audiosaturdays

Audio Saturdays! CELER

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re fully aware that the new La Sudar album, The Debussy Loops, is available to stream and download now. Some call it post-drone. Some call it space elevator music. We don’t know. We’re glad it’s finished. So for the next couple of weeks, while we bask in the post-release glow, we’re going to shift the spotlight over to some of the artists we’ve discovered on Bandcamp this year.

This week: CELER: It Would Have, But it Wasn’t

When surfing through Bandcamp tags to find new artists to soundtrack our after-work walks, it varies what inspires us to check out one artist or another. We’ve always been partial here at Sunshine and Wind to great cover art, or a provocative title, but a lot of times it was just random clicking. As you can imagine, this can be a frustrating method, as there is a LOT of music out there. But every once in a while, we would find an artist where their first few notes would ring out and it would be like opening a door to an air conditioned room on a hot day. It just felt right immediately. Celer (Will Long, an American artist working in Tokyo, Japan) is one of those artists. They have a lot of music on their bandcamp page which we encourage you to check out, but we’re going to review their most recent release, It Would Have, But it Wasn’t.

The first piece, “An Implosion, a Smearing; Turns to Dust” is a gorgeous assembly of misty, welcoming major key synths stacked and staggered and looped. Within each loop there are many layers, yet nothing clashes, leaving so much to discover as the piece progresses. As with any great looped piece, everything is so seamlessly working together that there’s no definitive beginning or end. One is able to latch on to any moment as a starting point. The first time you may focus on the C-F major key single notes, on the next you may be drawn to the cracking rainwater hiss, and on another maybe it’s the strange resonance of a particular overtone that pops. As the title suggests, the piece disintegrates into a sustained, evaporating tone around the 16 minute mark, and the effect is of having been led somewhere only to look around and see your guide is no longer there. In the silence, you await instructions.

The second piece, At a Loss For, is the resolution to this journey. Just as engaging as “An Implosion…”, but more haunting, it is built on similar principles and its execution is just as fulfilling. The piece is built around a simple descending triad in D major, but the lush synths which round it out are less gentle, more immediate, and a single off-note, not quite dissonant, not quite in harmony with the rest of the music, gives a slight edge to the relaxing, pillow-y soundscape. There are similar effects and sounds here which serve as callbacks or flipsides to “An Implosion…” and creates a sense of unity that enriches the entire album.

If “An Implosion…” is a welcoming, “At a Loss For” is the other side of the coin. The back nine, the realization that you’ve crossed the halfway point of the journey and are being led away. There’s as much to see, and as much wonder to experience, but it’s always going to be tinged with a slight melancholy. As this album was originally released on limited edition cassette (sadly sold out at the time of this writing), the entrance/exit, yin/yang vibe of the album can easily be turned on its head. We can imagine picking up the tape, not knowing which side we put in first, and letting that dictate our journey. If Side B goes on first, we can have an entirely different experience of the piece. We applaud Celer’s wonderful explorations here, and hope to hear much more from this artist in the future.

We’ll be back next week with another review. And we’ll also be announcing the winner of our Songwriting Prompt Contest! Get in the game and GET ON THE MAILING LIST so you don’t miss the next one!!

Audio Saturdays! HOTEL NEON

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re fully aware that the new La Sudar album, The Debussy Loops, is available to stream and download now. Some call it post-drone. Some call it space elevator music. We don’t know. We’re glad it’s finished. So for the next couple of weeks, while we bask in the post-release glow, we’re going to shift the spotlight over to some of the artists we’ve discovered on Bandcamp this year.

This week: HOTEL NEON

Texture. It’s easy enough to understand the concept when talking about physical objects. If someone speaks of the texture of sandpaper, or the bark of a tree, you know what they’re referring to. When it comes to music however, it’s a little harder to define. Clearly the word is thrown around when describing how a piece of music, especially ambient music, sounds. But what does it mean? Is it describing the way a certain tone hits your ear? Is it calling out the way the music approaches the subject it’s meant to evoke? It’s easy enough to say “I know it when I hear it” when talking about musical textures, but a little harder to pin down. Which makes it all the more impressive when we hear an artist with a firm grasp on texture and how to use it in minimalist music.

This brings us to All is Memory, the most recent album by Philadelphia, PA artist Hotel Neon. The album is a masterclass in ambient texture and how to use it effectively. We know personally, from our own forays into ambient composition, how difficult it is to apply texture to instrumental music. One track might sound great, but lacking. So other sounds are built on top of it. These might sound nice on their own, but added to the original track, the textures clash and the piece falls apart.

There’s no such clashing on All is Memory. The soundscapes presented here are “dense” and layered, but completely harmonious. Every track has a lot going on, but never becomes busy. Every note or tone has ample room to breathe, even as other elements swirl in and out. The first two tracks introduce these themes gently, and as the album progresses, there are callbacks to tones and certain textural elements. One example is a specific crackling tone that depending on the song’s context, evokes several different things: a campfire, crumpling a piece of paper, trees rustling, or rain falling. The overall effect of playing this album is like being in a room with many windows, and each track is like a window opening. As you look out the window, the sounds rush in. You hear the clouds, the buildings, the rolling hills. Then with the next window, you’re looking at a lot of the same landscape, but it’s a different perspective. Shifted slightly. In this sense the album is perfectly sequenced: by the time you’ve reached the fifth or sixth window, your experience of the other windows informs the current one.

All is Memory rewards close and return listens. And we don’t want to give the impression it’s just textures and sounds. They just happen to be the effective canvas on which this music is drawn. Out of these textures, music emerges: breathy synths on standout track “The Hope of Becoming”. The crisp plucked piano strings on “Blossom in Ruin” give a suggestion of space (this is the track that inspired the room-with-many-windows metaphor) as they slap off the walls of some small room, and get tighter and closer. The textures overwhelm. On what is, for us, the emotional centerpiece of the album (track 6 “Tidal”) an actual field recording of running water is used to evoke a riverside stroll, which builds to a fantastic moment which recalls the intense sensation of the sun peeking out from the clouds for the first time on an overcast day. It’s deeply moving in every respect.

This is what the best instrumental music does for us. It guides us to a place where we can use its story to inform our story. While All is Memory is exemplary ambient music, its effect is not limited by genre. While we were a little late getting on the bus (it was released in December 2020), this is not a record you want to miss.

We’ll be back next week with another review. Until then don’t forget about our Songwriting Prompt Contest!! Entries are closing soon so get them in!!

Finally- here’s another picture of Astoria’s most beautiful cat, Maple. She loves our record cabinet! I like to think she’s trying to get me to whip out those Bartok quartets. It’s been a while.

the Maple 🍁

Audio Saturdays! CHORCHILL

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re fully aware that the new La Sudar album, The Debussy Loops, is available to stream and download now. Some call it post-drone. Some call it space elevator music. We don’t know. We’re glad it’s finished. So for the next couple of weeks, while we bask in the post-release glow, we’re going to shift the spotlight over to some of the artists we’ve discovered on Bandcamp this year.

This week: CHORCHILL

One of our favorite pastimes as we were putting together The Debussy Loops was our Tuesday and Thursday ambient walks. Mondays and Wednesdays after work we’d go out for a jog, but Tuesdays and Thursdays we’d take the vape and go down to the beautiful Astoria Park waterfront and walk around, browsing the “ambient” tag on Bandcamp to find artists currently working in the genre in order to find contemporary sounds for inspiration. We found a lot of incredible music this way.

Our most recent find is Chorchill, an artist (or artists?) working out of Germany. We haven’t dug fully into their catalog yet, but the record featured above (“Shakmat“) is a truly remarkable record of soundscapes, minimal piano work, evocative, atmospheric Rhodes-style piano sounds and remarkable chill out vibes throughout. Check out the standout tracks “Portes” and “Dimi” for a good representation of this minimalist style. A couple of other fantastic tracks like “The Hamlet Escape” and “Tea Bags” also feature synthwave-inspired blippy percussion, giving the tracks a sense of gentle propulsion that never overwhelm the tasteful melodies happening throughout. We look forward to exploring this artists work in the weeks to come. We hope you enjoy it too.

Until then don’t forget about our Songwriting Prompt Contest!! Entries are closing soon so get them in!!

Finally- here’s another picture of Astoria’s most beautiful cat, Maple. She’s sitting on the coffee table! Who would have ever thought of such a thing!

the Maple 🍁

Audio Saturdays! New La Sudar single from THE DEBUSSY LOOPS

sunshineandwind3 Comments

If you’re a follower of the Audio Saturdays column here, you know that for the past couple week’s we’ve been exploring the music of early 00s indie band Trousers. It was a lot of fun revisiting that old material, but now that the album is finished we’re kind of at a loss for what to do next. While we mull over some ideas, we’re going to go back to what got us here, at least for the time being.

“The Debussy Loops 6”

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re fully aware that the new La Sudar album, The Debussy Loops, is dropping on Tuesday (6-22-21). And right here is the single. It’s called The Debussy Loops 6. Some call it space elevator music. We don’t know. We’re glad it’s finished.

And don’t forget about our Songwriting Prompt Contest!! Entries are closing soon so get them in!!

Finally- here’s another picture of Astoria’s most beautiful cat, Maple. Yes, as a matter of fact, she does enjoy lying on the floor! She also loves eating, and sitting on the couch!

the Maple 🍁

Audio Saturdays! New La Sudar single from THE DEBUSSY LOOPS

sunshineandwindLeave a comment

If you’re a follower of the Audio Saturdays column here, you know that for the past couple week’s we’ve been exploring the music of early 00s indie band Trousers. It was a lot of fun revisiting that old material, but now that the album is finished we’re kind of at a loss for what to do next. While we mull over some ideas, we’re going to go back to what got us here, at least for the time being.

“The Debussy Loops 6”

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re fully aware that the new La Sudar album, The Debussy Loops, is dropping on Tuesday (6-22-21). And right here is the single. It’s called The Debussy Loops 6. Some call it space elevator music. We don’t know. We’re glad it’s finished.

And don’t forget about our Songwriting Prompt Contest!! Entries are closing soon so get them in!!

Finally- here’s another picture of Astoria’s most beautiful cat, Maple. Yes, as a matter of fact, she does enjoy lying on the floor! She also loves eating, and sitting on the couch!

the Maple 🍁

Audio Saturdays! Random Synth music!

sunshineandwindLeave a comment

If you’re a follower of the Audio Saturdays column here, you know that for the past couple week’s we’ve been exploring the music of early 00s indie band Trousers. It was a lot of fun revisiting that old material, but now that the album is finished we’re kind of at a loss for what to do next. While we mull over some ideas, we’re going to go back to what got us here, at least for the time being.

“squeeze”

We’re not quite ready to make the full announcement about the new la sudar music coming in June so here’s another random piece of music we found in our archives. It’s labeled “kraftwerk” but it’s obviously us just fucking around on our synth. It’s doesn’t sound anything like Kraftwerk either. Maybe from last year?

We have no idea if it’s worth listening to. Maybe you’ll let us know?

Also, here is another picture of our cat since everyone liked the one we posted last week.

the Maple 🍁

Audio Saturdays! Songwriting Prompt Contest. Win 50 bucks!!

sunshineandwind7 Comments

If you’re a follower of the Audio Saturdays column here, you know that for the past couple week’s we’ve been exploring the music of early 00s indie band Trousers. It was a lot of fun revisiting that old material, but now that the album is finished we’re kind of at a loss for what to do next. While we mull over some ideas, we’re going to go back to what got us here, at least for the time being.

“undo”

Here’s something random I found on my phone. It’s pretty and minimalist and embryonic. From summer 2018ish. Never did anything with it, but maybe you can? Let’s make this another Audio Saturdays Songwriting Prompt contest.

I’m officially putting this acoustic snippet into the public domain. Best song using this music (either the music or the recording itself) gets $50 bucks.

the Maple 🍁

Audio Saturdays! New La Sudar coming!

sunshineandwindLeave a comment

If you’re a follower of the Audio Saturdays column here, you know that for the past couple week’s we’ve been exploring the music of early 00s indie band Trousers. It was a lot of fun revisiting that old material, but now that the album is finished we’re kind of at a loss for what to do next. While we mull over some ideas, we’re going to go back to what got us here, at least for the time being.

DL SAMPLE

Going to drop some new la sudar music June 5, maybe drop the first single next week – who can say? But there’s been a whole lot going on in the la sudar world and it’s long past time to give you a taste. Here’s a sample of an outtake – not anything I used, but part of something I used, looped, slapped around and dressed up.

As far as the actual music that’s coming, see the picture below for a hint about the main source of inspiration…

Audio Saturdays! Back to Basics

sunshineandwindLeave a comment

If you’re a follower of the Audio Saturdays column here, you know that for the past couple week’s we’ve been exploring the music of early 00s indie band Trousers. It was a lot of fun revisiting that old material, but now that the album is finished we’re kind of at a loss for what to do next. While we mull over some ideas, we’re going to go back to what got us here, at least for the time being.

“undo”

Feeling pretty unfocused in a lot of my work lately. I’ve got three or four different projects I’m trying to run with at once and not really getting anywhere with either of them. I’m loathe to shelve any of them, but I’m tired of being pulled in several different directions.

This particular audio track is an excerpt of a larger thing, which I plucked out and toyed with a bit. Given my failure to see the larger picture with some of these sound collages, I’m hoping that by zooming in I can discover just what about them is not working, or figure out a better way to present them. I leave you to judge just how successful I am at this.

There’s a separate music project I’m working on, unrelated to this except that I’m using this to avoid it (the other project). It’s been a frustrating week, hoping to rally this weekend, or at least catch up on sleep.

Audio Saturdays! Back to Basics

sunshineandwindLeave a comment

If you’re a follower of the Audio Saturdays column here, you know that for the past couple week’s we’ve been exploring the music of early 00s indie band Trousers. It was a lot of fun revisiting that old material, but now that the album is finished we’re kind of at a loss for what to do next. While we mull over some ideas, we’re going to go back to what got us here, at least for the time being.

“Astoria Sound Collage #2”

For the last couple of weeks we’ve been doing some entry level explorations into field recording, and while the results are mixed, there does seem to be some promise in the idea of taking field recordings and composing some ambient music around them. That’s not what we’re doing in today’s selection, “Astoria Sound College #2” though- here we broke out some samples from a recent twitch stream and combined them with some bird chirps we got from our last field recording expedition.

We’d love to hear from some of you field recorders out there, especially the musicians among you, to discuss how you’ve integrated the two into your art, to see how one has informed the other.

photo of China, photographer unknown, ripped from the internet at some point