Jott fortysixandtwo: Many Small Steps…

“My goal is to build atmospheres that allow the listener to tell his or her own story.”

Once again, Desert…Mountain…Dust…travels to Germany. This time on our list is Walsrode, a town in Lower Saxony where young Ambient / Drone / Noise maker Jott can be found. 

Despite balancing music with becoming a father, Jott’s nonstop flow of creativity has paid off handsomely, with him already making a mark on the US...

Jott’s former primary project How I Met Lauren first caught my attention a few years back with the fantastic  ‘//////sixsixsick//////’ originally released on Kansas based label Big Pharma Records back in March of 2016 (BPR would later appoint Jott the head of their sub label Big Pharma Europa in early 2017). 

To me, it still holds up as some of his most ambitious and amazing work. Resulting in the successful merging of Brian Eno's positive energies with a much darker, indescribable force. Listen below:

Jott then hooked up with the New York based Ben Hudgins, and released a strew of material via Ben’s highly praised tape labels Endless Landscape of Decay and Zero Sum Recordings (under the banner of Machine Tribe Recordings).

The rest of 2016 and most of 2017 saw many collaborations for HImL, including the elaborate storytelling audio experiment in episodic form ‘the_cyberpunk:episode zero’ with Endless Chasm, and the more Wall Noise orientated release ‘Void’ with Melinoe and See Through Buildings. 

But the biggest team up had to be ‘With the Blessing of Satan’ - which saw contributions from Armor Breach, hallwayss and Black Sheet Servitude to name a few, resulting in a unique, multifaceted extreme music experience.

Soon after, Jott joined forces once again with one of the participants - Ben Rehling of See Through Buildings - to form the noise / soundtrack duo ‘a wet palace’ who released an EP entitled ‘[]’ on Analog Cowboy Records and their debut cassette on Machine Tribe.

The following September, MT released the cassette ‘Todallem’ (Death to Everything) an EP by Jott’s Metal band “Dovahkiief” which featured stellar remixes by such artists as Lorenzo Abattoir (Mare Di Dirac) and Jack Lynch as well as bonus Dovahkiief tracks. 

As well as the title track, the highlights of the release for me include ‘Schluss Machen Bei McDonald’s’ which is rather an out of body audio experience with haunting vocals that truly stealing the show. 

Then ‘Satanic Death Ritual’ personifies a powerful conjuration with thunderous tribal drums and low guitar rumbles, the blackened ceremony reaching it’s climax with a wash of feedback as the drums change up their pace to the fadeout. 

Finally the tape closes with the simple but effective guitar delay run of ‘-’ It’s a stripped down and sleepy sound but remains one of the most memorable tracks on the release. In short, Todallem’ balances Jott’s love of metal and more eclectic electronic pallette brilliantly. 

Purchase a cassette copy of Todallem HERE

In late 2018, Jott took another step forward and formed a new solo project entitled ‘Kummer' which saw a release on LSD Induced Nightmares Records in Texas. As well as the creation of a new Ambient duo with his other half ‘K8’ entitled ‘MOMOFUKU’ that fuses both analogue and digital software who were gifted a debut tape release via Chicago based label Lurker Bias ‘Blessed By The Algorithm’ a perfect modern yet minimalistic  dream…drift…scape. Listen below:

I caught up with Jott to find out more about his musical beginnings, the happenings of Big Pharma Europa and what the future holds for him and his other projects…

DMD: What artists and bands had the biggest influence on you growing up?

J: ISIS (the band). They are by far the biggest creative influence I've ever experienced. Other people that influence me are The Mars Volta, Tim Hecker and The Boats. 

DMD: Where did you first hear drone / ambient / noise / experimental music?

J: I was always interested in audio plays and therefore listened to a lot of ambiences and noises as a kid. I got fascinated by how some noises can give you real shivers.

‘Carry’ my favourite track by ISIS has a heavy drone intro that I listened to on repeat when I was younger. It was used as music in a video about parachuting. 

A year later, YouTube added the feature that tells you the song playing underneath the video and that's how I found my favourite band of all time.

DMD: Please tell us the story of How I Met Lauren so far, I am particularly curious as to how you came by the name…

J: How I Met Lauren was the name of my personal music project because I became friends with an exchange student named Lauren from the USA in 2009. She was not the only reason I chose to express myself with music but certainly the biggest at that time.

How I Met Lauren started with a lot of shit songs and evolved into this ambient/drone thing it is now. I had never thought to get into this scene when I started making music at first.

I have put How I Met Lauren on hiatus for now because I felt like I had to leave something for later on. I will return to this project and make some violent ambient again (in the future) but I personally want to focus on more structured music at the moment.

DMD: Is there a strong noise scene in Walsrode?

J: There is none.

DMD: What recording gear do you use?

J: I used to have a studio/rehearsal room with my band Dovahkiief, the hyaenidae. It was a great spot and for two years I recorded most of my music there. 

We had to abandon it after moving to another city and now I make most of my music in my bedroom studio. 

In terms of software I was using Cubase and Audacity but made the switch to Logic Pro X last year. Recently I got into randomised step sequencing using a digital step sequencer with two oscillators, letting it generate chords within set parameters. 

I'm also working with an elektron digitakt at the moment to realise randomised breakbeats and chance-based triggering with samples. I got the digitakt to work less with synths and more with samples but found myself quickly adding synthesisers to the setup since the digitakt has elaborate midi features.

I like to use gear that other people have thrown away. If I have to climb inside a dumpster to get it, it makes it more interesting. I like to use broken gear and I use a lot of circuit-bent stuff. 

If I need a certain effect I'd rather let one of my more able friends build it for me to suit my needs rather than buying an expensive pedal everyone else already has.

DMD: Speaking of which, can please you elaborate on any pedals that have been custom made for you? 

J: The metaldrone is a hardcore bend by simon the magpie. It's patch bay enables you to connect the bending points yourself. the barbed wire is functional and serves similar to a Thermerin in some settings.

J: The Endless Chasm made by abraxas devotionals (AKA ZS Lawrence from the Futuristic Ambient project of the same name) is a delay pedal with a feedback loop that allows you to process only the wet signal with outboard gear and create feedback with it, for the purpose of creating washes of sound.

J: The phase of the sun (also made by abraxas devotionals) is a circuit-bent phaser that glitches and mangles the input sound then routes it through an echo to create washes and waves. Both the EC and SP are custom build for my needs and basically the only two in existence.

DMD: What’s going on with Big Pharma Europa? 

J: Big Pharma Europa has been releasing free music since May '17. All of our releases are free for everyone from everywhere. Since my personal life has gotten more busy lately this project isn’t that active at the moment. We've had a small hiatus since my life got a bit busy but we are back on track and have just released a new split between MOMOFUKU and Dakota Snaketail's project The Flesh, Full of Black Sand which you can listen to here

DMD: What is your favourite release from How I Met Lauren? Also will there be any more releases in the sixsixsaga?

J: My favourite release is //////sixsixsin///// and yeah there will be more.

DMD: Tell us about your other projects and bands:

J: Kummer is my main focus at the moment. I want to combine ambient music with a more structured, approachable track concept. It’s basically a blend of Drum ’N’ Bass elements and Ambient / Drone atmospheres. 

My first full album with Kummer is still in the process of recording at the moment.

‘a wet palace’ is an experimental collaboration between californian noise artist ‘See Through Buildings‘ and me. We’re burying real instruments in walls of terror. We’ve got an album out on MTRec and we’re working on a new EP at the moment.

'MOMOFUKU' is my newest project. In a phrase, it's complicated Ambient. I’m doing this with the Mother of my Daughter. It’s better than couple's therapy, trust me. MOMOFUKU blends digital possibilities like chance based triggering, randomising sample slices and random chord generation with experimental analogue gear that's in part custom build for our needs.

We are two people behind the hardware but we often feel like randomness is our third bandmate as it's the essential part for creating interesting artefacts and sonic environments that feel organic.

‘Dovahkiief‘ is a stoner/sludge band project I founded in 2015 with a good friend of mine. since we had to abandon our studio, this project is on hiatus until we find a place to shred again. The next tape is currently in the mastering stage though!  

DMD: Could you please explain the meaning behind the name Dovahkiief?

J: ’Dovahkiin' is the main character in the video game 'Skyrim'. there it means ‘Dragonborn’. 'Dovahkiief' is a word that I came up with, figuring it would translate to ‘Dragonbong’.

'Dovahkiief' also sounds a hell of a lot like 'Doofer kifft' which is german for 'dumb person who smokes reefer’. ’Todallen' would really translate to 'death to all' but it’s actually 'Todallem' which means 'death to everything’ it's a made up word made from 'Tod' and ‘allem'.

DMD: Tell us some of your favourite albums

J: Isis - Oceanic

Tool - Lateralus

Cypress Hill - Black Sunday

Denzel Curry - Imperial

Arsonists get all the girls - Portals

Bob Marley - Exodus

Billy Talent - Billy Talent II

DMD: Any plans to play live with How I Met Lauren?

J: I’m working on a proper live setup but it's not a main concern at the moment. 

You can check out my 'Magpie Metaldrone' video (see below) for a How I met Lauren live experience.

DMD: If you could work with any artist living or dead who would it be?

J: Isis or Aaron Turner

DMD: Was there a concept behind ‘NORSEFIRES’ and the ‘A Wet Palace’ albums?

J: Many artists try to tell a story in their concept art. My goal is to build atmospheres that allow the listener to tell his or her own story.

NORSEFIRES was a 'study piece' for me because it is the product of me figuring out a steady effect chain for my guitar setup.

With a wet palace, my partner Ben and I were trying to take this DIY niche music we already make to the next level. Not in terms of popularity, but in terms of production value. 

The album definitely tells a story but I am sure mine differs from yours, a wet palace is by far my most complicated album to date.

DMD: How did the record ‘With the Blessing of Satan’ come to be? Are there more plans for another huge collaboration like that in the future?

J: I made WTBOS over the course of 2016, I had so many collaborations going that I found it more a curse than a gift, hence the name of the album. It’s a collection of tracks I made with a lot of great friends.

WTBOS Part II will be a thing at some future time but other things are more important at the moment.

DMD: In the past did you play in any other musical projects / bands? Also how many different instruments do you play?

J: Before going on hiatus, How I met Lauren was my musical outlet since 2009. I didn’t switch from the name but I have switched genres a lot, always doing what I wanted to do. 

I’ve played with some bands, mainly keyboard in a metalcore band and vocals in another metalcore band after that.

I own a violin and trumpet next to a variety of synth equipment and my bass / guitar setup but I don't claim to know how any of this works.

DMD: Apart from music, where else do you find inspiration?

J: Movies, people, trash and nature.

DMD: What music have you been listening to recently?

J: I dug up my stoner rock vinyls and got those spinning in the last few days…

At the moment I’m trying to avoid any and all radio music. I tend to stick to Amenra and Old Man Gloom these days.

DMD: Do you have a favourite HImL release?

J: //////sixsixsin//////...However the ////// series is currently on hiatus, as is the rest of HImL. But there is already new material recorded for part four.

DMD: Do you have any plans to play live?

J: it was never my main focus but I am working on a live setup at the moment to be able to play my music in front of an audience.

DMD: Anyone you want to give a shout out to?

J: SHOUTOUTS!  

I think I would have stopped making music if i haven't been 'picked up' by my buddy and mentor Benjamin Joseph, the head of Big Pharma Records. What they did for me when they believed in me and my music and challenging me to create a whole album that they would like to put out on CD was the push into the right direction I needed. 

If I had to name one person that influenced my music more than anyone else I would name them.

s/o to the three Benjamins, (Hudgins / Joseph /Rehling) who each had their own way to support me and my music. 

s/o to the moorstrassegang for being the local support I need.

s/o to Dakota Snaketail for their endless creativity and powerful spirit. The brightest diamonds really are made under the highest pressures. 

s/o to K8 and every friendly noise fire out there. You know who you are!

Everyone who put me on his or her label, everyone who collaborated with me, everyone who waited days for me to send over files I promised. You are what makes me an artist after all. Thank you.

LINKS:

Kummer / How I Met Lauren Soundcloud

How I Met Lauren bandcamp

Big Pharma Europa bandcamp

If you'd like to hear more of Jott, click HERE for a mammoth 3 hour MOMOFUKU YouTube mix!!!

Cousin Silas: The Sound of Silas

“You see these young greenhorns pop up now and then, and they want everything like NOW. Like this, buy this, follow me... and more often than not, people are actually turned away by that kind of attitude.”

Maintaining our focus on the UK music scene we next travel to the Yorkshire Market Town of Huddersfield to meet with David Hughes, AKA Cousin Silas.

A highly respected figure in the online Ambient underground for nearly 20 years, his fantastical progressive and highly captivating guitar ambient soundscapes have appeared on such netlabels as Cerebral Audio, Petroglyph Music, Studio 4632 and We Are All Ghosts.

A dedicated practitioner of what he describes as ‘Sound Alchemy’ David has been the name behind an absolutely spellbinding number of albums and an ever expanding amount of collaborations and compilations. 

Most notably the charity record ‘Silas and Friends’ which has now reached it’s 6th instalment features over 10 hours of music and sees Hughes sharing the soundstage with Michael Brückner, Øystein Jørgensen and Kevin Lyons (but these names only scratch the surface!)

Also a big science fiction fan, between 1990 and 2000 David contributed articles and short stories to such renowned publications as Back Brain Recluse and Nerve Gardens to name but a few. 

I caught up with David to take a look back on his illustrious career, his beginnings as a musician and to rack his brains for thoughts on the current state of the music industry…

DMD: Growing up, what kind of music was regularly played in your household, and what did you tend to gravitate towards?

CS: Not having any brothers or sisters, I was never influenced in that way. I know lots of friends credit their older siblings. My Mother had the usual Carpenters, lounge music, a touch of classical maybe, and in and amongst those were the odd K-Tel compilation albums. My grandma knew someone who got singles from the old jukeboxes, so I got a handful of those once a week. 

I was totally ignorant of genres and styles until I was maybe 12, 13. I remember making a conscious effort to find out what this rock music thing was. I'd started at secondary school, so I was aware of these new bands and artists whose albums I saw being carried proudly under the arms of older pupils. 

One weekend I bought a music paper and there was a free gift. A flexi disc with one exclusive track, and a long edit of highlights from the album, and that album was Brain Salad Surgery by Emerson Lake & Palmer. I loved it, it was like nothing else I'd ever heard before. So dutifully, after saving up my pocket money, I headed into Town and bought the LP. 

That was my first tentative steps into the world of prog. Of course, being young and somewhat naive I stuck with ELP and bought all their albums. It was about a year later I started expanding, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Oldfield, The Nice, again, the usual suspects. I wasn't overly keen on heavier bands such as Zep or Sabbath, that came later. Strangely, though, I did enjoy jazz and classical music as well.

DMD: Whom or what exactly made you decide to pick up a guitar in the first place? 

CS: I actually began saving up for a synth. The influence of ELP, y'see. I wanted to be a Keith Emerson! I'd seen one in the local music shop (a synth, that is, not a Keith Emerson). I have no idea now what the hell it was. I used to go in on a Saturday and mess around on it. 

I eventually got myself about £15 and gave up the idea of being a synth player. I moved sideways and decided it would be cheaper being a Greg Lake. So I bought my first guitar from Woolworths, lol. 

A really awful Kaye cheap shit thing, more of a cheesecutter really. I eventually got a fairly decent guitar and just basically messed around on it, no lessons (as many will testify!).

DMD: Tell us about your early musical career - What was the Yorkshire / Midlands scene like back in the days and what kind of bands did you play in?

CS: My first ever band played rock ’n' roll covers (we were all still at school). We called ourselves Bruno, no idea why. Anyway, we jammed together best we could, I was learning chords and all the usual stuff. We entered a local talent competition and came third. I really should add that there were actually only three bands that entered! I was frightened shitless, spent most of my time with my back to the audience. 

Fast forward to where I'm now like in my first year of working for a living, still a kid, and punk comes along. Despite the fact that I was essentially a prog type, I embraced punk as incredibly refreshing and just exciting. So, needless to say, a punk band was formed (The Generators) with some old school pals, and off we went. My initial shyness from the rock ’n’ roll band had totally gone. I was acting more like Pete Townsend and loving it. 

The scene back then was pretty much like it is now, locally, most of the audiences are what we used to call Working Men's Club types. Anything that went beyond middle of the road, standard songs were viewed with suspicion and devil worship.

But we revelled in that kind of notoriety, the essence of punk. It was only years later when we reformed for a giggle, that audiences were singing along to Pretty Vacant and Holidays In The Sun.... how times change eh?

I have good memories of great gigs, though, from both periods. I remember one especially, in the earlier version of The Generators, where we played, of all places, at a feckin' Parents / Teacher Association dance! There they were in all their finery, trying to actually dance, ala ballroom style, to Anarchy In The UK and White Riot. Precious!

DMD: What lead you into becoming a writer for various publications? 

CS: Because I was well into science fiction, I joined the British Science Fiction Association. It gave you access to news on SF, writing workshops, reviews, etc etc. So I began to become aware of a small circle of publications, amateur, although well produced. It was coincidental that around that time I'd started writing poetry, prose and fiction. 

I began submitting short stories, etc and some got accepted and published. In some respects, it's a bit like nowadays with the Netlabel scene. Same bollox is attached to the netlabels as was the small press in many eyes, you know, not the real thing, playing at it, etc etc. 

I even began my own magazine. It was a great time. I reckon the reason why I started was pretty much the same reason why I do Silas, it was basically a captivating hobby, therapy, if you will. 

DMD: How did Cousin Silas get started?

CS: I'd tinkered around with various ideas and recordings long before I went the way of Silas. But what really gave me the true incentive was I used to do a music review magazine. I wrote to a few indie labels asking if I could review any of their stuff. I remember one label in particular, Fflint Central Recordings. 

They lovingly sent me everything they'd produced, all on CDR, artwork, the lot. Now whilst I'd being plundering the more stranger (to my peers anyway) music scene such as Henry Cow, Faust, Tangerine Dream, Captain Beefheart etc etc, I'd never heard ANYTHING like what Fflint sent me. I was both captivated and yes, inspired, to create my own experimental stuff. 

I had a PC, so I acquired a bunch of software, and basically began using found sounds, and quite a lot of self created sounds, although I couldn't use my guitar for the first year or two due to the price and limitations of the technology at the time. 

I used to use Soundforge a lot, initially manipulating the sounds, layering them, mixing in all kinds of stuff. It was a fun time, like stepping into a new world.

I was actually quite proud of my first steps into this new world, so I sent two CD’s worth of material to Fflint, basically wanting to know what they thought. To cut a long story short, they eventually mixed and released them.

My first two albums are on Fflint; Lilliput, and Portraits & Peelings. Technically it's not just me, though. My original sounds were remixed and manipulated by the team at Flint. Either way, I was happy as feck, as you can imagine!

It wasn't long after I then began to hear (due to my music magazine) about Netlabels. The first was Earth Monkey who sent me an email detailing what the label was all about so I thought I'd send them something. That's really how it all started.

DMD: How did you end up venturing into Dronescape territory? Also, when did you first hear about Ambient and Drone music?

CS: I am sure my first introduction to the term ambient was via a Brian Eno album.. I 'think' it may have been Airports, and to be honest, initially, it annoyed me. Here I was, just starting out, and this album just seemed like, well, it didn't go anywhere.

It was just a steady hardly developing long ramble. I've since learnt the error of my ways, because I did hear other Eno, and Harold Budd albums that I thought, wow, this is really conducive to drifting off somewhere nice and cosy. A kind of aide memoir to relaxation. I then began checking out and actively looking for ambient.

Drone was something that obviously came around when I was checking out Ambient. I'd seen the term used on a few netlabel releases. And again, true drone annoyed me, and yes, it still does. Each to their own, I have no real reason not to like it other than the fact that that's all a drone is, a drone. 

Half an hour of listening to a non developing drone is no different to being stuck in traffic. I like to think that the 'drones' I do have more development in them, I throw things in there to make it slightly more livelier. So I guess, technically, I don't produce drones in the strictest sense of the word.

My first drone was actually done as a bet. I can't remember the exact conversation, but it was with Thomas Mathie at We Are All Ghosts. I basically said that a true drone requires selotape on a few keys, press record and feck off for an hour until it's recorded. 

Or even cut and paste five minutes until you have an hour. I was asked if I could do one and I said sure, but not like that.

That's how the first dronescape was done. Sure, there is a 'drone' in there, but a lot of other things are going on as well. And I enjoyed it that much that I did a few more.

DMD: According to the Cousin Silas Wikipedia page you appeared on John Peel’s Radio show. Is this true? If so, what was John Peel like in person?

CS: I never played on John Peel, I only had a track played. Well, I say only, that was one of the biggest highlights to date of Silas. And sadly, I'd have genuinely liked to have met the guy as he 'introduced' me to several bands via his show.

Here's the link...

https://hearthis.at/gb6ztkwx/peel/

DMD: What are the 15 records that you can’t live without?

CS:

1. Brain Salad Surgery - ELP

2. In The Court Of The Crimson King - King Crimson

3. The Modern Dance - Pere Ubu

4. In The Wake Of Posiedon - King Crimson

5. The Faust Tapes - Faust

6. Guitar Solos - Fred Frith

7. Western Culture - Henry Cow

8. Trout Mask Replica - Captain Beefheart

9. Lizard - King Crimson

10. Islands - King Crimson

11. Ommadawn - Mike Oldfield

12. 6 Symphonies - Bohuslav Martinu

13. Sketches Of Spain - Miles Davis

14. The Pearl - Harold Budd/ Brian Eno

15. Sunburst Finish - BeBop Deluxe

The above are on the spur of the moment, and to be honest, I'm not a fan of being tied down to specific albums as I often go with the mood, and can go without playing any of them for months with others taking their place. 

Most of them mean more to me in terms of aural bookmarks from when I first heard them, like photos from a certain time and place.

DMD: I know for a fact that you’re a big Sci-Fi fan, so are there any particular movies / novels / TV shows from the genre that really left a lasting impact on you? Are you a bit of a Whovian?

CS: Movies, yes, well, Bladerunner is definitely up there, and I did like many older b-type movies but revisiting them years later was slightly disappointing. I loved Outer Limits and, of course, Twilight Zone and thought rather highly of Sapphire & steel, a strange British TV series that featured Joanna Lumley and David Macallum. Very odd, but that was what was attractive about it (and Joanna Lumley), it was just so different. 

As for Dr Who, I always enjoyed Tom Baker, but he was bonkers which added to the appeal. Some of the newer episodes starting with Eccleston were great. 

I am more of a novel type SF fan really. I much prefer using my own imaginationary visuals rather than being shown them. I have always been a massive fan of JG Ballard, his short stories and the majority of his novels are, for me, peerless.

DMD: Why do you describe the music of CS as 'Sound Alchemy'?

CS: It was a phrase I actually nicked. Someone was using it and I thought yeah, I like that. Combining the idea of alchemy (transmutation) with sound, the manipulation of various samples and found sounds. 

DMD: Any albums from the past few years that you’ve really enjoyed?

CS: I won't name specific people as I am bound to overlook or not mention some of them. But of course, almost all of my musical FB friends have released some great albums and I'd be lying if I didn't say that it's been a privilege to work with many of them when the Cousin Silas & Friends projects are ongoing. 

Plus, I've done full albums with several artists who I admire and respect. As for the more commercial side of things, I just spend a lot of time on Youtube digging up old obscure albums, stuff I've never heard of, and listening to them. This really takes me back to the first years of my musical voyage, the thrill and excitement of finding new (to me) bands and artists.

DMD: Who are your top 10 favourite guitarists and why?

CS: Well, I'm not sure I could get to 10. I'll have a go at the ones who have inspired me, and who I still love to hear and watch. My first choice has to be Greg Lake, although not really that well known as a guitarist, as such, more a bass player. But the first 'real' guitarist, I suppose, was Robert Fripp…His sound and style was quite unlike anyone else for that period. Then again, those are the qualities that single out many guitarists. 

Always enjoyed David Gilmour, Bill Nelson, and Peter Green from the old Fleetwood Mac days. I always liked Mark Knopfler as a guitarist, but oddly was never too keen on Dire Straits, work that out! And seeing as though I have mentioned a bass player, I have to mention Percy Jones. His work with Eno and Brand X is just stunning.

DMD: Seeing as you used to write a bit of poetry for publications, who are your favourite poets and why?

CS: I used to like Wilfred Owens, now whether that was because he was killed in the 1st world war and didn't live to his full potential I'm not sure what it was, added pathos of his circumstances I guess. And to be fair, I've actually not read much poetry, a bit of Malcolm Arnold maybe. 

DMD: Please talk us through your current recording set up and your guitar collection

CS: I have two PCs, Windows 7. I use one for FB, internet, etc etc. The other PC is not on the internet and it's what I call the Silas Machine. I have an Akai Pro EIE that I use for the guitar to PC set up, and quite a few software synths such as Alchemy, Omnisphere, Hypersonic, Absynth and I still use Soundforge. 

The DAW I use is Reaper. I use Guitar Rig 5, and have four stomp box/pedal things: A Morley volume/wah pedal, a Mooer compressor, Ditto II looper and a Strymon Big Sky. 

I'm a bit uncomfortable talking too much about what guitars I have. It smacks a little of bragging, and aside from the fact that I have some Fenders, Gibsons, lots of Epiphones and a few in between.

DMD: You have released a truly staggering amount of records since CS began back in 2001, what is the official count? Do you have any favourites or any that you’d like to be remembered for?

CS: The official count as of right now is 214, which includes collaborations. As for tracks appearing on compilations I have no idea :). I have no specific albums as faves because they're all special to me, and as long as someone somewhere enjoys something I've done, even just one track, I'm happy with that.

DMD: What inspires you to create music?

CS: Many things. A memory, a photo, a sentence in a story or novel, where the novel is set, i.e beach resort (mainly with Ballard), a geographical location. Even some place names on Ordnance Survey Maps, such as Gallows Moss, conjure all manner of ideas and moods.

DMD: When you are not making music what can you normally be found doing?

CS: I tend to read a fair amount, enjoy wacky documentaries from conspiracy, hauntings, UFO’s, anything related to Forteana. I don't especially 'believe' in most of these unexplained and weird things, but I do find them compelling and they can (and have) created moods and atmospheres for the musical muse.

DMD: Can you tell us about your latest release?

CS: My latest release is Cousin Silas & Glove Of Bones - Spirits of Afrodubism on the Submarine Broadcasting company. It’s available now as a download and/or a limited edition cassette! Afrodubism is the fourth collab album I've done with Glove. This one is very much more dub, spacey dub. We just did the usual 'round robin' of collaborating and completed the tracks as and when we felt they were ‘ready.

DMD: Just to be clear, am I right in believing that you got the name Cousin Silas from the King Crimson song ‘Happy Family’?

CS: You certainly are, Sir. And it wasn't my idea either. I forget what the original non de plume that was suggested, all I do know is I wasn't too keen on it. But it was known that Lizard was one of my fave Crimson albums, so Cousin Silas just seemed a rather obvious choice.

DMD: What is your opinion on the current state of the music industry? Because having lived to see many changes are you happy to sell your music online or do you yearn for the days when physical music was the go to format?

CS: Strangely, I don't feel to be a part of the music 'industry' as such, not in the traditional sense. It has been a massive paradigm shift, totally, to what it used to be. I have had one or two albums for sale, but most of my stuff can be had for free. The whole debate about free or not to be free will rage on for as long as the sun does. 

But at the end of the day, that choice is simply down to the musician. There's a real sense, generally, of community and mutual respect among the netlabel family. And if people are comfortable with not having superstardom and a fleet of Lear Jets at hand, then it will work out. 

You see these young greenhorns pop up now and then, and they want everything like NOW. Like this, buy this, follow me... and more often than not, people are actually turned away by that kind of attitude. Maybe I'm in a small, a very small minority where everything I do is a hobby. That's what it is for me. I work full time.

DMD: Finally, does 2019 hold for you and your music?

CS: As for what 2019 holds.... who knows :) I just take the time and the ideas one step at a time. 

Cousin Silas Soundcloud

Cousin Silas Facebook

Cousin Silas Blog

Click here to read a review of the 2016 Cousin Silas record ‘Living in the Liminal Zone’ which appeared on the DMD best of 2016 list.

Hungry for more Ambient related readings?

Tuonela (Prog Ambient) interview link here

Michael Brückner (Ambient / Berlin School / Electronica) Interview link here

Also...Michael Brückner interviewing German Ambient /Drone Pioneer Mathias Grassow here

Graham Williams AKA LessThanOne (Dark Ambient / Drone / Experimental) Interview here 

ealing. (Ambient / Hip Hop) Interview here

Endless Chasm - Dweller at the Threshold Review

For those not so familiar with Wellington, Kansas sound mangler Zachary Lawrence and his musical outlet Endless Chasm here’s a brief catch up.

By now quite a well known face on the US underground Ambient / Drone / Noise / Experimental Electronic scene, it wasn’t until after a small collection of bandcamp singles that the ‘official’ debut Endless Chasm record exploded onto the scene in the form of a 2015 EP, an all out noise assault entitled ‘A Pedantic Critique of Modern Cultural Discourse’.

Keen not to kill any momentum, the following year saw plenty of activity from the project including two albums, ‘The Myth of Sisyphus' and ‘We Cannot Keep This A Secret Any Longer’ both released on Kansas label Big Pharma Records, run by fellow noise-heads RAGK and Contraktor.

Spreading across the states to various cult tape labels, New York's Endless Landscapes Of Decay put out a cassette titled ‘Sorcery is the Rich Man’s Curbstomping’ that was warmly received while the Chicago based Lurker Bias released ‘Harm Health' which sold out almost as quickly as the tapes could be dubbed! It presented a glowing if not slightly scatterbrained example of EC's progress and potential. 

One of it’s most notable contents was the title track, which I stumbled across one day in the YouTube video linked below. Filmed in a decrepit Kansas tavern, Zach clad in smart shirt and trousers works away over his pedals, manipulating dials to twist the chilling words of American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman into a frenzy of cacophony. 

Bringing us back to the present day, Endless Chasm returned to another Kansas based label, this time Wichita’s This Ain’t Heaven Recording Concern to release ‘Dweller On The Threshold’ making it’s arrival back in July 2017.

The physical release opts for a simple layout with a few token extras. After breaking the seal stretched across the cassette’s case, it’s front cover splashed with some delightfully entrancing glitch art, I spy tucked behind the colourful tape a translucent plastic card sporting the EC logo, as well as a free download code written upon a small strip of paper that I happily help myself to. 

Looking at the tracklist, with titles named after locations in David Lynch’s Twin Peaks series you'd be right to expect an abstract audio experience as opposed to some easy listening. 

-Although for those still yet to indulge in the addictive surrealist TV series, the ‘White Lodge’ is a place of purity and all things good while the ‘Black Lodge’ is a darker, more evil spot. (Which must certainly mean that we are due a ‘Red Room’ themed release sometime in the future). 

Listen below:

SIDE A: White Lodge

With ethereal whooshes whose harshness could only be found in the coldest, deepest point of space, a descending two note intercom like mantra plus some sparkling audio residue that twinkle like distant stars, White lodge gets itself well underway. 

To me, these sounds resemble life onboard a travelling hotel space ship, and it’s continual journey through the cosmos observed through a port side window. 

For a brief moment everything cuts out, and we are left with nothing but the isolated whooshing and sparkling, illustrating the emptiness of the cold, dark spacial void. Just past the track’s mid point a soft synth passage glides into view, it seems to want to detune itself into oblivion but it keeps rolling on. In the meantime, the housekeeping impatiently fire up the hoover.

A haze of feedback makes itself known, causing the huge space cruiser to groan as if on it’s last legs while the hum of the vacuum cleaner seems to combine with the engine’s thrusters for maximum velocity and maximum cleanliness. An electronic bleeping quietly hints at some approaching sinister space beings but the primary synth part is reprised and calm is soon restored. The ship speeds on.

It is when beheld, a very well layered soundscape with various effects that could have been lifted from some long forgotten sci-fi motion picture soundtrack (think Dr Who meets Stanley Kubrick) now it’s over to Side B.

SIDE B: Black Lodge 

This is where our imaginary traveller aboard the hotel space ship finally decides to get some rest, he lays down his head and begins to dream. Backwards loops lead the way along a path of toasty synths illuminated by the hypnotic echoing of soft cymbal hits.

As the track progresses deeper, it builds in thickness, as if closing in around the listener, like some kind of psychedelic beginning to take a firm grip of our protagonist, who is now unable to shake off the trip. 

At one point, an icy layer of drone noise gains vast momentum, reaching a raucous level that borders on harsh, it sputters indignantly but doesn’t manage to break away. The shrieking fizz is eventually drowned in the tide of backwards sonics that lap over it like the waves of an uncaring ocean, crackling into nothingness as it expels it’s last. 

While the track may dip it’s toe in the abyss, there is no wandering off into the darkness that the title would suggest, instead remaining as a trance induced, meditative slow burner that makes for an exquisitely beautiful listen. It’s pure abstract theatre for the musical mind.

Conclusion

Like many an Endless Chasm release, ’Dweller…’ brings together both the vintage and modern sonic worlds, brilliantly showcasing the duality and ever expanding consciousness of the Chasm. 

The project’s ability to transport the listener into far away musical dimensions is remarkable and undeniable as always.

Caving helmets on, it’s time to begin the descent into the Endless Chasm once again.

Special thanks to Zachary for sending me a physical copy of the album.

You can order the cassette here

Also try:

Phantom Burn

Phantom Burn

And a formidable collaboration with How I Met Lauren

The Cyber Punk Episode Zero

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Endless Chasm bandcamp

Endless Chasm Soundcloud

Endless Chasm Facebook

The Second Discovery Channel...5 reviews (Goshen, Writhe and Phonophobia, Crescent Days, Traven, PTRKLLR)

Hello and welcome to another instalment of The Discovery Channel.

The part of the blog where I dish out reviews of my recent musical findings on ye olde internet and any blog submissions.

If you are a DMD regular then I can safely assume that you'll probably notice a few familiar names this time around, and if you discover something here that really grabs your attention and makes you feel alive (or dead, whatever floats your boat) then please support the artist/band/label in any way that you can.

In this second edition we have 5 inspiring releases covering such genres as:

Metallic Hardcore / Mathcore, 

Harsh Noise / HNW, 

Post Black Metal / Blackgaze, 

Experimental Ambient / Electronic,

Lowercase / Avant Garde.

The first Discovery Channel can be found here

Here we go...

Internet findings

Goshen - Demo

Introducing Goshen, a California based quartet who play a mixture of Grindcore influenced Metallic Hardcore and blazing Powerviolence tinged with Mathcore. This fearsome group released their first demo back in early February which has all the fiery unpredictable rage of a bull wounded at the hands of a matador. You can never be sure when or where the injured beast is going to lash out next.

Featuring the venomous vocals of Kyle Ferguson (also known for his noise project Misery Ritual and HNW project Statichor) a man of many voices. Whether it’s low grunts, angry barking, tortured screams or retching in absolute disgust he’s got it all down to a tee.

Beginning with a flare of feedback and drumstick count in ‘Cost of Life’ tumbles into being with wild drumming mixed with powerful riffs that accommodate a few angry bursts of noise. Ferguson can be heard belting out lyrics such as “my eyes aren’t as bright as they used to be” and “the insatiable curiosity has bled me dry” with throat scraping intensity and fist clenching conviction.

Next up, ‘Host’ drags out the inharmoniousness a little more, then restores heaviness before the band spiral into the sort of inferno Converge made their trademark. There is a brief aftershock moment, then they return to the twisted intro riff once more before ending. Crushing stuff.

Shortest song ‘Terminal’ is where the grind brownie points are won, going from an intro of sharp stabs between a Dan Lilker bassline then switching between low, brutal riffing and echoic guitar lines in under 30 seconds.

Before you know what’s happening the dissonance laden build up into closing (and my personal favourite) track ‘Cave’ has already begun, accelerating into a soft exhale of noise before the real brutality is unleashed seconds later.

Featuring lyrics that speak of permanently cutting oneself off from society it’s bound to resonate with anyone who craves their solitude. The untameable heaviness mixed with the frantic reverberating guitar is still the recipe for success at play here.

A short riff break that wouldn’t feel out of place on a Dillinger Escape Plan album explodes into pounding blast beats topped with another mega scream from Kyle. This soon brings us to a bridge section awash with tormented shrieks, and an eerie high pitched guitar played through an octave pedal that cranks up the uneasiness.

Goshen see themselves out on a devastator of a breakdown which ends with a pitch lowering effect, as if the universe simply can’t handle them and is forced to collapse in on itself.

In conclusion, Goshen have produced a demo chock full of perfected twists and turns that proudly flip the bird to anyone who would rather play it safe. With that in mind it’s difficult to digest everything on offer in one sitting, but with a length of just under 8 minutes it’s what repeat buttons were made for! 

Listen / Download here:

https://goshen.bandcamp.com/album/demo

Goshen Facebook

Writhe / Phonophobia split - Tomb

With US and Russian relations at an all time low, releases such as this are a testament to the fact that love and noise conquers all. ‘Tomb’ sees Writhe, a one man Drone / HNW project from Indiana teaming up with harsh noise / ambient music maker Phonophobia from Moscow.

Writhe kicks things off with ‘Forced Down’ a swampy marsh of slow, muddy guitar with plentiful use of whammy bar to up the disorientation that gets swallowed by the prickly static forces beneath it. Second track ‘Beaten’ treads a path to a similar fate, with a violent spasming sonic attack that gets buried in a thunderous harsh noise wall. 

‘Forgotten’ begins with the still crumbling dregs of the previous wall before topping it’s layers with a sliced distorted drone. It feels as if the wall is going to strip itself down when the top layer briefly disappears at the half way point, but it makes a comeback and remains unmoved for the rest of the track. An impactful and memorable opening trio for sure.

Phonophobia's one and only track ‘Three Pedals / Closed Doors’ starts out as a thick, mad buzz that transforms into a juddering noise elongation. It changes course to more of a scream before briefly returning to the naked buzzing once again.

Building into a vile cacophonous stream of consciousness and climbing up the loftier registers, the demented choir eventually hits the glass shattering high note, met with a short and stuttering effect that copulates into a drawn out, grinding mass of glitch while the note carries on regardless. 

The noise ensemble reaches it’s coda with one final enrapturing atonal sound that faces some digital interferences before cutting out. 

As a whole, ‘Tomb’ does a great job of ensuring all the frequencies have been covered. Writhe drills down into the most chasmic depths of earth while Phonophobia blasts off into higher altitudes of discordance, allowing both sides to compliment one another and making this pairing of artists a match made in harsh noise heaven!

Listen / Purchase CD here:

https://reasonartrecords.bandcamp.com/album/tomb

The incredible Reason Art Records sub label 'Minimalist Recs' can be found here

Also from Writhe:

Split with Harsh Noise Movement - ‘A tribute to Begotten’

Listen / Download here:

https://harshnoisemovement.bandcamp.com/album/a-tribute-to-begotten

Also from Phonophobia:

6 way split 'Post Soviet and Harsh'

Listen / Download here:

https://bigpharmarecords.bandcamp.com/album/post-soviet-and-harsh

You can read a review of Writhe's split with Macronympha here

Don't miss out on this recent static offering from RAR Label owner Sergey Pakhomov's project LEICHEN on Grey Matter Productions

Listen / Purchase cassette here:

https://greymatternoise.bandcamp.com/album/grau-leichen-2

Submissions

Crescent Days - Unbloomed

Since forming in 2013, Germany / USA duo Crescent Days have been hard at work creating a hybrid sound of atmospheric, depressive and post black metal with shoegaze and ambient music.

Latest full length 'Unbloomed' marks the second time in the band's career where founding member Abraxas has written and recorded without partner in crime Sol, who at the time was unavailable to take part in the process. Sol's first full length effort in Crescent Days was 'On This Funeral Mourning' released on Depressive Illusions Records back in 2015. All instruments are played by Abraxas and the artwork was from an outside source.

Setting the tone for much of the record, ‘.daydream’ makes itself known with a melancholy clean intro that snowballs into a set of chords marred with a slightly dirtier tone, plus a rocky beat to match. Things move into a higher gear with the raw vocals making the first of their fleeting appearances while both guitars and drum kit are beaten into submission. After a strumming section and brief return to the beat from earlier we are left with a sorrowful exit.

‘Osnabrück’ is a slow, dancing duel of guitars that ring out like church bells that offer neither hopeful or tragic news, just a stoic numbness that I find rather beautiful. There are some enhancing sounds trying to fight their way to the surface of the mix but I cannot truly decipher if they are hands running across the guitar strings, vocals filled with despair, effect laden field recordings or all three. Either way, they add to the track's aesthetic rather than taint it. For an interlude it’s extremely soulful and remains one of my personal highlights on the album. 

‘Unbloomed' starts off with droplet like chords before getting swamped by distorted guitars and a hard beating of the snare ensues. Building up to a soaring, ear catching melody sitting atop crashing drums that soon quicken up their pace while the guitar stays unmoved, which I thought was a very nice touch. The percussion drops out, leaving both the rhythm and lead guitar tracks uncovered for a short period of time but then returns with more of a slow sway to fade.

Fourth track ‘Sol’ begins with the pedigree of darkened post metal riffing employed by post metal bands such as Amenra and proudly upholds the standard of majestic leads heard throughout this release.

‘Blossom’ shows off the group’s softer side once again, daintily strumming and adding extra harmonies to make an angelic chorus of sound. A sample of a couple breaking up turns this quite delightful track into more of an emotional ordeal.

‘To Wither And Decay’ brings the metallic edge back into the equation, and on ‘Violet Miasma’ you can hear the clean pickings you’d expect to hear on Pablo Honey / The Bends era Radiohead. 

Closing track ‘P Ä L E’ marks the return of the vocals, their harsh groans pouring out over heavy blasts of distorted chords and a pop driven motif. One final clean part cues up a repeat of the motif and the exhausted sounding vocals, which after disappearing subtly change into an epic closing section. All guitars ablaze on the final push which comes to an unexpected end with a hum of sleepy chord haze extending out to the edges of earth.

Unbloomed’s strengths lie in it’s gorgeous guitar leads and the rather unorthodox drumming, which at times operates as a separate entity rather than a tool of accompaniment.

Unfortunately, for me a handful of fragments and endings begin to feel a bit too similar, and an occasionally unforgiving mix doesn’t help matters either (though black metal was never a genre built on clarity of production). The lack of vocals also mean that the record’s sole reliance is upon instrumental passages which in some cases prove effective, but at other points feel barren and weak.

Despite not being quite as multi dimensional as their past work 'Unbloomed keeps the inventive streak and undeniable musical force that is Crescent Days intact with a stripped down vision that against all the odds still prevails.

Listen / Download here:

https://crescentdays.bandcamp.com/album/unbloomed-2

I had a quick word with Sol, who as well as being half of CD playing the parts of lyricist, co-producer, visual arts director and occasional ambient effects manipulator is also the brains behind the almighty netlabel and blog Sunn Monolith who have released some truly deafening and wondrous compilations under the title of 'Sun Heard'. 

DMD: Despite unbloomed being an enjoyable listen I found it rather sad not to have you onboard, is there going to be a record with both of you appearing together coming soon?

Sol: Without giving much detail, I'm talking to Sebastian (Abraxas) about releasing another version of unbloomed (which will have have a different track listing).

DMD: And what does the rest of 2017 hold for you guys?

Sol: Perhaps the rest of 2017 will see something of a surprise.

If you are in a band / project and are in need of artwork, Sol can be contacted for rates and more information here: sunmonolith@gmail.com

A small review of the duo's debut release from side project Lord Sun - 'Suncatcher’ can be found here

Also Try: Pathway to Inexistence

Listen / Download here:

https://crescentdays.bandcamp.com/album/pathway-to-inexistence

Also try: Violetten Blüten EP

Listen / Purchase cassette here:

https://crescentdays.bandcamp.com/album/violetten-bl-ten

ЯTLLCTЯNCS - traven.

Currently residing on a section of fenced-off wasteland in the middle of a motorway intersection somewhere in Southern England is the experimental, ambient and electronic artist clad in mystery known as ‘traven.’ who has been transmitting what he describes as “strung-out pastoral execution music” since early 2016.

ЯTLLCTЯNCS (pronounced ‘ritual electronics’) is the project’s debut EP and another offering from high quality music purveyors Aetheric Records. This short but action packed effort boasts a set of 7 polished soundscapes ready to dive into and explore.

Opening track ‘t H e c A R F A x f R A G M e n T’ gets things started off heavily in dark ambient territory with ominous synths and cold piano tones striking the hour while field recordings tread lightly beneath. A wail of feedback breaks into a screech and the synths stand sharply upright in terror before dying down. It’s only the first track, but one can sense there are some sinister audio spirits at play here.

The darkness continues on ‘What is This Place We Are In’ looped arpeggios bring a further chill to the already icy air, the crack of spine shivering guitar strings helps paint a bewitching picture of a church graveyard at nightfall.

Standing in the pouring rain, (hade) restores peace with soothing synth parts and plenty of surface noise to pass around resulting in a drenched but relaxed number.

The downpour carries on into follow up and shortest track ‘#Noguchi's NUMB3Я5’ which has a strange atmosphere thanks to an ethereal looped effect and some even stranger sounding embellishments but still holds its own when compared to it’s much longer counterparts.

‘THE NEW RADIATI∞N .I’ is a bustling hive of activity featuring amplifiers buzzing, guitar chords crashing lazily like ocean waves while people and cars appear to be going about their day in the layers of field recordings.

A piano line switching between melancholy and mysterious at the drop of a hat, the surface noise going from fizzing to light crackles, a serving of uplifting synths and a short use of ricocheting sound all make ‘To Reach "The Invisible”’ an abstract but intriguing piece of sound art.

Closing track ‘3 - ЯK’ is a soft, peaceful drone with a few rattles and screeches happening on the roadside, as the drone begins to evolve into a bright and breathtaking audio cosmos it all gets quickly shut off by the sound of a single bird call. An ending very much outside the box, but traven. pulls it off with ease.

For only a debut it’s extremely progressive, palatable and promising. It’s shortness definitely makes it all the more accessible for newcomers with each track resembling a brief but enjoyable musical getaway. Evocative, sleek and highly atmospheric, ЯTLLCTЯNCS is all killer with no filler.

Listen / purchase CD here

https://aetheric-records.bandcamp.com/album/tllct-ncs

traven. twitter

traven souncloud

You can read a review of another Aetheric Records release - this time it's Clive Henry's Hymns - here

PTRKLLR - Anatoma Tobeyoides

PTRKLLR is a Seattle based lowercase wall noise project, but if you fill in the vowels then you get the name of Peter Keller, a well known and respected face on the scene. 

But for those not in the know, some of Keller’s most notable efforts include: 

• The Anti-gentrification Harsh Noise Wall colossus known as Condo Horro
• Hosting supernatural atmospheric HNW séances in Geist
• Opening up the crackling noise void with Dirac Sea
• Contemplating our imminent doom through use of drifting noise walls from Unser Verhängnis
• Spreading the hazardous harsh noise virus through a deadly organism called Bacillus

‘Anatoma Tobeyoides’ indicates the debut release of PTRKLLR. described by Peter as “an entry into a new label of minimalist sounds called ‘lowercase noise wall.’ ” The record sees Keller honouring two of his fellow countrymen, the first of which is sound artist Steve Roden and in particular his revered 2001 album ‘Forms of Paper’. 

The other is highly influential painter Mark Tobey, who rose to prominence during the Northwest School and Abstract expressionism art movements. Mark Tobey’s painting ‘Written Over the Plains’ is used as the record’s cover and the tracks have been gifted the names of some of his other famous works. 

The title of the record itself comes from a species of sea snail found off the south coast of Australia dubbed in recognition of Tobey.

I would say that while he has made it clear whom he is doffing his cap to on this release, Keller’s more organic approach as opposed to the ghostly, digitised tones heard on ‘Forms of Paper’ make for an impressive lowercase wall of sound, even if these walls are quite literally paper thin.

Opening track ‘Canticle’ starts off with a gravelly crumpling that sets the tone for much of this release before adding more layers to create a denser structure, made up of soothing scuffles and a wet rummaging that carries on uninhibited throughout it’s 25 minute duration. 

Second track ‘Bars and Flails’ has a rougher surface featuring more tears and shredding that build and drop in intensity and by the time ‘Advance of History’ rolls around the sound emissions have come to resemble light static rainfall.

Unfortunately I feel at this point I have spent my word bank on trying to describe the events heard on Anatoma Tobeyoides but I urge you to check out this recording for yourself and draw your own conclusions from it. 

But whether you’re drawn inside it’s aura of tranquility or left in a rather irritable state in dire need of harsher textures, there can be no doubt that this recording breaks new ground in the wall noise category. 

If it’s not too bold to say, I would declare ‘Anatoma Tobeyoides’ a triumph of modern minimalism and further proof that Reason Art Records is the gift that keeps on giving. 

In search of a fresh new sound? Ditch the pedals and pick up the paper!

I briefly caught up with Peter to find out more about this groundbreaking record…

DMD: What is your personal relationship with Mark Tobey and Steve Roden’s works?

Peter Keller: I heard "lowercase" music back in the early 2000s when it first coalesced. Steve Roden is the artist that coined the label "lowercase" to describe the minimal form of sound art that uses sounds normally unnoticed and amplifies them to bring them out. 

Richard Chartier, Francisco Lopez, and Bernhard Günter are some of my other favorites in this extreme form of ambient music. Their approach lead me to think that it can translate well into the realm of static minimalist sound.

Mark Tobey is a painter who lived here in Seattle that was influential in laying the foundation for abstract expressionism; his calligraphic forms that spread all the way to the edges of the canvas to me is very much the visual equivalent of static minimal walls of sound.

DMD: What was your experience of recording Anatoma Tobeyoides?

PK: Calming and meditative. The act of manipulating paper during the recording was almost a ritual, as well as a meditation on the act of labor itself. 

While lowercase as a genre focuses on bringing to the fore the unheard sounds, the act of recording these tracks brings to focus the minor acts of work itself, and of entering the moment and staying with it while having a dialogue with the physical objects.

DMD: Will there be any more PTRKLLR releases this year? 

PK: The next album will be out on Nahàsh Atrym Productions later this year as soon as I'm done recording for it, other recordings are being planned and labels approached, so we'll see what this year brings, it's been a productive one so far.

Listen / purchase CD here:

https://reasonartrecords.bandcamp.com/album/anatoma-tobeyoides

A remastered version of Steve Roden’s Forms of Paper is available to listen to here

Thanks for reading!