9/5/10


Pre-orders now being solicited for the Capricornus - Halation CD. Catalog : INFX 045
Release date is October 19th, 2010. Pre-order copies will ship mid-September.

LISTEN, Listen, listen...

Features artwork by Alan McClelland using a stock Infraction layout.
Halation is the working name of Hiroshi Tanaka. This is his first release in any format.
Influences from Andrew Chalk, Taiga Remains and David Tagg.

CD will be issued in a 4 panel digipak, limited to 500 copies.

"Halation gives off a flat-on-back eyes-to-skies drowsy air with its long drawn out tone-rays. Highly amorphous in strategy, a purist ambient Enovian ethos a la Thursday Afternoon may suggest itself. On occasion, clusters of notes flicker within the freefloating drone, mirroring the eponymous halation effect - transient morning brume, or light refracted through water vapour rendered blurred." - Alan Lockett for Furthernoise.org


6/15/10



Thanks for your patience. The past 6 months have been occupied by the Concert Silence releases. The pre-orders were initially solicited back in January & February, and it's been a wait. Much longer than I wanted. A litany of excuses is really not that interesting - is it? Let's just say that they were not right in one capacity or another and it needed to be corrected and we'll leave it there!
The Concert Silence 'Rain Furniture' CD eps are here, and correct! An obvious sleeve misprint was done, and that version will accompany the correct version with ALL pre-orders made of the 'Rain Furniture' CD ep. The rest will be used here as wallpaper.
The '9.22.07' vinyls will be here within a week - and the 'rain furniture' 12" should not be too far behind. Those pre-orders will be shipped as soon as both titles are here.

Forthcoming will be a new signee - CAPRICORNUS and his 'Halation' CD (INFX 045) and the deluxe 2CD set by CELER entitled 'Salvaged Violets' (INFX 050). Pre-orders will be set for those soonish. More vinyl coming soon too!


4/4/10

The BEN FLEURY-STEINER - Keep a Weather Eye Open CD (+ bonus Vessel of Sleep 3"CDr) is now available. There are about a dozen copies left up for grabs.
All pre-ordered copies have been shipped and I thank you for your patience.

Speaking of patience, the Concert Silence vinyls and discs are going to be pushed back until May for release. Several variables are contributing, but it shant be too long. The '9.22.07' discs though are shipping now - so if you've pre-ordered those, they are being packed up now and sent out, and all orders for '9.22.07' from here on out will be shipped. The '9.22.07' vinyls - luscious slabs of 180g vinyls, will be sent out in May as will the 'rain furniture' eps 12" & CDs.


2/10/10

We're snowed in!
About a foot and a half last Friday, and then between yesterday and Today (Weds.) another foot at least. Baltimore, Washington D.C. and Philly received much more, so it could certainly be worse I realize.
A quick update regarding the BEN FLEURY-STEINER Keep a Weather Eye Open CD release - there was a small issue with the printing of the digipaks, so we're not expecting them to be delivered for probably another 2 weeks or so. Plus, the plant that is pressing these is located in New Jersey, along with all the snow, so it may be a few days more on top of that. Apologies for the delay, and thanks for your patience!


7/28/09

It's a bittersweet announcement that the CELER Discourses of the Withered CD (INFX 028) is now sold out. Thanks to everyone that picked up a copy.

Other things in the works - BFS's discs as mentioned below and the massive Concert Silence vinyls and CDs. This Eluvium side-project project is fairly elaborate and is in the manufacturing process. More details coming soon along with some pre-order information.

Special price break on some catalog titles -- for the next month(ish) the ALOOF PROOF - Piano Text CD (INFX 030) & CRAIG BETHELL - A Day Full of You, A Night Tired of Me CD (INFX 026) are available in the shop for $7.99 each. Postage paid in the U.S. & Canada even.


7/19/09

The Loren Dent CD & Flash Drives are nudged back just a bit from the original planned release date. There was a small delay with those flash drives, so the release date will now be Tuesday, August 4th. Those that pre-ordered will have their copies (and flash drives) before that though!

Next up is Ben Fleury-Steiner's "Keep a Weather Eye Open" CD + "Vessel of Sleep" 3"CDR (with the first 250 copies of KAWEO). Pre-orders for that one coming up soonish.


7/9/09


Danielle Baquet-Long of Celer passes away

I am extremely saddened to write of this news received today. Danielle Baquet-Long, wife of Will Long, passed away yesterday, July 8th, at the age of 26. Dani and Will recorded under the name Celer.

We have become friends with Will and Dani over the past few years in working on projects and have been fortunate enough to become immersed in their large body of recorded work. I found their uncompromising and sincere approach to creating ambient music to be nothing short of admirable and inspiring.

We are in complete shock and disbelief of this news. Our prayers and thoughts are with Will and his family.

Dani will be greatly missed.

This email is from Will, her husband :
Dear friends, With great sadness I have to announce to you, our friends, that Dani passed away yesterday, July 8. On Tuesday morning I woke to find her unconscious, and not breathing. The medics were called, and she was revived, but fell directly into a coma and didn't wake up. She passed away yesterday at 3pm, with her family by her. All that is known to say why is that her heart stopped, for no foreseeable reason. The only relation is that her father died in the same way, of a cardiac arrest at the age of 29. She was 26.

Right now I don't know how to express the loss and sadness I feel, knowing that someone so ultimately close to me, and such an inspiration and friend to so many other people in the world is gone. All I can say is that she won't be forgotten, or pushed aside only because she's gone. She'll always be with me, as my inspiration, my love, my everything. All I can say is I miss her, every second.

Right now I won't be able to answer many emails, as there's only so much I can talk about this. Time will heal this, but I know the sadness will never go away. This, I'm ok with, as I never want to forget every way she changed my life, and touched my heart.

I appreciate all your support and love, and even though many of you only knew her through her poetry, or her music, I hope they are good memories. Enclosed is a favorite photo of her, taken at her beach, at home.

Also, here was her favorite quote:
'The Meaning is in the Wonder"
- Kenneth Patchen

Sincerely,
Will

5/26/09

The Drafted by Minotaurs - Aversion Therapy LP is out today! Alan Lockett's succinct assessment says it best, "It takes on atavistic echoes redolent of some distant Miles Davis or Jon Hassell blowback, as if viewing In a Silent Way through a post-Kosmische kaleidoscope, or channeled through Eno/Budd cathedrals to meet today's psych-drone and ambient trajectories. Overall, Aversion Therapy thrives on such productive tensions between genres and eras, as it does between live and recorded, spontaneous and pre-structured, making for engaging, at times thrillingly psychotropic, listening." 489 copies for consumption, all wrapped up in deluxe form. More details in the shop.

Coming up soonish - the Loren Dent CD, "Anthropology Vol. 1" as well as some extras. There are going to be two different versions planned; one will be with a single full-length CD, the other will have the single CD, plus a memory device with 35 outtakes/extras that just didn't make the cut to the final release. These two items will be packed together in a brown kraft paper box.

The Alio Die & Aglaia release, "Private History of the Clouds" is out now - and has been a staple in many a nighttime spring playlist listening. A departure from both of their respective sounds (just slight departures). Have a listen here.

Forthcoming is the long-awaited Ben Fleury-Steiner release, "Keep a Weather Eye Open" CD with bonus material on a 3"CDR, some possible reissues of PVH and Aloof Proof, a new Celer 2CD entitled "Salvaged Violets".

2/19/09

Alright, just about back up to speed. Meaning, the dust has settled, the orders are caught up and now a bit of business to attend to.

Item 1 - The Parks "Umber" CD is sold out from us. We will do a repress at some point, though no specific date in mind. In the meantime, there are copies available from Forced Exposure, Soleilmoon, CD baby and perhaps from David at Playing by Ear (pbe (at) nyc . rr . com ).
There is also a download available in our handy FLAC/MP3 download arena.



Item 2 - The CELER "The EVerything and the Nothing" CD will be available again shortly. Please see the shop page.



Item 3 - The Alio Die & Aglaia collaboration "private history of the clouds" [INFX 037] is in production, and we will hopefully have these discs here in late March. As the date firms up a bit there will be pre-orders available.

Item 4 - Sale items for oh, I don't know the next month or so will be Adam Pacione's "From Stills to Motion" and Northern's "Drawn" discs in the shop for $9 each (regularly $15 and $14 respectively). This is due to the stimulus package passing that we're able to offer this.

Item 5 - I have some new limited releases by the aforementioned Celer and Pacione that I will be posting shortly to the shop. They are in a box somewhere. Received some limited Gears of Sand discs and also another Faraway Press package as well.



Item 6 (this is turning into quite a list) - Beequeen's "ownliness" [INFX 003] from way back in INFX infancy is being repressed and will be here soon.

Item 521 - Two new planned releases in the upcoming months...and both are reissues, sort of. Jeremy Bible & Jason Henry's utterly sublime seminal "Vryashn" that came out last year on Gears of Sand we will be reissuing with extra material. The release is still being planned as to whether it will contain outtakes or additional new material. This was easily one of the best ambient recordings of last year. The other is a long time favorite here - Keith Berry's "The Ear That Was Sold to a Fish". It is also being mapped out to be a 2CD set with a remastering of the first disc by Berry and some new material for a 2nd CD. More information as it rolls on down.

Item 5239 - The Drafted by Minotaurs LP "AVersion Therapy" is also in production. Release date TBA!!

1/30/09

"Where the f*ck is my order?" Good question. Let me explain. We just moved, and I've been devoting an obscene amount of time to all things that involve moving one's shit from point A to point B. So, thus the delay in getting orders out. I will try and compensate those that ordered and have waited with extra goodies, deep discounts, a combination of the above or household chores at your place. I'm not that proud. I thank you for your patience.

The Koda repress is sold out...again. I think more is in order and I'm getting on, getting on. Drafted by Minotaurs LP, Alio Die/Aglaia collaboration, and Ben Fleury-Steiner discs are all forthcoming soonish. More in the not too distant future. Now, back to packing orders...

1/10/09



Happy belated new year. The Sleepy Town Manufacture & Unit 21 - No Traces disc is available for preorders now in the shop. The limited edition with the bonus 3"CDR, entitled "Dalshe / 8 02 02" (INFX 039) is now sold out from us. Many thanks to all that picked this one up. Don't fret though, the regular edition is a corker of a disc with a bunch of lavish touches; Japanese style mini-lp gatefold, 5 luxe 20 point chipboard art prints, superb design from our favorite dutch artist, Pyhai. If you are still pining for the limited version - get in contact with our good friends at Forced Exposure, Norman Records u.k., Smallfish u.k., Art-into-life in Japan or Playing by Ear in Brooklyn. Each of them have a few copies to spare. Sound clips here.

10/06/08


Now taking some pre-orders for the Eluder - The Most Beautiful Blue CD [INFX 033]. This is the debut physical release from Eluder (Patrick Benolkin) who has one prior net release to his credit. "Look it up and etymology will give you a clue [elude - avoid or escape by dexterity (vb.)], proposing Eluder [-lud-/-lus-] as a dextrous escapist.. Persuasive, since, transposed to musicianly context, the careful choreography of retreat and remotion is what Patrick Benolkin is about. So you won’t be surprised when walls within and without come down, dissolved by the drift inside The Most Beautiful Blue." This will be an edition of 485 pressed, sealed copies. Mastered by Carl Saff. Please have a listen.

The Andrew Liles - All Closed Doors CD is now sold out. Mr. Liles may still have copies left. We are planning a repress in the near future.

The Sleepy Town Manufacture/Unit 21 - No Traces CD + bonus CDR is nearing completion. This will be a mini-gatefold package with 5 art prints included. There will also be a bonus disc with the first 150 copies. For those of you who do not know, Sleepy Town Manufacture is Alexander Ananyev better knows as Beautumn.

Also forthcoming :
DRAFTED BY MINOTAURS - Aversion Therapy LTD LP [INFX 038 LP]
ALIO DIE & AGLAIA - Private History of the Clouds CD [INFX 037]
LOREN DENT - Anthropology CD (+ bonus material on memory device with first 50 or so copies) [INFX 034]
BEN FLEURY-STEINER - Keep a Weather Eye Open CD + Bonus CDR [INFX 040] [INFX 041]
CONCERT SILENCE (ELUVIUM) - s/t CD/LTD 2xLP [INFX 042] [INFX 042 LP]
CAPRICORNUS - Halation CD [INFX 045]

Also in the works for 2009 is a 4xLP Blamstrain release, new Northern 2xCD, new unreleased Aloof Proof, a Celer 2xCD and a Monos release.

9/25/08

News is better when it's current and often. I haven't written anything since April. I blame myself. The Celer recordings have been received with many smiles and glazed over looks since the duo releases in July.


"The Everything and the Nothing" CD is now sold out. This one was done in a smaller pressing as it was sort of an outtakes and extras disc. No fretting though, we'll probably do a repress after the first of the year. In the meantime, there are a few retailers that have them - just google 'Celer' 'heavenly' 'nothing' and 'the' and go from there. There are still copies of 'Discourses of the Withered' here too, yet the stock is thinning out.

4/20/08

Milieu's "A Warm Wooden Hollow" CD is now sold out. Many thanks to everyone who picked up a copy. If you missed getting one from us, no fretting. Please visit Ear-Rational, Playing-by-ear, Forced Exposure, Soleilmoon, Norman Records in the U.K., or Smallfish Records in the U.K. Also, Popmuzik, Linus, Art-into-Life in Japan may have copies as well. Any of them should have a few copies left over.

2/28/08

A few new things in the pipeline (Milieu with bonus 3"CDR and Parks!). Also, the KODA - Movements CD (INFX 008) is now sold out. We will be repressing at some point on this one, it's certainly a good one.

1/23/08

Hey there - happy new year. First update of 2008. The Kiln - Thermals CD repress is here among us and just for comparison - here's the old and the new version :

Essentially, it's some revised artwork and now in a glossy digipak rather than a matte finish. The music is the same (and still fantastic). This is an edition of 320. Already moving - new fans of Kiln via the Dusker release are taking notice I think. Pick one up here.


10/5/07

Happy October from Ohio...it's hotter than hades here. Sweet Jeebus. The Pacione limited 2CD set is now sold out. Thanks to all who picked one up. The single disc version in lavish gatefold spread is still here. If you don't want to miss out on the limited edtions, be sure to write for details on the subscription service. You'll be reserved a copy of each new release as it comes out, including anything that is limited, or bonus, or whatever. Plus you'll get extra goodies here and there. Everyone loves bonuses...

9/27/07

Beautumn's "white coffee" is now officially sold out. If you got in on the special discount deal, you picked up the last copies available. We'll probably do a repress in the next year or so, but for the moment...

9/24/07

Back so soon...Adam Pacione's 'From Stills to Motion' is moving quick, I'm down to 20 copies of the limited. If you're at all moderately interested, please visit the shop.
Yes, yes indeed. The much rumored Aloof Proof reissue is amongst us and is now available for pre-order in the (you guessed it) shop section. It was remastered by Michael Fibe (the sole soul of Aloof Proof) in 2006 and it will be a 6 panel full color digipak. Release date is late October/early November.
There is an edit of the 1st track on the audio page.

9/12/07

This is news right? I've done a horrendous job keeping this section up to date. Most sites with 'news' usually suffer the same. Well, Adam Pacione's incredible 'From Stills to Motion' CD is now out. We do still have some of the limited editions with the bonus CDR (A Still Life) available, they are moving quickly though. If you've pre-ordered a copy, it is either en route or I'm sending it off between today and tomorrow (that's 9-12 & 9-13) 2007, that is.

Up next is theAloof Proof reissue of 'Piano Text'. It's remastered and it is indeed a modern classic. It was buried the first time around due to poor distribution and we hope to change that this time around. Hints of a Piano Text II have been uttered by Mr. AP. More soon...

2/24/07



Small delay with the bonus CDR's for the Zimiamvian Night release. They will be shipping this week to all of those that pre-ordered along with the the Zimiamvian Night 2 full-length. Thanks for your patience.

Beequeen's "Ownliness" is now sold out. Released back in our infancy in 2002, it marked a departure from the drooonnne Beequeen that we became accustomed to, and was more structured, with more beats, and more texture than we had heard from these flying Dutchmen. Repress? Perhaps...we haven't really discussed the idea yet - so we shall see.

Kiln's "thermals" is sold out...again. We had a return and those copies went to good homes. This one is planned for a repress soon, probably with slightly different artwork, but the music should be the same. One of our favorites here at the Infraction compound.

New non-Infraction/Infraction related releases in the shop. Hand-made multi-disc sets from a new Infraction signee, Celer, some new & old Andrew Chalk on his lovely Faraway press label, and some very limited CDR's from the ever-prolific Darren Tate.

1/07/07

The Zimiamvian Night LTD 2xCD set is now sold out on pre-orders. As always, many thanks. The regular version is still available from the shop page. There will be some of the 2xCD set available from Norman Records in the U.K., upon release.

12/15/06

Tetsu Inoue's "World Receiver" is now in stock! The pre-orders placed are being shipped to their respective new homes.


We're happy to finally be able to offer this disc, after it being oop for many years.

Next up is the newest installment in the Zimiamvian Night series. We're taking pre-orders for "Zimiamvian Night 2" in the shop.
It will be limited to just 300 copies, the first 50 copies will have a bonus CDR ep included for free.


10/30/06

Happy early Halloween. The limited version of the Beautumn (with the bonus "Blanket" CDR) is now sold out!
Thanks for your support on this release - there are still plenty of the single disc version in the shop

10/22/06

Good evening. The Beautumns are finally all in and correct and are being shipped out to all destinations over the world. Thanks for the pre-orders and for your patience. I do hope it will be worth it. At this point, there are 10 copies left of the limited version. If you're thinking of grabbing one, I would highly recommend it soon.

KILN - Thermals CD is now sold out. We will be repressing, but probably not until the new year sometime. Thank you for your support on this very fine release by the masters of texture and atmosphere that is Kiln.

TETSU INOUE - World Receiver CD (INFX 015) is up next. We're finalizing layout and should be ready to go by middle/late November. We'll start taking pre-orders very soon.

9/29/06

Everything is here, Northings and Blankets and packaging - but the audio on the CDR has these annoying little pops throughout - sounds like vinyl pops. Not a bad thing, and in a way it's very 1996-ish sounding. However, that wasn't the intention, so I'm having them reburn the bonus CDR's. The booklets on the Northing release were printed low-res too - but to have those redone will take another month. So, I'm living with it. I was going to chuck the booklets altogether, but decided against it. It's not ideal, but ultimately it's the music that matters and Northing sounds beautiful. Blanket sounds beautiful too, 'cept for them damn pops. Bottom line? Another week at least until I get the repressed CDR's. With no pops.

9/7/06

The new Beautumn - Northing CD + Blanket LTD CDR is imminent! Thanks to all of those that have preordered. There are a few left unclaimed yet.

The limited edition bonus CDR comes with the first 200 ordered.

Other news :

We are repressing Colin Potter's SEE CD from a few years back.


There are copies in the shop now.

Up next is the highly anticipated reissues of Tetsu Inoue's "World Receiver" CD (INFX 015). 6 panel digipak, new artwork and best of all, highly affordable! Ditch your searches for the Instinct version - we'll have copies in time for Autumnal listening.


5/24/06

Well this is certainly interesting :
Milieu 2CD ebay


4/28/06

The Milieu's are now in. All of those that preordered, thanks for your patience. I'm working on getting these out to everyone 'straightaway'.

4/1/06

"Beyond the Sea Lies the Stars" release is being pushed back about a week or so. Everything should be ready to go in another week - officially we'll say the release date is now April 11th.
The next release on Infraction is going to be Tetsu Inoue's classic ambient disc "World Receiver" (INFX 015). This is a reissue of the 1996 issue on 'another' label. Expect a late May, early June release on that. Also coming around the same time will be Beautumn's follow-up to "White Coffee" entitled "Northing" (INFX 020). Again, looking for late May/early June on that as well. Samples, artwork should be posted sometime soon.

3/9/06

The Milieu full-length (Beyond the Sea) with the bonus CDR (Beyond the Stars - as shown on the left here) is now sold out. Gracious thanks to all that ordered. The version without the bonus cDR is still available though here.

2/21/06

MILIEU - Beyond the Sea Lies the Stars CD
The official release date for this is going to be April 4th, 2006. Here is the 'official' one-sheet:
Mining a provenance of sounds from a distant & disbanded orchestra Milieu reassembles then quietly broadcasts the collected notes into a wide expanse. It is his first full ambient offering to be heard from a library of many hours of sound experimentation in drone, ambient and lush found sound litanies. Beyond the Sea is shrouded in distant fog…there are lights that seem to appear briefly and then are calmly eclipsed. There is a fascination in this nebulous balance of sonorous melodies from decades ago, almost hopeful, yet an undercurrent of a somber theme that is draped over the entire composition…
This is American composer Milieu’s first proper release – following two limited edition releases for the Belgian label U-Cover. Influences include The Caretaker’s ‘Haunted Ballroom’ and from William Basinski’s ‘Disintegration Loops’ series.
The first 150 copies will include a bonus CDR (INFX 019) entitled “Beyond the Stars Lies the Sea”.

Listen to samples here.

12/19/05



Nighttime Christmas picture from the back of the Infraction compound.

12/16/05

BEAUTUMN - White Coffee CD
Release Date : December 14th, 2005
Well, look what has finally arrived. All the preorder folks have copies in the mail with some extras for their wait. Get yours now, they're moving.
Edition of 509. Listen to samples here.  Purchase here.

We've also signed a new artist; MILIEU. We're planning on 2 full-lengths in the next year or so. Minimalistic drifting ambient from this SC artist. Previous disc on U-cover. More details to come.

11/23/05

I think finally we'll see the Beautumn - White Coffee CD actually delivered by the end of the month. This has taken way too long already...many issues with artwork. It'll be worth the wait though.

There's a new CDR compilation that we've just finished up. 12 tracks from the last year and the upcoming 6 months or so. Limited to 50. Noise Maker's Fifes is on there...a new track from Zimiamvian Night (a reworking of music from Christopher Orczy), a couple of Kiln tracks, a Tetsu Inoue track (interesting story still in development), Koda, Beequeen, Liles, and a couple of incredible Beautumn tracks; one from the aforementioned White Coffee and another from the upcoming stellar "northing" full-length.

Andrew Liles - An Un World & Colin Potter's "See" standard (or Coleclough art edition) are sold out - thanks for the continued support.

10/16/05

KILN - Thermals CD
Release Date : October 18th, 2005
UPC : 8-74044-00344-6
“Their textured sound forms, are portable pieces of sonic art...dappled light harmonics, stormy movements, looped and wrapped in narcotic melodies” – j. olariu / e|i magazine
Thermals debuted in the Spring of 2001 to a lucky lot of 100 people. Hand-stamped CD-R’s, homemade artwork housed an incredible set of micro-symphonic musics. Over the course of 7 years of collecting odd loopstrata rescued from quarter-inch tape obscurity, the three meticulous members of Kiln went about the daunting task of re-compiling, remastering and renovating what is now the 2005 Infraction Records edition of Thermals in it’s full-pressed glorious beauty. Elemental and immersive environments of Gaussian tone and color. There are rewards for the deep listener – each of these sonic carousels expanding slowly becoming 'space-tuning' tonics whose lilting beauty is sensed rather than heard.
Chances are anyone who has a few titles of the kranky catalog on their shelves or has perused the works of Labradford and/or Stars of the Lid (or Pan America or Eno or Loscil or, or, or…) has heard Kiln in one form or another. Other guises have been called Fibreforms, Waterwheel and then finally Kiln with releases on Ghostly International, Room Tone and Thalassa.
Infraction Records is very thrilled to release this disc from Kiln. One staffer remarked “It’s like having 23 different takes on the emotive quality that Eno’s “an ending (descent)” (from Apollo : Atmospheres) provided. The 4 minute mini-film soundtrack that actually lives up to that description.” [INFX 017]

$12 postage paid U.S. / Canada $14 postage paid rest of world

05/11/05

Here we go! NEW, NEW

ULTRA MILKMAIDS & AIDAN BAKER - At Home With... CD
Release date May 31st. Web orders and pre-orders are shipping now.
$12 ppd in the U.S., $14 postage paid rest of the world
Years ago, when I first played Global Communication’s 76:14, there was an undeniable warmth exuding from the speakers, the same warmth exists here in the initial moments of At Home With…the first collaboration from France’s Ultra Milkmaids and the Canadian guitarist, Aidan Baker. Initial looks are deceiving however, and a sinewy metallic undercurrent dives and ascends through a pastoral framework. The vision clouds, becoming opaque, echoing metallic insects swirling about and a mellotron led choir is buried in the distance somewhere. By the third and final track, the outlook has cleared substantially. The environment has taken the forefront, the sounds of a sleeping city one moment, church bells on a bright morning the next with Baker and the Ultra Milkmaids providing the perfect ambient accompaniment of slowly revolving drones. A refined and definitive collaborative statement from two of the more prolific artists recording in the realms of textural experimental ambient today.
Edition of 538 [INFX 010]
Listen to samples here.

04/28/05

The Wire. I've sent every release to the Wire, they finally decided to write back...May issue I believe.
Koda - Movements
"The trick to this one is to bypass all tendencies towards quiescence and stillness that the bucolic imagery and titles with which M Derrick's first album for Ohio's Infraction label has been presented and crank the volume up. A short series of singleminded meditations on a single cluster of tones, their overlapping, phasing and resonating works better, conveying a deeper sensation of peace the louder they get. The sustained chiming ad blurring that occurs on each piece, producing an increasing sense of depth and shadow as they proceed, gives physical presence to suspension, allowing hiatus to assume the form that suits it best." - Ken Hollings / the wire
Get your dictionaries out

Here's one for Beequeen from Brainwashed

This is a reissue of an album that was originally released in a limited run on the now-defunct Isomorphic Records in 1996. For this edition, a previously unreleased 13-minute bonus track from the original sessions has been appended to the album. Music For the Head Ballet is possibly Beequeen's most ambient work to date: a series of quietly abstract, lengthy organ drones that amass slowly over time, gradually revealing their denseness and complexity. Each of the four tracks begins in total silence, which is actually unpotentiated sound just beyond the threshold of audibility. Slowly and gorgeously, the dense sound of vintage electric organs begin to coalesce in the far distance, looped steam calliope melodies smeared out across the sky like cumulonimbus cotton candy clouds. Soft and murmuring, Beequeen's drones are sweet and airy, filling the room with densely immersive but spiritually uplifting sound, a gossamer architecture of floating spiderwebs and translucent dirigables. It's a sound birthed in a daydream, buoyant melodies from a distant circus big top obfuscated by layers of fog and abstracted by years spent asleep and dreaming. Music For the Head Ballet has far more to say than an average album of minimalist, electronic ambience, which shouldn't be surprising to those who have listened to Beequeen's work through the years. Freek and Frans and singularly talented at the seemingly effortless creation of mood and atmosphere, impregnating their nebulous compositions with a cerebral quality that always welcomes repeated listens. In the midst of its disarming beauty, "Days That Never Were" contains uncanny elements of the ominous, haunted by the distant, fragmented memories of childhood. In contrast, "These Foolish Days" seems breezy and uncomplicated, though it travels through mysteriously gauzy chambers of tantalizingly fuzzy discombobulation. "White Feathers on a Dish, Used to Erect the Pyramids" sounds like an Angelo Badalamenti score skirting just outside the edge of melody and cohesion. The new addition of "Remind Me of You" takes an atonal, shapeless swell of organ drones and sets it against the summer buzz of sunlight and distant lawn sprinklers. Head Ballet is not for those looking for pleasures concrete and tuneful, but rather for those that wouldn't mind a total immersion in an esoteric audio environment full of half-remembered dreams that slip back into the cloudy murk before they can be fully grasped." - Jonathan Dean

Again, I will plug this...it'll officially be released at the end of May, those who order directly from us we'll get this around the 2nd week of May...beat the soulseekers...
ULTRA MILKMAIDS & AIDAN BAKER - At home with... CD (Infraction) U.S. $12.00
Coming Soon!! Preorder now for an early May release. $12 ppd in the U.S. $14 ROW Canadian Aidan Baker's pastoral guitar work shredded to glorious bits by the French. Environmental recordings paint the background with various voices and distant church bells. White noise interrupts the orchestra. Church bells chime and the sound of Spring
[INFX 010]

Lastly, we're very proud to be offering this, preorder for an upcoming release due early part of summer:

BEAUTUMN - White Coffee CD (Infraction) U.S. $14.00 ppd U.S., $16 Rest of World ppd
As one astute discogs member put it : "An Absolutely beautiful ambient album. Warm caressing synths float over light spacious textures. Like Monolake without the beats. One of my favorite albums of 2003, and sure to be one of my all time favorite ambient albums. If there is such a thing as paradise, I think track four would be the soundtrack. Looooovely."
This album has been buried for 2 years due to difficulties with other labels and an expansive 18 page color booklet. The images and layout are extraordinary and we're very happy to be able to help get this release to see the light of day. Planned for summer release '05.
[INFX 011]

03/28/05

Is spring here yet? I wish Winter would just die.
Oh, this is a very nice review - from the Brainwashed Brain this a.m. here is a lovely review of the Koda - Movements CD :
M. Derrick's ten compositions on this record easily qualifies as some of the most relaxing music I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. Ten tracks have separate names, but Movements comes together as one cohesive picture built from shining strings and warm, enveloping tones. Everything about this recording is transformative: it eliminates time, balances every aspect of the environment it is played in, and subtly coerces any negative or violent mood into one of contentment and ease. The dynamics on the record are deceptive, changing so softly and slowly so that it is difficult to catch the exact moment that any change actually occurs. Hums modulate, pseudo-melodies pitch and bend, but the aura of each track seems to bleed into the next without fail; Movements is incredibly well-conceived and constructed seamlessly, as though it were imagined as one continuous transformation. As far as actual instrumentation goes, it's difficult to discern whether or not these are over-processed instruments drawn out into oblivion or simply keyboards layered upon more keyboards. Whichever happens to be true is unimportant, part of the miracle of Derrick's work is that the instrumentation never changes but stays consistently inviting, beautiful, and captivating nonetheless. "The Tension Was Beautiful" segues into "Are We Water" in the same way that one movement of symphony might slip into the next. Instead of a whole range of instruments being used, Derrick minimalizes his available sources and bleeds every last ounce of soul out of them. Sometimes, as on "A Waterboat Singing Having Sunk," the instruments sound as if they are singing, harmonizing the way multiple violins or cellos do together, and at other times they are without reference and abstract, but still earthly and familiar. I've never felt quite so wonderful listening to a record—the speakers seem to pour out light when it plays. I have heard only a small handful of records capable of causing physical effects in the listener, but this is one of those records that literally speaks to and alters the body. I've found my skin tingling, butterflies in my stomach, and a steady bliss throughout my bones every time I've put Movements on, and that has been a very good number of times in just the last few days alone... never mind the weeks I've been soaking in its bright ghost and losing myself entirely. - Lucas Schleicher

I think it's time to officially unveil the Zimiamvian Night CDR. This is a work 2 years in the making.

ZIMIAMVIAN NIGHT – Untitled CDR (Infraction) INFX 007

There is a group of small acts, collectives and individual artists that dot the globe creating spacious scenes using a backdrop of layered or prepared guitar and infusing environmental recordings. This initial work by Zimiamvian Night is assimilated into this group that includes among others; Monos, Mirror and Zoviet France (during their more spacious moments). These acts and artists employ the richness and warmth of analog recording, with small detailed clips of the world around them. The analog sounds, when examined closely, continue to display a furthering richness of detail. Detailed examination uncovers new sounds and textures as displayed here on the 1st Zimiamvian Night recording. There is a delicate framework built around the hum and beautiful gauze created from the guitar, deepened by layering and enhanced from the warm sound medium of the magnetic tape. Imperceptibly the sound emerges and then fades infinitely, with no end in sight, a quiet calm eventually settling in.
This is an edition of 50 copies.

Andrew Liles is going to be playing 3 shows in Vienna soon with Steven Stapleton and Colin Potter : Salt Marie Celeste - The Musical (featuring Steven Stapleton, Diana Rogerson, and Colin Potter of Nurse With Wound) FRI - MAY 6
Vienna, AT
Anatomical Museum / Narrenturm
w/Irr.App.(Ext.) and Andrew Liles

SAT - MAY 7
Vienna, AT
Anatomical Museum / Narrenturm
2:00 PM Show with Irr.App.(Ext.) and Andrew Liles
SAT - MAY 7
Vienna, AT
Anatomical Museum / Narrenturm
w/Irr.App.(Ext.) and Andrew Liles
12/31/04

Happy new year happy people. The Liles epic is among us now and New York Doll is her name. Odd time to release? Probably so. It was vital to the numerology of this release that it be affixed with a 2004 to it. I'll leave it to you to figure out the rest.

ANDREW LILES - New York Doll 2xCD INFX 013

New York Doll is (in part) constructed from field recordings made in Sweden, the Czech Republic, France, USA and the UK. It is a transatlantic recording of parallel universes. Boston MA, USA versus Boston, Lincolnshire, UK. Sounds have been cross-fertilized, genetically modified and decay between locations and events. New York Doll is full of tiny details, nuances and waves of sound constructed from many places and sound sources. Anagrams of time and space co-exist in the music. An impossibly complicated matrix has been constructed for the listener to interpret and unravel. Liles fills out a busy 2004 (1 box set, a limited 6” vinyl, full-length on Nextera, 7” on klanggalerie, recordings and reconstructions with Bass Communion, Colin Potter, Nocturnal Emissions, Volcano the Bear, Andrew King among others) with his third full-length release on Infraction. Over 98 minutes spanning 2 CDs of strange and subtle ambience, calming yet uneasy arias interspersed with unexpected clicks and hollow thuds. Voices ask questions and there are no answers. Pretty golden loops cascade into a jumble of drones and geometric acoustic patterns of unfathomable glory that creek, bend, then shatter like falling crystal chandeliers. The fragments scatter and disappear into oblivion. This is a recording that is numerologically correct and anagrammatically active. (INFX 013)

12/14/04

Everything seems to be taking awhile to get here. Koda's Movements CD is no exception. They have finally arrived and they are beautiful. I've given up on trying to describe this recording. It's from left-field in that Koda is relatively unknown, but I've not played and replayed a disc this emotive since Budd/Eno's _the Pearl_. Maybe you'll have the same response to it...maybe not. There's no accounting for taste is there?

KODA - Movements CD INFX 008

“What will become of all the beautiful parts of our lives? The debut full-length _movements_, from the Michigan-based artist Koda presents 10 portraits as answers to this. A hazy incidence of complete isolation and the warmth of a setting sun. It would be accurate to say that there are enormous fields lying in between pulling them loosely together. Tracks such as “are we water” present these circular patterns of hovering strings that envelope the listener. Waves of harmonics with this beautiful tension tends to walk slowly, or rather drift along gathering up memories of the past. There was a time when I let this disc go on for hours and it reminds you of these serene moments, these settings that become apparent with a Rafael Toral track or something touched upon by the Stars of the Lid. It lets you in, opens up something you’ve forgotten – a wholly engaging experience. _Movements_ is a vague reflection of loss and loneliness and it succeeds with wonderful results.”

10/30/04

Has it really been this long? Apparently so. Back in March I said that Beequeen's reissue of Music for the Head Ballet was wrapping up, and so it did. In an agreement with the Beequeen boys, we're going to just do a limited release at the moment - a few copies to shops and copies to the Infraction label faithful. You may ask why...or not. If you are interested, you know how to get ahold of me (see bottom of the page) and if you're mildly interested or unsure - please read on...

BEEQUEEN - Music for the Head Ballet CD INFX 009

Always a lonesome recording with it's distant organ drones quietly amassed, Music for the Head Ballet was first bestowed upon us in 1996. The now defunct Isomorphic records had the privilege of issuing these 3 pieces of lulling resonating ambience. Music for the Head Ballet has had an elusive history. There is little information about the music listed anywhere. The reviews are scarce, and those few that do make a mention are consistent in their praise of this alluring work. The original 936 numbered copies seem to be carefully tucked away on coveted shelves as it is rarely seen making an appearance in any market platform. Even the names of the tracks support it's ambiguous nature ("Days that never were", "White feathers on a dish,used to erect the pyramids" and "These foolish things"). Now after so many years of myth making, this gorgeous work has been made available again by Infraction. This reissue features new artwork as well as a previously unreleased 13 minute additional track from the original sessions. It is quite possibly the most blissful track Beequeen have committed to disc. Buy it now and hold your peace forever. Edition of 500. (INFX 009)

See shop for more details

3/23/04

The layout details of Beequeen's reissue of Music for the Head Ballet are getting wrapped up. This will be a CD edition of 500 that is remastered and contains a new additional previously unreleased track. Someone asked what it sounded like and I replied, "it's the most blissful thing I've ever heard from Beequeen."

Also, we're getting some of the files and rough layout of Movements disc from Koda. This is an artist from Michigan. This is music probably better suited for winter, layers of ambient guitar...more akin to Stars of the Lid and Rafael Toral. Quite accessible and atmospheric, but not insulting.

12/15/03

Two new releases over the winter months. Actually, the Colin Potter disc was originally planned for a late 2002 release. Through an inordinate amount of odd delays (see tale below) it did not actually 'See' the light of day until around July of this year, and even that was just the limited version. So, now the 'standard' version in all is properly pressed glory is here for consumption.

COLIN POTTER - See CD INFX 005

Originally released as a 2 track cassette on the ICR label in 1990, "See" is now seeing a digitally remastered re-issue. One of the original 2 tracks has been remixed and a new additional track, an epic 24 minute meditative ambient piece entitled "drift" recorded in 2002 has been added. Despite the 12 year gap in the respective recordings, the new track fits perfectly with the floating stasis of the originals. This completes the trio of pieces that are described as ‘music for hibernation’. Colin has long been a collaborator/engineer with Nurse With Wound and Current 93 as well as working in the collectives Monos, Ora & Kiln with Darren Tate, Andrew Chalk, Lol Coxhill, Daisuke Suzuki and many others. 2002 saw the release of the critically acclaimed ‘and then’, his first solo CD. Most recently he and Jonathan Coleclough released _Low Ground_ on ICR. Two version of "See" cover art are being released; a limited edition Infraction art print version in a numbered edition of 100 (available through Infraction and ICR exclusively available since July) and a run of 300 with artwork by Jonathan Coleclough, which has just come out in the last month. Click here for the sordid tale.

ANDREW LILES - All Closed Doors CD INFX 006

With a title such as ‘Largactil and Dilaudin for the Soul’ this newest release from British composer Andrew Liles should give an indication of the eccentricies from where this recording is coming from. One track of stark resonating piano followed by the slow warming of the orchestra that draws you in. Once there, it tip toes, echoes and dissolves with each track re-emerging more fractured than the next. Intricacies of creaks, dull thuds, traditional instrumentation and then subtle ambient drones. ‘All Closed Doors’ could be the aural equivalent of living in a disused cupboard; dusty and empty - dark and damp. Perhaps the definitive song on the album, 'What Never Will Be' is a bizarre ghostly version of the 'que sera sera'. Edition of 500 copies.

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