'Remnants Vol. VI' by Isaac Helsen
Remnants Series | Digital 09/13/2019 ‘Remnants’ by Isaac Helsen has taken several forms over many years: A full-length album and a double album, before it was scrapped entirely; reborn as a four-part series of EPs, and scrapped again; finally, taking form as 'Remnants', an eight-part series to be released over the course of 2019 on Past Inside the Present. The project is both an autobiographical examination of the artist’s struggles with mental health and an attempt to deconstruct the idea of an album, creating a new series of sounds by collecting broken pieces of varying styles and in scattered stages of completion. The individual eight volumes will be released sporadically and unpredictably throughout the remainder of 2019, noting both the sporadic and unpredictable nature of these collections of sound as well as the processes in which they were conceived. 50% of all proceeds for the ‘Remnants’ series will be donated to Active Minds, a charity focused on opening the conversation about mental health through support services and education, aimed at students aged 14-25. Written and produced by Isaac Helsen Layout & design treatments by zakè Artwork captured in 2019 on expired Kodak Gold 200 film by Isaac Helsen -- © Past Inside the Present This is PITP17.6 | MMXIX Vol. VI - Remnants Series PITP.bandcamp.com www.pastinsidethepresent.com
Healing Sounds: A Compilation for Hurricane Recovery
By Various Artists PITP-HS01 Digital [donation] 09/09/2019 +++ -featuring- 36 / Olan Mill / zaké / Tyresta / IIm / Phillip Wilkerson / Duenn / Isaac Helsen / Slow Dancing Society / H E A V Y / Saltbreaker / worriedaboutsatan / Wayne Robert Thomas / Dawn Chorus and the Infallible Sea / Gallery Six / Black Swan / The Green Kingdom / Patrick Spatz + Scott Wells / James Bernard / Awakened Souls / Black Brunswicker / Erinome / Echoed Sycamore / Hipnotic Earth / Before Flags / Forrest / Viul / Simon Bainton / Jordan Christoff This compilation is dedicated to the people that have been impacted by Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas. The immense physical destruction on the Bahamian islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama are only now beginning to grasp the devastating personal toll for families who have lost so much in Hurricane Dorian. The killer storm, the strongest ever to make landfall in the country, destroyed many homes, and in some cases, entire neighborhoods were turned into rubble.Though the Bahamas experiences hurricanes frequently, Hurricane Dorian, which made landfall as a Category 5, has caused "generational devastation." In this era of the 24-hour news cycle, we sometimes can feel overwhelmed and powerless to make a difference, but in reality, it is easier than ever to contribute. We are asking for your help. PITP will provide 100% of the proceeds of this compilation to the Bahamas branch of the International Red Cross. We ask that you donate what you can to help support the disaster relief efforts from the devastating effects of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas. All arrangements featured on this compilation belong to the respective copyright holders who graciously provided their arrangement in an effort to raise donations in response to the devastating effects of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas. Thank you to all artists and fans alike for the support. -- © Past Inside the Present This is PITP-HS01 | MMXIX PITP.bandcamp.com pastinsidethepresent.com
Past Inside The Present is thrilled to release 'Low Priest' by Erinome. These two arrangements from Omaha, Nebraska’s Erinome are at once immersive and vaporous. The tracks on "Low Priest" embody an organic intensity that envelope the listener, allowing them to get lost in the wall of sounds. Multiple layers of manipulated field recordings and guitar work flawlessly converge, producing thirty minutes of all encompassing, angelic drone. Vinyl Pressing Information 155 gram vinyl housed in a full color, matte jacket. Full color labels. Records are placed in white paper innersleeves. Shrink-wrapped. Limited to 75 units on color and 100 units on black.
Written and produced by Aaron Ross Hansen
Mixed at Stonewahl Studio (NE) by Reid Otto Mastered at Black Knoll Studio (NY) by Rafael Anton Irisarri Cover photography by ARH Layout & LP assemblage by zakè -- © Past Inside the Present This is PITP-V004 | MMXIX PITP.bandcamp.com pastinsidethepresent.com
Past Inside The Present is thrilled to release 'Fragments' by James Bernard. In February 2019, James' highly acclaimed effort on A Strangely Isolated Place titled, 'Atwater' was saturated with beautiful sounds emerging from a Moog Mother 32, custom built filters and various Eurorack modular sequencers, modules and effects. James continues his proven and unique efforts in creating ethereal tones on this latest collection of songs. 'Fragments' was created by using a method of composition James has been perfecting where he takes small pieces of unreleased music that he has written stretching over the last 10 years, and runs them through different modes and types of granular stretching and FFT processing. In some cases, the original audio source was no longer than 20-30 seconds long. PITP is honored to share this collection of music. Cassette Pressing Information Yellow shell cassette tape with white imprinting, housed in a clear norelco box and shrink wrapped. Loaded with FerroMaster C456™ super ferric, ultra-high performance type-1 music grade analog tape. Limited to 100 units.
CD Pressing Information Disc housed in a 4-panel cardstock eco-pack. Eco-pack protected by a clear, re-sealable eco-bag. Printed using green friendly ink. Limited to 100 units.
Written and produced by James Bernard
CD & Cassette design/assemblage by zakè -- © Past Inside the Present This is PITP21 | MMXIX PITP.bandcamp.com pastinsidethepresent.com
Past Inside The Present is thrilled to release a split album titled, 'RÁS' by Wayne Robert Thomas and Isaac Helsen. ‘RÁS’ is derived from a Faroese word, which roughly translates to “a strong current in a narrow passage which links two seas”, mirroring the outcome of Thomas’ & Helsen’s independent arrangements, cultivating a strong bond or link between their compositions. Wayne Robert Thomas: 'Cantus In Memoriam Mark David Hollis' is a very personal piece that mourns the loss of a very talented human being whose presence will be deeply missed in this world. He's had such a profound influence on me as well as many others and now I feel that his music carries any even greater weight than before when listening to it. This one is for Mark. 'A Grey Morning, Later Lovely Sunshine' was what Alexandra Fyodorovna described the day of July 16, 1918. Unbeknownst to her and the rest of the Russian royal family they were to be brutally murdered late into the night. I felt that this line described perfectly the month of February for me, a month that was full of loss and grief, as it had several overcast days and then sunlight would appear only for something tragic to happen. Isaac Helsen: It is often only in hindsight that we are able to fully conceive the spaces we have traversed, notably in those metamorphic shifts of the mind. In looking back, our vision widens and clarifies; the darkness—once so intrusive and internal—is recast. Held against the light, its burden lifts and takes a different shape. The melancholy remains but is buoyed by a new hopefulness, a landscape unfolding, a bright contentment with what is and has been. Pressing Information 155 gram transparent red vinyl housed in a full color, matte jacket. Full color labels. Records are placed in white paper innersleeves. Shrink-wrapped. Limited to 75 units. 155 gram black vinyl housed in a full color, matte jacket. Full color labels. Records are placed in white paper innersleeves. Shrink-wrapped. Limited to 100 units.
Track 1-2: Composed & recorded by Wayne Robert Thomas at the The Winter Dacha in Fairland, Indiana, February 26-27th of 2019
Track 3: Guitar, piano, tape, and electronics composed and performed by Isaac Helsen. Strings composed and performed by Jeffrey Niemeier. Arranged by Jeffrey Niemeier and Isaac Helsen. Recorded, arranged, and mixed at La Chambre de Rêve by Isaac Helsen in January and February of 2019. Mastered at Black Knoll Studio (NY) by Rafael Anton Irisarri Cover photography provided by Isaac Helsen Layout & LP assemblage by zakè -- © Past Inside the Present This is PITP-V003 | MMXIX PITP.bandcamp.com pastinsidethepresent.com
Past Inside The Present is thrilled to release two brand new compositions by Hotel Neon titled, 'Bloom | Fold'. Life often requires us to feel a sense of dread and wonder simultaneously. Introspection and empathy are especially needed as of late. These two deep and engaging tracks by Hotel Neon help to create a space in which one can settle and reflect.
Written and produced by Hotel Neon Mastered at Black Knoll Studio (NY) by Rafael Anton Irisarri Layout & design by zakè -- © Past Inside the Present This is PITP22 | MMXIX PITP.bandcamp.com www.pastinsidethepresent.com Benoît Pioulard 'May / Atra ' Limited Edition LP / Digital 9/10/2019 -- © Past Inside the Present This is PITP-V002 | MMXIX
Past Inside The Present is thrilled to announce Benoît Pioulard’s ‘May | Atra,’ bringing Pioulard’s ‘May’ EP to vinyl for the first time, paired with four brand new compositions ‘Atra.’ The ‘May’ EP was originally released through Pioulard’s imprint, ‘Disques d'Honoré | BHP-03’ digitally and as a strictly limited edition cassette that quickly sold out. This LP features the May EP in its entirety (side a) and the ‘Atra’ EP, which encompasses four brand new, previously unreleased tracks (side b). Atra is Latin for "black" ; this collection is intended to be a blustery penumbra against the verdancy of the May EP. Listen to the single ‘Kit’ from ‘May | Atra’ now and pre-order your copy. Limited Edition LP: 155 gram black vinyl housed in a full color, matte jacket. Full color labels. Records are placed in white paper innersleeves. Shrink-wrapped. Limited to 200 units. Test Press LP: 155 gram black vinyl LP housed in a black jacket with a 11”x3” test press sticker on front cover. Records are placed in an anti-static, high density rice paper innersleeves for ultimate protection. Jacket housed in a polyethylene sleeve. Limited to 5 units.  Written and produced by Thomas Meluch Recorded at La Berceuse (WA), 2018 Mastered at Black Knoll Studio (NY) by Rafael Anton Irisarri Layout and design: Sean Curtis Patrick Cover image taken with Polaroid SX70 film Published by James and Margaret (ASCAP) Design/layout by Sean Curtis Patrick
'Remnants Vol. V' by Isaac Helsen
Volume V - Remnants Series | Digital 8/10/2019 ‘Remnants’ by Isaac Helsen has taken several forms over many years: A full-length album and a double album, before it was scrapped entirely; reborn as a four-part series of EPs, and scrapped again; finally, taking form as 'Remnants', an eight-part series to be released over the course of 2019 on Past Inside the Present. The project is both an autobiographical examination of the artist’s struggles with mental health and an attempt to deconstruct the idea of an album, creating a new series of sounds by collecting broken pieces of varying styles and in scattered stages of completion. The individual eight volumes will be released sporadically and unpredictably throughout the remainder of 2019, noting both the sporadic and unpredictable nature of these collections of sound as well as the processes in which they were conceived. 50% of all proceeds for the ‘Remnants’ series will be donated to Active Minds, a charity focused on opening the conversation about mental health through support services and education, aimed at students aged 14-25. Volume V context: The last heat of summer. Hyperawareness of physicality and existence, embracing presence and euphoria. Written and produced by Isaac Helsen Layout & design treatments by 扎克 Artwork captured in 2019 on expired Kodak Gold 200 film by Isaac Helsen -- Past Inside the Present This is PITP17.5 | MMXIX Vol. V - Remnants Series PITP.bandcamp.com pastinsidethepresent.com
'Hidden Amongst the Trees and Foothills' by Black Brunswicker Limited Edition Cassette / CD / Digital AVAILABLE 8.9.2019 Black Brunswicker is the moniker of midwest-based ambient guitarist Ethan Helfrich. He creates lush billows of lofi soundscapes primarily from a digest of recorded tape loops, a myriad of effects pedals and acoustic guitar. The result is a stunning array of warm, nostalgic sound treatments. ‘Hidden Amongst the Trees and Foothills’ is a collection of ambient hymns, hushed sounds, and tape distortions. 'Hidden Amongst the Trees and Foothills' was recorded this past spring during what I would describe as a very weird time for me. I was experiencing a constant sense of isolation and feeling disconnected with both myself and others. Playing guitar has been a constant source of peace for me and these are some tracks that came out of this difficult period. Looking back now, I feel like I'm in a different, better place now. I hope this music will bring peace to others just as it has done for me. Over the past several months, I really started diving into finger-style playing, having found the music from John Fahey, Jack Rose, and Robbie Basho. Fahey in particular was a huge inspiration for some of these tracks and is what led me to develop a love of Open C tuning. -Ethan Helfrich
Cassette Pressing: Green shell cassette tape with white imprinting, housed in a clear norelco box and shrink wrapped. Loaded with FerroMaster C456™ super ferric, ultra-high performance type-1 music grade analog tape. Limited to 100 units.
CD Pressing:
Disc housed in a 4-panel cardstock eco-pack. Eco-pack protected by a clear, re-sealable eco-bag. Printed using green friendly ink. Limited to 100 units. ---- All tracks written and produced by Ethan Helfrich. All arrangements were recorded into a Tascam MF-P01 using a Harmony H165, a Recording King 000, and a broken Kent 12 string. Pedals varied, but usually included an el Capistan, DD-3, Canyon delay, a Ditto X2, a volume pedal, and a Russian Big Muff (for Woodsmoke). Recorded in my small apartment in Evanston, IL between January and April 2019. For Michol, with love forever. Mastered by Guillermo Pizarro Analog mastering, design and layout by zakè -- Past Inside the Present This is PITP25 | MMXIX PITP.bandcamp.com www.pastinsidethepresent.com
'To Those Who Dwelt in a Land of Deep Darkness' by zakè is now available at Past Inside the Present’s Bandcamp page.
For many, music and art are invaluable when it comes to coping with dark and trying times. This can be true for both the creators and the consumers. With his latest release, zaké provides a 38-minute, pensive and ultimately healing deep dive into what it means to continue living life in the face of loss and uncertainty. Wayne Robert Thomas joins zaké for a moving addendum that further explores the emotional depths of struggle, perseverance, and growth. Written to those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness. Written and produced by zakè Additional production, sound treatments, and guitars on 'An Addendum' by Wayne Robert Thomas -- © Past Inside the Present This is PITP31 | MMXIX PITP.bandcamp.com www.pastinsidethepresent.com
Chicago-based ambient producer Nick Turner (Tyresta) reworked the entire Orchestral Tape Studies album by zaké (扎克). Nick used his Mellotron M4000D Micro, Fender Jazzmaster, Strymon Timeline Delay, and a Strymon BigSky Reverb to complement and beautifully transform the original OTS arrangements. About OTS: Orchestral Tape Studies is a compilation arranged and produced by healing sound propagandist, zaké (扎克). OTS is a group of richly layered movements of fragmented orchestral loops, paying homage to minimalist symphonic composers and orchestras. zaké incorporates field recordings and faint drone billows to accompany these selected samples of orchestral loops. With an emphasis on tone and recurrent murmurs, these four arrangements offer 32 minutes of delicate repetition, reticent sound treatments, and subtle manipulations.
Black shell cassette tape with white imprinting, housed in a clear norelco box and shrink wrapped. Loaded with FerroMaster C456™ super ferric, ultra-high performance type-1 music grade analog tape. Limited to 100 units. Side A/B identical.
Written & produced by zaké (扎克) & Nick Turner (as Tyresta) Analog mastering, design and layout by zaké (扎克) -- © PAST INSIDE THE PRESENT 2019 This is PITP23 PITP.bandcamp.com www.pastinsidethepresent.com
PITP is pleased to release ‘The Last of Our Time Together’ by Japanese ambient mastermind, Hakobune. This is Hakobune’s first physical release of 2019 and we couldn’t be more honored to be releasing this captivating set of compositions. ‘The Last of Our Time Together’ encompasses two slow burners, with subtle, beautiful landscapes that Takahiro Yorifuji is known for. 32 minutes of serene, peaceful ambience. Mastered at Black Knoll Studio (NY) by our good friend Rafael Anton Irisarri. Limited to 100 units on transparent smoke & 100 units on black vinyl. Shipping begins 7.26.2019.
Transparent smoke vinyl & black vinyl housed in a full color, semi-gloss jacket. Records are placed in white paper innersleeves. Shrink-wrapped.
Limited to 100 units each. All music written by Takahiro Yorifuji Mastered at Black Knoll Studio (NY) by Rafael Anton Irisarri Photography & layout by Takamitsu Ohta -- © PAST INSIDE THE PRESENT 2019 This is PITP-V005 PITP.bandcamp.com www.pastinsidethepresent.com
PITP is excited to announce that ‘Intimacy’ by Ludvig Cimbrelius will be available for purchase in both digital and physical formats on 7.19! Swedish producer Ludvig Cimbrelius, also performing under the monikers Purl, Eternell, and Illuvia, has crafted a new collection of blissful sounds, utilizing layers of processed vocals over a bed of delicate guitar swells and luscious atmospheres. These four long pieces effortlessly flow together while drifting transcendently with the listener. 'I find intimacy to be a natural occurrence. Like water evaporating when the sun warms its surface, the experience of intimacy can be described as the secondary glow of a radiance too bright to experience directly – that of the unity which underlies all existence. In essence, we are already beyond intimate with all things, dissolving in the perpetual light of one Sun. In dreams, we may feel the glow of its rays.' ~ Ludvig Cimbrelius
Disc housed in a 4-panel cardstock eco-pack. Eco-pack protected by a clear, re-sealable eco-bag.
Printed using green friendly ink. Limited to 100 units. All tracks written & produced by Ludvig Cimbrelius Mastered at PITP Studio by zakè (扎克) Cover photo by Anton Novikov, captured in 2011, city of Murmansk in the forest called "Valley of Comfort" with a Zenit ET camera Design & layout by zakè (扎克) -- © PAST INSIDE THE PRESENT 2019 This is PITP-CD03 PITP.bandcamp.com www.pastinsidethepresent.com
PITP is excited to announce that ‘Wind Colors’ by Gallery Six is now available for purchase in both digital and physical formats.
100 pressed on transparent purple vinyl 100 on black vinyl Six beautiful arrangements, saturated with field recordings and blissful ambience. “The field recordings for this album were especially intense. Captured during the winter months, there were many days when the temperature was higher than average with strong winds. Initially disappointed with too much wind noise, I discovered and was quite surprised with the results of these captured field recordings. The collection of field recordings became the foundation of these arrangements and consequently became the all encompassing title of these compositions, "Wind Colors".” —H. Imashige All tracks written, mixed, mastered by Hidekazu Imashige Album art & design by 扎克 -- Past Inside The Present This is PITP-V006 | MMXIX PITP.bandcamp.com www.pastinsidethepresent.com
PITP is very excited to announce that Canadian ambient producer, Jordan Christoff is now part of the PITP artist roster! Christoff offers up his latest pair of ruminant arrangements for his debut PITP release titled, 'Liminal'. Liminal is a meditative long play with drifting, transcendent ambient soundscapes. These compositions were performed and recorded live between January-February 2019 on Lekwungen territories. Liminal is available now as a digital download and limited edition cassette. Cassette details: Solid red shell cassette tape with white imprinting, housed in a clear norelco box and shrink wrapped. Loaded with FerroMaster C456™ super ferric, ultra-high performance type-1 music grade analog tape. Limited to 100 units. Written and produced by Jordan Christoff with synthesizer programming and field recordings Additional field recordings by Emily Thiessen Mastered by t e l e p a t h Art and layout by Zakè (扎克) No computer screens, sounds or presets involved in the creation of Liminal. -- © Past Inside the Present 2019 This is PITP-C005 | MMXIX PITP.bandcamp.com pastinsidethepresent.com
 Past Inside The Present is pleased to welcome Duenn to the PITP roster! Expect a more detailed release announcement in the near future.
Duenn (Fukuoka, Japan) is an electronic musician and composer producing minimal works, using a minimum of equipment. He has collaborated with many; noise legend Masami Akita (Merzbow), experimental musician Koji Nakamura, Berlin-based, violinist, composer and electronic musician Hoshiko Yamane, Will Long (Celer) from Tokyo Japan, as well as with several visual artists, photographers etc. Duenn, along with Merzbow and Koji Nakamura, formed the experimental/noise collaboration ‘3rensa’ in 2017. Duenn’s works have been released and published by: Line Imprint (US), White Paddy Mountain (JP), Entr’acte (UK), sicsic tape (DE), New Motion (COL), Onmyōdō Cassette (US), Grumpy Records (UK), Slowdown Records(JP), Progressive Form (JP) and now Past Inside the Present.  Past Inside The Present is pleased to welcome Pausal to the PITP roster! Expect a more detailed release announcement in the near future. Pausal is the audio and visual art project of Alex Smalley and Simon Bainton, both from Hampshire, UK. Active since 2005, they have released their music on labels such as Barge Recordings, Students of Decay, Own Records, Dronarivm and Infraction. Individually, Alex has released several works under his Olan Mill guise and Simon has released on Hibernate Records. The duo's music has been described as "billowing, vaporous, and cloud-like", "a shimmering haze of humid ambience and sparkling field recordings", "a colourful, yet ghostly, world of slow-moving, rejuvenating sound". Their live shows are a complete immersive experience, utilizing large scale visuals created by the band. They have performed across the UK and in Europe supporting artists such as Grouper, Mountains, Stars of the Lid, Chihei Hatakeyama and Greg Haines. 
Tyresta ‘Fallen Moon’ This is PITPC02 | MMXIX [LISTEN/PURCHASE] 6/21/2019 Past Inside the Present is proud to present ‘Fallen Moon’ by Nick Turner, AKA Tyresta. Fallen Moon is four stunning and ethereal movements available both digitally and as a limited edition cassette. Nick utilized modular synthesizers, tape manipulation, and effects pedals to create this collection of compositions during spring of 2019. The physical version is a metallic silver shell cassette tape with black imprinting, housed in a white/clear norelco box and shrink wrapped. It is loaded with FerroMaster C456™ super ferric, ultra-high performance type-1 music grade analog tape. Limited to 100 units. Written and produced by Nick Turner Track 1 and 3: Matt Ciani, additional guitar treatments Mixed and mastered by Matt Ciani Layout & design by 扎克 -- Past Inside the Present This is PITP-C002 | MMXIX PITP.bandcamp.com www.pastinsidethepresent.com
 PITP is very excited to announce that ambient producer, James Bernard is now part of the PITP artist roster! James is an LA-based musician that has been creating and releasing ambient electronic music since 1994. In February 2019, James' highly acclaimed effort on A Strangely Isolated Place titled, 'Atwater' was saturated with beautiful sounds emerging from a Moog Mother 32, custom built filters and various Eurorack modular sequencers, modules and effects. James continues his proven and unique efforts in creating ethereal tones on this latest collection of songs titled 'Fragments' due out on Past Inside the Present in late summer. 'Fragments' was created by using a method of composition James has been perfecting where he takes small pieces of unreleased music that he has written stretching over the last 10 years, and runs them through different modes and types of granular stretching and FFT processing. In some cases, the original audio source was no longer than 20-30 seconds long. Fragments will be released on a limited edition cassette and CD, along with a digital download option. PITP is honored to share this collection of music.
OTS is offered as a ‘name your price’ download, but 100% of all proceeds will be donated to the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra (MYO) towards a Student Scholarship. The MYO is a youth and family development program of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The program focuses on developing life skills through the rehearsal and performance of music and is designed to use the life skills learned through music instruction to engage youth in activities that discourage at-risk behaviors and keep them committed to staying in school. A student scholarship is $200 and our goal and intention is to sponsor one child for the program. Further information on The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra can be found HERE.
'The Lower Lights' is a new compilation album from 36, featuring 10 tracks of vibrant, eclectic ambient music. These are carefully chosen from a larger selection of tracks, made between April 2018 and April 2019 as part of a year-long 'Audio Diary' project. These showcase the more energetic side to 36's production, whilst still retaining that glowing melancholia, which has become the hallmark of the 36 sound. Tunes like 'Galatea' and 'Midnight Helix' unleash the full arsenal of 36's synth capabilities, with an urgency that is quite unlike anything else in his discography. In contrast, tracks like 'Future Love' and 'Minerva' uncover new paths in the darker, more cyberpunk style, with a nod to the future and a wink to the past. For those who enjoy 36's music at it's most blissful, tunes like 'Lahaina Noon' will have you covered. If you enjoy emotionally charged ambient music, that demands your full-focus rather than something to simply ignore or fall asleep to, then 'The Lower Lights' is an album worth taking your time to explore. All tracks have been carefully remixed and re-mastered, for more detail and clarity. The beautiful, minimalist artwork was created by Mario Morales. The record is pressed on double vinyl and is available in 3 different colors: Black, Metallic Silver and Teal. 100 copies of each are available. To reduce shipping costs and keep things internal, USA/ROTW orders will be handled direct by the label, while all UK and EU orders will be distributed by 36 himself.    In addition, a limited edition cassette tape compilation called 'Beneath The Lower Lights' is also available, featuring an alternative selection of tracks, taken from the 'Audio Diary' archive.
"During the months of April 2018 to April 2019, I worked on a new project, which I called an "Audio Diary" documenting all the music I made over a single year. I have always wanted to do something like this, but time constraints and outside commitments always prevented it. Since 2017, I have been fortunate enough to be able to work on music full-time as my sole career, so I figured the time was right to finally crack my knuckles and do it.
My early albums were more like compilations of random tracks I made, but in recent years, I have shifted towards conceptual albums, that have a more focused, curated feeling. This is great for creating a consistent sound from start to end. But as a listener, I have a soft spot for dynamic albums, that shift and swerve in sound, constantly surprising the listener. This is why the idea of an Audio Diary felt appealing to me, because I could just make music without any pretense or grand goal; It was just making music for the sheer joy of it, without any regard for the tracks that come before or after it. It felt like returning to my old method of working, albeit with 10 years of experience on my back! I was expecting to create around one track a month, but during the first 6 months, I was averaging about 1 track a week. When inspiration strikes, I have learned not to fight it! I think a key part of this prolific output is because I created a consistent pattern for how and when I worked. All tunes were made after 8:00pm every evening, when it was quiet and there were no distractions. Most of the tunes were brand new and made on the spot. But I also took the time to browse through my archive of unfinished tracks and see if any of them showed potential. Tracks like 'Galatea' were started years earlier, but along the way, they hit a creative dead-end and were left unfinished. The luxury of time gives birth to many new ideas! This is why I never delete any track I work on, because they can often be the catalyst for future ideas. Everything finds it place eventually. In the end, I made 32 tracks in total. When it came to compiling the tracks for this compilation, I simply chose the tunes I personally played and enjoyed the most over the last 12 months. I made a conscious effort not to speak to fans who had already heard them, or check play counters on Soundcloud to see which were the most popular in terms of play count. This whole concept was a personal journey, so it felt fitting for me to continue this to its final conclusion and choose the selection entirely myself. Whittling 32 tracks down to 10 for a vinyl release isn't easy, but in the end, I chose the tracks closest to my heart and placed them in a run order which I enjoyed listening to from start to finish. The end result is a new compilation album that I titled 'The Lower Lights'. Although these tracks are all quite different in terms of their individual sound, they have a surprisingly cohesive quality when compiled together as an album. I think it's a very dynamic selection and should hit the full gamut of your emotions. This isn't ambient music you can ignore; It demands your full attention and will reward you as a result. I hope you enjoy them!" - 36
Maryam Sirvan ‘Songs of An Empty Room’
This is PITPCD02 | PITP MMXIX CD Series [LISTEN/PURCHASE] 5/24/2019 Past Inside The Present is proud to present ‘Songs of An Empty Room’ from Iranian sound artist extraordinaire Maryam Sirvan, who also serves as half of the electronic duo NUM. ‘Songs of an Empty Room’ is Maryam’s second solo album: a static inner journey into infinity, a story of a secluded room on a dull, grey summer evening. These works delve into the concept of detachment from the outer world and seek tranquility in an imaginary, non-existent inner space―a craving for otherworldly existence and exploration for a personal perception beyond time and space in a hallucinating manner. ‘Songs of An Empty Room’ is an exploration through sonic territories employing limited acoustic sources: obsessively, exclusively, electric guitar and voice. It offers textural structures using digital manipulation and sampling, creating personal atmospheres and soundscapes. -- Composed, recorded, and produced by Maryam Sirvan in 2018-2019 Electric Guitar, Voice, and Processing by Maryam Sirvan Additional engineering by Milad Bagheri Art by Maryam Sirvan and Milad Bagheri Album layout/design by 扎克  PAST INSIDE THE PRESENT SHOWCASE - JUNE 2019
Midwest friends, mark your calendars! PITP will be hosting an artist showcase on June 23 featuring, Steven Kemner (Hotel Neon), Wayne Robert Thomas, Isaac Helsen and Echoed Sycamore. It will be a wonderful, intimate evening of ambient and drone. Date/Time: June 23, 6:00pm Venue: HEALER Address: 3631 E Raymond St. Indianapolis, IN |
