mmxxii
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'An Orchestral Suite For Tape'
zakè & City of Dawn Limited Edition Cassette 6/22/2022 Credits: Written, recorded, and produced by zakè & City of Dawn Mixed and curated at Kaleidoscope Tone Studio by zakè Mastered at Schwebung Mastering by Stephan Mathieu Design and layout by zakè © 2022 Zakè Drone Recordings This is ZD-COMP02 | MMXXII zakedronerecordings.com zakedrone.com Distribution: Zakè Drone Recordings, Juno Records, Past Inside the Present |
◾️◾️◾️ ABOUT ◾️◾️◾️
'An Orchestral Suite For Tape' is a compilation specifically curated for playback on the noble cassette tape format. Featuring orchestral arrangements by zakè & City of Dawn, this collection includes songs from four albums and one compilation. This is the first time these tracks have been available on tape.
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'Sound Space Variations'
zakè Limited Edition Digipak CD & Cassette 5/27/2022 Credits: Written and produced by zakè Mixed and mastered at Ambient Mountain House by James Bernard Guitar accompaniment on “Bewrayeth“ by Kévin Séry Photography and design by zakè © 2022 Zakè Drone Recordings This is ZD-011 | MMXXII zakedronerecordings.com zakedrone.com Distribution: Zakè Drone Recordings, Juno Records, Past Inside the Present |
◾️◾️◾️ REVIEW ◾️◾️◾️
The Moments Between Sounds - A Musical Artwork
“Sound Space Variations" is a delicate and restrained sound bath. A mix of atmospheric, suspenseful drone sounds and meditative aspects. It is an album made for those moments when we just are.
zakè has managed to capture the moments that lie between sounds. I am sure you know those unagitated murmurs and atmospheric hisses. The artist connects this in-between-world and our earthly one with calm and sonorous scores, making us think about everything and nothing.
The six pieces on the record do not seem heavy-headed or overloaded but much more airy, wide and open for interpretations. They stimulate the imagination – in a wonderfully unbiased way. In the last track, "Bewrayeth", Kévin Séry makes a surprise appearance – he has added an excellent guitar accompaniment to the song.
James Bernard mixed and mastered the album, written and produced by drone artist zakè, at Ambient Mountain House Studio. zakè himself provided the artwork and photos himself.”
Cardamomchai
Anne Reis, Music & Sustainability Blogger Hamburg (DE) / cardamonchai.com
The Moments Between Sounds - A Musical Artwork
“Sound Space Variations" is a delicate and restrained sound bath. A mix of atmospheric, suspenseful drone sounds and meditative aspects. It is an album made for those moments when we just are.
zakè has managed to capture the moments that lie between sounds. I am sure you know those unagitated murmurs and atmospheric hisses. The artist connects this in-between-world and our earthly one with calm and sonorous scores, making us think about everything and nothing.
The six pieces on the record do not seem heavy-headed or overloaded but much more airy, wide and open for interpretations. They stimulate the imagination – in a wonderfully unbiased way. In the last track, "Bewrayeth", Kévin Séry makes a surprise appearance – he has added an excellent guitar accompaniment to the song.
James Bernard mixed and mastered the album, written and produced by drone artist zakè, at Ambient Mountain House Studio. zakè himself provided the artwork and photos himself.”
Cardamomchai
Anne Reis, Music & Sustainability Blogger Hamburg (DE) / cardamonchai.com
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'Remembrance'
zakè Limited Edition 2xLP US Version [200 units] (180g pine green w/ white) EU Version [100 units] Limited Edition LP (180g marble transparent green w/ solid green splatter) Zakè Drone Recordings // Dunk!Records ZD-015 // DNK21134 2/25/2022 Credits: Mixed at Kaleidoscope Tone Studio by zakè Mastered at SDS Studio (WA/US) by Drew Sullivan Vinyl pressed at Dunk!Pressing (Zottegem, BE) Poetic narrative 'A Heart Mirrored’ and track titles by Julia Frizzell Photography by Benoît Pioulard Design and layout by zakè ©℗ 2022 Zakè Drone Recordings // Dunk!Records This is ZD-015 // DNK21134 Distribution: Zakè Drone Recordings, Dunk!Records, Juno Records, A Thousand Arms, Church Road Records, New Noise China |
Remembrance follows a similar formula found on zakè’s previous effort, Geneva (released on Past Inside the Present, 2020). He produced eight short phonic motifs and then invited artists to collaborate, rework, and expand upon the source material resulting in a new, unique creation.
The album consists of eight short vignettes by zakè, six collaborative pieces, and eight completely reworked tracks. The track titles and overall theme of these works are based off the gorgeous poetic narrative “Remembrance” written by Julia Frizzell.
“Collaborating with other artists, along with passing songs and ideas to artists to rework is one of the most enjoyable experiences when writing music. Co-creation captures the heart, soul, and music artistry combined, allowing for a bigger canvas of aural exploration and expression. I am truly humbled to work with such incredible artists.”
-zakè
Tracks 1-8: Written, recorded, and produced by zakè
Tracks 9-14:
'Release' collaboratively produced by Color of Time & zakè
‘A Breath’ collaboratively produced by Benoît Pioulard & zakè
‘Glimmer' collaboratively produced by City of Dawn & zakè
'Held' collaboratively produced by Grandbruit & zakè
‘Catch' collaboratively produced by Wayne Robert Thomas & zakè
‘Heart Mirrored’ collaboratively produced by Jonas Munk & zakè
Tracks 15-23:
Source material by zakè
Reworked and produced by the following in order of appearance:
marine eyes, Cat Tyson Hughes, Robert Farrugia, Belly Full of Stars, anthéne, Ai Yamamoto, 36, Patricia Wolf, & Christina Giannone.
The album consists of eight short vignettes by zakè, six collaborative pieces, and eight completely reworked tracks. The track titles and overall theme of these works are based off the gorgeous poetic narrative “Remembrance” written by Julia Frizzell.
“Collaborating with other artists, along with passing songs and ideas to artists to rework is one of the most enjoyable experiences when writing music. Co-creation captures the heart, soul, and music artistry combined, allowing for a bigger canvas of aural exploration and expression. I am truly humbled to work with such incredible artists.”
-zakè
Tracks 1-8: Written, recorded, and produced by zakè
Tracks 9-14:
'Release' collaboratively produced by Color of Time & zakè
‘A Breath’ collaboratively produced by Benoît Pioulard & zakè
‘Glimmer' collaboratively produced by City of Dawn & zakè
'Held' collaboratively produced by Grandbruit & zakè
‘Catch' collaboratively produced by Wayne Robert Thomas & zakè
‘Heart Mirrored’ collaboratively produced by Jonas Munk & zakè
Tracks 15-23:
Source material by zakè
Reworked and produced by the following in order of appearance:
marine eyes, Cat Tyson Hughes, Robert Farrugia, Belly Full of Stars, anthéne, Ai Yamamoto, 36, Patricia Wolf, & Christina Giannone.
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'Tape Hymns'
zakè & City of Dawn Limited Edition LP US Version [200 units] (180g transparent natural/green split) EU Version [100 units] Limited Edition LP (180g transparent green smoke) Zakè Drone Recordings // Dunk!Records ZD-016 // DNK21135 2/25/2022 Credits: Written, recorded, and produced by zakè & City of Dawn Field recordings on 'Hymn No. 1' by awakened souls Additional sound textures by Joachim Spieth Mixed at Kaleidoscope Tone Studio (IN/US) by zakè Mastered at SDS Studio (WA/US) by Drew Sullivan Vinyl pressed at Dunk!Pressing (Zottegem, BE Design and layout by zakè ©℗ 2022 Zakè Drone Recordings // Dunk!Records This is ZD-016 // DNK21135 Distribution: Zakè Drone Recordings, Dunk!Records, Juno Records, A Thousand Arms, Church Road Records, New Noise China |
Tape Hymns is a mesmerizing amalgam of sounds carefully crafted by frequent collaborators zakè and City of Dawn. The warm hiss of analog tape as the foundational structure of these arrangements brings forth pastoral mediations with becalmed, atmospheric intent. Tape Hymns mix echoing sonic tones, slow-drifting sounds with immersive low-end frequencies.
Rather than linger in the imperfections of media, the duo pursues an attention to fidelity that forces them to get the fine details just right. Tape Hymns is a convincing display of just how much can be done within a relatively strict conceptual framework.
One of the joys of drone in forms tied to ambient electronica is the deceptive sense of depth - refrains often hang on a single central tone but float, glide and flow in a manner that creates textured soundscapes on such a huge scale it is rarely far from the mind's eye. These arrangements are case in point, offering plenty of calm but complex scores primed for the self-reflective moments in time we spend considering the beauty of our world.
Rather than linger in the imperfections of media, the duo pursues an attention to fidelity that forces them to get the fine details just right. Tape Hymns is a convincing display of just how much can be done within a relatively strict conceptual framework.
One of the joys of drone in forms tied to ambient electronica is the deceptive sense of depth - refrains often hang on a single central tone but float, glide and flow in a manner that creates textured soundscapes on such a huge scale it is rarely far from the mind's eye. These arrangements are case in point, offering plenty of calm but complex scores primed for the self-reflective moments in time we spend considering the beauty of our world.
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'Pinehaven'
zakè & City of Dawn Limited Edition LP US Version [200 units] (180g transparent light green w/ green center splatter) EU Version [100 units] Limited Edition LP (180g cloudy green w/ white center blob) Zakè Drone Recordings // Dunk!Records ZD-017 // DNK21136 2/25/2022 Credits: Written, recorded, and produced by zakè & City of Dawn Mixed at Kaleidoscope Tone Studio (IN/US) by zakè Mastered at SDS Studio (WA/US) by Drew Sullivan Vinyl pressed at Dunk!Pressing (Zottegem, BE) Design and layout by zakè ©℗ 2022 Zakè Drone Recordings // Dunk!Records This is ZD-017 // DNK21136 Distribution: Zakè Drone Recordings, Dunk!Records, Juno Records, A Thousand Arms, Church Road Records, New Noise China |
Pioneers of slow-evolving minimal drone, zakè & City of Dawn transform unadorned inputs into beautiful complexity in their latest effort, 'Pinehaven'. The drone duo is known for their carefully crafted textures, avoiding sudden shifts or abrasive sonorities. Their focus, as heard in previous efforts, offer up the steady ebb and flow of sound, cultivating a profound sense of meditative stasis and explorations of high-fidelity sound.
Eight expressive ambient soundscapes explore the timbral effects of gradual shifts in density, waves of sound almost imperceptibly carrying the melody from one instrument to another. There is a graceful poetry to the cadence of each track, reminding us that silences are as important to communication as sound.
Eight expressive ambient soundscapes explore the timbral effects of gradual shifts in density, waves of sound almost imperceptibly carrying the melody from one instrument to another. There is a graceful poetry to the cadence of each track, reminding us that silences are as important to communication as sound.
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'Frizzell & Duque: Orison'
zakè & City of Dawn Limited Edition LP (180g grayscale splatter) US Version Limited Edition LP (180g smoke splatter) EU Version Zakè Drone Recordings // Dunk!Records ZD-008 // DNK21140 2/25/2022 Credits: Written, recorded, and produced by zakè & City of Dawn Mixed at Kaleidoscope Tone Studio (IN/US) by zakè Mastered at Schwebung Mastering (Bonn, DE) by Stephan Mathieu Vinyl pressed at Dunk!Pressing (Zottegem, BE) Design and layout by zakè ©℗ 2022 Zakè Drone Recordings // Dunk!Records This is ZD-008 // DNK21140 Distribution: Zakè Drone Recordings, Dunk!Records, Juno Records, A Thousand Arms, Church Road Records, New Noise China |
Orison is the latest aural exploration between zakè & City of Dawn and a predecessor to their previous orchestral effort, 'A Sorrow Unrequited'. Orison is a prayer or plea to a deity. The archaic origins of the term stem from the Latin language simply meaning to ‘speak to God’. Patient and solemn symphonic drifts that foster stillness, boundless thought, introspection, and eternal contemplation.
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'Agape'
zakè & City of Dawn Limited Edition LP (opaque white w/ green) Digital Azure Vista Records vista012 1/28/2022 Credits: Written, recorded and produced by zakè and City of Dawn Mastered at Schwebung Mastering (Germany) by Stephan Mathieu Artwork and design by Jakob Skøtt Photography by Jonas Munk ©℗ 2022 Azure Vista Records, Denmark This is VISTA012LP Distribution: Azure Vista Records, Past Inside the Present, Juno Records, Norman Records |
On Agape, pioneers of slow-evolving minimal drone, zakè (a.k.a. Zach Frizzell) and City of Dawn (a.k.a. Damien Duque) transform unadorned inputs into beautiful complexity. The drone duo, based in Texas and Indiana respectively, is known for their carefully crafted textures, avoiding sudden shifts or abrasive sororities. Their focus offer up the steady ebb and flow of sound, cultivating a profound sense of meditative stasis and explorations of high-fidelity sound.
These six extended pieces are organic and minimalist in nature, but has an ethereal, mirage-like quality to them. Somber, yet incredibly uplifting. Agape is the kind of ambient record that refuses to be reduced to mere background music – the harmonic foundation and the details of the soundscapes are too compelling for that. Frizzell and Duque manage to expand rather simple sonic ingredients into weightless ambient perfection.
Review ▪️▪️
"zakè and City of Dawn return to their longstanding collaboration for a new album, 'Agape', delivering a slow-droning album that bucks the trend of ambient's original purpose as background music. The Texas-Indiana duo steadily eases into great time-dilated deluges of sound, slowing everything down, yet not giving into pure depth, spanning both high and low frequencies. A natural theme is unearthed across the six pieces, producing a sublime soundscape reminiscent of Steve Roach, Bvdub or GAS meeting the thematic motifs of Shelley or Wordsworth"
-Juno Records, UK
These six extended pieces are organic and minimalist in nature, but has an ethereal, mirage-like quality to them. Somber, yet incredibly uplifting. Agape is the kind of ambient record that refuses to be reduced to mere background music – the harmonic foundation and the details of the soundscapes are too compelling for that. Frizzell and Duque manage to expand rather simple sonic ingredients into weightless ambient perfection.
Review ▪️▪️
"zakè and City of Dawn return to their longstanding collaboration for a new album, 'Agape', delivering a slow-droning album that bucks the trend of ambient's original purpose as background music. The Texas-Indiana duo steadily eases into great time-dilated deluges of sound, slowing everything down, yet not giving into pure depth, spanning both high and low frequencies. A natural theme is unearthed across the six pieces, producing a sublime soundscape reminiscent of Steve Roach, Bvdub or GAS meeting the thematic motifs of Shelley or Wordsworth"
-Juno Records, UK
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'A Pale Shelter'
zakè, City of Dawn, Ossa Limited Edition LP (transparent scarlet) + 11" print Limited Edition LP (transparent crystalline) + 11" print Digital Past Inside the Present PITP-V056 12/15/2021 Credits: Written, recorded, and produced by zakè, City of Dawn, Ossa Additional production and vocals on ‘A Pale Shelter’ and ‘Solace Awaits Us’ by Benoît Pioulard Mixed at Kaleidoscope Tone Studio by zakè Mastered at Black Knoll (NY) by Rafael Anton Irisarri Poetic narrative 'A Pale Shelter' written by Julia Frizzell Photography by Benoît Pioulard All song titles by Julia Frizzell Design and layout by zakè ©℗ Past Inside the Present This is PITP-V056 | MMXXI |
Review ▪️▪️
"A Pale Shelter is the kind of record that stops you dead in your tracks without actually really doing very much to create a sonic blockade. It ebbs and flows, glides and meanders through constant refrains, slowly pulling you deeper into thickly textured, minimal waves of ambient, chimes twinkling somewhere in a distant background, echoes of melody creating centrepieces to the arrangements.
It's a classic example of what makes Past Inside the Present's output so mesmerising and beguiling. It's in the quietest, most serene moments that we feel the greatest power in the music. At times, it's the aural equivalent of watching the shadows of a fire dance on stone walls. Elsewhere, it's more like gazing out over endless beauty. Ultimately, this is exactly why they say less is more."
-Juno Records, UK
“
Stillness as we collide
Mounting a retreat
A pale shelter offered
Only to divide
Mourning shadows we perish
A failing of will
Alone in a moment
Who do you cherish
Soon holding on, the solemn embrace
Like a whisper unheard
No solace no grace
Yet today is all we have
In silence she speaks
The rivers below
Valleys and peaks
As a pale shelter once cherished
The shadows we mourn
Have all but perished
“
"A Pale Shelter is the kind of record that stops you dead in your tracks without actually really doing very much to create a sonic blockade. It ebbs and flows, glides and meanders through constant refrains, slowly pulling you deeper into thickly textured, minimal waves of ambient, chimes twinkling somewhere in a distant background, echoes of melody creating centrepieces to the arrangements.
It's a classic example of what makes Past Inside the Present's output so mesmerising and beguiling. It's in the quietest, most serene moments that we feel the greatest power in the music. At times, it's the aural equivalent of watching the shadows of a fire dance on stone walls. Elsewhere, it's more like gazing out over endless beauty. Ultimately, this is exactly why they say less is more."
-Juno Records, UK
“
Stillness as we collide
Mounting a retreat
A pale shelter offered
Only to divide
Mourning shadows we perish
A failing of will
Alone in a moment
Who do you cherish
Soon holding on, the solemn embrace
Like a whisper unheard
No solace no grace
Yet today is all we have
In silence she speaks
The rivers below
Valleys and peaks
As a pale shelter once cherished
The shadows we mourn
Have all but perished
“
