hand numbered on 260 gm card stock

* A2 Bespoke double sided photographic poster on 190 gm uncoated stock

* Letter pressed download code

* Hand numbered/Sealed

* Wrapped in luxury soft tissue

* Scented

Release Date: May 25th 2012

Reviews:

Restraint and understatement are the operative words here, as the duo constantly focuses on striking the right balance between emotional expression and economic presentation.  – Album of the month at Textura

Put simply, Paths is a triumph in ambient music. Olan Mill gives the powerful melodies space and room to breathe naturally, so that each listen reveals more, transporting feelings deep into the sub-conscious. – The Silent Ballet

There is no doubt that though Olan Mill’s overall sound is one of sobriety, pause, and deep emotional memory, it expresses a desire to connect, to break down barriers in the listener’s mind. Above all Paths is ridiculously gorgeous and cannot be missed by the lovers and poets of the listening world. – A Closer Listen

The boundary separating individual components, and individual performers, dissolves, as each element merges with its neighbour, single cello lines splitting into multi-tracked doubles, overlapped triples, before uniting as one dense sound. – Cyclic Defrost

If for whatever reason you made me pick one word to describe Olan Mill’s Path album, I’d have to go with “rich”. Rich, as Merriam-Webster defines it “full and mellow in tone and quality.” This, completely. Simple and delicate, but beautiful and nuanced. This is what I want to call modern classical. – To Eleven

These 6 pieces are almost see-through in places, translucent washes of sound that spread broadly like the upper reaches of the atmosphere. – The Liminal

‘Paths’ keeps on dragging me into its world. Maybe it is the short length of the entire album (the whole thing clocks in at about half an hour). Or perhaps it is the amount of pure love infused into these tracks. Either way, ‘Paths’ is a lovely album that truly gives a good name to the genre ‘ambient’. – Beach Sloth

Profoundly beautiful. This was my initial impression of “paths” by Olan Mill. It is a profoundly beautiful merging of ambient and neo-classical instrumentation… with an elegance and grace that simply has to be experienced to be believed. – Future Elements

As stated in the release notes, the record intended to “physically move an audience as much as it aimed to devastate them emotionally.” Can’t get more honest than that, after hearing ‘Springs’ I say mission accomplished! – Sounds Better With Reverb

Neo-classical music with successive sections of wind instruments, piano and field recordings, creates beautiful moments that hint at delicate images and nostalgic overtones. – Loop

Placid symphonic trembling of virginal strings, luminous heavenly choirs and puffed pipe organ, the kind of stuff which can act as a soundtrack for slow motion sequences. – Chain D.L.K

Paths is a deep immersion of shadowy, melancholy beauty: lush, emotive strings; entangled piano lines; dense processed drones. – Electronic Music Mall

Olan Mill’s sound is somewhat comparable to the sound of the Stars of the Lid and A Winged Victory for the Sullen and will definitely appeal to the same audience. – Ambient Blog

If you thought that Pine, debut album by Olan Mill, was lush and utterly emotive and couldn’t be more romantic, their forthcoming sophomore full-length Paths (Fac-ture) proves you wrong. – Music Addicted

www.fac-ture.co.uk