Hidden Shoal News
Kramies and City of Satellites Reviewed at Luna Kafe
Two lovely reviews for recent Hidden Shoal releases over at Norway’s Luna Kafe. The first was in November’s edition of the zine for City of Satellites‘ Remixed,
“The outcome is stunning… With so many different remixers it is as expected some variations here, but it still feels like a wholesome album, tied nicely together by the underlining of City Of Satellites shoegazing dream-pop material… And in some parts, these mixes has not just made the tunes slightly different, or added another kind of quality, but actually turned the better part of them into something more, and by that; better.” – Luna Kafe
The second review appeared in the just out December edition for Kramies‘ The European,
“Kramies has with the aid of producer Todd Tobias (Circus Devil, Guided by Voices) and guitarist David Paolucci, made The European into a delicate melancholic and poetic swirl of pop-delight.” – Luna Kafe
Hopefully you own both these releases and are sitting there nodding your head in agreement. If not however then head straight to the Hidden Shoal Store where you can stream Remixed and The European in full as well as purchase.
City of Satellites -‘Moon In The Sea (Slow Dancing Society Remix)’
Interview with Conor Devlin of [The] Caseworker at DOA
Head over to Delusions of Adequacy to read a fantastic interview with Conor Devlin of The Caseworker. Conor waxes lyrical about everything musical from Steely Dan to Opeth to The Caseworker. Regular DOA readers will remeber the glowing review of The Caseworker’s stunning 2011 album Letters From The Coast. Speaking of which, after your fill of words you should then head here to stream the album in full and buy a cd or a bagful of files!
The Caseworker – ‘Boats’
Markus Mehr Triptych Coming in 2012
German ambient drone maestro Markus Mehr will be following up his stunning debut album Lava with not one, not two, but three Hidden Shoal releases across 2012 and 2013.
The first part of the triptych, In, will be released on 26 January 2012. It comprises two monumental tracks, ‘Komo’ and ‘Ostinato’, each of which clocks in at around 25 minutes, circling around and building upon hypnotic instrumental motifs. You can take a sneak peek at what’s in store by viewing some live footage of Mehr’s performing ‘Komo‘ live at the Maximilian Museum, Augsburg, with video artist Stefanie Sixt, who created the video to Mehr’s track ‘Cousteau‘.
The second part, On, released on 21 June 2012, takes a more experimental direction, with eight diverse tracks employing samples, field recordings and slathers of Mehr’s trademark distorted drones. And finally, Off, released on 24 January 2012, includes his most epic piece yet, ‘Transit’, which clocks in at 49 minutes and will be performed live, again in collaboration with Sixt.
Head to the Hidden Shoal Store to stream and buy Lava (CD version comes in custom Amaray packaging) as well as download two free tracks.
Markus Mehr – ‘Hubble’
US Radio Love
Lots of lovely US college radio action happening for our current round of releases. Here’s a run down!
City of Satellites Remixed is one of WRSU top 5 RPM adds and Kramies The European is one of the top 5 Radio 200 adds, Salli Lunn’s A Frame of Reference and Kramies’ The European are in Bagel Radio’s top 5 CMJ adds this week, The Caseworker’s Letters From The Coast continues its long term camp in the Bagel CMJ top 30 charts, Salli Lunn’s A Frame of Reference gets a top 5 CMJ rotation add at KJHK and City of Satellites and Kramies are both charting in the 3WK CMJ top 30. Nice!
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Salli Lunn – ‘Parachutes Forever (Markus Mehr Remix)’
Scott Solter and Antonymes in Textura's Best of 2011
It’s not even December, yet Textura have boldly published their best of 2011 lists, featuring Scott Solter’s One River among the year’s best albums, and Antonymes Meets Slow Dancing Society’s We Don’t Look Back For Very Long among the year’s best EPs. If you’re not already intimately familar with Textura, subscribe to their montly round-up of the best new ambient/classical/experimental/avant-rock releases for some essential reading.
Many, many thanks to Textura for their support throughout 2011!
Scott Solter's One River Reviewed on Textura and Igloo
Scott’s Solter’s sublime ambient album One River, recently reissued by Hidden Shoal, has just received glowing reviews over at Textura and Igloo Magazine.
The album is available in CD and mp3 formats via the Hidden Shoal Store.
Antonymes meets Slow Dancing Society EP Charting
We Don’t Look Back For Very Long, the recently released collaboration between Antonymes and Slow Dancing Society, is currently sitting pretty at number 12 on the Asheville FM CMJ Top 30 charts and number 3 on their Classical/Ambient charts along with the likes of Fennesz, Chubby Wolf, Wolves In The Throne Room and Zola Jesus to name a few.
The EP is now availble in MP3 and lossless formats and was also released as a limited edition CD package. If you missed out on the CD through Hidden Shoal there may still be limited stock available from Norman Records and Stashed Goods. Head here for digital as well as a full EP stream.
Kramies Interviews on Big Smile Magazine
Last year, Kramies was interviewed by Big Smile magazine on the eve of commencing a tour of Ireland, on which he road-tested songs that would eventually become his new Hidden Shoal EP, The European. The follow-up interview has just been published, in which he talks about how the tour shaped the songs, his signing to Hidden Shoal, plus what’s next.
The European EP is available now from the Hidden Shoal Store in mp3 and limited edition CD postcard formats.
Kramies "The European" EP Official Release
Hidden Shoal is excited to announce the official release of The European, the new EP by Colorado based Dutch-American atmos-pop artist Kramies.
Produced by Todd Tobias (Guided By Voices, Robert Pollard, Circus Devils), The European sets Kramies’ gorgeous voice and acoustic guitar within a glowing tableau, epic in scope yet delicate in detail. The EP fades into view with ‘Intro’, a simple cyclical pattern of guitar, piano and vocals gradually subsumed by drones and distortion. This leads into the majestic, glacial sway of the title track, guaranteed to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. Then, ‘Inventors’ is the album’s dark, shadowy heart, a ballad of subtle intensity.
Single ‘Coal Miners Executive Club’ is an emotionally resonant vortex of swooning pop built around an absolutely heartbreaking chord progression on synthesizer, carried skyward as layers and layers of instruments build and build. And the closing ‘Antiquarian Days’ is a fitting fade towards a sepia horizon, burbling loops and chiming guitars accompanying Kramies’ gentle lament.
The European EP is available digitally as well as a numbered limited edition of 100 cd postcards with artwork by Australian designer and illustrator Stuart Medley. All CD orders come with an immediate download of the album. The first single from the EP, ‘Coal Miners Executive Club’, is also available for free download here. Head to the Hidden Shoal Store to buy and stream the album in full. For more info grab the full press release here.
Kramies – ‘The European’
Antonymes meets Slow Dancing Society at Textura
For those who aren’t already avid Textura readers (and why wouldn’t you be!?!) be sure to head over to their latest edition to read a lovely review of the Antonymes meets Slow Dancing Society EP We Don’t Look Back For Very Long.
For the uninitiated, We Don’t Look Back For Very Long sees Antonymes reworking a track from each of fellow Hidden Shoal artist Slow Dancing Society’s four albums, casting radiant new light on the stunning originals. Across almost 30 minutes, Antonymes marries SDS’s glistening atmospheres to his own trademark ambient neo-classical minimalism, creating a completely mesmerising hybrid.
The EP is now availble in MP3 and lossless formats and was also released as a limited edition CD package. If you missed out on the CD through Hidden Shoal there may still be limited stock available from Norman Records and Stashed Goods. Head here for digital as well as a full EP stream.
Antonymes meets Slow Dancing Society – ‘The Grey Sea And The Long Black Land’
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Hidden Shoal MixTape
