SIMONE SIMS LONGO – PAESAGGI INTEGRATI
Paesaggi integrati is somewhere between computer music, electroacoustic and techno. An album that weaves relationships between different planes and sound materials: details of acoustic instruments, concrete processed sound, digital synthesis and soundscapes. The pieces develop a dualistic game between recorded acoustic instrument and programmed instrument through orchestral libraries. This aspect directs the production towards a sound that becomes crystal clear and sometimes hyper-realistic. From the development of the music form permeates a strong interest in rhythm and a desire to deconstruct the structures of club music. A path on the edge of genres that uses the integration of field recording as a tool to build organic sound scenarios used in opposition, overlap and coordination to the rhythmic design and synthetic elements.
The artwork curated by Giulia Toscano uses original temporary sculptures by the artist Michele Bruna built for the occasion with objects found in nature. Available as a ltd. edition cd and as download and all relevant streaming platforms. Releases on May 25th, pre-orders are up.
REINIER VAN HOUDT, LUCIO TASCA, JASNA VELICKOVIC, HANSKO VISSER – ASVOGEL IN ORGELPARK (KEMENYMADAR I-IV)
This is the first part of an elaborate project by Hansko Visser. His bio-graphical score in lino-prints, poems and a letter was inspired by the late Hungarian / Yugoslavian composer Ernö Király. Hansko Visser tried to catch Ernö Király’s world in eight lino-prints and poems. These were then paired with compository rules and tools to form a complex system for creating the music. Hansko Visser entrusted fellow composers Reinier van Houdt, Jasna Velickovic and Lucio Tasca with the material and like himself, they each wrote their own version of the piece. They then formed their own ensembles of four, to play these versions at Orgelpark, Amsterdam. It is possible to subscribe to the series or check new issues at https://demisluktezigeuner.com/kemenymadar.
The cd comes in a handmade package; a sleeve, folded into a small sized poster. Both have photos of the live performances in Orgelpark, made by Valentijn Kortekaas. The package also includes a wrapper and a card with more info about the project. Release on May 11th. Also available as a download and (a bit later) on all relevant streaming platforms.
JANNE ERAKER – MOVEMENTS FOR LISTENING
This groundbreaking tap dance album is a wild exploration of sound by Janne Eraker and friends, with borderless worlds of music, widening the horizon and moving outside of all boxes. The ambition of the project was to find ways to use tap dance as percussion in a variety of musical styles, genres and collaborations, and to make a state of the art album recording of this. Eraker has a group of stellar musicians with her on this project: Knut Reiersrud, Ivar Grydeland, Michaela Antalová, Harald Fetveit, Anders Kregnes Hansen, Hans Martin Rundberg Austestad, Juliana Venter, David Skinner, Roger Arntzen, Vegar Vårdal and Kristoffer Lislegaard. This resulted in 10 recordings with 9 duets and 1 trio.
All of this is also documented in a series of videos, to make it possible to see how the music was created. Together with the videos, the ten digital singles that make up the album will be released monthly; the first single came out on January 6th, the second single on February 3rd, the third single on March 3rd, the fourth single on April 7th, the fifth single on May 5th. The double vinyl record will be out at the end of all this, in fall 2023.
Daan Botlek is a visual artist from the Netherlands. He created the cover of the double vinyl record and the ten digital singles. These are all unique murals made in his atelier in Rotterdam, as a part of his artistic project called Primitive Practice.
Much more information, videos and an extensive blog about this project can be found at janneeraker.com.
5299NOIR – TRYING TO BE BORN BEFORE DYING
Rather than a post-genre or heavy-songwriting – or whatever – aesthetic, the real content of ‘trying to be born before dying’ lies in the conflicting work/artist relationship. In these songs, nothing can be said, like a child who can only babble to be understood or cry to communicate pain. It is precisely through this distorted and imperfect communication that this release finds its voice. Composed several years ago, it had to navigate a daedalus of concerns about time, representation, and recognition before finally emerging from the hard drive where it had been buried alive. Unburdened by the problematic nature of latency, for which everything expires as soon as it takes a definitive form, the release of this album – the first for 5299NOIR – is a deal with the stinking process by abandoning himself to life. Available as a download and all relevant streaming platforms.
BASTIAN BENJAMIN – PICK & MIX 01
PICK & MIX is a series of Esc.rec. catalogue deep dives by DJ. This is the first result, carefully selected and constructed by Bastian Benjamin. Available as a (free) download/stream on Bandcamp.
EREM – AARE
Erem is a musical trio created by Stan Maris (Kreis) and Nicolas Van Belle (Suura). The source of this project is a shared interest in sound and transformation. The two harmonic instruments (guitar and accordion) are joined by singer Mirte Leconte. The trio is best situated in an overlapping area of various musical domains such as jazz, improvisation, chamber music, folklore and choral works. From this they draw great inspiration for the performance of their personal sound spectrum. An important guideline for their music is the variation and alteration of consonant – dissonant, structure – texture, peace – movement. For this, the trio creates its own playing field of original compositions in which they involve the listener in a varying, colourful journey.
This wonderful debut album is available as a download + tote bag + postcard and on all streaming platforms.
Three simultaneous releases
On November 22, Esc.rec. releases three cassette tapes simultaneously, by Mikael Szafirowski, Giacomo Zanus and LAMIEE. You can also order them as a bundle with a discount. Find out more below. Thank you for reading and listening.
MIKAEL SZAFIROWSKI – FERRIC 90
Ferric 90 is a product of Mikael Szafirowski’s experiments in sound synthesis and a search for the sort of narrative form that has been in the back of his head since he started to commit to being an improviser. Every time he was researching a synthesis technique, he would always be recording. This way Mikael could keep and share the initial excitement that he felt from the material and store it away until an opportune moment for telling his story. You may also know Mikael as (founding) member of Rooie Waas, Naked Wolf, Royal Improvisers Orchestra, Zugabe and Gajar Girl.
Bright turquoise cassette tape, hand-stamped, packaged in handmade off-set printed cover, with collage-art by Hidde van Schie. Limited edition of only 100 copies! Also available digitally, exclusively on Bandcamp.
LAMIEE. / HYSTRIX KITSCH – PATCHWORK
PATCHWORK is the concentration of many ideas in a small space. No dilation and the rejection of horizontal sound. The project originates from LAMIEE. but it takes shape around the idea of the imaginary collective Hystrix Kitsch, an extremely changeable and constantly mutating ensemble (in this case with Andrea Dellapiana, Edoardo Vogrig, Francesco Panconesi and Giacomo Mondino). A liquid form without gravity, but extremely dense. LAMIEE. is Nicholas Remondino, who you may also know as half of the electro-acoustic duo ?TONN.
Black cassette tape, packaged in numbered, handmade off-set printed cover, designed by Giacomo Mondino. Limited edition of only 70 copies! Also available digitally on Bandcamp and all relevant streaming platforms.
GIACOMO ZANUS – INSIDE A FRAME
In his first solo album, the Italian composer and improviser Giacomo Zanus takes inspiration from the concept behind the last visual work of the Iranian filmmaker, poet and photographer Abbas Kiarostami to fix four imaginary landscapes -both composed and improvised- where the ongoing fluctuation of different layers and the constant renewal of new details marks the chain of events. Subtle, shifting textures, melancholic repetitions and field recordings define a palette of introspective climates that embrace an array of sounds from experimental music, to avant-folk and minimalism.
Bright pink cassette tape, hand-stamped, packaged in handmade off-set printed cover, with photography by Platon Terentev. Limited numbered edition of only 60 copies! Also available digitally on Bandcamp and eventually also on all relevant streaming platforms.
Various Artists – Matter Affect
Matter Affect is a copious compilation with work by all artists, performers and collaboration partners who have been confronted with COVID restrictions in the program of De Perifeer in recent years; shows that have been cancelled, moved (several times), took place in an adapted form or could not even be booked anymore.
De Perifeer asked everyone involved to reflect on this strange time period in their very own way. Allowing almost every conceivable shape or form; in audio, text, image or combinations thereof. The list of participants is surprisingly long, especially for a small venue like De Perifeer. But at the same time the relatively manageable scale of De Perifeer makes it possible to make an elaborate compilation like this, in which the personal impact of COVID is clearly felt and there’s room to show what is hidden behind numbers and graphs.
All submitted material is collected in an A4 box in an edition of 250. Matter Affect consists of substantively different entries from almost every conceivable art discipline. The whole thing is accompanied by a contextual booklet; basically a concise overview of events. Check the list of contents in the description on this page.
And then we’d almost forget that Matter Affect is also a very special release for another reason entirely; it’s the 100th release on the Esc.rec. label!
This album is released on July 18th in physical form with a download/stream, exclusively on Bandcamp.
Other recent releases
Check the complete catalogue here
Even more
Even more releases anticipated in 2023, by the likes of Monday W., Raqqa, Thanos Fotiadis, Ümlaut, Snackbar The Ambassador.