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Recommended by us on 23rd June 2011
...according to our Brian on Thu 23 Jun, 2011.
This is a pretty remarkable sounding recording. I love the fact it was recorded during a snowstorm up Mount Shasta in California! 'Fire Star' is forged from elements such as modern classical, moody post-rock and experimental folk but seems so much more dream-like and vibrant than any of that would suggest! At times it recalls some of the more ecstatic, otherworldly Bedroom Community stuff, or maybe Richard Skelton's A Broken Consort project. Simultaneously gentle and chamber-like and overwhelmingly celebratory, this is a very full-sounding and emotional album. The final segment of the opening trilogy, 'Hot Snow', sounds like something wonderful derived from the Constellation stable such is its effortless merging of astral electronics, hand-claps, choral vocals, bells and violin. A truly magical, mystical sound that I'm quite bowled over by to be honest! 'Fire Serpent's Lull' is led by what appears to be a plucked cello and twinkly bells whilst other scintillating arrangements are softly layered over this core to create a breathtaking soundscape akin to a walk in a snow laden forest on the night of a full moon. Really, it's that dream-like. I wasn't expecting this. I'm a bit taken aback at how beautiful this is. Playful too and occasionally unnerving. I'm going to have to indulge in this as well as that delightful Littlebow excursion.
This sophomore release from Agnes Szelag (Evon, Dokuro) and Marielle Jakobsons (Darwinsbitch, Date
Palms) is an album of astonishing fragile beauty and darker, more foreboding atmospheres. Following
their critically acclaimed debut album, The Amber Sea (Digitalis, 2009) Fire Star was recorded during a
snowstorm on Shasta Mountain April 6-9 2010. The duo performs on violin, cello, voices, harps, bells, and
electronics. It is recorded by The Norman Conquest and mastered by Miles Boison.
Spire041 is super limited to 200 vinyl LP and 150 CD (CD will only be available directly from the label, vinyl
more widely distributed). Initial vinyl pre-orders from the label will also get a copy of the CD:
http://www.underthespire.co.uk/releases-buy/myrmyr
Myrmyr is Agnes Szelag & Marielle Jakobsons
from Oakland, California. With a foundation
of violin and cello, the duo creates an intimate
post-classical atmosphere inspired by folk
elements of their common Eastern European
ancestry. Since 2004, they have performed
across the US, collaborated with dozens of
musicians and filmmakers, and premiered
several works for large ensembles such as
sfSound & the Oakland Active Orchestra.
Their debut album was hailed as “one of the
most unique and absorbing albums we’ve heard this year” by Boomkat. Myrmyr has been nationally syndicated
on KQED for the show SPARK, performed at the Stone (NY), the De Young Museum (SF), as well as several na-
tional festivals, published in the Leonardo Music Journal, and received an American Composer’s Forum Grant.
1-3 Hot Snow (Side A)
4 Fire Serpent’s Lull (Side A)
5 Thunder Stars (Side B)
6 Golden Ashes (Side B)
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Norman Records,
Unit 20, Croydon House,
Croydon Street,
Leeds,
LS11 9RT, UK.
Tel/fax: (+44) 0113 245 4399
Email: phil@normanrecords.com
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