matthew barlow

matthew barlow - sound meditations (sounds of the dawn, 2016)

"A word on my process and overall concept when I was doing these “sound meditations”: Each one generally only had one track, and everything was improvised live and recorded in one take with no overdubs. Once the track was exported and posted online, the original master was deleted. This method was a practice of “calm abiding” with sound in the present moment, allowing what would arise to come and go. It wasn’t about creating a piece of music but rather about practicing a particular state of mind. It was one of my most freeing and rewarding experiences in making music, and I’m honored that it has been enjoyed by so many. This one is dedicated to the present moment and to the peace that can be found there provided we just listen. Very special thanks to Sounds of the Dawn, Steve Targo, and Kyle Landstra – without your inspiration, this music would not be possible." matthew barlow

“The heart surrenders everything to the present moment. The mind judges and holds back.” – Ram Dass" 

listen - buy

Sound Meditations by Matthew Barlow invites you to immerse yourself in the gentle flow of synth improvisations and field recordings. To still your mind and to open your heart to the present moment. Slowly the soothing sounds pass by in a fluent and organic way, going to a place where words lose their meaning and the music speaks for itself. It´s the feeling of apparent effortlessness and obvious natural beauty that makes this album an instant classic. More music by Matthew can be found here.

matthew barlow / ashan

matthew barlow ~ hatha (inner islands, 2016)

«Just being, without striving. A place of stillness». inner islands

Focusing on sound healing practices, Matt Barlow took a vacation with his renowned Twin Springs Tapes label and started recording more and more music, which takes new turn in unfolding American New Age music. His latest tape for Inner Islands gives you not only the opportunity to relax and get nice background music for 30 minutes but also the possibility of deepest meditation on the nature of music. Combining simple drones with electronic melodies and contemplative flute playing, this tape reflects the idea, which I run through my haed so many times, while listening to some good ambient records - you don't need to be focused, to perceive everything in this flow of aural sensations, but at the same time, staying out any activity in mind and environment you actually start feeling everything so clearly! I think this state cannot be achieved by means of intentional focusing, so this state feels much more natural and I'm always so childishly happy when it happens. Of course, not only music can bring it, nature can too - bird songs, streaming water, whisper of the leaves... And you can actually hear and feel same energies in these two compositions. There is nothing supernatural about it, but still I have no other word than magic.

listen ~ buy tape
 

ashan ~ death is new life (heavy mess, 2016)

 «Sean Conrad (Channelers, Orra, Inner Islands) returns as Ashan with a collection of new songs exploring where the physical meets the spiritual and how the two influence and dialogue each other». heavy mess

For the new label run by Braeyden Jae (former boss of Inner Islands label), Sean Conrad (current Inner Islands mastermind) put an exclusive recording which brings to light new facet of his Ashan alias. Usually taking place somewhere far from city hum and electricity circuits, Ashan (almost) always was about instrumental psych-new-age jams, self-invented mantra singing and celebration of simple joys of life – this time Sean takes electric guitar, some distortion and drums, blending the rock music benefits with Ashan's usual sound. You already curious how it sounds? Okay, just hit play on Bandcamp and read further. And I'll continue playing this on repeat, each time wondering how same energy can take so many forms. This is obviously same Ashan I used to and behind all those walls of sounds, electronic drones, krautrock beats and psychedelic solos I hear same magic, that once entered this complicate world with "To Return To" album. Folk music can take many forms and I suppose that there is nothing hard for experienced artist as Mr. Conrad to transform his music into powerful rock outfit without losing primary inspiration. Actually this is fun synchronism between to friends – putting softest side of Braeyden Jae's music at Inner Islands and heavier side of Ashan on Heavy Mess. Consider this as "anti-unplugged" album and simply enjoy it!

listen ~ buy tape

matthew barlow / dan melchior

 matthew barlow ~ no age (phinery, 2015)

"Now Age is the latest offering from Asheville, NC sound artist, Matthew Barlow. The 50 minute long release is comprised of four pieces ~ each performed using original synth patches (created by Matthew) derived from a singular granular sample. Threaded throughout the four pieces are field recordings ~ including birds, ocean surf, crickets, and more ~ recorded by Barlow either at his home in the country or out during his travels.

The title Now Age could be considered as a commentary of New Age music ~ specifically it’s spiritual nature ~ yet the title’s true intent may best be interpreted as a dismissal altogether of New Age music’s mystical ideologies. However, the album by no means wishes to present a brash, atheistic agenda. Content with suspending supernatural belief for a moment, Now Age contemplates the nature of life, and marvels at the idea that we ~ conscious beings ~ are all composed of and a part of a majestic cosmos. No mysticism need be invoked should we desire to be amazed by our existence in this world. It is that we exist at all in this expansive universe and that we are connected to it ~ these are the meditations of Now Age. Above all, Now Age hopes the listener may deepen their understanding of humankind’s connection with the cosmos and our story within it." Phinery 

'we are a way for the cosmos to know itself.'  ~ Carl Sagan

art: kristina lee

listen/name your price ~ buy

dan melchior ~ happiness is overrated lp (ultra eczema, 2015)

"originally from the land of throwing sausages, eggs, beans and tomatoes on one plate for breakfast, though residing in the land of the freaks, Dan Melchior travelled many roads, between wreckless R&R bands or duo's with Wild Billy Childish, to solo collages on Chocolate Monk or Kye records, to the beautiful collaborative works he created with Letha Diane Rodman Melchior, Dan's partner who sadly passed away in November 2014, and who this record is dedicated to.

Knowing this makes it uneasy to write something about these incredible recordings, whether happiness is over rated or overrated, on a personal note: these beautiful recordings sink as deep as some of Robert Wyatt's recordings do, possessed by a natural melancholia, the horror of saying goodbye translated in a incredible psychedelic sea of field recordings, guitar, synth and recordings of Letha Diane Rodman Melchior's voice."

~ this album is dedicated to the memory of Letha Diane Rodman Melchior ~

artwork: dennis tyfus

listen ~ try ~ buy limited edition 12'' lp

sabía que después de 'sun showers' cualquier cosa de Matthew Barlow me dejaría sin aliento. pero el impacto de 'now age', todo mimo y detallismo, tan sugerente desde el título, es inmenso. decía Tim Six que es como la respiración que circula en silencio a través nuestro cuerpo. y poco más puedo decir... dos mini sinfonías que transcurren suavemente como si el tiempo no existiese. una producción cristalina como la de Alabaster Falcons y Dura, un punto de partida esencialista como 'hartful' de soy sólo un pupilo, una nueva forma de meditación, un momento de caerse redonda: a partir del minuto dieciséis de 'continuum, a personal voyage parts I & II'. un drone eterno, grabaciones de campo, el cri cri de los grillos, y a partir de ahí el éxtasis, unas teclas de piano que aceleran el ritmo poco a poco, hasta que se desvanece entre olas de mar y el sonido hueco de algo que golpea, tal vez un micrófono de contacto. la 'cara b' 'grounding, the cosmos consciousness' empieza con pajaritos y un drone tan dulce que parece un murmullo. un drone lento y flotante que induce a un plácido estado de duermevela. el trino de los pájaros se transforma en silbido, parece una flauta, una coreografía ensayada. irreal, ...grillos, los ladridos de un perro. y otra vez ese piano... un guiño a Terry Riley y sus larguísimos desarrollos, a 'structures from silence' de Steve Roach. un piano que flota y se desvanece en un drone aéreo, sordo, que acaba envolviéndolo. 'now age' riza el rizo de lo bonito, un disco puro, tan limpio y minimal como perfecto.

si 'now age' de Matthew Barlow es sol, un cielo y un mar azul, 'happiness is overrated' es lluvioso, más de calles vacías e invierno. tan iguales y diferentes que, aunque sólo fuera por la portada y el nivel de belleza que hay dentro, antes o después acaban desembocando en el mismo lugar. en realidad hace tiempo que quería hablar de Dan Melchior y Letha Rodman, en concreto de 'rodman melchior melchior', una cinta irreal editada en fabrica el año pasado. escuchad este trocito (minuto 3:52 en adelante), la tristeza infinita, y me entenderéis. la historia de Dan y Letha me recuerda inevitablemente a la de Danielle Baquet Long y Will Long de Celer. parejas unidas por la música que un día se enfrentan a la pérdida de uno de ellos. 'happiness is overrated', cual elegía, demuestra hasta qué punto el dolor puede originar algo tan hermoso. la 'cara a' clava la imagen del vacío mediante el reverb de un piano lo-fi, el rasgueo de una guitarra tan emocional como la de Charalambides, paisajes pastorales, melodías efímeras, extractos de tiempo fugaces, un viaje al abismo de la tristeza. en sus notas vulnerables hay oscuridad pero también esperanza, inevitable y necesaria tras la pena y el dolor de la ausencia. guitarras, teclados, grabaciones de campo, la voz de Letha...Dan Melchior ordena esos sonidos y los convierte en algo romántico, permanente. Letha ya no está, pero su recuerdo permanecerá gracias a cosas tan bonitas como ese momento en el que se cuela un sample de su voz, muy muy lejana, como una retransmisión perdida en el espacio, en 'ldrm'.

matthew barlow

matthew barlow ~ sun showers (self-released, 2012)

"composed primarily of processed field recordings I made, including wind chimes, a rain shower, and acoustic guitar. recorded at my home in Asheville, NC" matthew barlow

foto: andesh urne næss

listen/buy