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CD
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DC 416CD
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"Picking up the threads with ease, Espers III was intended to be an aural reversal of the layered sound of II. The goal was to record fewer tracks in order to achieve a stronger, more oxygenated sonic presence. Where II was almost claustrophobic in its density and darkness, III was envisaged as being somehow lighter, effervescent; perhaps even of a cheery disposition at times (whoa there! Don't go not breaking our heart, Espers). Under these auspices, recording started in late 2008 and spilled into the spring and summer of 2009. As more time passed in the recording process, a growing dementia within both song and lyrics emerged, making even the most ethereal songs on III seem oddly unwholesome to all involved. As with past releases (both by Espers and significant others), III was recorded with the vinyl LP in mind, playing as a whole divided into two equally weighted sides. Recorded to analog tape and mixed to analog tape again at the end, the songs ended up in a stippled, rippling, ever-flowing space, another important factor in the realization of III. 'Space' is a core concept here -- each of these songs in some way access new space, whether they are envisioning, locating, or claiming and colonizing it. In fact, III's working title was Colony, owing to a subtextual thought process that encompassed aspects of Herzog's Aguirre, Heart of Darkness, cult groups, deep Amazonian treks, religious nation building, ritualistic drug ceremonies (taking drugs to take canoe trips to take drugs on) -- eg., escape from assimilation, surviving cultural wars by embedding themselves in the wilderness, among friends and fellow travelers. The cover aesthetic and Xavier Schipani's arresting artwork mirror these themes and Espers' desire to reach beyond what might be expected of an Espers album with metaphoric imagery and increased dimensionality -- not just a new Espers album, but indeed, a new Espers."
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LP
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DC 416LP
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LP version, full-color inner sleeve.
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CD
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DC 310CD
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2009 repress. "From the beginning, Espers has been a living, growing thing. II finds the group at sextet size, with greater powers and capabilities than before. Still, the original spirit of the band -- the American ideal of the democracy (that is in no way reflected in its current government) -- rules Espers in everything they do, gives them true freedoms to reach for the spiritual and the fun at once, and to make their music from it. The sound of Espers II was achieved using a mad variety of instruments, from your standard, everyday Martin 6-string acoustics, Fender jazzbass and drumkit to more exotic implements such as doumbek, dholak and male & female larynx (which we assume are swung around in the air to produce a recorder-like sound). Espers at play tap into their shared spaces with joy and a sense of humor (and wonder, naturally). The musical outcome is a friendly new sensation -- as the record plays, it warms the room and dims the lights with dense yet agile atmospherics, allowing you, the listener to relax, despite and yet still in communion with the realities of our present day."
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LP
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DC 310LP
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2009 repress of the LP version, originally released 2006. 2009 repress. "The sound of Espers II was achieved using a mad variety of instruments, from your standard, everyday Martin 6-string acoustics, Fender jazzbass and drumkit to more exotic implements such as doumbek, dholak and male & female larynx (which we assume are swung around in the air to produce a recorder-like sound). Espers at play tap into their shared spaces with joy and a sense of humor (and wonder, naturally). The musical outcome is a friendly new sensation -- as the record plays, it warms the room and dims the lights with dense yet agile atmospherics, allowing you, the listener to relax, despite and yet still in communion with the realities of our present day."
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