“Tasogare: Live In Tokyo” are five tracks by five 12k artists, recorded live over two nights in temples in Tokyo, Japan in April 2010…

Initial impression? The major thing that separates “Tasogare” from a conventional live recording is a notable absence of any crowd noise. The primary defining characteristic of all other live shows you’ve heard in the past is the crowd chatter that opens tracks, before the music becomes the primary focus and the rabble stops to listen. The fact that this is missing speaks volumes about the project, and reinforces the reverent tone that flows through the DNA of the record. Even the closing track fades out gently without any audience interaction.

Reverent is the word, indeed; every artist bring their best foot forward and plant it carefully and wisely in very much the same space. Each brings character and mood of their own (which stops it from becoming stale or tedious). The sedate and respectful mood of the record is what differentiates this from studio excursions that possess more frenetic experimentation.

Minamo opens with some faintly piercing alarm tones, counterpointed with some mature flourishes. If you are a fan of insistent noise, you’ll find this to your liking. There’s some endearing complexity.

Sawako+Hofli provide a total counterpoint. After a diversion of an opening, the track opens up into a cinematic blanket of sound. The mood is elegant and considered, and the light chimes and drones are capable of totally distracting you from the outside world if you allow them to. The guitar and bird noise that closes the track (along with the gentle vocal work) gives the listener a nice melodic hook to hang onto.

Moskitoo’s track is an intelligent edit of three performances: a shivering electronic introduction mirrors her frail vocal contributions, before a clever arrangement of percussion and melody combine with her voice to become a texture. The closing third of her fifteen-minute opener is serene, thoughtful and affecting.

Solo Andata’s set is unsurprisingly the longest and the most cerebral, and is worthy of repeated spins for many reasons. There’s some pretty great layering happening here, with a lot of foreground action to centre it and provide depth. The band’s love of bottom end drone work is able to sit alongside a number of crunchy and percussive textures, and for a fan it is satisfying that the tone is consistent with their recent recorded material.

Taylor Deupree’s closing track runs the second longest behind Solo Andata’s at just over 16 minutes, and provides an optimistic and elegant note to finish the record on. As the sound of wispy pads, white noise and engaging clatter reverberate around your headphones; it’s not at all hard to imagine the tones echoing off reflective temple walls.

The record is successful on multiple levels – it captures the mood of the performances and the character of the artists. The sound design is unsurprisingly excellent, and is presented in a realistic yet dramatic context.

The press release that accompanies the record speaks of documenting snippets of time that are unable to be repeated, and from the overall tone of the performances that aim is definitely true. The serene and respectful music that emanated from within Japanese temples in April of last year would certainly evolve into a wildly different proposition if captured in another environment, and capturing these solid performances in this context makes this distinction.

Another point presented in the release is the collective spirit behind the record, and whilst it’s hard to present collective solidarity developed on tour in an audio context, the consistency of sound and surety of aim go a long way towards demonstrating this.

This window into 12k’s workings on the road is proof positive of the label’s stated aim – “Trying to create something beautiful, however small, in this oversaturated, violent world that we live in. A small space – a place to breathe.”

“Tasogare: Live In Tokyo” is released on February 1st, in a run of 500 CD’s. Thanks to Kane Ikin for use of his Flickr.

- Review by Alex Gibson for Fluid Radio

Other articles:

12k Live In Tokyo: Unguarded Moments
12k Live In Tokyo: Taylor Deupree

www.12k.com
www.cubicmusic.com
www.solo-andata.com
www.myspace.com/sawako
www.moskitoo.com
www.taylordeupree.com

‘Ritual’ is Solo Andata’s third full-length album and also the inaugural release for the Buffalo-based label, Desire Path Recordings…

Solo Andata certainly need little introduction here – their previous albums, Fyris Swan and their eponymous effort from 2009, are well known around these parts. Their most recent work has been awaited by many, and points to a continuing maturation in sound. Their willingness to hide their light under a bushel (to push the component elements almost completely to an inaudible level at points) is a risk rewarded, and displays a confidence in their listeners that is sure to be appreciated by the ones who “get” this approach.

The four tracks that comprise this release are labelled as ‘sonic topographies’, and that’s accurate – they create a sense of place and location, mainly achieved with the very vivid wildlife and environmental recordings that occupy much of the record. The further elements that make up this architecture are described as organic sounds – such as primitive gongs, bells and bowls, sacred chants, cleavers, and prepared piano. The release also make mention of use of “the vibration of human cancerous cells”, which fairly boggles the mind and deserves an explanation of some sort, surely?

The mix is in most instances fairly minimal; there’s a good balance of build and decay, and the tracks peak in intensity effectively. It sees a strong cinematic lean – it’s not hard to imagine it as soundtrack to a number of film genres.

It went with me on a drive through the bush early in the day, and the start of the record put me in mind of someone waking in the outback in the morning – possibly amnesiac, not knowing how they arrived there, and slowly making their way through grey terrain. You can hear them finding abandoned homesteads on their way, all human life gone, a total mystery; a post-apocalyptic whodunit.

That’s not to paint it as too grim, but there is certainly an eerie air to it. Plenty of restrained menace, and a high level of energy and intrigue also.

“Aggregate” is a slow burn as an opener, instantly identifiable as wilderness recording. The insect noise appears to be the catalyst for the instrumentation, following its timbre and building to piercing drone amongst the blowflies and cicadas. It is a demanding listen, not background noise by any stretch of the imagination. The intensity does fade towards the tail end of the track, leading nicely into the next. Certainly a good ear opener, and it sets the tone well.

“Carving” is a collection of metallic tones that swirl around the speakers, accompanied by low-level static and rustling buzz. If I was to continue with the lost amnesiac/post-apocalyptic theme, this would be the arrival in a deserted town, accompanied with howling wind.

The overall recording quality is very apparent here – when the surges in the track recede, the space in the mix is quite noticeable. The mastering by James Plotkin is worth mentioning in a very favorable light. Production on the album is clearly considered, and the mixing is a strong point.

“Myrmercia” is passing through town, onto the road again. There’s a desolate tone to this one, like decay has set in and is visible in the environment. A lot of the high tone droning feels as though it’s coming from a distance, from a point not quite visible yet but in the immediate vicinity. The track clocks in at five minutes, the shortest on the record.

“Incantare” is the epic closer, weighing in at a considerable twenty minutes. To conclude the cinematic metaphor, the visuals to this one would be the arrival at the destination. Easy to imagine a deserted city with scattered bird flocks and wandering wildlife at street corners, no evidence of any occupied metropolis here at all. The track title apparently translates as ‘to chant’ (a magical spell upon), which derives from ‘in’, into, unto and ‘cantare’, to sing. It’s listed in the credits as being written by Kane Ikin, with the previous three credited to Paul Fiocco. This track does seem to have a different texture to it, whilst still matching the mood of the others; if anything there seems to be a more musical tone to this track, whereas the ones preceding it had very much been audio architecture.

The vocal samples, feedback and clattering gongs in the very far distance fade in to almost total silence in the middle, before a heartbeat brings the protagonist back to life. Whilst driving, the intricacies of this piece faded away behind engine noise, and it wasn’t until I had a good listen to it with headphones later that night that the intent behind it became clear. This has some downright disturbing undertones to it, and if the hero of the piece is coming to his destination, it doesn’t sound like a happy ending.

Overall? The work is still unmistakably Solo Andata, but points to a more defined, cinematic approach whilst still retaining and refining the minimalist qualities that marked previous releases.

Ritual is being released on vinyl in limited quantities – 450 regular LP’s, and 50 Limited Art Edition with hand-made copperplate etching, each print inked by hand and printed by Christopher Koelle, released this month on September 30th. There is also an “Edition of One” release on the site for those with several hundred dollars to spare, and a burning desire for completism.

Desire Path also mention that anyone who preorders the “Ritual” LP from their website will get a free, immediate download of the album as well as the high-resolution cover art and desktop wallpaper images.

- Review by Alex Gibson for Fluid Radio

Available through Desire Path Recordings

www.desirepathrecordings.com
www.myspace.com/soloandata

Under the lamplight, which is a small, insignificant light, yet enough to light the whole room, the distant sound of a guitar rumbles throughout, shaking the core, reaching the bone. Hessien are providing the impetus to remove oneself with their new release “Obelisk/Stelea”; an album that engulfs the listener in blinding rays of light that peek through a perceived pallor and solemnity. As Hessien, Charles Sage & Tim Diagram deliver obtuse soundscapes, augmented by hazy textures, and an ever-evolving penchant for disorientation and serene exploration.

Positing the listener in a tranquil stasis, the opener “Gazed and Pale Reflections” reveals a darkness permeated by shiny consonance, guitars ring out over and beneath one another, the listener drifts off, leaving the lamplight behind. As the title suggests, we revert to a pensive mood, pleasing thoughts replace the guttural voices and images weighing heavily on our mind. As the first of four original pieces on this release – the four remaining works are reimaginings by Solo Andata, Jasper TX, Zelienople, and Konntinent – “Gazed and Pale Reflections” sets the tone for this remarkable work. Leading into “A Letter from Engels”, a simple recurring sound, with a somewhat jarring effect, marks the arrival of a captivating mixture of sounds that slowly build walls around the listener to touch and feel, sending shivers down the spine.

Clarity is revealed on “Five Sisters”, while a gauzy vocal courtesy of Jane Williams gently glides around far-away discordant guitar sounds, separated just enough from the splendor of the acoustic guitar. The sounds reach a breaking point near the end before becoming more distant and varied and, finally, splintering into a million pieces and fading away. This motif is carried into “Breaking Webs”, which again finds the duo searching for a balance of clarity with discordance. The dichotomy allows the forceful sounds of the track to mingle with the glistening light poking through, creating a dynamic that alleviates the strong disorientation with lucid tranquility.

The reimaginings are arranged in exactly the same order as the Hessien originals, and Solo Andata, with their recently released exploration into the unknown, “Ritual”, begin the proceedings with their take on “Gazed and Pale Reflections.” The listener is transfixed at the distant sounds occupying the better part of the piece, intent on making them out and reaching whatever place they’re emanating from, before being taken over by a wave of noise that comes rolling through the speakers or headphones, springing through every pore in your body. Jasper TX uses “A Letter from Engles” as a springboard into the ether; the wall of sound created by Hessien is heightened and much more tangible, yet bears very little resemblance to the original creation. Both affect the listener in different ways, but the effect is just as monumental.

The trio, Zelienople, focus on repetitive patterns of sound with minor variations and additions that make all the difference in the world on “Five Sisters”. The gauzy vocal still remains and the end result is reminiscent of Steve Reich and his use of cyclic patterns. Konntinent, reimagining “Breaking Webs”, leans more to the discordant and disorienting nature of Hessien’s music, with pulses of guitar noise that are blown-out completely, leading to a very haunting conclusion that leaves the listener with the uncanny feeling he/she will return again and again.

This wonderful release comes carefully packaged in letter pressed covers that slip nicely into organic silk-screened cotton pouches. It is a Handstitched* /Fluid Audio split release and limited to 200 copies. An 8-page full colour booklet containing exclusive images and 4 specially commissioned poems by Estela Lamat, themed around the 4 original songs by Hessien, also accompanies the release. Readers are urged to act fast before missing out on one of the year’s best releases.

- Review by Michael Vitrano for Fluid Radio

Available from Fluid Audio

www.fluidaudio.co.uk
www.handstitched.net

www.hessien.net
www.myspace.com/soloandata
www.myspace.com/jaspertx
www.myspace.com/zelienople
www.myspace.com/konntinent

After the highly praised “Fyris Swan” (Hefty) and “S/T” (12K), Solo Andata return with “Ritual”, a meticulously-crafted album emphasizing an engagement with the unknown…

‘Ritual’ is Solo Andata’s third full-length album and also the inaugural release for the Buffalo-based label, ‘Desire Path Recordings’. This limited edition 12” LP consists of four glorious sonic ‘topographies’ that are altogether spellbinding, eerie, visceral and energetic. ‘Ritual’, similar to Solo Andata’s self-titled album on 12k, is fundamentally made up of organic sounds, such as primitive gongs, bells and bowls, wildlife and environmental recordings, sacred chants, the vibration of human cancerous cells, cleavers, and prepared piano. These four pieces seem to work toward a repetition or ‘ritual‘ between disparate elements so as to transport us, via a magical spell, to dense otherworldly habitats. In fact, the title of the twenty-minute piece Incantare translates as ‘to chant’ (a magical spell upon), which derives from ‘in’, into, unto and ‘cantare’, to sing. For the eight-minute piece Carving, there exists a ‘ritualistic’ image similar to that of Kafka’s In the Penal Colony, where an intricate carving device inscribes the Condemned prisoner’s sentence onto his flesh. The whole affair of ‘Ritual’ is bound to leave listeners mesmerized by its vividness and bewitched by its intensity.

The album ships today, September 30th, so to commemorate the occasion –

Paul Fiocco and Kane Ikin were kind enough to take some time out of their schedule to discuss some of the elements of the album with Fluid Radio, preview some upcoming work and share some insights into their collaborative process.

The wildlife recording on the album seems to have a strong sense of character – did it all come from the same place, or was it from a collection of accumulated material?

SA: The wildlife recordings more or less all come from a place called Injidup (a remote part of Western Australia). They were recorded during mid-summer. The location is very close to Canal Rocks, which was used for a track on the 12k release. Come to think of it, it was the same location that was used for “Woods, Flesh, Bone”.

Was there a deliberate attempt to capture a tone, or did the mood develop as you worked? Were you surprised at the end result, or did you have it planned out?

SA: I think at the very beginning we were preparing ourselves for the idea that the record would have two very different sounds as far as tone or mood is concerned but I guess after working together this long we’ve developed a kind of Solo Andata aesthetic that comes out in the end, even when we approach writing from radically different places in regards to everything from what equipment we use to our sound sources.

I don’t think we ever had a definitive plan when were writing… though saying that, it was fairly clear early on that it was going to be a ‘dark’ record, but that was never a locked in idea for the record… just how it seemed to progress as we wrote it.

I’ve got to ask – the press release mentions “the vibration of human cancerous cells” as an organic sound used on the album. Can you expand on this?

Paul: Those sounds are from a very sensitive microscope that converts nano-mechanical motion data into sound. And the cells, which were oscillating at a strange and erratic frequency, were human bone cancer cells.

Kane, the credits list the last track as being yours, and the first three as Paul’s. Did both of you develop the pieces separately then work on them together? Or did you both bring finished pieces to the table?

Kane: The process was slightly a combination of both.

With our previous records we’ve always worked partly together and partly in isolation, relying on FTP-ing files back and forth with a constant stream of emails and phone calls in-between… after two records I think we needed a break from this method and at the time it was going to be impossible for us to record in the same space. So the conclusion we came to was to work on the record mutually but individually – with the vinyl format being an integral part in this, setting up the idea of two sides and a duality in sound. This is of course after Desire Path had contacted us and piqued our interest of a vinyl exclusive release…

I think the original idea was to have two sides operating on a positive/negative kind of vibe, like High fidelity vs. Low fidelity. Paul had just purchased a new super high quality recorder and I had been experimenting a lot with very old records and recordings. At that stage Incantare was actually two separate songs which were later edited and joined together with a third song to create one long ‘movement/journey’ with a focus on repetition with trance like hypnotic elements. Paul heard it in all its various stages, adding his thoughts on it along the way, though never actually involved in its creation. When Paul shared his songs with me I’d offer my opinions in much the same way. I like that despite our ‘separateness’ the record still works as a whole and has a fairly consistent sound even though we were using radically different techniques.

The album artwork is striking – does it have a particular significance to the intent behind the album?

SA: The artwork stems from the title ‘Ritual’, which in turn came from our own conversations and interpretations of the record, which to our ears had a ritualistic feeling… For example I really wanted Incantare to have elements of the kind of trance like states people would get into in pagan rituals and the like.

At the same time we were looking at images for the artist Chris Koelle to consider for his illustration, we sent him a whole combination of images from old mythological illustrations to photos from cult ceremonies and a few photos by Barbara and Michael Leisgen… Chris’s own interpretation of our records as well as some of the ideas and concepts from those images resulted in the album artwork. Two hands in ritual, holding the sky.

Did the record develop any characteristics in mastering? Were any elements enhanced or minimized in the process?

SA: James did a stellar job, we were asked if we had any special instructions for him, but our instincts were to trust his judgment. He’s worked with a lot of people we admire, so it was very easy to sit back and relax and wait for the finished product. We’re always surprised at how much a good mastering engineer can get out of something… I couldn’t say if anything specifically was enhanced or minimized… he just made it all sound, right. One thing worth noting is that the digital and the vinyl have had separate masters produced optimally for each version. We had both pushed a lot of crazy low end into our mixes that if left as they were would have flung the needle out of the groove on the vinyl version. James managed to sculpt and tame those frequencies without loosing any of the ‘sound’ we were going for.

How did the relationship with Desire Path develop?

SA: I think it all started with an email from Michael Vitrano to our MySpace expressing interest in us releasing on his proposed label exclusively to vinyl. We had yet to release anything on vinyl, which had always been a secret dream of ours… so it was a no brainer. Plus he was super easy to work with and had excellent choices in labels as his reference points to what he wanted to establish (e.g. 12k, type)

Your Facebook page mentions you now live in the same time zone – are you both in close proximity to each other, or is the internet the conduit?

SA: We’re a lot closer, about 2000km’s closer. But we still live in different cities (Melbourne and Sydney) so the internet is most definitely still the conduit. Luckily the internet is getting better and faster in Australia, so that is becoming less and less of a problem. In saying that though I’d like to think this is the last record we do long distance.

Is there a tour planned to coincide with the album launch?

SA: At the end of Paul’s studies this year I think we’ll embark on a quick tour of Australia’s east coast (Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne) and hopefully early to mid next year we’ll finally get back to New York and then over to Europe and Japan. The hardest part about being an Australian artist is the distance from everything and the cost. Touring anywhere – even locally in this giant spread out country – gets very expensive.

When you do play live, is it a replication of what you have recorded or do you improvise?

SA: An improvised replication maybe?  We use the same instruments a lot of the time, so it always has a similar ‘sound’. I think replicating anything we’ve previously recorded would be next to impossible with just the two of us, unless we had it all as separate loops or something in our computers, but that’s something that’s never been of interest for us. Our aim is to perform, live. So 9 times out of 10 we’re just using our computers as glorified loop pedals and effects… One day we’ll ditch the computers all together!

What can you tell us about “Live In Tokyo”?

SA: Earlier this year we had an opportunity to play an amazing show with Taylor Deupree, Minamo, Sawako and Moskitoo in two incredible buildings, an old Japanese Temple in Komyoji near Roponghi, which is probably the most remarkable venue we’ve ever played in and in an old school hall designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The recordings from these shows will come out later his year on 12k. We’re pretty excited about it. We hadn’t played together in about 6 months, hadn’t really rehearsed, weren’t super familiar with what we’d each brought to play as far as instruments and objects and despite all that pulled off probably our best live performance. So yeah, very excited for the release of that.

What other offerings are in the wings that you can discuss?

SA: Aside from Ritual, there’s a remix we did for Hessien’s new record, Kane’s started working with David Wenngren of Library Tapes & Murralin Lane on a new record and a documentary Kane composed the soundtrack for will be coming out early next year, called Anatomy: Face by Adele Wilkes.

- Interview by Alex Gibson for Fluid Radio

Orders for ‘Ritual’ are available from Desire Path Recordings

www.desirepathrecordings.com
www.solo-andata.com
www.myspace.com/soloandata
www.12k.com

Solo Andata Exclusive by Fluid Radio on Mixcloud

With the new Solo Andata release ‘Ritual’ now available for pre-order we thought this would be the perfect time to re-post the mix that Kane put together for us some time ago containing unreleased material and a killer track list…

Paul Fiocco (b. 1984) and Kane Ikin (b. 1982) live and work out of separate states in Australia. Solo Andata began in 2006 with their debut album Fyris Swan on Chicago label Hefty records. Paul lives in Perth, Western Australia, and is a graduate in philosophy. Kane lives in Melbourne, Victoria, and is a graduate in sound from the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Solo Andata’s compositions are created through the collaboration of sound from organic materials, field recordings, and instruments.

Track List:

Donato Wharton – The End of the American Century
Grouper – Invisible
Eduard Artemyev – Meditation (stalker)
Kevin Drumm – More Blood Than Guts -
Simon Scott – Spring Stars
Diane Cluck – Snake
Fennesz – Circassian
Joy Division – The Eternal
The Fun Years – My Lowville
Mogwai Remix – Drive
Solo Andata ( Ryuichi Sakamoto Remix) – Chorale (look for me here)
Jana Winderen – Live In Japan
Tomasz Bednarczyk – So
Svarte Greiner – Ocean Out Of Wood
Jonny Greenwood – Open Space
Paul Fiocco – Fingernails
Akira Soundtrack/Geinoh Yamashirogumi – Requiem
Fabulous Diamonds – Four
Taylor Duepree – Worn
Viktor Bermon – Unprepared
Solo Andata – Jetty On The Baltic (unreleased)
Solo Andata – Livid Walls Of Thought Possible (unreleased)
Kane Ikin – Atlantis Lost (unreleased)
+ various field recordings

Ritual Review:

‘Ritual’ is Solo Andata’s third full-length album and also the inaugural release for the Buffalo-based label, Desire Path Recordings…

Solo Andata certainly need little introduction here – their previous albums, Fyris Swan and their eponymous effort from 2009, are well known around these parts. Their most recent work has been awaited by many, and points to a continuing maturation in sound. Their willingness to hide their light under a bushel (to push the component elements almost completely to an inaudible level at points) is a risk rewarded, and displays a confidence in their listeners that is sure to be appreciated by the ones who “get” this approach.

The four tracks that comprise this release are labelled as ‘sonic topographies’, and that’s accurate – they create a sense of place and location, mainly achieved with the very vivid wildlife and environmental recordings that occupy much of the record. The further elements that make up this architecture are described as organic sounds – such as primitive gongs, bells and bowls, sacred chants, cleavers, and prepared piano. The release also make mention of use of “the vibration of human cancerous cells”, which fairly boggles the mind and deserves an explanation of some sort, surely?

The mix is in most instances fairly minimal; there’s a good balance of build and decay, and the tracks peak in intensity effectively. It sees a strong cinematic lean – it’s not hard to imagine it as soundtrack to a number of film genres.

It went with me on a drive through the bush early in the day, and the start of the record put me in mind of someone waking in the outback in the morning – possibly amnesiac, not knowing how they arrived there, and slowly making their way through grey terrain. You can hear them finding abandoned homesteads on their way, all human life gone, a total mystery; a post-apocalyptic whodunit.

That’s not to paint it as too grim, but there is certainly an eerie air to it. Plenty of restrained menace, and a high level of energy and intrigue also.

“Aggregate” is a slow burn as an opener, instantly identifiable as wilderness recording. The insect noise appears to be the catalyst for the instrumentation, following its timbre and building to piercing drone amongst the blowflies and cicadas. It is a demanding listen, not background noise by any stretch of the imagination. The intensity does fade towards the tail end of the track, leading nicely into the next. Certainly a good ear opener, and it sets the tone well.

“Carving” is a collection of metallic tones that swirl around the speakers, accompanied by low-level static and rustling buzz. If I was to continue with the lost amnesiac/post-apocalyptic theme, this would be the arrival in a deserted town, accompanied with howling wind.

The overall recording quality is very apparent here – when the surges in the track recede, the space in the mix is quite noticeable. The mastering by James Plotkin is worth mentioning in a very favorable light. Production on the album is clearly considered, and the mixing is a strong point.

“Myrmercia” is passing through town, onto the road again. There’s a desolate tone to this one, like decay has set in and is visible in the environment. A lot of the high tone droning feels as though it’s coming from a distance, from a point not quite visible yet but in the immediate vicinity. The track clocks in at five minutes, the shortest on the record.

“Incantare” is the epic closer, weighing in at a considerable twenty minutes. To conclude the cinematic metaphor, the visuals to this one would be the arrival at the destination. Easy to imagine a deserted city with scattered bird flocks and wandering wildlife at street corners, no evidence of any occupied metropolis here at all. The track title apparently translates as ‘to chant’ (a magical spell upon), which derives from ‘in’, into, unto and ‘cantare’, to sing. It’s listed in the credits as being written by Kane Ikin, with the previous three credited to Paul Fiocco. This track does seem to have a different texture to it, whilst still matching the mood of the others; if anything there seems to be a more musical tone to this track, whereas the ones preceding it had very much been audio architecture.

The vocal samples, feedback and clattering gongs in the very far distance fade in to almost total silence in the middle, before a heartbeat brings the protagonist back to life. Whilst driving, the intricacies of this piece faded away behind engine noise, and it wasn’t until I had a good listen to it with headphones later that night that the intent behind it became clear. This has some downright disturbing undertones to it, and if the hero of the piece is coming to his destination, it doesn’t sound like a happy ending.

Overall? The work is still unmistakably Solo Andata, but points to a more defined, cinematic approach whilst still retaining and refining the minimalist qualities that marked previous releases.

Ritual is being released on vinyl in limited quantities – 450 regular LP’s, and 50 Limited Art Edition with hand-made copperplate etching, each print inked by hand and printed by Christopher Koelle, released this month on September 30th. There is also an “Edition of One” release on the site for those with several hundred dollars to spare, and a burning desire for completism.

Desire Path also mention that anyone who preorders the “Ritual” LP from their website will get a free, immediate download of the album as well as the high-resolution cover art and desktop wallpaper images.

- Review by Alex Gibson for Fluid Radio

Track List:

Aggregate – 6:05
Carving – 8:37
Myrmecia – 4:42
Incantare – 20:10

Pre-orders available from Desire Path Recordings

www.desirepathrecordings.com
www.solo-andata.com
www.myspace.com/soloandata
www.12k.com

Release Date October 4th: Limited to 200 copies for the world. Fluid Audio and Handstitched* have joined forces to release an EP by Hessien entitled “Obelisk|Stelea” including exclusive reworking of the original source material by Solo Andata, Jasper TX, Zelienople and Konntinent…

Surprising astrologists everywhere, Hessien continue to generate spontaneously out of the ether near the equator, somewhere between Australia and the UK. The most recent occurrence being “Obelisk|Stelea”, constructed in between the north-south divide.

Free Bonus Track For Download:

“Obelisk” – as Hessien’s landscape evolves, the sound continues to push into an environment littered with obstacles. Although not obvious at first, there is a relationship between these objects; a focus on submerged, hazy rhythms and textures that mirror the unconventional landscapes and surrounds. Prominent on this release is the human voice, represented in snatches of field recordings and overheard conversations, including vocals contributed by Jane Williams. Acoustic tones continue to underpin the tactile electronic arrangements – loops, delays, e-bow, cello, pedals, creaking furniture and low-fi hiss rearing up then dropping away as quickly as they came.

“Stelea” – these four pieces have been intercepted in various states of formation by – Solo Andata – combining distant parts of the original composition with their faultless signature sequences, unmistakable and balanced.

The ever-prolific Jasper TX – weaving his acoustical, drone-style magic into the mix, floating into a territory with a never-ending haze as the backdrop.

Zelienople – an open-handed reinterpretation shines and guides the way forward with acoustic/prog interestingness, flowing with a staccato pulse.

And finally, Konntinent – transporting the listener into an irregular, avant-garde-like version, fuzzed-up, resampled and re-routed via a tape deck.

All four reworks have been broken down, inspected, and then put back together. Four pieces becoming eight tales of dislocation, separation and musical connectivity. Hessien and the four remixers conspire a bizarre plot and an equally bizarre, larger-than-life conclusion.

Packaged in letter pressed covers that slip nicely into organic silk screened cotton pouches, this Handstitched* /Fluid Audio split release is limited to 200 copies. An 8-page full colour booklet containing exclusive images and 4 specially commissioned poems by Estela Lamat, themed around the 4 original songs by Hessien, also accompanies the release.

Songs 1-4 produced by Hessien (Charles Sage & Tim Diagram) 2010. Recorded on location in Queanbeyan, Australia and Cambridgshire, UK. Songs 5-8 remixed by Jasper TX, Solo Andata, Zelienople and Konntinent.

1. A Letter from Engels
2. Gazed and Pale Reflections
3. Five Sisters
4. Breaking Webs
5. Gazed and Pale Reflections – Solo Andata Remix
6. A Letter from Engels – Jasper TX Remix
7. Five Sisters – Zelienople Remix
8. Breaking Webs – Konntinents’ Analogue edit.

Available soon through Fluid Audio, Norman Records and Experimedia.

www.fluidaudio.co.uk
www.handstitched.net

www.hessien.net
www.myspace.com/soloandata
www.myspace.com/jaspertx
www.myspace.com/zelienople
www.myspace.com/konntinent

‘Ritual’ is Solo Andata’s third full-length album and also the inaugural release for the Buffalo-based label, Desire Path Recordings…

Solo Andata certainly need little introduction here – their previous albums, Fyris Swan and their eponymous effort from 2009, are well known around these parts. Their most recent work has been awaited by many, and points to a continuing maturation in sound.  Their willingness to hide their light under a bushel (to push the component elements almost completely to an inaudible level at points) is a risk rewarded, and displays a confidence in their listeners that is sure to be appreciated by the ones who “get” this approach.

The four tracks that comprise this release are labelled as ‘sonic topographies’, and that’s accurate – they create a sense of place and location, mainly achieved with the very vivid wildlife and environmental recordings that occupy much of the record. The further elements that make up this architecture are described as organic sounds – such as primitive gongs, bells and bowls, sacred chants, cleavers, and prepared piano. The release also make mention of use of “the vibration of human cancerous cells”, which fairly boggles the mind and deserves an explanation of some sort, surely?

The mix is in most instances fairly minimal; there’s a good balance of build and decay, and the tracks peak in intensity effectively. It sees a strong cinematic lean – it’s not hard to imagine it as soundtrack to a number of film genres.

It went with me on a drive through the bush early in the day, and the start of the record put me in mind of someone waking in the outback in the morning – possibly amnesiac, not knowing how they arrived there, and slowly making their way through grey terrain. You can hear them finding abandoned homesteads on their way, all human life gone, a total mystery; a post-apocalyptic whodunit.

That’s not to paint it as too grim, but there is certainly an eerie air to it. Plenty of restrained menace, and a high level of energy and intrigue also.

“Aggregate” is a slow burn as an opener, instantly identifiable as wilderness recording. The insect noise appears to be the catalyst for the instrumentation, following its timbre and building to piercing drone amongst the blowflies and cicadas. It is a demanding listen, not background noise by any stretch of the imagination. The intensity does fade towards the tail end of the track, leading nicely into the next. Certainly a good ear opener, and it sets the tone well.

“Carving” is a collection of metallic tones that swirl around the speakers, accompanied by low-level static and rustling buzz. If I was to continue with the lost amnesiac/post-apocalyptic theme, this would be the arrival in a deserted town, accompanied with howling wind.

The overall recording quality is very apparent here – when the surges in the track recede, the space in the mix is quite noticeable.  The mastering by James Plotkin is worth mentioning in a very favorable light. Production on the album is clearly considered, and the mixing is a strong point.

“Myrmercia” is passing through town, onto the road again. There’s a desolate tone to this one, like decay has set in and is visible in the environment. A lot of the high tone droning feels as though it’s coming from a distance, from a point not quite visible yet but in the immediate vicinity. The track clocks in at five minutes, the shortest on the record.

“Incantare” is the epic closer, weighing in at a considerable twenty minutes. To conclude the cinematic metaphor, the visuals to this one would be the arrival at the destination. Easy to imagine a deserted city with scattered bird flocks and wandering wildlife at street corners, no evidence of any occupied metropolis here at all. The track title apparently translates as ‘to chant’ (a magical spell upon), which derives from ‘in’, into, unto and ‘cantare’, to sing. It’s listed in the credits as being written by Kane Ikin, with the previous three credited to Paul Fiocco. This track does seem to have a different texture to it, whilst still matching the mood of the others; if anything there seems to be a more musical tone to this track, whereas the ones preceding it had very much been audio architecture.

The vocal samples, feedback and clattering gongs in the very far distance fade in to almost total silence in the middle, before a heartbeat brings the protagonist back to life. Whilst driving, the intricacies of this piece faded away behind engine noise, and it wasn’t until I had a good listen to it with headphones later that night that the intent behind it became clear. This has some downright disturbing undertones to it, and if the hero of the piece is coming to his destination, it doesn’t sound like a happy ending.

Overall? The work is still unmistakably Solo Andata, but points to a more defined, cinematic approach whilst still retaining and refining the minimalist qualities that marked previous releases.

Ritual is being released on vinyl in limited quantities – 450 regular LP’s, and 50 Limited Art Edition with hand-made copperplate etching, each print inked by hand and printed by Christopher Koelle, released this month on September 30th.  There is also an “Edition of One” release on the site for those with several hundred dollars to spare, and a burning desire for completism.

Desire Path also mention that anyone who preorders the “Ritual” LP from their website will get a free, immediate download of the album as well as the high-resolution cover art and desktop wallpaper images.

- Review by Alex Gibson for Fluid Radio

Track List:

Aggregate – 6:05
Carving – 8:37
Myrmecia – 4:42
Incantare – 20:10

Pre-orders available from Desire Path Recordings

www.desirepathrecordings.com
www.myspace.com/soloandata

Desire Path Recordings - The Sense Of Far Away by Fluid Radio on Mixcloud

Desire Path Recordings concerns itself with a daydream of elsewhere. We find that the commitment of the soul is all we can muster…

We lie in wait for the onset of the image. We soak in its essence. Some images leave distance. We are aware of the notion that what we see is the cooperation of the real and the unreal. The sense of far away engulfs us. We are, at all times, receptive to it. We create newness every time we travel. We travel incessantly.

Our first release, Pathway001, is from Solo Andata and it is entitled “Ritual”. It will be available soon on limited LP and digital download. In addition, there will be 50 “Special Art Edition” copies of the LP with hand-drawn artwork.

Track List:

Yui Onodera And The Beautiful Schizophonic – Urban Form
Doogie – Obvious Light
Federico Durand – Huemul (demo) (From forthcoming album on Desire Path Recordings)
Hans Otte – X
Jasper TX – And I Closed My Eyes
Robert Creeley – A Form of Women
Deathprod – Stony Beach
Solo Andata – Myrmecia (From upcoming release “Ritual” on Desire Path Recordings)
Interbellum – I Wish You Hadn’t Done That, Patrick
Richard A Ingram – Nocturne No.6
The Green Kingdom – Sunlight Through Golden Leaves
At Swim Two Birds – Swedish Lakes
Library Tapes – Fields
The Wind Up Bird – Violin & Trumpet
Klimek – For Michael Gira & Vladimir Ivanovich
Seasons (pre-din) – By The Banks Go Through 2
The Sight Below – It All Falls Apart
Richard A Ingram – Nocturne No.6

Photo by Kane Ikin

www.desirepathrecordings.com

My good friend Matt Hillier kindly put together a short review for Solo Andata’s release on 12k…

‘I must confess that when asked to review a 12k release I was already half way to loving it before I even started listening.

The label never puts a foot wrong to my ears and I was a fan early on, and loved how the label evolved and was so inventive. With that in mind I dived into the album on headphones late one night as you do…

The album starts with a magical interweaving of cello and violin instrumentation and is underpinned by an invocative landscape of beautifully celestial harmonies and  field recordings/samples, all with a slight contemporary feel. This isn’t celestial in the newage sense but in the ‘nu-age’ sense if that makes sense. Angelic vocals are underpinned by an almost motor like chugging cycle which subtley ebb and flow through the soundfield leaving the whole album charged with a really nice depth of feeling and filmic like quality. Its a very comfortable listen that leaves you wanting to stay for more, the type of music you can listen to on cycle for days.

The album at times shifts into huge vistas of cross filtered and convoluted soundscapes with a deeper more immersive quality. These merge with the sounds of the seashore and a subtle, beautiful harmonic dissonance that gently meet the spirit of air, and again its a wonderful place your transported to.

All in all it’s everything I love about contemporary ‘ambient’ music. It has soul, and a perfect balance of emotional chromatic content and slight abstraction. Magical music and a work of beauty and harmony. Review by Matt Hillier

www.myspace.com/soloandata

www.12k.com

12k presents Australian duo Solo Andata along with their second album, self-titled.

Translated literally from the Italian as “one way”, Solo Andata portrays the theme of a one-way journey that moves from (and represents a thread between) water and land, fluid/stasis, cold/hot. Following Solo Andata’s debut album Fyris Swan (Hefty, 2006) and their 12k inception on Live in Melbourne, Solo Andata presents us with an ambient affair, with dark drones coupled with ethereal sonic environments.

It could be said that Solo Andata is carefully sequenced to a narrative structure: beginning on boat in the cold, arctic night of “Ablation,” and then ending on foot in the hot wilderness of “Woods, Flesh, Bone.” However, concepts and narratives that seem clear to the artists are often left oblique to the listeners. This is perhaps why Solo Andata represented this narrative in a strict sense by recording what the titles literally refer to. For example, “Woods Flesh, Bone” presents us with sweltering woodlands, the sound of a fresh carcass being torn apart and the clattering of bones. The same can be said of “Hydraulic Fluctuations,” “Canal Rocks,” “Ablation” and “In the Light Storming.” These organic sources, then, help tie music and concept together.

Solo Andata utilizes very little, if any, electronic instruments. Acoustic guitar, piano, cello and the natural resonances of organic materials (usually by way of a violin bow, pluck, or home-made contraption) become their main instruments, and as their live shows often attest to, Solo Andata can turn almost any object into an instrument capable of producing beautiful, other-worldly music.

Solo Andata is being released simultaneously with Look For Me Here (12k2014), a limited edition CD-Single that contains the album mix of “Look For Me Here” as well as remixes from legendary Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto and 12k’s visionary Giuseppe Ielasi.

Solo Andata was created between Perth, Western Australia, Melbourne, Victoria and New York City.

Mixed by Taylor Deupree.

Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi.

Purchase Options:

Digital

CD

More Info:

www.12k.com

www.solo-andata.com