E•A•D•G•B•E AVAILABLE DIGITALLY
May 17 2013
Originally released in 2003, this album featuring Fonica, Keith Fullerton Whitman, Sébastien Roux and Christopher Willits is finally available as a download from the 12k shop.
In July 2003 12k released E•A•D•G•B•E a CD that brought together artists who used the guitar as their main sound source in the then burgeoning “microsound” music scene. For 12k it was a bold move. As a label previously known for pure, synthetic tones, shying away anything that sounded like an “instrument” in its early years, a new sound had firmly taken root and unknowingly planted the seeds for what 12k listeners today take for granted: the subtle organic tones of acoustic instrumentation and human sound that now so naturally defines 12k.
We are very pleased, finally, to be able to bring this long out-of-print music back and make it available again as a (legal) download. Listening to it now, 10 years on, the music still sounds fresh, adventurous and beautiful and remains a vital turning point in the sonic history of 12k.
MONOME.ORG INTERVIEWS MARCUS FISCHER
May 08 2013
marcus fischer focuses closely on the fine details of things- his sonic and visual work reveal an unfolding process of meticulous patience and refinement. where this sort of perfection-seeking normally alludes to sparse output, marcus is remarkably prolific in his varied creative practices. we’re not sure he sleeps because we can’t figure out when he gets it all done. beautiful music, glorious treehouses, family adventures, stunning photography- so inspiring.
Our friends over at Monome.org posted a brief, but inspiring, interview with Marcus Fischer today. Take a couple minutes to read…
MONOME INTERVIEW WITH MARCUS FISCHER
COMING SOON: SEAWORTHY + TAYLOR DEUPREE AND ILLUHA
May 08 2013
The new releases are scheduled for mid june and include a collaborative album from Seaworthy and Taylor Deupree called Wood, Winter, Hollow and a live CD from Illuha, Interstices.
Stay tuned to these pages for artwork, previews, and info!
CREDITS CARDS NOW ACCEPTED AT THE 12K SHOP
April 02 2013
After many years of using only PayPal as a payment method in the 12k shop, we’re very happy to announce that you can now check out and pay with any major credit card. This is completely separate from PayPal, not processed or handled by them at all. Of course, we still have PayPal as an option as always.
When you check out you will be given the option to “Pay with Credit Card” or “Pay with PayPal.” Choose your option, and the checkout experience will be quick and seamless… one of the slickest and easiest checkout experiences we’ve seen online.
Try it out at the 12k Shop.
PRAISE FROM PRESS ON NEW RELEASES
March 21 2013
The two new releases from Marsen Jules and Savvas Ysatis + Taylor Deupree were released on March 5th to some wonderful praise from the press.
Fluid Radio (UK) on Marsen Jules The Endless Change Of Colour:
“The lulling phantasmic-like quality of Jules sets him apart here, though, creating sub-themes of elongated tones, one’s cloying at their anchors, searching for a resolution, and getting the sea alive to this very aquatic / prismatic meshing.”
and Experimedia (US) has this to say about Savvas Ysatis + Taylor Deupree Origin:
“After 20 years of creating sounds together and weaving their disparate approaches into one, Savvas Ysatis and Taylor Deupree have at last arrived at the fleeting, quiet grandeur of “Origin.”
NEW RELEASES AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER
February 26 2013
The new releases from Marsen Jules and Savvas Ysatis + Taylor Deupree are available for pre-order today. Physical orders will ship today and downloads will be delivered on the release date of March 5th at 00:00 GMT.
STEVE PETERS QUOTE ON ART
February 02 2013
A really great quote from 12k artist Steve Peters about the role of art. Please take a moment to read it…
(thanks for Marcus Fischer for bringing this to our attention)
US POSTAL RATE INCREASES JAN. 2013
January 28 2013
Please read our latest newsletter regarding the US Postal Service’s significant increases to international shipping rates.
One area where we won’t see as significant changes are in the new 12k releases packed in the new, thinner gatefold jackets. The weight of these come in at a lower tier on the new pricing and will only see a $2 increase in shipping cost. We will continue to see where we can work around the pricing and fine tune our prices and shipping categories to help lessen the impact of the shipping price increases.
12K WELCOMES MARSEN JULES
January 22 2013
12k is happy to welcome seasoned German ambient musician Marsen Jules to the roster. The Endless Change Of Colour (12k1074) will be released in late february.
HAPPY 12.12.12
December 12 2012
For this special day for 12k we’re offering a one-time sale on most 12k releases.
Just enter the coupon code: 121212 at checkout and receive 36% off your order. The most recent releases are excluded from the sale.
http://shop.12k.com/
OUT NOW: BETWEEN
December 12 2012
Today is the release date of the live collaboration CD by Corey Fuller + Tomoyoshi Date (Illuha), Simon Scott, Marcus Fischer, and Taylor Deupree.
Recorded live at Kinse Ryokan in Tokyo on October 8th, 2012, you can purchase the CD or download here.
MONO/LOGUES: 2013
November 29 2012
TAYLOR DEUPREE’S “FAINT” RELEASED TODAY
November 27 2012
Today is the official release date for Taylor Deupree’s new album Faint. Pre-orders have already been shipped and today the download version has become available. Vital Weekly calls it “Like Rothko paintings erased with acid.”
Have a listen and purchase it here:
GARETH DICKSON CONCERT VIDEO
November 11 2012
This complete concert (01:08:00) of Gareth Dickson was recorded live on October 17th in Istanbul at Expeditions In Sound and Music 2. Gareth’s talent carries the whole concert emphasized by his beautiful guitar style and songwriting.
TRACK LIST:
1.00 Climbing
4.25 Once Upon
8.30 This Is The Kiss
13.50 Jonah
20.20 The Big Lie
26.50 Song, Woman and Wine
30.50 Amber Sky
35.30 Harmonics
39.25 Noon
44.30 The Dance
46.40 Electro-Harmonix
48.55 Technology
55.00 Two Trains
1.01.50 Fifth (the impossibility of death.)
1.06.05 From The Morning (Nick Drake)
GARETH DICKSON TOUR - FRANCE/SPAIN
October 25 2012
Gareth Dickson is doing 10 shows in Europe over the next few weeks. He’ll be in Spain (with David Wenngren from Murralin Lane), France, and Holland. Read below for the cities and dates.
GARETH DICKSON, EUROPEAN AUTUMN TOUR
SPAIN & PORTUGAL - (With Library Tapes)
28th Oct - Santiago de Compostela (ES) - Placeres Ocultos, Kunsthalle
29th Oct - Bragança (PT) - MUSEU DO ABADE DE BAÇAL
31st Oct - Zaragoza (ES) - Bombo y Platillo
1st Nov - Caspe (ES) - venue to be confirmed
FRANCE - (with local support)
3rd Nov - Nantes, Soy Festival
4th Nov- Paris, house concert, write to salon (at) goodmornincaptn.com to attend.
6th Nov - Caen - http://ecuyes.blogspot.se/
7th Nov - Reims - venue to be announced shortly
10th Nov - Wanquetin - Le Plane Ari house concert, write to indiesociable (at) free.fr to attend
HOLLAND
9th Nov - Dordrecht - SBK Artcenter
KANE IKIN “RHEA” VIDEO
October 19 2012
A new video by Kane Ikin for “Rhea” from Sublunar has been released.
Kane’s use of lo-fi and found imagery perfectly reflects the sounds of Sublunar.
watch the video on 12K’S VIMEO CHANNEL
12K JAPAN TOUR 2012
September 27 2012
12k artists are hitting Japan from October 6-13. Consisting of a van trip to Kyoto and Matsumoto and ending with a 2-day festival and a collaborative performance night in Tokyo. Read on for the schedule and list of artists.
Artists involved are:
Marcus Fischer, Simon Scott, Taylor Deupree, Illuha, Ichiko Aoba, Sawako, Moskitoo, Minamo, and Christopher Willits.
10/6
長野 松本 「群青」
Taylor Deupree＋Marcus Fischer
Simon Scott、Illuha＋Asuna
adv. 2500yen door 3000yen 学生2000円
open19:00 start19:30 close 22:00
(いずれも1ドリンク込み、限定50名)
hair salon 群青 (松本市中央 3-5-10) (0263-34-1006)
[nami to kami］ 予約
10/7
京都 「きんせ旅館」
Taylor Deupree, Simon ScottMarcus Fischer. Illuha
adv.3000yen door 3500yen （限定60名）
open19:00 start19:30 close 22:00
「きんせ旅館」 予約
10/10
六本木 Super Deluxe
Simon Scott, Christopher Willits, Moskitoo, Illuha
adv. 3000yen door 3500yen
予約・詳細
10/11
六本木 Super Deluxe
Taylor Deupree, Marcus Fischer, Minamo, Sawako
adv. 3000yen door 3500yen
予約・詳細
10/13
文京区千駄木 「養源寺」
Taylor Deupree＋青葉市子
Simon Scott＋Marcus Fischer＋伊達伯欣
Christopher Willits＋Corey Fuller
Sawako＋青木隼人
adv. 3500yen door 4000yen（限定150名）
open12:00 start12:30 close 17:00
予約・詳細
BELOW SEA LEVEL - CAUGHT BY THE RIVER
September 17 2012
The wonderful website Caught By The River, which has published one of the most important books we’ve ever read, has just posted a discussion about Simon Scott’s new Below Sea Level.
Read the article and take your time to explore the stories and explorations by its writers into the things in life that matter the most.
SOUNDS AND PLACES: SIMON SCOTT & RICHARD SKELTON
KANE IKIN “EUROPA” VIDEO PREMIERE
September 04 2012
Our friends at TIny Mix Tapes are premiering the video for Kane Ikin’s “Europa” from his forthcoming album Sublunar. You can read their review of the album and watch the video here.
“Following his Contrail EP on 12k, Kane Ikin (of duo Solo Andata) is set to release his debut full-length this month, Sublunar. On this album, Ikin seems to be taking a particular interest in the awareness of being tied down to mythology (“Titan,” “Oberon,” “Hyperion”) while desiring to go beyond it (“Slow Waves,” “Ebbing,”). If his track “Prometheus’ Trail” is explicitly intended to signify this feeling of striving (Prometheus being a Greek mythological figure who represented a quest for knowledge), then perhaps opening track “Europa” (the sixth closest moon to Jupiter) represents the destination. But Ikin’s emphasis on “Europa” is not on the deterritorialization and subsequent reterritorialization of its music, but on the processes through which these acts are materialized. In other words, the music on “Europa” doesn’t sound like what one might imagine the music on Europa to be: by taking choral music and deconstructed club beats into darker, bleaker, desolate realms and situating them in the context of failed transmissions and interrupted communication, Ikin is instead foregrounding static, obfuscated rhythms, warped textures, the process of reification itself. It sounds at once futile and noble, and it’s all paralleled beautifully in the video for “Europa”:
NEW 12K RELEASES AVAILABLE FOR PRE ORDER
August 28 2012
The new releases from Kane Ikin and Stephan Mathieu are available for pre-order today. Release date is September 18th.
You can pre-order Stephan Mathieu’s Coda (For WK) here
and
Kane Ikin’s Sublunar here
CDs will be shipped prior to release date and digital downloads will become available on the morning of the release date.
ILLUHA US WEST COAST TOUR - STARTS TODAY
August 02 2012
Illuha is touring the west coast of the US, starting today, for 5 shows. Read below for the tour schedule and if you’re in their area, do not miss it!
Thursday, 8/2
Oakland, CA
Subliminal Festival at Liminal Space
with Lawrence English, Gregg Kowalsky and Paul Clipson.
http://liminal-space.org/events/subliminal
Tuesday, 8/7
Portland, OR
Worksound Gallery
with Marcus Fischer + Paul Dickow and EN.
http://www.facebook.com/events/456099681076445/
Wednesday, 8/8
Bellingham, WA
First Presbyterian Church
with Mathieu Ruhlmann + Kristen Roos, EN.
http://www.facebook.com/events/211473945646612/
Thursday, 8/9
Vancouver, BC
Vivo Media Arts Centre with Mathieu Ruhlmann + Kristen Roos, EN, Segue.
http://www.facebook.com/events/249446751841588/
Friday, 8/10
Seattle, WA
Chapel Performance Space at the Good Shepherd Center
with Marcus Fischer, EN
http://waywardmusic.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/events/409446565779247/
GARETH DICKSON “HAPPY EASTERS” VIDEO
July 28 2012
Gareth Dickson’s new video for “Happy Easters” (from Quite A Way Away) is intimate, fragile, and touching.
QUIET DESIGN PODCAST #3: 2 HOUR INTERVIEW WITH TAYLOR DEUPREE
July 28 2012
Joining our friends Stephen Vitiello and Marcus Fischer (episodes 1 & 2, respectively) Taylor Deupree gives a 2-hour interview to the guys @ Quiet Design.
You can listen to and subscribe to the free podcasts here:
QUIET DESIGN PODCASTS
July 16 2012
Our friends over at Quiet Design have started a series of informal conversations with artists that are being released as podcasts. The first two are with artists familiar to 12k listeners: Stephen Vitiello and Marcus Fischer.
You can listen to and subscribe to the podcast series here. There will be many more interesting conversations to come which give a really relaxed insight into the lives and creative processes of these artists.
12K SUMMER SALE 2012
July 09 2012
From now until the end of July, nearly the entire 12k shop is on sale from 35% - 40% (ok, sometimes 50%) off. This includes CDs, vinyl, downloads (in your choice of formats, including lossless), t-shirts, 12k’s catalog (pre-2012) and even many of our other label partners. We have created a section in the shop dedicated to the sale so you can quickly browse through the 4 pages of featured items. Discounted prices are listed and are pre-shipping. It’s time to catch up on some releases you’ve missed, explore 12k’s past , or maybe pick up a release from another label that features a 12k artist.
THE BOATS JAPAN TOUR - JUNE 2012
June 05 2012
The Boats are touring Japan this month. Read on for dates and details.
Organized and hosted by Flau, the tour spans 8 dates/cities starting on June 16th.
チケット予約：event at flau.jp
公演日程・お名前・枚数・ご連絡先を明記の上、
上記アドレスまでご送信下さい。
06/16
(土) 東京
flau night in tokyo : day 1
@富士見丘教会
open 16:00 / start 17:00
adv.: 2,500yen /door: 3,000yen
tape loop orchestra, hofli, tsumugine,
aus + danny norbury
ticket: event@flau.jp
06/17
(日) 京都
flau night in kyoto
@METRO
open / start 18:00
adv. 2000 / door 2500yen
the boats (w.danny norbury),
aus + takcom, madegg, gtsvl
06/19
(火) 岡山
@城下公会堂
open 19:30 / start 20:00
adv./door: 2,500/ 3,000yen
The Boats w. Danny Norbury
more info: moderado music
06/20
(水) 広島
@MUGEN5610
open 18:00 / start 18:30
adv./door: 2,000/ 2,500yen
The Boats w. Danny Norbury, aus, Speaker Gain Teardrop,
the musicgirl, 藤翠 bandset, テレキテレコ, stablilo
6/21
(木) 富山
@ nowhere
open/start 18:00 / 19:00
adv./door： 3,000yen / 3,500yen
the boats, aus + danny norbury
ご予約・お問合せ: nowhere
06/22
(金) 大阪
Waves & Resonance vol.3
@FLOAT
open 18:00 / start 18:30
adv/door: 2,300/ 2,500yen (inc.1drink)
the boats, aus + danny norbury, asuna, omoidemaigo
チケット予約・問い合わせ: Pastel Records
メール予約 shopmaster@pastelrecords.com
06/23
(土）名古屋
@wall
adv/door: 2,800/ 3,300yen
open 17:30 / start 18:00
the boats, noah, polarM
チケット予約：nascor.noahinfo@gmail.com
06/24
(日) 東京
flau night in tokyo: day2
open 16:00 / start 16:30
adv ￥3,000 / door ￥3,500 (ドリンク代別途) act: The Boats (w. Danny Norbury),
Bun / Fumitake Tamura, Cuushe,
Gutevolk + aus + itoken
dj: osamu matsumoto (linus records)
GARETH DICKSON + SIMON SCOTT LIVE PHOTOS
May 30 2012
As we type this, Gareth Dickson is on stage in Abderdeen in an evening of live performance with fellow 12k labelmate Simon Scott. Stay tuned here for more photos from the evening and the shows they are playing together over the next few days.
photos of Gareth by Simon
photos of Simon by Gareth
Simon Scott live in Glasgow
Gareth grabbing a meal
Simon on the street
This is all Gareth needs to amaze us
Gareth Dickson live in Glasgow
Simon
2008 12K TSHIRTS AVAILABLE IN THE SHOP
May 26 2012
We’ve unboxed a few 12k tshirts from the 2008 design by Ralph Steinbruchel and have put them in the 12k shop. only a couple of each size left… but we do have girl-cut, babydoll and strap shirts, too!
SIMON SCOTT “BELOW SEA LEVEL” PRE-ORDER
May 15 2012
Simon Scott’s Below Sea Level project has gone on pre-order today in the 12k shop. All editions, from the deluxe featuring the journal, a hand-inked sketch, a live recording and the CD or download as well as the regular CD or digital editions.
READ ABOUT IT AND HEAR IT HERE
PRE-ORDER IT HERE
Official release date is May 29th.
NEW LINE TITLES NOW IN THE 12K SHOP
May 15 2012
3 new releases from LINE are now available in the 12k shop.
RICHARD CHARTIER + ROBERT CURGENVEN “BUILT THROUGH”
FRANK BRETSCHNEIDER “KIPPSCHWIINGUNGEN”
PINKCOURTESYPHONE “FOLEY FOLLY FOLIO”
they can be purchased on CD here: http://shop.12k.com/categories/other-labels-line
GARETH DICKSON EU TOUR: MAY 2012
May 02 2012
We’re very happy to announce that Gareth Dickson has a number of shows throughout Northern and Western Europe this month. Here’s the schedule so far:
GARETH DICKSON - MAY 2012 EU TOUR
10th - Malmö - Debaser (Utomhusscenen) (with Library Tapes and James Brewster)
11th - Jönköping - Fokus - (with Library Tapes)
13th - Göteborg - St Andrews Church -(With Library Tapes and Woodchucker)
14th - Stockholm - Southside - (with David Wenngren)
15th - Eskilstuna - Eskilstuna Theater (with James Brewster, NO Library Tapes.)
18th - Berlin - Valentin Stuberl - with Ned Collette
20th - Liberec - Culture Centrum
22nd - Strasbourg - http://www.facebook.com/events/288207794587496/
23rd - Vevey - write to session603 (at) gmail.com for information on how to attend
25th - Rennes - Venue TBA
26th - Wanquetin - write to indiesociable (at) free.fr for information on how to attend
27th - Paris - 7eme Ciel Concerts http://7ciel.net/concerts/
28th - Caen - Porte sans Cle Concerts, venue TBA
30th - Aberdeen - The Tunnels - With Simon Scott
31st - Glasgow - Nice and Sleazy - with Simon Scott
SOME OUT OF PRINT TITLES BACK IN THE SHOP
April 20 2012
Thanks to a recent distributor return, a few more CDs of titles that have been out of stock in the 12k shop are available again.
ILLUHA SHIZUKU
VARIOUS ARTISTS “TASOGARE: LIVE IN TOKYO”
MOLLY BERG + STEPHEN VITIELLO “THE GORILLIA VARIATIONS”
MOSS “MOSS”
PILLOWDIVER “SLEEPING PILLS”
NEW 12K SHOP LAUNCHES TODAY
April 17 2012
We are very happy to announce, after many months of work, false starts, botched technology and patient beta-testers, that we have launched the new 12k online shop. We’ll run down the new features below. Additionally, we’re offering the entire 12k download catalog for 50% off as well as offering free shipping on all 12k CDs for the remainder of the month of April.
• GETTING THERE: The new shop can be found at shop.12k.com
and also from within the 12k.com website. One of our favorite new features is that every release on our website now links to an individual shop page where you can select your format and check out. This allows us (and you) to pass around direct shop URLs for specific releases. It’s a simple feature that goes a long way to making the shop more user friendly. You will also notice a significant increase in site speed due to new hosting servers.
• DOWNLOADS: This is where it gets a bit more exciting. In addition to the physical releases we’ve always sold we now offer 12k releases as downloads. There are two particular items of note here: 1. Many different formats are offered, from MP3, to AAC, FLAC, and more. 2. When you purchase a physical 12k release you will receive a free instant download of that item so you can listen to it while you wait for the cd or vinyl to arrive in the mail. Please note, however, that at this time we only offer downloadable content for 12k releases, we’re not set up to handle the digital distribution of other labels.
When you’re ready to purchase an item you simply select what format you want from the dropdown menu and add it to your cart. Physical releases automatically include a digital counterpart and you will choose what file type you want to download after you check out.
• CATEGORIES + SEARCHES: You will now find a drop-down menu for the various categories and product-types in the 12k shop. The above picture shows how it works. Also, because our catalog of products and additional label releases is growing rather large you can simply search for an item you’re looking for in the search field.
• PRICES: We now work on a system that offers actual shipping prices on items. You will notice the initial price for CDs and vinyl is a bit lower than you’re used to, but please note that shipping charges will get added when you check out. You will see a savings though when multiple items are ordered because a more accurate by-weight shipping total is calculated. in a nutshell: savings for our customers.
• COMING SOON: The cart and delivery system we’re using to run the 12k shop is going to be rolling out coupon code functionality in the near future. This is a very important feature for us and we’ll be putting it to good use to offer our loyal listeners special discounts. Additionally, as new features roll out with the system we’ll be implementing the interesting ones and improving functionality.
We’re quite confident the new shop will provide you a better user experience all around. If you run into any problems or have questions while you’re using it please don’t hesitate to contact us at
GIUSEPPE IELASI: TOKAFI INTERVIEW
April 05 2012
Giuseppe Ielasi doesn’t feel the need to bring the attention of mainstream audiences to his work, he doesn’t even like to title his work a lot of the time. Perhaps it is a desire to leave the music unseen, to embody the philosophy of his long-term fascination with musique concrète. Or perhaps he simply wants to let the music speak for itself.
SOON
March 28 2012
coming soon.
GARETH DICKSON INTERVIEW ON AFTERPOP.TV
February 27 2012
afterpop.tv just published an interview with Gareth Dickson as well as a mix of some his favorite music that he put together.
The interview is in Spanish and can be read on Afterpop HERE.
and Gareth supplied us with the original English transcript which we have posted HERE.
GARETH DICKSON CD ON BACKORDER
February 22 2012
We apologize for the backorder of Gareth Dickson’s Quite A Way Away. We sold out of the first round of CDs that were manufactured and are making more. There is now a 2 week delay for any orders of the CD. Order now and it will be shipped as soon as we get them in. Apologies for the delay.
12K + LINE MIX ON HEADPHONE COMMUTE
February 20 2012
Head over to Headphone Commute to hear a microsound mix from Floyd Kelley
Today’s Headphone Commute podcast comes from Floyd Kelley III, a selector of eclectic sounds and a curator of sonic journeys, including the last two mini-compilations on Dynamophone (003 and 004). This mix is almost exclusively composed of tracks from Taylor Deupree‘s 12k label and Richard Chartier‘s LINE imprint, both at the forefront of experimental, minimal and microsound evolution. Here are some words from Floyd:
Microsound music isn’t for everyone. It takes a disciplined ear and a lot of patience. Many pass it off as non-musical. Some consider it too high brow. It took me years to really learn to appreciate it. Microsound artists can be included in the same rankings as 20th-century composers such as John Cage, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Iannis Xenakis, Pierre Boulaz, Pierre Henry, and Pierre Schaeffer. The terms: field recording, minimalism, tape music, musique concrète, electroacoustic, and avant-garde immediately come to mind.
WIN THE UPCOMING 12K CDS FROM FLUID RADIO
February 06 2012
Our friends over at Fluid Radio are holding a giveaway for the upcoming Steve Peters + Steve Roden and Gareth Dickson CDs.
Listen to a track from Gareth’s Quite A Way Away and read about the contest HERE.
POSTAGE RATE INCREASE
February 03 2012
Please read this important note about US Postage rate increases.
On January 22nd, the US Postal service made a large increase in the rates of shipping on all of their services.
The hardest hitting increase for us was in the international package rates that have increased the price of mailing one CD outside of america by over $1 per package. As a result, we have no choice but to raise our international prices. We are doing so by $0.50 to try to keep our prices lower but also to help soften the blow of the postage increase.
Prices have also gone up for domestic shipping and we are also increasing the price of the CDs by $0.50.
It costs us more each year to ship CDs than it does to manufacture them. We never like to have to pass on higher costs to you, our listeners, and have only raised our shipping prices once during the past four US Postal rate increases. This time the increase was so dramatic we had no choice.
We will keep the prices lower on back-catalogue items to try to keep everything a little more in balance.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
Taylor Deupree / 12k
12K NEWS: FEBRUARY 1, 2012
February 03 2012
In this week’s newsletter:
Taylor Deupree’s Shoals available again on CD
From the archives: Sogar‘s Basal
CLICK HERE TO READ THE LATEST NEWSLETTER
MARCUS FISCHER INTERVIEW
January 18 2012
Fluid Radio recently had a chat with Marcus Fischer about his processes and plans.
NEW FROM THE BOATS & KANE IKIN
January 14 2012
The new 12k releases are now available! Read on!
The Boats
Ballads of the Research Department
12k1068
CD
Kane Ikin
Contrail
12k2022
7” vinyl + download code EP
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM 12K
December 20 2011
A warm thank you to our listeners for your support throughout 2011 during these crazy times for the music business. Small labels everywhere need passionate listeners like you. Thank you!
12K WELCOMES GARETH DICKSON
December 08 2011
The intimate, hushed songs of singer/songwriter Gareth Dickson will grace 12k in February, 2012.
Read about him here
12K DECEMBER SALE
December 01 2011
For the month of December we’re giving away a free Sampler CD if you purchase any 2 (or more) items in the online shop. Also, the latest releases and screenprinted poster are on sale.
ITEMS ON SALE, 40% OFF
Kenneth Kirschner “Twenty Ten”
Fourcolor “As Pleat”
Stephan Mathieu “A Static Place”
Moss “Moss”
Seaworthy + Matt Rosner “Two Lakes”
Murralin Lane “Our House Is On The Wall”
12k Screen Printed Poster by Marcus Fischer
If you haven’t picked up this music yet, or wish to for a holiday gift, now’s the time… because…
we’re also giving you a free 12k SAMPLER CD if you purchase 2 or more items from the online shop.
As always, prices in the shop reflect the sale and shipping is included.
Sale ends December 31, 2011.
ILLUHA + MINAMO LIVE IN TOKYO DEC 10
November 30 2011
Illuha and Minamo will be playing a live set at Yougenji, a beautiful temple in Sendagi Tokyo accompanied by Masahide Asabuki on dance.
Illuha will be playing a live set at Yougenji, a beautiful temple in Sendagi Tokyo accompanied by Masahide Asabuki on dance. Truly a special evening not to be missed! Other artists include: Minamo (12k, Room 40), Toshimaru Nakamura + Ken Ikeda, Celer + Yui Onodera. The temple is the perfect space to enjoy subtle and quiet music like this and as the days grow shorter and nights colder, the radiant heated tatami floor along with the sounds will be sure to lull you into a peaceful state. For a discount and to guarantee a comfortable seat, make your reservation by sending an email here: kualauk@hotmail.co.jp
ILLUHA will be embarking on a short Japan tour in January and February followed by a US West Coast tour with Fourcolor this summer, but this will be the last chance you can see ILLUHA in Tokyo for a while as they head back into the studio to work on their second album.
MATHIEU + DEUPREE LIVE RECORDING
November 15 2011
Stephan Mathieu + Taylor Deupree’s live performance @ Semibreve Festival (Braga, Portugal) last Friday was recorded from the mixing desk.
UPDATE!:
“Today Onnen Bock of Qluster has send Taylor and me a handheld recording he made during our set. The first couple of minutes are missing, nonetheless this is much more enjoyable than the file I had posted yesterday.
Danke Onnen!”
Unfortunately, the recording was set to a very low 32kbps MP3 quality, but it is here to listen to and download anyway!
STEPHAN MATHIEU + TAYLOR DEUPREE LIVE @ SEMIBREVE 11.11.11
PJUSK VIDEO FOR “SUS”
November 09 2011
Norwegian 12k artists Pjusk teamed up with the German digital artist Till Nowak to create an artistic music video for their song “Sus.”
Pjusk - Sus from Till Nowak on Vimeo.
In 2011 the Norwegian electronica project Pjusk (signed to the US label 12k) teamed up with the German digital artist Till Nowak to create an artistic music video. As a base for Nowaks digital visual extensions they were given the chance to use aerial footage by Fuglefjellet, a Norwegian film production company.
“It was a spontanious idea,” Nowak says “A year ago Jostein contacted me, saying that he liked my work. I did some research and wrote back that I was impressed by his work, too. That was the beginning of our collaboration”. Gjelsvik then presented the raw aerial footage to him. “I couldn’t resist the potential of a video combining this beautiful mountain footage with digital visuals and the music of Pjusk. So I agreed in creating the visuals for this collaborative artistic video.” The final result is a mix of ideas of both Nowak and Gjelsvik.
Nowak, who is known for his thought provoking art projects and filmmaking, explains: “I think we created something with a unique mood. The video shows earth and nature, but in a dreamlike, manipulated version, playing with the sense of scale by creating a confusion between immense and small spaces. You sometimes think you are looking at someting microscopic, like a chemical process, but at the same time you are looking at something gigantic. So it plays with the thought of how small we are. When I listen to the music of Pjusk I think it sounds like the noise our planet would make if it was a living being and the visuals are reflecting these sensations.”
12K.COM SERVER CHANGE
October 25 2011
We changed internet providers for 12k.com to speed up the site and the forthcoming new shop. The changeover just happened minutes ago, so we apologize for downtime to the site, forum, or email. However, if you’re reading this, then the changeover has probably happened successfully!
ILLUHA RELEASE PARTY - PHOTOS
October 23 2011
The 12k/Illuha Shizuku release party on October 14th in Tokyo was hugely successful. So fun… sold out… and great performances by everyone. The event was photographed by Ryo Mitamura and we have a link to his photos here. Please enjoy.
Performances by:
Hiroki Chiba
Sawako
Illuha
Taylor Deupree
(Illuha (above) photo by Ryo Mitamura)
MINAMO + COREY FULLER/TOMOYOSHI DATE LIVE IN TOKYO - NOVEMBER 5TH
October 23 2011
LIVE AT JINPACHI NOVEMBER 5th
Toshimaru Nakamura + Tetuzi Akiyama
Minamo
Opitope + Marcos Fernades
Makoto Ooshiro
Will Long (Celer) + Corey Fuller
It’s an unusual event held at an izakaya (japanese traditional pub) and guests can enjoy music along with food and drinks, freely come and go, and even fall asleep peacefully on the tatami.
Seating is very limited (20+) so please make your reservations here:
http://www.kualauktable.com/jinpachi.html
ILLUHA RELEASE PARTY - TOKYO
October 21 2011
Friday, October 14th @ Forestlimit
Release party for Illuha’s “Shizuku” on 12k with live performances from
ILLUHA
TAYLOR DEUPREE
SAWAKO
HIROKI CHIBA
photo by Ryo MItamura
SEAWORTHY CONCERT RECORDING
September 27 2011
A beautiful 14 minutes recorded of a Seaworthy concert @ Lucindas Cafe, Berkelouw Books on 28 August 2011.
LISTEN/DOWNLOAD FROM SOUNDCLOUD
MARCUS FISCHER + SIMON SCOTT LIVE IN PORTLAND
September 20 2011
Aleatoric with The Sight Below, Simon Scott and Marcus Fischer at Eat. Art. Theater.
Date Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Time 8:30 pm pst
Venue Eat. Art. Theater. / 850 NE 81st Ave. Portland OR 97213
Cost $5 USD
NEW 12K RELEASES AVAILABLE TODAY
September 16 2011
We’re very happy to announce that the boxed set from Taylor Deupree + Marcus Fischer is finally available. Also today you can get the new 12k Sampler as well as Taylor Deupree’s Focux from Lantern Recrods (Japan) in the Other Labels section.
TAYLOR DEUPREE + MARCUS FISCHER
IN A PLACE OF SUCH GRACEFUL SHAPES
VARIOUS ARTISTS
12k Sampler 002
EQUINOXYGEN FESTIVAL: NEW JERSEY
September 15 2011
Live 12k artists:
Marcus Fischer + Taylor Deupree
Stephen Vitiello
Saturday October 1st
Wilson Auditorium - Fairleigh University
Hackensack, New Jersey
Tickets and information at:
onethousandpulses.com
OFFICIAL 12K FACEBOOK
September 14 2011
Not much there yet, but this will be the official 12k Facebook page.
MINAMO-FOURCOLOR-MOSKITOO AUSTRALIA TOUR
September 13 2011
Minamo FourColor Moskitoo Australian tour
September 23-30 2011
Perth, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns
September 23 – Totally Huge New Music Festival, Perth
September 24 – Street Theatre Foyer, Canberra
September 25 – Silent Hour, Sydney
September 28/29 – Open Frame Festival at Powerhouse, Brisbane
September 30 – Mono.kick at Kickarts, Cairns
We are happy to announce that we go on a tour in Australia in September !!
Moskitoo’s live visual & movie by TAKCOM(Takafumi Tsuchiya).
hope to see you there.
MOSKITOOが、MINAMO、FOURCOLORとともに、オーストラリアツアーを行います。
ライブ中のTOUR VISIAL & MOVIEは、前回のワールドツアーに続いて、TAKCOM 土屋貴文さんに 担当していただけることになりました！
MUSIQUE MACHINE INTERVIEWS KENNETH KIRSCHNER
August 31 2011
Musique Machine recently posted an interview with New York composer Kenneth Kirschner who talks about the music he writes, the music he loves, and why all of his music is available for free.
COMING SOON: 12K PROMO SAMPLER 002
August 22 2011
The new 12k sampler CD will land in mid-September. It features 12 songs, looking forward to early 2012 and back to the recent releases and clocks in at over 60 minutes. It offers a sneak-peak at upcoming releases plus a re-cap of the past year.
The CD will be sold for $4 (shipped!) to our US customers and $6 (shipped!) to our customers outside of our borders.
The tracklist is as follows:
01 The Boats “The Ballad Of Failure” *
02 Kane Ikin “Contrail”
03 Savvas Ysatis + Taylor Deupree “Cloister” *
04 Illuha “Saika”
05 Taylor Deupree + Marcus Fischer “In A Place Of Such Graceful Shapes” *
06 Kenneth Kirschner “January 18, 2011” *
07 Moss “Moss” *
08 FourColor “Iris Familiar (featuring Moskitoo)”
09 Stephan Mathieu “Schwarszchild Radius”
10 Marcus Fischer “Cascadia Obscura”
11 Seaworthy + Matt Rosner “Meroo Forest”
12 Murralin Lane “When I Told You”
* These tracks are exerpted from considerably longer works found on the original CD releases.
NEW SPEKK TITLE IN 12K SHOP
August 19 2011
We cherish the releases from the wonderful Japanese label Spekk when they come around and today we’re happy to announce their new release from Janek Schaefer is available in our shop.
Head on over to the shop and scroll down to the SPEKK section.
12K SUMMER SALE 2010
August 15 2011
Nearly every 12k CD is on sale from August 15th to September 5th. Just about 50% off, and that includes shipping as well.
Beautiful CDs delivered to your door for less than a (legal) download. Support your small labels!
LATEST 12K NEWSLETTER
12K SHOP
TAYLOR DEUPREE: WALL STREET JOURNAL
July 28 2011
Back in April, when Günter Muller and Taylor Deupree played together as part of the Unsound Festival in New York, the Wall Street Journal (of all places) called up Taylor and discussed the forthcoming concert for this article about the festival.
SAKAMOTO+VITIELLO+DEUPREE: KIZUNAWORLD.ORG
July 19 2011
Time and place converged and allowed a rare musical meeting between Ryuichi Sakamoto, Stephen Vitiello, and Taylor Deupree. Together they created a piece of music for Kizunaworld, Sakamoto’s endeavour to help the struggling recovery in Japan. Please donate and and receive a piece of music from a list contributing artists.
http://kizunaworld.org/english/
About kizunaworld.org
On 3/11/2011, a massive earthquake and tsunamis hit Japan. The extensive and tragic damage that the natural disasters caused, along with other human-rooted disasters (Fukushima nuclear disaster), call for an enormous amount of funding to reconstruct the disaster-stricken area. Already, many people throughout the world have been active in raising money, but the amount raised will never be enough. Ryuichi Sakamoto and Tomoyasu Hirano have founded “kizunaworld.org”, a project to support and rebuild the afflicted area as quickly as possible.
We want to do whatever we can as individuals to help the afflicted people, without any affiliation with an agency, record label or any type of organization. At “kizunaworld.org” we hope to have like-minded artists donate their work, which we hope will in turn encourage even more contributions. The money raised will be given to the five aid organizations that we have determined are necessary to the reconstruction.
This project will start up initially with sales of “kizuna”, a collaborative artwork created for charity by Ryuichi Sakamoto; the project founder, and Valerio Berruti. We are also thinking of adding artwork by other artists endorsing this endeavor as time goes on, to keep the project fresh with newly donated works. By doing so, this will become more than a temporary, one-shot project but rather something that can continue long-term. We want to continue and extend our assistance to the stricken area through this project for as long as the need is there.
Although the help one person can provide may be limited, every little bit helps, and it will make a big difference if those who agree with this thinking can act together.
We humbly await your assistance.
Founders:
Ryuichi Sakamoto (Composer/Musician)
Tomoyasu Hirano (Media Creator)
12K SCREEN-PRINTED POSTERS
July 11 2011
in the last of 3 projects utilizing the remixed 12k logo by Marcus Fischer (the first being a postcard, the 2nd the t-shirt) we’re very happy to announce the imminent availability of a 2-color screen-printed poster.
we are taking orders now and expect to ship next week. please visit this 12k forum post for details: http://www.12k.com/forum/index.php?topic=709.0
only 100 posters being printed.
Here are the details:
Marcus Fischer 12k logo remix poster
signed and numbered edition of 100
18 X 24 (in) 45 X 61 (cm)
2 color screen print (PMS Warm Grey 2 + 5763)
heavyweight matte finish paper
shipped gently rolled in a 3” diameter heavy mailing tube
prices:
$25 shipped to USA
$30 shipped outside USA
link to larger image: http://www.12k.com/images/12k/extra/12k9015large.jpg
HEADPHONE COMMUTE: SOUNDBYTES - 12K PT.3
June 27 2011
Part 3 in Headphone Commute‘s 4-part 12k special. This one looks at 3 of the most recent releases.
In this third installment of our four-part 12k special, we examine two live performances and an experimental EP. In all three, the label excels at providing a service of archiving, if you will, of single events, group gatherings, and academical studies. With these releases, 12k once again stands out among today’s cutting edge experimental, improvisational and conceptual music.
HEADPHONE COMMUTE: SOUNDBYTES - 12K PT.2
June 27 2011
Headphone Commute continues their 4-part special on 12k with this part 2 looking back at some of the past releases.
Here’s the second installment in our four part 12k Sound Bytes special. In this particular entry, I decided to dig back a few years and cover the albums that I really enjoyed from the label, but didn’t have the time to write about before. As with all music, I don’t believe in assigning a numerical value to the release date, representing some form of a human calendar system based on the period of our planet around the sun. I also don’t believe in the past or the future. There’s only now, only this, only words and these sounds.
HEADPHONE COMMUTE: SOUNDBYTES - 12K PT.2
June 27 2011
Part two of Headphone Commutes label feature on 12k and a look at some of the past releases.
Here’s the second installment in our four part 12k Sound Bytes special. In this particular entry, I decided to dig back a few years and cover the albums that I really enjoyed from the label, but didn’t have the time to write about before. As with all music, I don’t believe in assigning a numerical value to the release date, representing some form of a human calendar system based on the period of our planet around the sun. I also don’t believe in the past or the future. There’s only now, only this, only words and these sounds.
NEW 12K T-SHIRTS
June 22 2011
New 12k t-shirts, designed by Marcus Fischer, will be arriving on Friday. We have been running a pre-order for them while our website is being updated to be able to handle the presentation of the shirts. In the meantime, you can order a shirt from us directly from your PayPal account, read on below…
Shirts are base-price $22 each, shipping charges will be added onto that.. $3 to a US address and $6 to an overseas address.
making the total:
$25 - US
$28 - OUTSIDE US
shirts are 100% organic cotton.
moss green with white ink on 2 sides.
designed by marcus fischer.
S, M, L, XL available in limited quantities!
If you’d like to pre-order one NOW, send appropriate payment via PayPal to:
sales@12k.com
IMPORTANT! LIST THE SIZE YOU WANT IN YOUR PAYPAL COMMENTS TRANSACTION! if you can’t find that, then simply email sales@12k.com with your size request.
Shirts will ship next week.
here’s a link to the pic a bit bigger
HEADPHONE COMMUTE: SOUND BYTES - 12K
June 22 2011
Headphone Commute’s 1st of a 4 part series that looks at the latest releases from 12k.
I’ve been a long time fan of pretty much everything from Taylor Deupree‘s Pound-Ridge based label, 12k. Undoubtedly, one of the catalysts of boundary pushing developments in ambient, minimalist, and electro-acoustic frontiers, 12k is at the forefront of today’s independent labels. With well over 80 releases since its inception in 1997, the albums dominate the charts on Headphone Commute’s Best of 2010 : Music For Bending Light And Stopping Time and the previous year’s Music For Sonic Installations In The Cavern Of Your Skull. Although the output of the label is always in the rotation at HC headquarters, I finally made a point to sit down and catch up to a long overdue, and much-needed, four-part special of this Sound Bytes feature, titled 12 Bytes From 12k. In this installment you will find a selection of recently released albums, as well as a few EPs, compilations and past releases from one of my favorite labels. Enjoy.
http://reviews.headphonecommute.com/2011/06/18/sound-bytes-12-bytes-from-12k-part-one/
FOURCOLOR RELEASE PARTY FRIDAY IN TOKYO
June 07 2011
This Friday, June 10th, catch FourColor and Christopher Willits live in Tokyo at the release party for As Pleat.
http://fc.frolicfon.com/#tour2
ICI LAUNCHES “WITH HIDDEN NOISE” TRAVELING SOUND EXHIBIT
May 27 2011
With Hidden Noise
Curated by Stephen Vitiello
featuring 12k artists Steve Roden, Stephen Vitiello, and Taylor Deupree
With Hidden Noise
Aspen Art Museum, Colorado
June 10–July 10, 2011
With Hidden Noise makes its debut this June at the Aspen Art Museum. ICI’s latest Exhibition in a Box will be part of a series of programs held over the summer in a temporary pavilion designed by architect Shigeru Ban to mark the site of the museum’s future building.
Curated by Stephen Vitiello, With Hidden Noise is an exhibition that explores sound art with evocative works, some drawing from recognizable, traditional instruments and field recordings, and others masked through electronic processes. A self-contained, surround-sound exhibition, it presents the works of leading practitioners including Taylor Deupree, Jennie C. Jones, Pauline Oliveros, Andrea Parkins, Steve Peters, Steve Roden, Michael J. Schumacher, and Stephen Vitiello.
With Hidden Noise is made possible, in part, by grants from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts; the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation; and the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation.
Find out more about With Hidden Noise.
SPECIAL FOURCOLOR “AS PLEAT” WEBSITE
May 03 2011
FourColor’s Keiichi Sugimoto has set up a special website for his new release on 12k, As Pleat. It contains album info, sound samples, tour dates, etc.
http://fc.frolicfon.com/index_e.html
NEW FOURCOLOR SOON - AND FIRST REVIEW
April 28 2011
The new FourColor album, As Pleat, is officially released this coming Tuesday, May 3rd. We will be launching it, however, tomorrow (April 29th) in our online shop. To get you ready for the release, here’s the first review, courtesy of the UK’s Fluid Radio.
http://www.fluid-radio.co.uk/2011/04/fourcolor-as-pleat/
Keiichi Sugimoto has been releasing music as FourColor since 1998 on his own imprint Cubic Music and on labels such as Apestaartje and 12k. He is also part of electro-acoustic quartet Minamo and electronica duo Fonica…
With As Pleat, Sugimoto presents a wonderful collection of ten fragmented-guitar pieces interwoven with complex background drones and expressive incidentals whose appearance help shape a monumental new album once again released on the impeccable 12k label.
Echoing the stuttering and cut-up editing techniques of Fountain on his precedent release Letter of Sounds (2006, 12k), the opening track Quiet Gray 1 is a wonderful representation of Sugimoto’s sound world – otherwordly and yet very tactile. Augmenting his guitar with the beautiful and ethereal voice of Sanae Yamsaki aka Moskitoo, Sugimoto splices and laces them into a complex mesh that slowly morph into long and lingering swells of interwoven harmonies, as if time had lost its linearity and became multidimensional – an idea that will be explored many times throughout the album under various guises. The two subsequent numbers Skating Azure and Bleach Black are both supported by strong metronomic signatures as a way of stria-ting a space otherwise stretched and smoothened by a slow and processed guitar work that conjures layers of clouds of contrasted forms and textures.
Central track Carmine Fall is a majestic 9-min exploration, sounding at times like a warm condensate of Ovalprocess slowly unfolding into alternate soundscapes made of translucent layers of frozen guitar swells, antagonist micro-rhythms and distant tintinnabulations giving the impression that time has melted, neither passing or stopping. Sugimoto’s subtle use of reverb give this track a strange aquatic quality akin to the mist above a imaginary digital swamp.
The three penultimate tracks are less abstract than preceding numbers but also more dreamy as if resolving the underlying tension set up and slowly dissolved in the first part of the album. Snow Petal is a wonderful evocation of a silent landscape being gently disturbed by the sound of snow falling at dusk, time suspended above sunlit clouds. Iris (Familiar) sees Yamsaki’s vocals coming back, this time floating and diffused around quiet hiss of white noise and plucked guitars, so lightly processed their texture slowly change from gaseous to silky – absolutely gorgeous piece of work where everything is so detailed and flows gracefully over a bed of warm enveloping tones.
Final track Quiet Gray 2 appears like a ghost version of opener Quiet Gray 1. The same narrative pattern seems to be explored but the relative laziness and innocence that characterised the latter has now disappeared, giving a very enigmatic aftertaste, thus carving even further the emotional dimensionality of Sugimoto’s work. A very unexpected and yet all the more powerful ending to this magnificent album.
Keiichi Sugimoto has created so much more than a beautiful piece of ambient work. As Pleat’s depth and dimensionality are very much mesmerising and unique – an essential release.
- Review by Pascal Savy for Fluid Radio
“FOR NIHON” BENEFIT ALBUM AVAILABLE FROM UNSEEN
April 25 2011
Keith Kenniff’s (aka Helios) label Unseen has recently released a 38-song compilation benefiting the Earthquake Relief Fund set up by the Japan Society of New York. This compilation, For Nihon, features some of the best and brightest artists in our field including Ryuichi Sakamoto, Robin Gutherie, Peter Broderick, Hammock, and Max Richter. It also includes 12k artists Taylor Deupree and Sawako.
http://www.unseen.bigcartel.com/product/for-nihon-various
After learning about the tragic events of the Japanese earthquake on March 11th my wife, Hollie, and I were talking about ways to help. We decided to ask a few friends to join a compilation to help raise money. A few quickly became many as we were overwhelmed and warmed by the eagerness of these musicians to get involved.
“For Nihon” features some of the premier names in ambient / experimental music. 100% of the profits from the sale of this album will be donated to the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund set up by New York’s Japan Society.
* There will be a physical version of this album available as a two-cd set soon.
ARTIST/TRACKLIST:
1. Rhian Sheehan - Places In Between
2. Arms and Sleepers - Crash
3. aus - Daylight
4. Christina Vantzou - Your Changes Have Been Submitted
5. Dustin O’Halloran Featuring Adam Wiltzie - Opus 43
6. Peter Broderick - Quiet Long Enough
7. Ryuichi Sakamoto - Kizuna
8. Cokiyu - Volar
9. Clem Leek - A Light To Guide You
10. Biosphere - Inner Ohm
11. Last Days - Hanami
12. Robin Guthrie & Harold Budd - We Enter The Night
13. Goldmund - Nihon
14. Amman Abbasi - Fragmented Earth
15. Ex Confusion - Chapter 5
16. Colin Kenniff Featuring Hollie Kenniff - Wind and Distance
17. Hammock - Sora
18. Sawako - Lightlit
19. Deru - Days Then
20. Hollie Kenniff - This Time Tomorrow
21. The American Dollar - Near East
22. Joseph Mineado - Roads
23. Bexar Bexar - Gold 1
24. Ametsub - Opening
25. Olafur Arnalds - Edalaus II
26. Nils Frahm & Anne Muller - Aussenseiter
27. Jon Hopkins - Abandon Window
28. Rafael Anton Irisarri & Goldmund - Dissolution
29. Helios - Sing The Same Song Twice
30. Ulrich Schnauss & Mark Peters - Balcony Sunset
31. Taylor Deupree - For A Morning When
32. Alva Noto - Is Otto Roessler Right?
33. Balmorhea - Candor
34. Near The Parenthesis - This Too
35. Little Phrase - Time Is Golden
36. Ryan Teague - Even Space
37. Rob Simonsen - 2.4 Metres
38. Max Richter - Bach Mirror
FOURCOLOR “AS PLEAT” RELEASE PARTY TOKYO
April 19 2011
There will be a release party in Tokyo for the upcoming FourColor As Pleat album in Tokyo on June 10th.
TAYLOR DEUPREE “JOURNAL” OUT DIGITALLY
April 12 2011
Taylor Deupree’s recent 7”, “Journal” on Champion Version Records (UK) is out today digitally via iTunes and our extended digital distribution network.
Boomkat had this to say about it:
This is a nice surprise - it’s always nice to see someone like Taylor Deupree who is traditionally associated with longer-form works getting to flex his brain bits on a ‘single’. ‘Journal’ might even be his best work in years, and sees Deupree not only restricting himself in terms of duration, but also in the gear that he utilizes; only a single synthesizer, two field recordings and (seriously) his voice made it to the final mix. The first thing that strikes me is how noisy opening track ‘Journal’ was in comparison with Taylor’s previous works; tape saturation and hiss prove absolutely central to this track, and while vocals only appear towards the end even those are treated to some serious grit and grime. Peeping through the noisy blur however, we might just have one of Taylor’s most affecting tracks yet – and the distant, indistinct melodies will lodge themselves inside those popping synapses for some time. ‘Attic’ on the flip is just as grand, coming across like an ancient hymn piped through a battered Gramophone, complete with all the dust, grit and haze you’d expect to find. It’s a new direction for Taylor, and one we hopefully haven’t seen the last of. Highly recommended.
BUY FROM BOOMKAT
BUY FROM ITUNES
NEW LINE TITLES IN THE 12K SHOP
April 12 2011
Richard Chartier’s LINE label has two new releases as of today and they’re both available in 12k’s shop.
LINE049
Richard Chartier Transparency (Performance)
LINE048
Seth Cluett Objects of Memory
PICK THEM UP NOW IN THE 12K SHOP
YSATIS/DEUPREE SALE IN 12K SHOP
April 05 2011
In a small celebration of Savvas Ysatis’ arrival at the 12k studio tomorrow for a new collaboration with Taylor Deupree, we’re putting their previous two works, The Sleeping Morning and Hourglass on sale for the rest of the month.
THE SLEEPING MORNING (CD)
HOURGLASS (12” EP)
TAYLOR DEUPREE INTERIVEW @ SELF-TITLED
April 01 2011
As part of our ongoing Unsound Festival coverage, we recently tracked down Taylor Deupree, a photographer/graphic designer/sound sculptor best known for such landmark LPs as Stil. and his influential ambient/electro-acoustic imprint, 12k. Deupree will appear at Issue Project Room tomorrow night, facing off against the live improv pieces of Günter Müller in the second installment of the Unsound Labs: Collaborations series. Gang Gang Dance’s Lizzi Bougatsos is also performing alongside a Swiss artist (Norbert Möslang) at the one-night-only event, which is broken down in full here.
Could you tell us briefly about your evolution as a musician—didn’t you start out making techno and then move into more computer-based music?
I started out in the mid-’80s, making some hybrid of alternative/new-wave/industrial, heavily influenced by early Factory Records bands and the Legendary Pink Dots. Once I got into the professional music world, I had been doing techno and ambient music and, yes, that lead its way into computer-based music, which was just coming up and offered such new possibilities. But after a while of that, I began to tire of the sterile sound and missed noise and imperfections and started going quite organic with my music, which is where I’m at now—recording to tape and experimenting with different signal paths and staying away from the computer as much as I can.
How are you going to approach your live collaboration with Günter Müller this weekend?
The day before this weekend’s concert, Günter and I will do some rehearsing in my studio. I expect it to be a live improvisation of his manipulated recordings and my network of guitar pedals and instruments. I don’t plan on using a computer at all. This is the first time we’re playing together and, in fact, the first time we’ve really met, so it should be exciting.
Could you talk briefly about the continued growth of your label? What have been some highlights for you?
The label is really a product of love and passion. It defines who I am as a person in a lot of ways and I put a lot of personal emotion into it. It’s constantly evolving and staying afloat in this very confusing time for the music business.
Some of the recent highlights for me include Marcus Fischer’s Monocoastal, which was the first time I got to work with him. That meeting led us into a collaboration, which should come out later this year.
The thing I love about many of the releases is that I tend to rediscover them at various times. This week I’ve been listening to Autistici’s Volume Objects, which came out a number of years ago but is still very fresh sounding and offers so many tiny sounds to explore. It’s always different. I’m also very fond of the Seaworthy album Map In Hand because it was so different for 12k at the time, being primarily just an album of unprocessed guitar. It was a radical departure, yet now seems so natural.
Where do you see the label headed next?
The way the label usually evolves is that I schedule releases from roster artists, which define the base sound for the label and then some demo or new friend will come along that creates something quite different that often sparks a new direction or at least keeps listeners on their toes. Coming up next is the third 12k album for Fourcolor, who is one of the most important roster artists, as he’s a good friend and we’ve been working together for a long time. After that is a pretty epic 3-CD set from Kenneth Kirschner, who never fails to test the limits of the label and our listeners. Pretty amazing stuff on that one. I’m also in touch with an artist from California who released one of my favorite electronic music CDs 10 years ago and I’m looking to reissue it so more people can hear it. I hope I get everything settled with her for a release this year. And then there’s my collaborations with Marcus Fischer and Savvas Ysatis that will probably see daylight by the autumn. I’m also working with a great band called The Boats, who have released some wonderful albums over the past few years. That should be a bit of a different sound for 12k. It’s all exciting.
Are you working on a new album too?
After I finish this collaboration with Marcus Fischer and get into a couple of other planned collaborations, I’ll be starting a new solo album, either for 12k or another label who has expressed interest in a new album this year. I’m so busy with other people’s music, whether from the label or from the mastering business, that finding time for my own can be a challenge…But I’ve got a lot of ideas and just want to embed myself in my studio and create without any heavy set of rules or concepts—just do what comes naturally.
TAYLOR DEUPREE’S 10 (11) TIPS FOR PLAYING LIVE
March 30 2011
Recently asked by Spain’s Playground Magazine to submit a list of “10 Tips for Playing Live” as part of publicity for this weekend Unsound Festival in New York, Taylor Deupree has put together these 11 tips to live by when going out to play a gig!
PLAYGROUND MAG
TEN (….ELEVEN) TIPS FOR PLAYING LIVE
BY TAYLOR DEUPREE
1. don’t (or try not to) use a laptop
not easy, and i’m still working on attaining this goal. i’m close. the laptop is an amazing tool, but everyone has one and everyone uses ableton live when they play live. so you shouldn’t. explore the world of portable hardware, it’s much more interesting for you and the audience and a lot more fun.
2. don’t use visuals as a crutch
don’t project some random visuals behind you because you’re too afraid the audience won’t just want to sit, close their eyes, and listen to your music. if you’re going to use visuals, make them really, really good and make them work seamlessly for the music. visuals thrown onto a performance for no reason only comes off looking like you’re too insecure about your sound.
3. never arrive on time for soundcheck.
i’ve never (ever) performed a concert where soundcheck happened on time. the sound guys/organizers are never ready for you. if they tell you to show up at 5, show up at 6, or 7.
4. don’t play more than 30 minutes
no matter how good your set is going, the audience has a limit. 20-30 minutes tops. leave them wanting more, not less. one hour shows are painful, even for the greatest aritsts out there. short sets can leave them breathless, long sets leave them wanting to get out of there.
5. if the promoter is a good one:
respect him or her, be kind, listen to them, don’t be a jerk.
6. if the promoter is a bad one:
get paid before you play.
7. be true to yourself
play music you love and that’s true to you. don’t be afraid to do it exactly as you want to. if one person comes out of the show loving it, then it was successful.
8. respect the other artists you play with
whether you’re headlining or opening the stage is an equal playing field. don’t look down on the little guys and don’t assume the big ones are any better than you are. share a drink backstage.
9. small audiences are often better than big ones.
i’ve played shows in front of 10 people and in front of 2000 people and some of the most memorable shows are in front of 10. the atmosphere instantly turns relaxed, like you’re playing for friends, so don’t freak out if hardly anyone shows up… use it to your advantage and have a great time.
10. don’t be afraid to make mistakes
live music should be live and that means mistakes and all. the shows will sound more human if there are some mistakes or parts that don’t go so well. if it’s perfect it sounds like you’ve hit play in iTunes. embrace the spontaneity and you’ll apprecite the show more. some will suck and some will be amazing.
11. eat a kick-ass meal afterwards
one of the best parts about playing live is going out to dinner with your friends and fellow artists afterwards. good bonding time. have good food, too. not crap.
EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND
March 13 2011
12k is donating all profits from our online shop for the month of March to the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund set up by New York’s Japan Society.
https://www.japansociety.org/japan_earthquake_relief_fund
Japan Society has created a disaster relief fund to aid victims of the Tohoku earthquake in Japan. Over the years, Japan Society has partnered with several Japanese and American non-profits working on the frontlines of disaster relief and recovery. Your generous tax-deductible contributions will go to organizations that directly help victims recover from the devastating effects of the earthquake and tsunamis that struck Japan on March 11, 2011.
MARCUS FISCHER INTERVIEW
March 03 2011
A new interview with Marcus Fischer was published via Electroacoustic Tales Guide
you can read the full interview HERE.
“IN BOTH MY MUSIC + PHOTOGRAPHY I TEND TO CREATE WORK THAT FOCUSES ON TEXTURES AND IMPERFECTIONS. I OFTEN FIND THAT CHANCE PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN WHAT I DO. IN A WAY IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR ME TO ENJOY THE PROCESS OF CREATING SOMETHING IF I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A RANDOM ELEMENT THAT IS BEYOND MY CONTROL. IT FORCES YOU TO REACT IN A WAY THAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE OTHERWISE.”
COMING NEXT WEEK: MOSS
March 01 2011
Molly Berg, Olivia Block, Steve Roden, + Stephen Vitiello present a subtle, beautiful, and tactile 24-minute live recording.
Official release date is May 8th but expect to see it a bit sooner in the 12k shop.
STEPHEN VITIELLO ON ABC TV (AU)
February 27 2011
A wonderful 27-minute documentary on Stephen Vitiello’s sound-art project around the Kimberly Coast in Australia.
This ‘boat-movie’ follows Stephen Vitiello, internationally celebrated ‘sound artist’ from the US, as he embarks on a 300km odyssey around the rugged Kimberley coast capturing unique sounds. Vitiello’s latest challenge, to capture the sound of Australia, is at the behest of art patron John Kaldor and is to create an ‘installation’ to be exhibited in the old kilns at Sydney Park’s brickworks buildings.
TASOGARE: LIVE IN TOKYO CD OF THE MONTH
February 21 2011
Tasogare: Live in Tokyo is CD-OF-THE-MONTH over at electroacoustic tales.
have a read of the full review here.
TAYLOR DEUPREE + MARCUS FISCHER COLLABORATION
February 15 2011
Marcus Fischer recently flew out to the 12k studio where he and Taylor Deupree embarked on a music and photography collaboration.
Expect to see a release later on in the year that encompases a few different formats and some really nice, super laid-back music. The duo set up a network of guitar pedals and instruments ranging from analog synthesizers to sticks collected while photographing to create long, textured pieces.
A short clip of one of the pieces was uploaded to Soundcloud here.
2ND BATCH OF STEPHAN MATHIEU CDS SOON
February 15 2011
Thank you everyone for your patience in waiting for the 2nd pressing of Stephan Mathieu’s A Static Place. We’re happy to report we should be shipping out orders by the end of this week.
TAYLOR DEUPREE INTERVIEW ON FLUID RADIO
February 01 2011
In the final of a 4-part series leading up to the release of Tasogare: Live in Tokyo, the UK’s Fluid Radio talks to 12k boss Taylor Deupree about his mastering business.
You can read the complete interview of Fluid Radio’s site here
or archived on 12k here
MARCUS FISCHER “MONOCOASTAL” SOLD OUT
January 30 2011
Marcus Fischer’s sublime 12k debut Monocoastal has sold out in the 12k shop.
if you’re looking for a copy of the CD, check some of our leading retailers:
USA
experimedia
forced exposure
UNITED KINGDOM
boomkat
norman records
and, of course, digital copies via iTunes and other online shops.
TASOGARE: LIVE IN TOKYO - FLUID RADIO PT. 3
January 27 2011
The UK’s lovely Fluid Radio is running a four-part series on the upcoming 12k release PART THREE, a full review of the album.
MARCUS FISCHER LIVE IN PORTLAND FEB. 4TH
January 27 2011
Marcus Fischer
live at the Ziba Auditorium
February 4th
KONTRAST event performing artists:
etbonz (DJ set)
cloudburst (live audio set)
creta (live audio set)
masmöd (live audio set)
miori (VJ set)
sleepyhead (live audio set)
marcus fischer (live audio set)
exit signs (pinscape) (live audio set)
mark henrickson (VJ set)
TASOGARE: LIVE IN TOKYO - FLUID RADIO PT. 2
January 24 2011
The UK’s lovely Fluid Radio is running a four-part series on the upcoming 12k release Tasogare: Live in Tokyo featuring Minamo, Sawako + Hofli, Moskitoo, Solo Andata and Taylor Deupree.
Here is PART TWO, an interview with Taylor Deupree.
The press release mentions a “collective spirit” in the project. How is this embodied in the record?
Whenever I travel with a group of friends/12k artists there’s always a great friendship and bonding… especially in Japan where I have so many friends and we have such a great time. There’s always something new and exciting that we can share. This trip to Japan was the first time the Solo Andata guys were there, so it was great to see them soak it up and reminded me of my first time in Japan. Likewise, I had this big photography show, which was such a great experience, and everyone was helping me out with it… hanging the prints, supporting me. We travel together, eat together, explore, get upset, joke, and love anything that goes with spending a week with a group of people. Collecting these recordings and times into a release captures it for all of us.
How did the project come to be? Was it making the most of an existing event, or did it require a lot of organization to record?
Oh, it came about totally impulsively on the spot. That’s how these things always happen… and the best way for them to happen. Just a desire to suddenly capture the moment, and to get everyone to agree to release a CD. No organization whatsoever.
Was there a planned approach to the material? Did the artists receive a brief or was it an honest recording of the performances on the day?
Not at all… just a recording of the day. I don’t even think we decided to release anything until the days after… or maybe that night. But it’s not at all about practice, or staged recordings… it’s all about capturing the moment. I’ve had plenty of similar ideas to release live recordings only to find out that the artists weren’t happy with their sets, or the recordings came out poorly… and in those cases the idea fizzles away. We were lucky this time that everyone was happy with their sets and the recordings came out well.
What can you tell us about the locations where the recording was done?
The night of the 10th was in a beautiful old, very traditional temple called Komyoji. Everyone sits on the floor on tatami, no shoes… all very typical for performances in Japan. Very hushed, beautiful setting. On the 11th the temple was more modern looking… designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. On the inside there were benches, so it wasn’t sitting on the floor. It was a much bigger, more open space than the previous night. It had a stage and such, it was a space designed for performances…so it was quite different than the very traditional temple of the night before. I think the Wright building used to be part of a girl’s school… so it was probably some sort of “auditorium” (to make a western reference) for the school…. though still very different than one would think of an auditorium in the modern, western sense.
Had the people that recorded the concert been to these spaces before?
I don’t think so… but it was only a simple matter of recording straight from the house mixing board so the setup was nothing new or strange.
Was it difficult to organize the shows at these temples?
My good friend and 12k artist Keiichi Sugimoto usually handles all of the organizing in Tokyo. I don’t know how difficult it is, all I know is that when I want to play in Japan Keiichi has some magical abilities and gets me wonderful shows! He’s fantastic and seems to be well connected.
Did audiences attend both the shows?
Yes, of course! Fantastic turnouts, in both cases. Unfortunately for the show of April 10th, I literally went from the airport to the venue. I had just arrived in Tokyo. Went to the show with my luggage and very little sleep. There wasn’t any room left inside the temple, I think it was sold out… but I managed to stand in back sometimes when I wasn’t going in and out dealing with arrival “hello’s” and such. Both concerts had wonderful, respectful audiences. And, in the case of the 10th, there were a few hundred more souls listening… as the temple opened up to a cemetery on a hill… so they got to listen, too.
How did you approach editing and sequencing the record? Did certain performances or songs stand out straight away, or were there multiple tracks vying for inclusion?
Every artist except Moskitoo played a fairly linear set of non-stop sound. Moskitoo played different songs. So, for her, she picked 3 of her favorites from the performance and I edited them together in a seamless flow. Otherwise it was just a matter of everyone picking their favorite parts or favorite recording, in Solo Andata’s case who actually played two nights and have 2 sets recorded. All of the recordings, again, except Moskitoo’s, are unedited in the sense that we chose a starting point and an ending point, but didn’t do any cutting within that area, so what you’re hearing is the true flow of the show.
If so, is there any more material?
There’s definitely more material. What’s presented here is about half of each artist’s show. Unfortunately we’re restricted by the time limits of a CD. But, everyone managed to pick their favorites moments that we felt captured the essence of the shows. Also, what works in a live setting may be less (or more) interesting in a home listening setting.
When mastering, was the approach to retain the live sound or to present it in a different light?
My approach to mastering is usually always “to make it sound better.” Many times a mastering engineer will be so clinical and precise about everything… and while it’s really, really important not to cause any damage to a recording… I do not claim, at all, to be a “transparent” mastering engineer. I’m not afraid to add some vibe and analog love to a recording. It’s what people come to me for I think. So, in the case of this album we’re dealing with live mixes straight from the board… there was no studio mixing or precise control over mix elements… what’s there is there, for better or for worse, mistakes an all… so it’s just a matter of taking these somewhat rough recordings and making them sound as good as they can.
Are there plans for similar releases in future?
This is the third or fourth live recording release on 12k… so, definitely. It’s really fun for all of the artists involved to have these concerts and memories captured in a release. Of all the concerts I remember most, it’s those that I’ve recorded and released… just seeing the CD is a reminder of the good times.
- Interview by Alex Gibson, thanks go to Corey Fuller for the use of his photography.
TASOGARE: LIVE IN TOKYO - FLUID RADIO PT. 1
January 24 2011
The UK’s lovely Fluid Radio is running a four-part series on the upcoming 12k release Tasogare: Live in Tokyo featuring Minamo, Sawako + Hofli, Moskitoo, Solo Andata and Taylor Deupree.
Here is PART ONE.
Tasogare: Twilight. The light between day and night…
Over the coming weeks we’ll be doing a series of articles about the upcoming 12k release Tasogare: Live In Tokyo; including a full review of the limited CD, an interview with label head Taylor Deupree about the recording and also a separate discussion about his approach to mastering music for the label and other interested artists.
In discussing the project with Taylor, the one thing that becomes apparent is the camaraderie that the 12k acts clearly developed over the time they spent together in Japan. One gets the impression of the label as a familial community of likeminded souls, working together for the common good.
As an introduction to the series, we’re pleased to be able to present some photos and recollections by Taylor of some well-deserved downtime on the trip…
12K’S TWELVE PRINCIPLES
January 20 2011
The twelve principles upon which 12k was founded:
1. Don’t tell listeners what they want to hear, let them discover that for themselves.
2. Treat your audience as they are: intelligent, passionate lovers of art and sound.
3. Evolve constantly, but slowly.
4. Stay quiet, stay small.
5. Strive for timelessness.
6. Never try to be perfect. Beauty is imperfection.
7. Simplicity. Anti-Design.
8. Never try to innovate, be true to yourself, and innovation may happen.
9. Explore sound as art, as a physical phenomenon — with emotion.
10. Develop community.
11. Be spontaneous.
12. Everything will change.
INTERVIEW WITH TAYLOR DEUPREE FROM 2009 PUBLISHED
January 04 2011
Tonscrift (RU) published an english version of the their interview with Taylor Deupree from 2009.
12K’S JANUARY 2011 BACK-CATALOGUE SALE
January 03 2011
Happy New Year and welcome to 12k’s January 2011 Back-Catalogue sale. Nearly the entire back-catalogue is on sale for the month of January to make room for new releases. The entire list of sale items is below and please make sure to check out this month’s newsletter with some other big news:
ON SALE FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY:
Murralin Lane Our House Is On The Wall CD EP
Giuseppe Ielasi Tools CD EP
Taylor Deupree Shoals (Edition) 7”
Pjusk Sval CD
Minamo Duree CD
Savvas Ysatis + Taylor Deupree Hourglass 12” EP
Small Color In Light CD
Molly Berg + Stephen Vitiello The Gorilla Variations CD
Solo Andata Solo Andata CD
Pillowdiver Sleeping Pills CD
Giuseppe Ielasi Aix CD
Amplifier Machine Her Mouth Is An Outlaw CD
Steinbruchel Mit Ohne CD EP
Machinefabriek + Stephen Vitiello Box Music CD
Taylor Deupree Northern CD
Savvas Ysatis + Taylor Deupree The Sleeping Morning CD EP
Willits+Sakamoto Ocean Fire CD
Autistici Volume Objects CD
Jodi Cave For Myria CD
Moskitoo Drape CD
Various Artists Blueprints CD
Fourcolor Letter of Sounds CD
Sebastien Roux Songs CD
Antti Rannisto Aaniesineita CD
Bretschneider + Steinbruchel Status CD
Taylor Deupree + Kenneth Kirschner Post_Piano 2 CD
Motion Every Action CD
Kenneth Kirschner Sept. 19th, 1998 et. al CD
SEAWORTHY’S 2010 TOP 15
December 20 2010
Seaworthy’s Cameron Webb looks back at his year in music.
SEAWORTHY: MUSICAL STUFF FROM 2010
2010 has been an equally exciting, frustrating, eventful and tragic year. It’s gone by in a blur and I’m heading into 2011 slightly concerned at the rate at which the years seem to be accelerating by. There is so much stuff floating about, each week brings a bunch of extra releases to add to my want list, a list that never ever gets close to being completely ticked off.
These are my fifteen favourite musical things from 2010:
Jana Winderen “Energy Field” (Touch) CD
Probably my favourite release of the year. Sounds resonant and mysterious and deep and textural, all the things I love. Perfect fit for 2010 that will go down as the year I fell in love with my hydrophone. I really hope Jana makes it out to Australia sometime soon.
Chris Watson “A Journal South” lecture
I’ve waited a long time to be able to attend one of Chris’ lectures and I wasn’t disappointed in this at all. Such a great experience sharing in Chris’ sights and sounds from his trip to Antarctica. Whales, creaking glaciers and wind. Fantastic. Fingers crossed I get to attend one of Chris’ workshops one of these days.
Taylor Deupree “Shoals/Shoals (Edition)” (12k) CD/7”
Really amazing, beautiful piece of work. Rare to have such a highly anticipated album such as this actually deliver the goods. Also my favourite sleeve art for the year.
Bonnie Prince Billy & The Cairo Gang “The Wonder Show of the World” (Drag City) CD
While being prolific, Oldham manages to maintain a high level of quality in his releases too. While the last couple of albums have been good, and have contained a couple of great tracks, I think this one is his best since 2005’s Superwolf album.
Talvihorros “Music in Four Movements” (Hibernate) CD
This release didn’t seem to get a lot of coverage this year but it’s pretty good. Reverb drenched guitars and ambient atmospherics and field recordings. Beautiful packaging too. I’m looking forward to what comes next for Talvihorros.
Solo Andata “Ritual” (Desire Path) 12”
Sounds amazing and a stunning point in the Solo Andata creative transect.
Stephen Vitiello “Sounds from the Red Earth” installation/CD
One of my great pleasures this year was to meet Stephen and have an opportunity to visit his installation at the old brickworks in Sydney. One of the first things that struck was how similar the rooms were to those bunkers where I recorded 1897 and it was nice to see how another artist worked with a similar space.
Mountain Man “Made the Harbour” (Partisan Records/Spunk) CD
Really love this. Two elements in music that are always likely to spark my interest, minimalism and melody.
Tallest Man on Earth “The Wild Hunt” (Dead Oceans) CD
Seems not everyone likes this kid’s voice but I think it’s great. Best of all, these songs are actually pretty good, production is interesting and I keep coming back to this album a lot.
Ghost of 29 Megacycles “The Hummingbird Dream” (hellosquare) CD
Absolutely beautiful two track album of melodic ambient drones from the Mayor of Perth.
James Blake “Klavierwerke” (R&S Records) 12”
Really interested EP of material. I really love this. I don’t quite share the love for the CYMK EP but I’ll be interested in hearing his debut album in 2011.
Jefre Cantu-Ledesma “Love is a Stream” (Type) CD
Pretty phenomenal record but I’m easily drawn in by a large dose of distorted reverb soaked drones. I can get easily lost in this album and it has revived me on the commute home from work quite a few times already this year. I think it was the texture of this record that really won me over.
Koen Holtkamp “Gravity/Bees” (Thrill Jockey) 12”
Brilliant couple of tracks of drifting ambience. Reminds me of humid summer afternoons just as the first fat raindrops of a breaking storm start falling on the back veranda. Beautiful release, both the music and wonderful letterpress sleeve.
Grouper “hold/sick” 7” & “split with Roy Montgomery” 12”
Liz can really do no wrong. These two releases are beautiful. I had the chance this year to play a show with Liz again and it was a real highlight to hear those sounds she crafts in a beautiful old church in Melbourne.
Marcus Fisher “Monocoastal” (12k) CD
Absolutely stunning sound work. So intricate and melodic and textural. Perfect.
A few other interesting things from this year.
Sophie Hutchings “Becalmed” CD (Preservation)
Sleep Over “Outer Limits” 7” (Forest Family)
Tim Hecker “Apondalifa” 7” (Room40)
Matt Rösner “Tape Series #1” cassette (Meupe)
Jack Rose “Luck in the Valley” CD (Thrill Jockey).
MATT ROSNER’S 2010 TOP 10
December 06 2010
12k’s Matt Rösner chimes in with his favorite albums of 2010.
Here it is, in no particular order
Jana Winderen - Energy Field
Heather Woods Broderick - From the Ground
Taylor Deupree - Shoals (Edtition)
Lawrence English and Minamo - A Path Less Travelled
Eliane Radigue - Triptych
Tomas Philips - Quartet for Instruments
Richard Skelton - Landings
Sophie Hutchings - Becalmed
Marcus Fischer - Monocoastal
Spartak - Verona
