Photo by Christian Misje
Next month will see the release of Hydrogen, the impending debut from BARDSPEC, the ambient project/band featuring Enslaved composer/guitarist Ivar Bjørnson and Today Is The Day’s Steve Austin.
BARDSPEC fuses stirring, hallucinatory synth-sounds with mercurial guitar effects and hypnotic rhythms that navigate illusory landscapes. Field recordings and other found-sounds also drift and evaporate into the ether. Working intuitively with these elements and with sharpened senses, attuned to inner impulses, this is immersive music, that can exist anywhere, and anytime within the minds of the listener.
In advance of its release, today BrooklynVegan offers up the stunning visual accompaniment to the fittingly-titled “Gamma.” Directed by David Hall, the clip can be viewed at THIS LOCATION.
Comments Bjørnson of the band’s latest single, “‘Gamma’ is a meditation on the magic of science, or perhaps the science of magic. The mysteries of the atom and nuclear physics have fascinated me deeply as long as I can remember. Enlightened humans have known for thousands of years that the concept of ‘god’ dwells within the corporal being, and with the atom bomb the proof was definite…to me at least. As scientist in charge [American theoretical physicist and professor of physics Julius Robert] Oppenheimer said, watching the first test atom bomb go off: ‘I have become Shiva: Destroyer Of Worlds.’ The other aspect of radiation is its communicative powers; of carrying information over enormous distances. We learn things about the universe and its early days from watching bursts of Gamma Ray make its way through the universe. Musically speaking it is one of the heavier songs, which I managed to sneak in a little Sigur Ros tribute into as well.”
Hydrogen will be released on June 23rd across all formats. The six-panel CD digipak is available as limited first pressing of 1000 and includes bonus track “Teeth.” The double gatefold LP is limited to 500 on black vinyl while the digital format will also include the bonus track. Access the “Fire Tongue” radio edits now via iTunes and Apple Music.
Preorder the limited CD, LP, and shirt here: http://bardspec.aisamerch.com/ (US) and http://aisamerch.de/bardspec/en/ (EU). Digital orders are available here: http://radi.al/BardSpecHydrogenAlbum and here: https://bardspec.bandcamp.com.
Additionally, you can sample previously released singles, “Bone,” and “Fire Tongue” below.
In related news, BARDSPEC will perform a rare and special show late next month at Brooklyn’s Saint Vitus Bar. The record release show — in association with AISA and By Norse – features BARDSPEC, alongside Josh Graham’s IIVII, and recent additions, Gnaw. Set to take place on June 29th at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, New York, tickets are on sale now and currently available at THIS LOCATION.
BARDSPEC w/ IIVII, Gnaw:
6/29/2017 Saint Vitus Bar – Brooklyn, NY [info]
BARDSPEC is inspired by the German masters Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schultze, and Conrad Schnitzler in addition to contemporary ambient music like Norwegian one-man-band Biosphere and abstract modern electronic music like When, as well as the electronic/industrial-driven metal like Godflesh.
The idea of micro and macro represents the very essence of BARDSPEC, which is thematically and sonically about minimizing, subtracting and meditating upon the simplest essence of “thingsl” the single points, exemplified through the song titles like “Bone,” “Salt” and so on; the basic elements and foundations that make up the whole. There is an element of “space” in the music and the artwork, as a representation of the inner workings of the mind and the subconscious.
Stay tuned for further info on BARDSPEC in the coming weeks.
BARDSPEC:
Ivar Bjørnson
Steve Austin
David Hall
Josh Graham
http://www.bardspec.com
http://www.facebook.com/BardSpec
http://www.instagram.com/bardspec
http://www.bynorse.com
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