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'Soft Octaves'
James Bernard & anthéne
▼
'Soft Octaves'
James Bernard & anthéne
▼
2023 RELEASES
▼
Soft Octaves
by
James Bernard
November 29, 2023
180g Opaque Blue/Pink Blend LP + Download Card
Digital Download
ABOUT
"That liminal moment, when the phosphorescence behind the window shade first disrupts your eyelids, is a difficult one to pinpoint. Sometimes the earliest thought in your mind is a long-tail partial memory of those last few moments of a thousand-yard dream, sometimes it’s an irrepressible descending sigh as you anticipate what’s to follow, whether with apprehension or ardor. Centuries have passed in your unconscious absence; every frequency is existing somewhere.
California’s James Bernard, an established PITP veteran, has been creating and releasing music for nearly 30 years across many genres and label affiliations, in addition to his expert engineering, patch-building and mastering work. Both as a solo artist and collaborator he has also brought an inimitable degree of invention and skill, heaviness and delicacy to works for A Strangely Isolated Place, Rising High and others.
For Soft Octaves, he created a suite of compositions using electric six-string bass, which yields a massive range spanning from subterranean rumble to cirrus vapor. Each recorded in a single take through an array of effects and augmented by volume pedal to soften the edges, these pieces occupy a symphonic space of tonal androgyny, at times resembling a cello, a woodwind or something altogether unplaceable, but always arranged with deft and intuitive pacing.
anthéne (aka Brad Deschamps of Toronto) complements Bernard’s environments with harmonized pulses, lyrical slow-motion melodies and evocative pedal steel guitar that pitches and yaws above the firmament. As the founder of Polar Seas Recordings, Deschamps has created and facilitated a considerable catalog of patient music in keeping with the imprint’s name, incorporating plectrums, analog synthesizer and field recording as the bases of his output. The impressions of northern climes that he creates make for an unlikely but perfect fit amid the hazy, coastal spaces of the source material here.
Soft Octaves’ title track is an exemplary iteration of each artist’s strengths, as the curtain slowly parts to reveal a daylit panorama accented by an organic rustle, echoing guitar swells and subtle digital grain. Standout “Trembling House” builds on this tenor, incorporating the voice of marine eyes (aka Cynthia Bernard, James’s partner in PITP duo awakened souls) layered in ghost tones around itself, a lullabied comfort even as it drifts away into the ionosphere. Other key tracks like “Renascence” and “Cortège” introduce elements that imbue their aquatic dirge with church-like reverence.
Citing “times of uncertainty and hope” as the primary genesis for much of this work, Bernard proves himself once more a master of transfiguration, weaving meditative and compelling beauty from the strands of doubt and fear that many of us have faced in this young century. His wise choice to trust his works in the capable hands of Deschamps has yielded a complex and dynamic set that perfectly captures the essence of the magic hour, where all is suspended in shifting pastels."
Written by Thomas Meluch
[Benoît Pioulard], October 2023
CREDITS
Written, recorded, and produced by James Bernard and Brad Deschamps; Six string bass guitar and pedalboard performed by James Bernard • Lap steel, guitar, pedalboard, synthesizer, and field recordings by Brad Deschamps • Vocals on 'Trembling House' by marine eyes
Mixed and mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
Cut at ODM
Vinyl pressed at Dunk!Pressing
Manufactured and assembled in Belgium
Photography by Cynthia Bernard
Design and layout by zakè
©Past Inside the Present
℗Past Inside the Present Publishing (BMI)
This is PITP-V060 | MMXXIII
PRESSING DETAILS
180g opaque blue/pink blend 2LP set, housed in a 5mm wide spine matte jacket. Records placed in semi-thick white paper sleeved. Full color center labels. Includes a digital download card. Shrinkwrapped. Edition of 200.
by
James Bernard
November 29, 2023
180g Opaque Blue/Pink Blend LP + Download Card
Digital Download
ABOUT
"That liminal moment, when the phosphorescence behind the window shade first disrupts your eyelids, is a difficult one to pinpoint. Sometimes the earliest thought in your mind is a long-tail partial memory of those last few moments of a thousand-yard dream, sometimes it’s an irrepressible descending sigh as you anticipate what’s to follow, whether with apprehension or ardor. Centuries have passed in your unconscious absence; every frequency is existing somewhere.
California’s James Bernard, an established PITP veteran, has been creating and releasing music for nearly 30 years across many genres and label affiliations, in addition to his expert engineering, patch-building and mastering work. Both as a solo artist and collaborator he has also brought an inimitable degree of invention and skill, heaviness and delicacy to works for A Strangely Isolated Place, Rising High and others.
For Soft Octaves, he created a suite of compositions using electric six-string bass, which yields a massive range spanning from subterranean rumble to cirrus vapor. Each recorded in a single take through an array of effects and augmented by volume pedal to soften the edges, these pieces occupy a symphonic space of tonal androgyny, at times resembling a cello, a woodwind or something altogether unplaceable, but always arranged with deft and intuitive pacing.
anthéne (aka Brad Deschamps of Toronto) complements Bernard’s environments with harmonized pulses, lyrical slow-motion melodies and evocative pedal steel guitar that pitches and yaws above the firmament. As the founder of Polar Seas Recordings, Deschamps has created and facilitated a considerable catalog of patient music in keeping with the imprint’s name, incorporating plectrums, analog synthesizer and field recording as the bases of his output. The impressions of northern climes that he creates make for an unlikely but perfect fit amid the hazy, coastal spaces of the source material here.
Soft Octaves’ title track is an exemplary iteration of each artist’s strengths, as the curtain slowly parts to reveal a daylit panorama accented by an organic rustle, echoing guitar swells and subtle digital grain. Standout “Trembling House” builds on this tenor, incorporating the voice of marine eyes (aka Cynthia Bernard, James’s partner in PITP duo awakened souls) layered in ghost tones around itself, a lullabied comfort even as it drifts away into the ionosphere. Other key tracks like “Renascence” and “Cortège” introduce elements that imbue their aquatic dirge with church-like reverence.
Citing “times of uncertainty and hope” as the primary genesis for much of this work, Bernard proves himself once more a master of transfiguration, weaving meditative and compelling beauty from the strands of doubt and fear that many of us have faced in this young century. His wise choice to trust his works in the capable hands of Deschamps has yielded a complex and dynamic set that perfectly captures the essence of the magic hour, where all is suspended in shifting pastels."
Written by Thomas Meluch
[Benoît Pioulard], October 2023
CREDITS
Written, recorded, and produced by James Bernard and Brad Deschamps; Six string bass guitar and pedalboard performed by James Bernard • Lap steel, guitar, pedalboard, synthesizer, and field recordings by Brad Deschamps • Vocals on 'Trembling House' by marine eyes
Mixed and mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
Cut at ODM
Vinyl pressed at Dunk!Pressing
Manufactured and assembled in Belgium
Photography by Cynthia Bernard
Design and layout by zakè
©Past Inside the Present
℗Past Inside the Present Publishing (BMI)
This is PITP-V060 | MMXXIII
PRESSING DETAILS
180g opaque blue/pink blend 2LP set, housed in a 5mm wide spine matte jacket. Records placed in semi-thick white paper sleeved. Full color center labels. Includes a digital download card. Shrinkwrapped. Edition of 200.
Midnight Letters
by
Andrew Tasselmyer & Blurstem
October 25, 2023
Limited Cassette
Digital Download
ABOUT
It’s 2023, and if there’s anything that feels like an impossibility, it’s the avoidance of getting caught up in the rat race of technology and utilization of the latest digital tools. This is all the more true for music creators. Getting overwhelmed and bombarded by the endless onslaught of new instruments, pedals, synthesizers, plugins, and software is all too easy. And yet, staying true to a calling, and embracing the tools that are creatively inspiring, could be the antidote to the other end of the spectrum of entirely abandoning ship.
In an attempt to not only find a fulfilling balance of both old and new, but to dive in fully to each creatively inspiring side of technology - and lack thereof - Minneapolis’ Chris Bartels (Elskavon, Olma), writing as Blurstem, and Philadelphia’s Andrew Tasselmyer (Hotel Neon, Gray Acres) return for a second album together, Midnight Letters. With a heavier emphasis of original concepts on guitar, and in processing and experimenting with an analog tape machine that’s been running audio through it decades before he was even born, Bartels unintentionally gave the album its more nostalgic and natural roots. Tasselmyer then seasoned the concepts and sounds with his uniquely minimal-yet-extensive setup with iPad audio processing apps, samplers, and Ableton software, fleshing out the initial ideas into songs in their collaborative lane of experimental-heavy, compositional ambient.
Sent back to Bartels, they were then mixed, again, like on their debut album Duets, on the laptop out on the back patio table, a fitting method for this sonic journey between the old and new. And that’s really what Midnight Letters is: a journey.
With no initial intentions of pursuing the contrast of past and present technology, Bartels and Tasselmyer simply have found a space to creatively inspire each other, and to embrace the freedom in utilizing the tools and instruments that feel right in the moment, bring a unique touch to the sound, and ultimately give life to something memorable.
CREDITS
Written, recorded, and produced by Andrew Tasselmyer & Blurstem (Chris Bartels)
Mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
Expired polaroid photo cover, layout, and design by zakè
© 2023 Past Inside the Present
℗ 2023 Past Inside the Present Publishing (BMI)
This is PITP-C027 | MMXXIII
pastinsidethepresent.com
▽
andrewtasselmyer.bandcamp.com
blurstem.bandcamp.com
Marketed, distributed, and
cassette copyright:
Past Inside the Present
Pressed by NAC
Manufactured and assembled in the US
◾️◾️◾️ REVIEW
Minneapolis' Chris Bartels aka Blurstem, and Philadelphia's Andrew Tasselmyer of the likes of Hotel Neon and Gray Acres have hooked up once more for a second collaborative album Midnight Letters. This album's starting point was original concepts played out on guitar which were then processed and experimented with through an ages-old analog tape machine. Add in an array of iPad audio processing apps, samplers, and Ableton software and you have a perfect mix of tools to serve up a sonic journey that perfectly merges the old with the new. The resulting ambient soundscapes are immersive and sparse but packed with subtle details that convey all manner of emotions.
-Juno Records
by
Andrew Tasselmyer & Blurstem
October 25, 2023
Limited Cassette
Digital Download
ABOUT
It’s 2023, and if there’s anything that feels like an impossibility, it’s the avoidance of getting caught up in the rat race of technology and utilization of the latest digital tools. This is all the more true for music creators. Getting overwhelmed and bombarded by the endless onslaught of new instruments, pedals, synthesizers, plugins, and software is all too easy. And yet, staying true to a calling, and embracing the tools that are creatively inspiring, could be the antidote to the other end of the spectrum of entirely abandoning ship.
In an attempt to not only find a fulfilling balance of both old and new, but to dive in fully to each creatively inspiring side of technology - and lack thereof - Minneapolis’ Chris Bartels (Elskavon, Olma), writing as Blurstem, and Philadelphia’s Andrew Tasselmyer (Hotel Neon, Gray Acres) return for a second album together, Midnight Letters. With a heavier emphasis of original concepts on guitar, and in processing and experimenting with an analog tape machine that’s been running audio through it decades before he was even born, Bartels unintentionally gave the album its more nostalgic and natural roots. Tasselmyer then seasoned the concepts and sounds with his uniquely minimal-yet-extensive setup with iPad audio processing apps, samplers, and Ableton software, fleshing out the initial ideas into songs in their collaborative lane of experimental-heavy, compositional ambient.
Sent back to Bartels, they were then mixed, again, like on their debut album Duets, on the laptop out on the back patio table, a fitting method for this sonic journey between the old and new. And that’s really what Midnight Letters is: a journey.
With no initial intentions of pursuing the contrast of past and present technology, Bartels and Tasselmyer simply have found a space to creatively inspire each other, and to embrace the freedom in utilizing the tools and instruments that feel right in the moment, bring a unique touch to the sound, and ultimately give life to something memorable.
CREDITS
Written, recorded, and produced by Andrew Tasselmyer & Blurstem (Chris Bartels)
Mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
Expired polaroid photo cover, layout, and design by zakè
© 2023 Past Inside the Present
℗ 2023 Past Inside the Present Publishing (BMI)
This is PITP-C027 | MMXXIII
pastinsidethepresent.com
▽
andrewtasselmyer.bandcamp.com
blurstem.bandcamp.com
Marketed, distributed, and
cassette copyright:
Past Inside the Present
Pressed by NAC
Manufactured and assembled in the US
◾️◾️◾️ REVIEW
Minneapolis' Chris Bartels aka Blurstem, and Philadelphia's Andrew Tasselmyer of the likes of Hotel Neon and Gray Acres have hooked up once more for a second collaborative album Midnight Letters. This album's starting point was original concepts played out on guitar which were then processed and experimented with through an ages-old analog tape machine. Add in an array of iPad audio processing apps, samplers, and Ableton software and you have a perfect mix of tools to serve up a sonic journey that perfectly merges the old with the new. The resulting ambient soundscapes are immersive and sparse but packed with subtle details that convey all manner of emotions.
-Juno Records
Demain, dès l’aube
by
From Overseas & zakè
October 4, 2023
160g Opaque Maroon 2LP Set
160g Audiophile Black 2LP Set
Digital Download
ABOUT
‘Demain, dès l’aube’ is a quietly powerful collaboration between From Overseas and zakè with a beautiful stillness at its center. The repetition of these arrangements comforts and lulls, while offering plenty of calm instances. The arrangements on Demain, dès l’aube were intentionally written to ebb and flow seamlessly, slowly converging en masse. A stately set of primarily long-form arrangements that burgeon with unhurried celerity, exemplifying patience while displaying meticulous attention to the finer details. Creating an abundance of short vignettes, the duo took their favorite sounds and created foundational loops for these solemn arrangements. They expanded on these short loops with intentional reshaping and expansion of the initial sounds by introducing and converging various guitar parts, tape processing, and synthesizer work. The richness of these long-forms are evident and delicately glide along in a timeless journey.
◾️◾️◾️ REVIEWS
French for “Tomorrow, at dawn,” the title might be read in any number of ways, absent any other context. Certainly the French title is evocative, even if we are unaware of the translation. The music itself, however, is suggestive of yet another interpretation. There is no sense of foreboding in these gentle waves of sound, but the sense of peace that follows mourning. Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that in English mourning is homophonous with morning, as both speak to the promise of a new beginning, of cyclical continuity. The mournful qualities of the music doesn’t manifest in the form of dreariness, but in a form of somber resolve. The best ambient music will continue to reward those who are willing to listen more closely.
-Juno Records
✦✦✦
“Some music reminds me of breathing: a cyclical motion that sustains our lives yet goes somehow unnoticed (until it's too late)... This is why during meditation, it is important to bring your attention to the steady flow of your breath... This is why during turbulent times I remind myself to focus on the steady flow of this beautiful music. Don't let this one go unnoticed...”
-Mike Lazarev, Headphone Commute
✦✦✦
“Demain, dès l’aube’ offers eight pieces of mesmeric cadence and immersive recursions that are at once present and remote, in the Here and Now and in the Elsewhere. These compositions offer compelling affordance spaces for questing inner voyagers.”
-Alan Lockett, Igloo Magazine
✦✦✦
“To listen to this soporific beauty is to escape into a boundless world of comfort and quietude. As each wave billows past, the depths of peace envelop you, cradling you in their lush sounds. This album will be a companion to anyone with a sore heart, a balm for any soul wracked with anxiety or despair, as well as a sublime moment of bliss on a journey through brighter days.”
-Daman Hoffman, Rivulets & Reveries
✦✦✦
From Overseas and zaké have created music that moves me to tears and lifts my spirit simultaneously. This is the perfect soundtrack for the contemplative and emotional season that lies ahead of us. A modern ambient masterpiece.
-Richard Heinemann, E-Lodie Radio 100,7
✦✦✦
"Demain, dès l'aube is fantastic, easily ranking among the top 5 albums of the Past Inside the Present catalogue."
-Stephen Mathieu, Schwebung Mastering
by
From Overseas & zakè
October 4, 2023
160g Opaque Maroon 2LP Set
160g Audiophile Black 2LP Set
Digital Download
ABOUT
‘Demain, dès l’aube’ is a quietly powerful collaboration between From Overseas and zakè with a beautiful stillness at its center. The repetition of these arrangements comforts and lulls, while offering plenty of calm instances. The arrangements on Demain, dès l’aube were intentionally written to ebb and flow seamlessly, slowly converging en masse. A stately set of primarily long-form arrangements that burgeon with unhurried celerity, exemplifying patience while displaying meticulous attention to the finer details. Creating an abundance of short vignettes, the duo took their favorite sounds and created foundational loops for these solemn arrangements. They expanded on these short loops with intentional reshaping and expansion of the initial sounds by introducing and converging various guitar parts, tape processing, and synthesizer work. The richness of these long-forms are evident and delicately glide along in a timeless journey.
◾️◾️◾️ REVIEWS
French for “Tomorrow, at dawn,” the title might be read in any number of ways, absent any other context. Certainly the French title is evocative, even if we are unaware of the translation. The music itself, however, is suggestive of yet another interpretation. There is no sense of foreboding in these gentle waves of sound, but the sense of peace that follows mourning. Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that in English mourning is homophonous with morning, as both speak to the promise of a new beginning, of cyclical continuity. The mournful qualities of the music doesn’t manifest in the form of dreariness, but in a form of somber resolve. The best ambient music will continue to reward those who are willing to listen more closely.
-Juno Records
✦✦✦
“Some music reminds me of breathing: a cyclical motion that sustains our lives yet goes somehow unnoticed (until it's too late)... This is why during meditation, it is important to bring your attention to the steady flow of your breath... This is why during turbulent times I remind myself to focus on the steady flow of this beautiful music. Don't let this one go unnoticed...”
-Mike Lazarev, Headphone Commute
✦✦✦
“Demain, dès l’aube’ offers eight pieces of mesmeric cadence and immersive recursions that are at once present and remote, in the Here and Now and in the Elsewhere. These compositions offer compelling affordance spaces for questing inner voyagers.”
-Alan Lockett, Igloo Magazine
✦✦✦
“To listen to this soporific beauty is to escape into a boundless world of comfort and quietude. As each wave billows past, the depths of peace envelop you, cradling you in their lush sounds. This album will be a companion to anyone with a sore heart, a balm for any soul wracked with anxiety or despair, as well as a sublime moment of bliss on a journey through brighter days.”
-Daman Hoffman, Rivulets & Reveries
✦✦✦
From Overseas and zaké have created music that moves me to tears and lifts my spirit simultaneously. This is the perfect soundtrack for the contemplative and emotional season that lies ahead of us. A modern ambient masterpiece.
-Richard Heinemann, E-Lodie Radio 100,7
✦✦✦
"Demain, dès l'aube is fantastic, easily ranking among the top 5 albums of the Past Inside the Present catalogue."
-Stephen Mathieu, Schwebung Mastering
CREDITS
Written, recorded and produced by From Overseas & zakè
Mixed at Kaleidoscope Tone Studio by zakè
Mastered at Schwebung Mastering by Stephan Mathieu
Photography by Kévin Séry
Design and layout by zakè
© 2023 Past Inside the Present
℗ 2023 Past Inside the Present Publishing (BMI)
This is PITP-V054 | MMXXIII
Marketed, distributed, and
phonographic copyright:
Past Inside the Present
Cut at WMM
Pressed by GGR
Manufactured and assembled in USA
Written, recorded and produced by From Overseas & zakè
Mixed at Kaleidoscope Tone Studio by zakè
Mastered at Schwebung Mastering by Stephan Mathieu
Photography by Kévin Séry
Design and layout by zakè
© 2023 Past Inside the Present
℗ 2023 Past Inside the Present Publishing (BMI)
This is PITP-V054 | MMXXIII
Marketed, distributed, and
phonographic copyright:
Past Inside the Present
Cut at WMM
Pressed by GGR
Manufactured and assembled in USA
Small Hours
by
Tyresta
September 11, 2023
180g Green Splatter Vinyl LP
Digital Download
ABOUT
On the new album "Small Hours" by Tyresta, subtlety and intimacy intertwine harmoniously, resulting in a listening experience that continually unveils novel intricacies upon each subsequent listen. As the title ostensibly implies, the album's resonance transcends its sonic realm, particularly when savored during the late hours, wherein its evocative potential finds its zenith.
In a musical tapestry where every thread is meticulously woven, "Small Hours" stands not merely as an album but as a testimonial to the transformative power of sound. Its gentle cadences and evolving harmonies weave a sonic haven, wherein the listener finds solace, rejuvenation, and a rekindling of the unfettered spirit. Small Hours is the direct follow up to Tyresta's 2020 album All We Have and continues to explore similar themes related to the human condition including impermanence, grief, loss, healing, and growth.
--
Written, produced, and engineered by Tyresta
Additional production by the following:
Track 1: wøunds and City of Dawn
Track 2: awakened souls and Pepo Galán
Track 3: marine eyes
Track 4: Slow Dancing Society
Track 5: City of Dawn and Simon McCorry
Track 6: Simon McCorry
Track 7: Simon McCorry
Mixed and mastered at SDS Studio by Drew Sullivan
Design and layout by zakè
© 2023 Past Inside the Present
℗ 2023 Past Inside the Present Publishing (BMI)
This is PITP-V046 | MMXXIII
pastinsidethepresent.com
tyresta.bandcamp.com
Marketed, distributed, and
phonographic copyright:
Past Inside the Present
Matrix / Runout (Side A): PITP-V046 / A / DUNK!PRESSING
Matrix / Runout (Side B): PITP-V046 / B / DUNK!PRESSING
Cut at ODM
Pressed by dunk!pressing
Manufactured and assembled in Belgium
by
Tyresta
September 11, 2023
180g Green Splatter Vinyl LP
Digital Download
ABOUT
On the new album "Small Hours" by Tyresta, subtlety and intimacy intertwine harmoniously, resulting in a listening experience that continually unveils novel intricacies upon each subsequent listen. As the title ostensibly implies, the album's resonance transcends its sonic realm, particularly when savored during the late hours, wherein its evocative potential finds its zenith.
In a musical tapestry where every thread is meticulously woven, "Small Hours" stands not merely as an album but as a testimonial to the transformative power of sound. Its gentle cadences and evolving harmonies weave a sonic haven, wherein the listener finds solace, rejuvenation, and a rekindling of the unfettered spirit. Small Hours is the direct follow up to Tyresta's 2020 album All We Have and continues to explore similar themes related to the human condition including impermanence, grief, loss, healing, and growth.
--
Written, produced, and engineered by Tyresta
Additional production by the following:
Track 1: wøunds and City of Dawn
Track 2: awakened souls and Pepo Galán
Track 3: marine eyes
Track 4: Slow Dancing Society
Track 5: City of Dawn and Simon McCorry
Track 6: Simon McCorry
Track 7: Simon McCorry
Mixed and mastered at SDS Studio by Drew Sullivan
Design and layout by zakè
© 2023 Past Inside the Present
℗ 2023 Past Inside the Present Publishing (BMI)
This is PITP-V046 | MMXXIII
pastinsidethepresent.com
tyresta.bandcamp.com
Marketed, distributed, and
phonographic copyright:
Past Inside the Present
Matrix / Runout (Side A): PITP-V046 / A / DUNK!PRESSING
Matrix / Runout (Side B): PITP-V046 / B / DUNK!PRESSING
Cut at ODM
Pressed by dunk!pressing
Manufactured and assembled in Belgium
unlikely places
by
awakened souls
August 16, 2023
180g Clear/White Vinyl LP
Digital Download
ABOUT
‘unlikely places’ comes from the idea that creativity can be found anywhere--
within the line of a poem,
in the way the moon bathes a hillside in light,
in recognizing your ability to love others and yourself the way you are,
in a vulnerable conversation,
in thinking about what helps you fall asleep,
in an unexpected frog in your throat,
in the way morning birds sing.
it is as if when we are open to the idea that art can arrive anywhere and anytime, it gives us the immense desire to use our senses in deeper ways. we constantly seek out clues for our next creative burst and in doing so, are driven to keep living authentically.
this album was born from unlikely places that we now know were all meant to be more than just another passing moment.
written, produced, and performed by awakened souls;
cynthia bernard - vocals, guitar, production
james bernard - six string bass guitar, synthesizers
and keyboards, additional guitar, production
mixed and mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
cover art by Carla White
layout by zakè
© 2023 Past Inside the Present
℗ 2023 Past Inside the Present Publishing (BMI)
This is PITP-V051 | MMXXIII
pastinsidethepresent.com
awakenedsouls.bandcamp.com
ambientmountainhouse.com
Marketed, distributed, and
phonographic copyright:
Past Inside the Present
Matrix / Runout (Side A): PITP-V051 / A / DUNK!PRESSING
Matrix / Runout (Side B): PITP-V051 / B / DUNK!PRESSING
Cut at ODM
Pressed by dunk!pressing
Manufactured and assembled in Belgium
by
awakened souls
August 16, 2023
180g Clear/White Vinyl LP
Digital Download
ABOUT
‘unlikely places’ comes from the idea that creativity can be found anywhere--
within the line of a poem,
in the way the moon bathes a hillside in light,
in recognizing your ability to love others and yourself the way you are,
in a vulnerable conversation,
in thinking about what helps you fall asleep,
in an unexpected frog in your throat,
in the way morning birds sing.
it is as if when we are open to the idea that art can arrive anywhere and anytime, it gives us the immense desire to use our senses in deeper ways. we constantly seek out clues for our next creative burst and in doing so, are driven to keep living authentically.
this album was born from unlikely places that we now know were all meant to be more than just another passing moment.
written, produced, and performed by awakened souls;
cynthia bernard - vocals, guitar, production
james bernard - six string bass guitar, synthesizers
and keyboards, additional guitar, production
mixed and mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
cover art by Carla White
layout by zakè
© 2023 Past Inside the Present
℗ 2023 Past Inside the Present Publishing (BMI)
This is PITP-V051 | MMXXIII
pastinsidethepresent.com
awakenedsouls.bandcamp.com
ambientmountainhouse.com
Marketed, distributed, and
phonographic copyright:
Past Inside the Present
Matrix / Runout (Side A): PITP-V051 / A / DUNK!PRESSING
Matrix / Runout (Side B): PITP-V051 / B / DUNK!PRESSING
Cut at ODM
Pressed by dunk!pressing
Manufactured and assembled in Belgium
Embryology
by
Purl & Sinius
June 26, 2023
180g Solid Blue/White 2LP Set
Digital Download
ABOUT
With their roots in India and Sweden respectively, Daljit Kundi and Ludvig Cimbrelius met in the sphere of UK music culture. With Daljit growing up in Birmingham, and Ludvig having been heavily influenced by the influx of innovative electronic music from the British isles, it was in the realms of ambient jungle that the musical duo first set sail together. Their debut release ‘Timeless Travellers’ is an intergalactic voyage undertaken in the spirit of innocence and exploration that remains a hallmark of the genre, including remixes from their long time friend Simon Huxtable (Aural Imbalance) as well as the melodic genius Ulrich Schnauss. Ludvig traveled to Birmingham for the release event, performing a powerful set back-to-back with Daljit.
After some extraordinary remix work for their good friend Kirsty Hawkshaw’s Wellhead Records and several celebrated EP’s, the duo moved away from the fast paced breaks, bringing the scope of cinematic ambient into full focus. This change was also reflected in their shifting monikers, with Ludvig returning to his roots with ‘Purl’ and Daljit bringing his cinematic inner visions to life as ‘Sinius’. Their debut album ‘Oceans of Sounds’, though passed on by several record labels, was eventually released some 3 years after its completion and has subsequently become an underground classic.
Recurring struggles with record labels and with getting their music heard coincided with big life changes, ultimately leading to their next album waiting on the shelf in a near-finished state for close to 7 years. Passing along a demo to PITP eventually led to their embracing of the project, and with their loving support ‘Embryology’ is now ready to be born. In contrast to its predecessor ’Oceans of Sound’ - and as its title suggests - ‘Embryology’ is an exploration of the inner creative realms and the emotional aspects of the different stages of the creative process. As a whole, the album attempts to represent a psychic darkness that is as deeply restful as it is ripe with creative potential.
Ludvig and Daljit extend their deep gratitude to their friends at PITP for their loving support, and especially to Zach, Cynthia and James for their respective contributions in making ‘Embryology’ ready for the world.
CREDITS
Written and recorded by Ludvig Cimbrelius & Daljit Kundi
Mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
Photography and graphic design by Cynthia Bernard
Layout by zakè
© 2023 Past Inside the Present
This is PITP-V050
pastinsidethepresent.com
Marketed, distributed, and phonographic copyright:
Past Inside the Present, Past Inside the Present Publishing
Cut at ODM
Pressed by dunk!pressing
Manufactured and assembled in Belgium
Matrix / Runout (Side A): PITP-050 / A / DUNK!PRESSING
Matrix / Runout (Side B): PITP-050 / B / DUNK!PRESSING
Matrix / Runout (Side C): PITP-050 / C / DUNK!PRESSING
Matrix / Runout (Side D): PITP-050 / D / DUNK!PRESSING
PRESSING INFORMATION
180 gram 2xLP on [a/b] Solid White [c/d] Solid Blue, housed in a 4mm matte jacket. Full color center labels. Includes a download card for the digital album. Shrinkwrapped. Strictly limited to 200 units.
by
Purl & Sinius
June 26, 2023
180g Solid Blue/White 2LP Set
Digital Download
ABOUT
With their roots in India and Sweden respectively, Daljit Kundi and Ludvig Cimbrelius met in the sphere of UK music culture. With Daljit growing up in Birmingham, and Ludvig having been heavily influenced by the influx of innovative electronic music from the British isles, it was in the realms of ambient jungle that the musical duo first set sail together. Their debut release ‘Timeless Travellers’ is an intergalactic voyage undertaken in the spirit of innocence and exploration that remains a hallmark of the genre, including remixes from their long time friend Simon Huxtable (Aural Imbalance) as well as the melodic genius Ulrich Schnauss. Ludvig traveled to Birmingham for the release event, performing a powerful set back-to-back with Daljit.
After some extraordinary remix work for their good friend Kirsty Hawkshaw’s Wellhead Records and several celebrated EP’s, the duo moved away from the fast paced breaks, bringing the scope of cinematic ambient into full focus. This change was also reflected in their shifting monikers, with Ludvig returning to his roots with ‘Purl’ and Daljit bringing his cinematic inner visions to life as ‘Sinius’. Their debut album ‘Oceans of Sounds’, though passed on by several record labels, was eventually released some 3 years after its completion and has subsequently become an underground classic.
Recurring struggles with record labels and with getting their music heard coincided with big life changes, ultimately leading to their next album waiting on the shelf in a near-finished state for close to 7 years. Passing along a demo to PITP eventually led to their embracing of the project, and with their loving support ‘Embryology’ is now ready to be born. In contrast to its predecessor ’Oceans of Sound’ - and as its title suggests - ‘Embryology’ is an exploration of the inner creative realms and the emotional aspects of the different stages of the creative process. As a whole, the album attempts to represent a psychic darkness that is as deeply restful as it is ripe with creative potential.
Ludvig and Daljit extend their deep gratitude to their friends at PITP for their loving support, and especially to Zach, Cynthia and James for their respective contributions in making ‘Embryology’ ready for the world.
CREDITS
Written and recorded by Ludvig Cimbrelius & Daljit Kundi
Mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
Photography and graphic design by Cynthia Bernard
Layout by zakè
© 2023 Past Inside the Present
This is PITP-V050
pastinsidethepresent.com
Marketed, distributed, and phonographic copyright:
Past Inside the Present, Past Inside the Present Publishing
Cut at ODM
Pressed by dunk!pressing
Manufactured and assembled in Belgium
Matrix / Runout (Side A): PITP-050 / A / DUNK!PRESSING
Matrix / Runout (Side B): PITP-050 / B / DUNK!PRESSING
Matrix / Runout (Side C): PITP-050 / C / DUNK!PRESSING
Matrix / Runout (Side D): PITP-050 / D / DUNK!PRESSING
PRESSING INFORMATION
180 gram 2xLP on [a/b] Solid White [c/d] Solid Blue, housed in a 4mm matte jacket. Full color center labels. Includes a download card for the digital album. Shrinkwrapped. Strictly limited to 200 units.
Orchestral Tape Studies II
by
zakè
June 13, 2023
160g Transparent Rose LP
160g Audiophile Black LP
160g Color LP
C456 Cassette
ABOUT
Orchestral Tape Studies II is an enthralling amalgam of orchestral textures carefully crafted by zakè. It is a continuation of its predecessor, Orchestral Tape Studies which was released to high acclaim in 2019.
Bringing forth pastoral meditations with becalmed, atmospheric intent, Orchestral Tape Studies II is a convincing display of beautiful scores primed for the self-reflective moments that are both contemplative and thought provoking. These delicate repetitions, reticent sound treatments, and recurrent tape-based loops demand focused listening in a quiet environment.
CREDITS
Written, recorded, and produced by zakè
String accompaniments by Olivia May (cello), Charlotte Frizzell (viola),
and Damien Duque (guitar/bow)
Mixed at Kaleidoscope Tone Studio by zakè
Mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
Design and layout by zakè
© 2023 Past Inside the Present
℗ Past Inside the Present Publishing (BMI)
This is PITP44
Marketed, distributed, and
phonographic copyright:
Past Inside the Present
Matrix / Runout (Side A): PITP44-MMXXIII-A
Matrix / Runout (Side B): PITP44-MMXXIII-B
Cut at WMM
Pressed by GGR
Manufactured and assembled in USA
PRESSING INFORMATION
Record housed in a 3mm semi-gloss jacket. B/W center labels. Vinyl record placed in an anti-static inner sleeve with a .75 gauge archival polypropylene lining. Shrinkwrapped.
by
zakè
June 13, 2023
160g Transparent Rose LP
160g Audiophile Black LP
160g Color LP
C456 Cassette
ABOUT
Orchestral Tape Studies II is an enthralling amalgam of orchestral textures carefully crafted by zakè. It is a continuation of its predecessor, Orchestral Tape Studies which was released to high acclaim in 2019.
Bringing forth pastoral meditations with becalmed, atmospheric intent, Orchestral Tape Studies II is a convincing display of beautiful scores primed for the self-reflective moments that are both contemplative and thought provoking. These delicate repetitions, reticent sound treatments, and recurrent tape-based loops demand focused listening in a quiet environment.
CREDITS
Written, recorded, and produced by zakè
String accompaniments by Olivia May (cello), Charlotte Frizzell (viola),
and Damien Duque (guitar/bow)
Mixed at Kaleidoscope Tone Studio by zakè
Mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
Design and layout by zakè
© 2023 Past Inside the Present
℗ Past Inside the Present Publishing (BMI)
This is PITP44
Marketed, distributed, and
phonographic copyright:
Past Inside the Present
Matrix / Runout (Side A): PITP44-MMXXIII-A
Matrix / Runout (Side B): PITP44-MMXXIII-B
Cut at WMM
Pressed by GGR
Manufactured and assembled in USA
PRESSING INFORMATION
Record housed in a 3mm semi-gloss jacket. B/W center labels. Vinyl record placed in an anti-static inner sleeve with a .75 gauge archival polypropylene lining. Shrinkwrapped.
PULSE 02
by
ASC & Joachim Spieth
May 2, 2023
160g Color LP + Digital Download
ABOUT
'PULSE 02' is the second installment of Past Inside the Present's 'Pulse' series. Pulse is an ongoing exploration of ambient tech, while offering a more structured display of beat-driven ambient music. Pulse 02 features brand new tracks by ASC & Joachim Spieth, in addition to a remix by Nitecord.
CREDITS
Track 1 written and produced by ASC / James Clements
Track 2 written and produced by Joachim Spieth
Track 3 remix of Joachim Spieth's 'Subtle' by Nitecord
Mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
Design and layout by zakè
©℗ Past Inside the Present
This is PITP-PULSE02 | MMXXIII
PRESSING INFORMATION
160g random color 12" record. The record color may be opaque, translucent, or transparent with varying characteristics and mixes. The record is housed in a full color, semi-gloss jacket. PITP branded center labels. Includes download code. Shrinkwrapped.
by
ASC & Joachim Spieth
May 2, 2023
160g Color LP + Digital Download
ABOUT
'PULSE 02' is the second installment of Past Inside the Present's 'Pulse' series. Pulse is an ongoing exploration of ambient tech, while offering a more structured display of beat-driven ambient music. Pulse 02 features brand new tracks by ASC & Joachim Spieth, in addition to a remix by Nitecord.
CREDITS
Track 1 written and produced by ASC / James Clements
Track 2 written and produced by Joachim Spieth
Track 3 remix of Joachim Spieth's 'Subtle' by Nitecord
Mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
Design and layout by zakè
©℗ Past Inside the Present
This is PITP-PULSE02 | MMXXIII
PRESSING INFORMATION
160g random color 12" record. The record color may be opaque, translucent, or transparent with varying characteristics and mixes. The record is housed in a full color, semi-gloss jacket. PITP branded center labels. Includes download code. Shrinkwrapped.
Live at the Gothic Chapel
by
zakè Marc Ertel James Bernard From Overseas
April 28, 2023
180g White/Black Vinyl LP + Digital Download
ABOUT
On February 18, 2023 in a very intimate setting, zakè, Marc Ertel, James Bernard, and From Overseas performed live at the historic Gothic Chapel, located at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana US. The set was multi-track recorded from the soundboard and is now available for those who were unable to attend the performance in person.
CREDITS
All arrangements performed live by zakè, Marc Ertel, James Bernard, and From Overseas at the Gothic Chapel, Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis Indiana, US
Mixed and mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
Post Production and continuity by zakè and James Bernard
Cover photo, design and layout by zakè
Vinyl pressed at Dunk!Pressing, Belgium
Cut at ODM
Manufactured and assembled at Dunk!Pressing, Belgium
Special thanks to the Crown Hill Heritage Foundation
Marketed, distributed, published and
phonographic copyright - Past Inside the Present
© Past Inside the Present, 2023
℗ Past Inside the Present Publishing (BMI)
This is PITP.LIVE 01
pitp.live
PRESSING INFORMATION
LP on 180g black/white split color, housed in a 4mm heavyweight, matte jacket. Record placed in black, anti-static inner sleeve with a .75 gauge archival polypropylene lining. Includes a download card for the digital album. Shrinkwrapped. Strictly limited to 200 units. Pressed and manufactured in Zottegem, Belgium.
INSTRUMENTATION AND EQUIPMENT
fender telecaster, neunaber neuron, chase bliss (blooper, mood, generation loss mkii), strymon (timeline, iridium, starlab), make noise (qpas, mimeophon, morphagene, optomix), hologram microcosm, meris mercury 7, eurorack modular synthesizer, verbos harmonic oscillator, mutable instruments beads, mutable instruments stages, knob.farm hyrlo, stingray ray5lh bass guitar, livetrack l-8, cort b5 element 5 string bass, norns shield (scripts: bounds/bardcodes/otis), op-1 synthesizer, meris polymoon, earthquaker devices avalanche run, klon clone boost, beltway looper, source audio collider, dunlop volume (x) pedal, tc electronics polytune, mxr bass preamp, vpjr volume pedal.
by
zakè Marc Ertel James Bernard From Overseas
April 28, 2023
180g White/Black Vinyl LP + Digital Download
ABOUT
On February 18, 2023 in a very intimate setting, zakè, Marc Ertel, James Bernard, and From Overseas performed live at the historic Gothic Chapel, located at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana US. The set was multi-track recorded from the soundboard and is now available for those who were unable to attend the performance in person.
CREDITS
All arrangements performed live by zakè, Marc Ertel, James Bernard, and From Overseas at the Gothic Chapel, Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis Indiana, US
Mixed and mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
Post Production and continuity by zakè and James Bernard
Cover photo, design and layout by zakè
Vinyl pressed at Dunk!Pressing, Belgium
Cut at ODM
Manufactured and assembled at Dunk!Pressing, Belgium
Special thanks to the Crown Hill Heritage Foundation
Marketed, distributed, published and
phonographic copyright - Past Inside the Present
© Past Inside the Present, 2023
℗ Past Inside the Present Publishing (BMI)
This is PITP.LIVE 01
pitp.live
PRESSING INFORMATION
LP on 180g black/white split color, housed in a 4mm heavyweight, matte jacket. Record placed in black, anti-static inner sleeve with a .75 gauge archival polypropylene lining. Includes a download card for the digital album. Shrinkwrapped. Strictly limited to 200 units. Pressed and manufactured in Zottegem, Belgium.
INSTRUMENTATION AND EQUIPMENT
fender telecaster, neunaber neuron, chase bliss (blooper, mood, generation loss mkii), strymon (timeline, iridium, starlab), make noise (qpas, mimeophon, morphagene, optomix), hologram microcosm, meris mercury 7, eurorack modular synthesizer, verbos harmonic oscillator, mutable instruments beads, mutable instruments stages, knob.farm hyrlo, stingray ray5lh bass guitar, livetrack l-8, cort b5 element 5 string bass, norns shield (scripts: bounds/bardcodes/otis), op-1 synthesizer, meris polymoon, earthquaker devices avalanche run, klon clone boost, beltway looper, source audio collider, dunlop volume (x) pedal, tc electronics polytune, mxr bass preamp, vpjr volume pedal.
Slowly Shifting Lakes
by bvdub
April 5, 2023
2CD / 2CS / Boxset + Digital Download
ABOUT
The latest by veteran Brock Van Wey’s renowned and illustrious alias, bvdub demonstrates aural patience that gradually unravels throughout this two and a half hour long player. Brock’s grandiose approach to sound creation has been incredibly influential for both the listener and fellow artists, acknowledging that only few can execute the open spaces and cerebral attentiveness that Van Wey illustrates so effortlessly. ‘Slowly Shifting Lakes’ is the manifestation of liberation not limitation, exploring the malleability of time.
CREDITS
Written, produced, and engineered by Brock Van Wey
Photography by Brock Van Wey
Layout and design by zakè
©℗ Past Inside the Present
This is PITP33 | MMXXIII
PRESSING INFORMATION
2xCD [6-panel wallet]
Glass-mastered, silkscreen printed 2xCD housed in a 6-panel, matte-laminated wallet. Shrinkwrapped.
2xCassette [vertical case]
Two green tint shell cassette tapes with white imprinting housed in a clear, vertical stack norelco box. Full color j-card. Loaded with FerroMaster C456™ super ferric, ultra-high performance type-1 music grade analog tape. Shrinkwrapped.
2CD+2CA [box set]
Double CD & double cassette housed in a rigid A5 size matte black box measuring 230mm x 160mm x 35mm in depth. CDs and Cassettes are housed in a black felt pouch to keep them protected and secured. Top lid is hot foil debossed with the PITP logo in metallic silver. Includes the following: (2) green tint shell cassette tapes with white imprinting housed in a clear, vertical stack norelco box. Full color j-card. Loaded with FerroMaster C456™ super ferric, ultra-high performance type-1 music grade analog tape. Shrinkwrapped. (2) Glass-mastered, silkscreen printed 2xCD housed in a 6-panel, matte-laminated wallet. Shrinkwrapped. (1) 3" circle sticker that incorporates the album art with the PITP logo.
by bvdub
April 5, 2023
2CD / 2CS / Boxset + Digital Download
ABOUT
The latest by veteran Brock Van Wey’s renowned and illustrious alias, bvdub demonstrates aural patience that gradually unravels throughout this two and a half hour long player. Brock’s grandiose approach to sound creation has been incredibly influential for both the listener and fellow artists, acknowledging that only few can execute the open spaces and cerebral attentiveness that Van Wey illustrates so effortlessly. ‘Slowly Shifting Lakes’ is the manifestation of liberation not limitation, exploring the malleability of time.
CREDITS
Written, produced, and engineered by Brock Van Wey
Photography by Brock Van Wey
Layout and design by zakè
©℗ Past Inside the Present
This is PITP33 | MMXXIII
PRESSING INFORMATION
2xCD [6-panel wallet]
Glass-mastered, silkscreen printed 2xCD housed in a 6-panel, matte-laminated wallet. Shrinkwrapped.
2xCassette [vertical case]
Two green tint shell cassette tapes with white imprinting housed in a clear, vertical stack norelco box. Full color j-card. Loaded with FerroMaster C456™ super ferric, ultra-high performance type-1 music grade analog tape. Shrinkwrapped.
2CD+2CA [box set]
Double CD & double cassette housed in a rigid A5 size matte black box measuring 230mm x 160mm x 35mm in depth. CDs and Cassettes are housed in a black felt pouch to keep them protected and secured. Top lid is hot foil debossed with the PITP logo in metallic silver. Includes the following: (2) green tint shell cassette tapes with white imprinting housed in a clear, vertical stack norelco box. Full color j-card. Loaded with FerroMaster C456™ super ferric, ultra-high performance type-1 music grade analog tape. Shrinkwrapped. (2) Glass-mastered, silkscreen printed 2xCD housed in a 6-panel, matte-laminated wallet. Shrinkwrapped. (1) 3" circle sticker that incorporates the album art with the PITP logo.
Crossing Water
by Cat Tyson Hughes
March 17, 2023
Limited Edition Color Vinyl + Digital Download
ABOUT
Cat Tyson Hughes is an Australian composer and artist working in experimental music and contemporary art. ‘Crossing Water’ is her debut album with Past Inside the Present, in addition to it being her first formal full-length. She has spent the last few years working on various music projects including her appearance on our compilation ‘Healing Together: A Compilation For Mental Health Recovery’ 2LP and appearing on zakè’s long-player ‘Remembrance’ 2LP with a beautiful rework. She has also worked on various other music commissions by artists and theatre makers, as well as performing in the band 'Fire to the Stars'.
‘Crossing Water’ is a fragile and delicate affair that balances gentle instrumentation and voice textures against a backdrop of beautiful field recordings. You will find each aural snapshot of sound incredibly patient and elegantly placed. Nature and natural sound permeate throughout the duration of this recording, yet the subtle melodies of these free structured arrangements gently brush a refined beauty to minimal sound design.
REVIEW
"Aussie composer Cat Tyson Hughes is an experimental artist whose new album Crossing Water on Past Inside The Present marks her debut long player. It comes after she's been involved with several other projects and offers a fragile and delicate mix of subtle instrumentation and rich voice textures imbued with an array of lovely field recordings. These are superbly patient and slow-burn tracks that really have a cathartic effect as nature and natural sounds permeate each composition. The melodies take your mind away as the freely structured, minimal arrangements really make you take note." -Juno Records
CREDITS
Written, produced and performed by Cat Tyson Hughes
Mastered at Black Knoll Studio by Rafael Anton Irisarri
Cover art by Cat Tyson Hughes
Layout and design by zakè
©℗ Past Inside the Present
This is PITP-V045 | MMXXIII
PRESSING INFORMATION
160 gram LP on a one-of-a-kind color vinyl. The record color will be exclusive to you alone. It may be opaque, translucent, or transparent with varying characteristics and mixes. The record is housed in a full color, semi-gloss jacket. PITP branded center labels. Includes download code. Shrinkwrapped.
by Cat Tyson Hughes
March 17, 2023
Limited Edition Color Vinyl + Digital Download
ABOUT
Cat Tyson Hughes is an Australian composer and artist working in experimental music and contemporary art. ‘Crossing Water’ is her debut album with Past Inside the Present, in addition to it being her first formal full-length. She has spent the last few years working on various music projects including her appearance on our compilation ‘Healing Together: A Compilation For Mental Health Recovery’ 2LP and appearing on zakè’s long-player ‘Remembrance’ 2LP with a beautiful rework. She has also worked on various other music commissions by artists and theatre makers, as well as performing in the band 'Fire to the Stars'.
‘Crossing Water’ is a fragile and delicate affair that balances gentle instrumentation and voice textures against a backdrop of beautiful field recordings. You will find each aural snapshot of sound incredibly patient and elegantly placed. Nature and natural sound permeate throughout the duration of this recording, yet the subtle melodies of these free structured arrangements gently brush a refined beauty to minimal sound design.
REVIEW
"Aussie composer Cat Tyson Hughes is an experimental artist whose new album Crossing Water on Past Inside The Present marks her debut long player. It comes after she's been involved with several other projects and offers a fragile and delicate mix of subtle instrumentation and rich voice textures imbued with an array of lovely field recordings. These are superbly patient and slow-burn tracks that really have a cathartic effect as nature and natural sounds permeate each composition. The melodies take your mind away as the freely structured, minimal arrangements really make you take note." -Juno Records
CREDITS
Written, produced and performed by Cat Tyson Hughes
Mastered at Black Knoll Studio by Rafael Anton Irisarri
Cover art by Cat Tyson Hughes
Layout and design by zakè
©℗ Past Inside the Present
This is PITP-V045 | MMXXIII
PRESSING INFORMATION
160 gram LP on a one-of-a-kind color vinyl. The record color will be exclusive to you alone. It may be opaque, translucent, or transparent with varying characteristics and mixes. The record is housed in a full color, semi-gloss jacket. PITP branded center labels. Includes download code. Shrinkwrapped.
Sacred Tonalities
by Mike Lazarev
February 7, 2023
Limited Edition Digistak + Digital Download
ABOUT
Sacred Tonalities is Mike Lazarev's debut album with Past Inside the Present. Mike is an incredible ambient and modern classical composer who also runs the fantastic online informer Headphone Commute.
Mike stated that his last two full-lengths were all about exploring time. Entering time, exiting time, and finding yourself within time. "I think that for Sacred Tonalities, I wanted to be present with time. It's a very meditative state of mind. Like the ocean. Like breathing." Mike wanted the music on Sacred Tonalities to become a mantra during introspective moments.
"I decided to create a sonic aid which could be used as a guide through these meditations. The music features a wide spectrum of frequencies, allowing the listener to pick and choose what they want to focus on or lose themselves in. It starts off pretty timid, almost frail, and grows into a textural and spacial soundscape, which tells its own story, sometimes a bit different on subsequent listens. I spent a lot of time peeling apart these layers myself, picking this or that slow-beating vibration as the focus to see where it leads and changing the emphasis of the melody so that the listener can ride any sound wave they want. And so, the tonalities become a device in themselves, to escort the meditator during their journey."
Mike further describes how he cultivated and created Sacred Tonalities, "On the technical side, I often started by painting the ground layer with super wide brush strokes, always using a hardware synth, ranging from analogue modular to wavetable or granular synthesis, including a lot of gear from the late 90s. If you're familiar with these synths, you may be able to pick out the classics, like Roland JP-8000, Clavia Nord Lead, Novation Nova, Access Virus C, and some newer ones, like Argon 8M, Waldorf Iridium and ASM Hydrasynth. I enjoy designing sound from scratch here, playing with modulated harmonics, gritty and soft. If you listen closely, you will hear layers, layers, layers, moving, fluctuating, and constantly rearranging themselves. Then, when this amorphous blob is nearly finished, I start drawing the outlines of the main melody, accentuating it with bass, piano, and lead arpeggios to give it some rhythm. Finally, when this sonic sculpture is almost complete, I chisel away and remove many things, stripping some structure and polishing off the edges."
About the style, Mike says that "if you listen closely, you may even pick up on some post-90s progressive trance in there, which I've completely reduced down to its bare essence (for example, on Tonality Number Five) - this is a nod to my early days when I used to produce hard acid trance back in the mid-90s - if you were into that type of music, especially from Platipus, Noom, or Time Unlimited labels, some aesthetics here may trigger a flashback. So, we're talking about travelling back in time again... where our past is always inside the present..."
REVIEWS
"Mike Lazarev drops his first album on Past Inside the Present and it's one that reminds us why he has such a great reputation as being one of modern ambient and classical's finest composers. After exploring notions of time on previous records, for this one, he embraces the here and now and that lends itself to a record steeped in mindfulness and meditation. As such, Sacred Tonalities is a perfect accompaniment to introspective moments with textural soundscapes placing you at the centre of them. The harmonics range from soft to gritty, the moods occasionally hint at trance and the layers of bass, piano and arps bring subtle and ever-shifting rhythms." -Juno Records
--
"On Mike Lazarev’s debut with Past Inside The Present titled Sacred Tonalities, Lazarev builds sparse soundscapes that turn subtlety into hypnotic and visceral. Quiet, buzzing tones build over several minutes in almost sci-fi-like mystery. This is the kind of music for deep dives and meditative headiness. Past work Lazarev has said was “exploring time. Entering time, exiting time, and finding yourself within time”, whereas Sacred Tonalities is “present with time. It’s a very meditative state of mind. Like the ocean. Like breathing.” You get a very elemental vibe with this record. It’s like breaking down existence into its individual parts and exploring them in some microscopic world, which turns out to be the universe itself." - Complex Distractions
CREDITS
Mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
Photography and design by zakè
©℗ Past Inside the Present
This is PITP30 | MMXXIII
PRESSING INFORMATION
Glass-mastered, silkscreen printed CD housed in a 4-panel 7.3" x 5.3", matte cardstock Digistak. Clear CD tray. Cardstock made from recycled board. Shrinkwrapped.
by Mike Lazarev
February 7, 2023
Limited Edition Digistak + Digital Download
ABOUT
Sacred Tonalities is Mike Lazarev's debut album with Past Inside the Present. Mike is an incredible ambient and modern classical composer who also runs the fantastic online informer Headphone Commute.
Mike stated that his last two full-lengths were all about exploring time. Entering time, exiting time, and finding yourself within time. "I think that for Sacred Tonalities, I wanted to be present with time. It's a very meditative state of mind. Like the ocean. Like breathing." Mike wanted the music on Sacred Tonalities to become a mantra during introspective moments.
"I decided to create a sonic aid which could be used as a guide through these meditations. The music features a wide spectrum of frequencies, allowing the listener to pick and choose what they want to focus on or lose themselves in. It starts off pretty timid, almost frail, and grows into a textural and spacial soundscape, which tells its own story, sometimes a bit different on subsequent listens. I spent a lot of time peeling apart these layers myself, picking this or that slow-beating vibration as the focus to see where it leads and changing the emphasis of the melody so that the listener can ride any sound wave they want. And so, the tonalities become a device in themselves, to escort the meditator during their journey."
Mike further describes how he cultivated and created Sacred Tonalities, "On the technical side, I often started by painting the ground layer with super wide brush strokes, always using a hardware synth, ranging from analogue modular to wavetable or granular synthesis, including a lot of gear from the late 90s. If you're familiar with these synths, you may be able to pick out the classics, like Roland JP-8000, Clavia Nord Lead, Novation Nova, Access Virus C, and some newer ones, like Argon 8M, Waldorf Iridium and ASM Hydrasynth. I enjoy designing sound from scratch here, playing with modulated harmonics, gritty and soft. If you listen closely, you will hear layers, layers, layers, moving, fluctuating, and constantly rearranging themselves. Then, when this amorphous blob is nearly finished, I start drawing the outlines of the main melody, accentuating it with bass, piano, and lead arpeggios to give it some rhythm. Finally, when this sonic sculpture is almost complete, I chisel away and remove many things, stripping some structure and polishing off the edges."
About the style, Mike says that "if you listen closely, you may even pick up on some post-90s progressive trance in there, which I've completely reduced down to its bare essence (for example, on Tonality Number Five) - this is a nod to my early days when I used to produce hard acid trance back in the mid-90s - if you were into that type of music, especially from Platipus, Noom, or Time Unlimited labels, some aesthetics here may trigger a flashback. So, we're talking about travelling back in time again... where our past is always inside the present..."
REVIEWS
"Mike Lazarev drops his first album on Past Inside the Present and it's one that reminds us why he has such a great reputation as being one of modern ambient and classical's finest composers. After exploring notions of time on previous records, for this one, he embraces the here and now and that lends itself to a record steeped in mindfulness and meditation. As such, Sacred Tonalities is a perfect accompaniment to introspective moments with textural soundscapes placing you at the centre of them. The harmonics range from soft to gritty, the moods occasionally hint at trance and the layers of bass, piano and arps bring subtle and ever-shifting rhythms." -Juno Records
--
"On Mike Lazarev’s debut with Past Inside The Present titled Sacred Tonalities, Lazarev builds sparse soundscapes that turn subtlety into hypnotic and visceral. Quiet, buzzing tones build over several minutes in almost sci-fi-like mystery. This is the kind of music for deep dives and meditative headiness. Past work Lazarev has said was “exploring time. Entering time, exiting time, and finding yourself within time”, whereas Sacred Tonalities is “present with time. It’s a very meditative state of mind. Like the ocean. Like breathing.” You get a very elemental vibe with this record. It’s like breaking down existence into its individual parts and exploring them in some microscopic world, which turns out to be the universe itself." - Complex Distractions
CREDITS
Mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard
Photography and design by zakè
©℗ Past Inside the Present
This is PITP30 | MMXXIII
PRESSING INFORMATION
Glass-mastered, silkscreen printed CD housed in a 4-panel 7.3" x 5.3", matte cardstock Digistak. Clear CD tray. Cardstock made from recycled board. Shrinkwrapped.
Nurture
by marine eyes + IKSRE
January 13, 2023
Limited Edition LP (Mystery Color) + Digital Download
ABOUT
Nurture is a new album on Past Inside the Present from Los Angeles based musician and artist, marine eyes (Cynthia Bernard), and Melbourne based multi-instrumentalist and sound healer, IKSRE (Phoebe Dubar).
After hearing each other’s music, it quickly became apparent that the two were kindred spirits from other sides of the world. When a conversation started about their love of field recording, the idea sparked to create an album through sharing their captured nature sounds in an email pen-pal format. Going back and forth, the two would get a field recording and then write about where they were from, attaching photos and videos. The mail became a geographical lesson, and also an uncovering of each other’s emotional landscapes. After receiving the email, they would each start a new song using that field recording and story. When it was snowy in California (Abalone Sky), it was the height of heat in Melbourne (Rainforest Dawn), and with these differences in hemispheres, they could transport to alternate seasons while working on songs from their home studios. This cemented a creative friendship cultivated in nature, music & holding space for each other’s stories in creative living and motherhood.
Nurture is a blend of ambient drone, neo-classical, sound healing, dream-pop and gentle lullabies enveloping the listener with a sense of belonging, comfort, & introspection, whispering that in nature we can always come back to ourselves, and in turn be there for others in a deeper way.
REVIEW
"Los Angeles-based marine eyes (aka Cynthia Bernard) and Melbourne-based IKSRE (aka Phoebe Dubar) come together for this new album on Past Inside The Present and it is one that draws on their respective backgrounds as musicians, multi-instrumentalists and sound healers, as well as their shared love of field recordings. The album came about when each heard the other's music and decided to share sounds through an email pen-pal format. The mail chain included notes and pictures and became a geographical lesson and exploration of emotional landscapes. It blends ambient drone with neo-classical, sound healing, dream-pop and gentle lullabies onto something warm, comforting and introspective." -Juno Records
CREDITS
Written, produced, performed and assistant mixing by Cynthia Bernard and Phoebe Dubar
Mixed and mastered at Ambient Mountain House
by James Bernard
Cover art by Cynthia Bernard
Layout by zakè
©℗ Past Inside the Present
This is PITP-V044 | MMXXIII
PRESSING INFORMATION
160 gram LP on a one-of-a-kind color vinyl. The record color will be exclusive to you alone. It may be opaque, translucent, or transparent with varying characteristics and mixes. The record is housed in a full color, semi-gloss jacket. PITP branded center labels. Includes download code. Shrinkwrapped.
by marine eyes + IKSRE
January 13, 2023
Limited Edition LP (Mystery Color) + Digital Download
ABOUT
Nurture is a new album on Past Inside the Present from Los Angeles based musician and artist, marine eyes (Cynthia Bernard), and Melbourne based multi-instrumentalist and sound healer, IKSRE (Phoebe Dubar).
After hearing each other’s music, it quickly became apparent that the two were kindred spirits from other sides of the world. When a conversation started about their love of field recording, the idea sparked to create an album through sharing their captured nature sounds in an email pen-pal format. Going back and forth, the two would get a field recording and then write about where they were from, attaching photos and videos. The mail became a geographical lesson, and also an uncovering of each other’s emotional landscapes. After receiving the email, they would each start a new song using that field recording and story. When it was snowy in California (Abalone Sky), it was the height of heat in Melbourne (Rainforest Dawn), and with these differences in hemispheres, they could transport to alternate seasons while working on songs from their home studios. This cemented a creative friendship cultivated in nature, music & holding space for each other’s stories in creative living and motherhood.
Nurture is a blend of ambient drone, neo-classical, sound healing, dream-pop and gentle lullabies enveloping the listener with a sense of belonging, comfort, & introspection, whispering that in nature we can always come back to ourselves, and in turn be there for others in a deeper way.
REVIEW
"Los Angeles-based marine eyes (aka Cynthia Bernard) and Melbourne-based IKSRE (aka Phoebe Dubar) come together for this new album on Past Inside The Present and it is one that draws on their respective backgrounds as musicians, multi-instrumentalists and sound healers, as well as their shared love of field recordings. The album came about when each heard the other's music and decided to share sounds through an email pen-pal format. The mail chain included notes and pictures and became a geographical lesson and exploration of emotional landscapes. It blends ambient drone with neo-classical, sound healing, dream-pop and gentle lullabies onto something warm, comforting and introspective." -Juno Records
CREDITS
Written, produced, performed and assistant mixing by Cynthia Bernard and Phoebe Dubar
Mixed and mastered at Ambient Mountain House
by James Bernard
Cover art by Cynthia Bernard
Layout by zakè
©℗ Past Inside the Present
This is PITP-V044 | MMXXIII
PRESSING INFORMATION
160 gram LP on a one-of-a-kind color vinyl. The record color will be exclusive to you alone. It may be opaque, translucent, or transparent with varying characteristics and mixes. The record is housed in a full color, semi-gloss jacket. PITP branded center labels. Includes download code. Shrinkwrapped.