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MOM 057LP
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$29.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 2/28/2025
Modern Obscure Music presents Pierre Bastien and DJ Low's Swing Low, a work that fuses the poetic inventiveness of Pierre Bastien with the visionary legacy of the late DJ Low (Tom Deweerdt), a central figure in Belgian independent music and founder of the influential Lowlands label. This album, which interweaves memory and experimentation, represents Bastien's debut on the Barcelona label's catalog and a testament to the creative bond between the two artists. The album, composed of seven pieces, stands out for its hybrid nature: five reinterpretations of Bastien's previous works, some of them coming from his influential Mecanoid (originally released by Rephlex), and two unreleased improvisations, "A Pupa" and "Reviver," which seal the unique character of the project. Pierre Bastien, recognized as a composer, inventor and builder of sound machines, has been a tireless explorer of the frontiers between the mechanical and the musical. From his contribution to the Belcanto Orchestra, his collaboration with the PRSNT project to his participation in Pedro Vian's Earth, Our Planet or his collaboration with Tomaga for the Other People label, his career illustrates a constant commitment to experimentation and the intersection of disciplines. Among the artists he has worked with are names such as Robert Wyatt, Jac Berrocal, Jaki Liebezeit and designer Issey Miyake. His works have found homes on iconic labels such as Marionette, Morphine and Discrepant to name a few. The album is presented with a visual design by Koen Bruyneel, reinterpreted as a tribute to Tom Deweerdt, a decade after his departure.
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MOM 054LP
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$31.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 1/31/2025
Pedro Vian and Maalem Najib Soudani's Mogador: a fusion of analog electronic music and traditional gnawa sounds. Mogador stands as a compelling exploration of the intersection between seemingly irreconcilable musical worlds; the experimental realm of analog electronic music and the deep-rooted tradition of Gnawa. This project is more than just a juxtaposition of styles; it's a meeting of minds where the ancient and the modern, the analog and the organic, are woven together into a seamless auditory dialogue. What truly sets Mogador apart is the way Pedro Vian's use of the EMS AKS Synthi and Buchla doesn't overpower the mix but instead forms a perfect synergy with Maalem Najib Soudani's qrebeb and guimbiri. Rather than competing, the analog pulses intertwine with the hypnotic lines of the traditional instruments, amplifying the trance-inducing qualities inherent in Gnawa music. Maalem's vocals, steeped in history and spirituality, float over layers of synths that feel both ethereal and tangible, crafting a soundscape that is as cinematic as it is visceral. This is not just a collision of cultures or a superficial fusion exercise. Mogador represents a genuine dialogue between two ways of understanding sound and space, where every element -- from the syncopated percussion to the serpentine modular waves -- contributes to a sonic landscape that is both haunting and profoundly resonant. Here, tradition isn't a museum piece, and analog electronics aren't a rootless futurism; instead, they transform each other, creating something greater than the sum of their parts.
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MOM 051LP
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Modern Obscure Music presents Sakuraza, a live album featuring Eiko Ishibashi (flute and electronics), Jim O'Rourke (electronics), Kei Matsumaru (alto saxophone), Tatsuhisa Yamamoto (drums), and Giovanni Di Domenico (piano). Recorded at the Sakuraza jazz club in Kofu, Japan, this dynamic and sophisticated performance blends jazz, electronic music, and pop elements. Giovanni Di Domenico, a frequent visitor to Japan, organized this June 2023 concert with long-time collaborators Ishibashi, O'Rourke, and Yamamoto, and invited saxophonist Matsumaru. The warm, intimate setting of Sakuraza provided the perfect backdrop for their unedited, improvisational session. Sakuraza captures the deep musical connection and spontaneity of these artists, offering an immersive auditory experience. Recorded on June 14, 2023.
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2LP
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MOMA 002X-LP
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$36.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 10/11/2024
2024 repress. First vinyl pressing of Baroque by Japanese composer and multi-instrumentalist Susumu Yokota. The full-length album was originally released by United Sounds Of Blue in 2014, a subdivision of Frogman Records in CD format. Now it is being re-released by Barcelona-based record label Modern Obscure Music as a double LP and in digital format. Baroque is one of the most significant albums of Susumu signed under his original name, and this is the first time the album will be pressed on a double LP 12". Yokota was an eclectic, highly prolific electronic musician and composer from Japan who died in 2015 at 54. "There is always fear, rage, and ugliness existing behind beauty. I have been trying to express ki-do-ai-raku (the four emotions: joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness) through music. I would like to express even one's hidden emotion with reality. It's my eternal goal." Baroque is a clear example of this. The Tokyo-based artist devoted his time and creative energy to achieving this goal, and the result is a vast discography that begins with banging early acid house tracks in the 1990s, moves across the next two decades to include deep house and Detroit-influenced techno, a stunning run of ambient electronic albums and, in his last decade, a glorious confluence that wove his various skills into a series of borderless electronic records. Modern Obscure Music team is excited to bring this gem to the light. Baroque is remastered and distributed in two 12" to be played in clubs and home sound-systems.
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MOM 048LP
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Pedro Vian and Merzbow present their first joint work, an unbounded expression of creativity and experimentation. Over the album's forty-minute duration, listeners can experience a blend of field recordings made by Pedro Vian at the DIA Bacon Foundation in NYC, specifically inside Richard Serra's sculptures. These recordings are interwoven with the ambient percussion and melodies characteristic of Vian's work, alongside the piercing and sharp computer frequencies produced by Merzbow, one of the most acclaimed artists in the global noise scene. Inside Richard Serra Sculptures is both a complex and spontaneous piece, an abstract journey into the unconscious that may be difficult to grasp for closed minds. This work stands as a masterpiece of contemporary expressionism, merging ambient sound and noise in a way that challenges and redefines the boundaries of sound art. The collaboration between Vian and Merzbow is notable not only for its innovation but also for its ability to transport listeners to a space where sound becomes an immersive and visceral experience. The use of Richard Serra's sculptures as a source of inspiration and sonic material adds a unique dimension to the project, emphasizing the interaction between physical space and musical creation. Photo by Alba Ricard.
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MOM 050LP
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LP version. Earth, Our Planet?: A call for environmental awareness. This time, Pedro Vian -- the founder of Modern Obscure Music -- presents his fourth solo album. Earth, Our Planet? promises to immerse listeners in a moving odyssey, crossing the boundaries of musical genres to provoke an urgent meditation on the protection of the planet. On this occasion Vian has composed the album influenced by the myth of the eternal return, the compositions are long and repetitive, generating states of pure trance. Pedro Vian, singular for his fusion of genres and styles, ventures into even more complex territories in Earth, Our Planet?. From the first listen, it is evident that this work treads the line of convention and breaks the boundaries of electronic and experimental music with artistic dexterity. The album weaves together texture, hypnotic rhythms and melody. Each track reveals his distinctive ability to create immersive landscapes, guiding the listener into deep emotional introspection. The album features high-caliber collaborations that add layers of creativity and elegance. Trumpeter Pierre Bastien, whose early productions left an indelible mark on Aphex Twin's Reflex label, infuses "A Day in Rotterdam" with a unique emotional resonance. Violinist Asia, renowned for her avant-garde approach and ability to conjure unique landscapes, elevates the album's opening tracks "Urobóros" and "Les Tambours Subterraniens." Their skill and sensitivity intertwine perfectly with Vian's artistic vision. In addition, Italian producer Daniele Mana, with whom Pedro Vian collaborated closely on his previous album Cascades (MOM 036LP, 2022), also contributes to "Les Tambours Subterraniens." There is also a collaboration with Raül Refree, an artist with whom Vian worked with in 2023, presenting "Font De la Vera Pau," an album that The Guardian defined as "a wonderful piece of electro-acoustic music, a captivating mix of strings and analogue synth drones which sometimes flirts with Alice Coltrane-ish spiritual jazz." With Earth, Our Planet?, Pedro Vian not only offers up some of his best work to date, but it is also a call to reflect on humanity's relationship with the natural world.
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MOM 049LP
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Merzbow (aka Masami Akita), animal rights activist, writer, and musician, an iconic figure in international noise scene. Renowned for his pioneering contributions to the noise music genre, Merzbow has solidified his position as one of its most significant and recognizable figures. From his groundbreaking utilization of tape loops to craft expansive industrial landscapes in the late 1970s, to his transition to laptop-generated static noise at the turn of the century, Merzbow has consistently pushed the boundaries of sonic experimentation. Modern Obscure Music now unveils Merzbow's debut release on the label, Tsubute Mosaic.
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MOM 050CD
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Earth, Our Planet?: A call for environmental awareness. This time, Pedro Vian -- the founder of Modern Obscure Music -- presents his fourth solo album. Earth, Our Planet? promises to immerse listeners in a moving odyssey, crossing the boundaries of musical genres to provoke an urgent meditation on the protection of the planet. On this occasion Vian has composed the album influenced by the myth of the eternal return, the compositions are long and repetitive, generating states of pure trance. Pedro Vian, singular for his fusion of genres and styles, ventures into even more complex territories in Earth, Our Planet?. From the first listen, it is evident that this work treads the line of convention and breaks the boundaries of electronic and experimental music with artistic dexterity. The album weaves together texture, hypnotic rhythms and melody. Each track reveals his distinctive ability to create immersive landscapes, guiding the listener into deep emotional introspection. The album features high-caliber collaborations that add layers of creativity and elegance. Trumpeter Pierre Bastien, whose early productions left an indelible mark on Aphex Twin's Reflex label, infuses "A Day in Rotterdam" with a unique emotional resonance. Violinist Asia, renowned for her avant-garde approach and ability to conjure unique landscapes, elevates the album's opening tracks "Urobóros" and "Les Tambours Subterraniens." Their skill and sensitivity intertwine perfectly with Vian's artistic vision. In addition, Italian producer Daniele Mana, with whom Pedro Vian collaborated closely on his previous album Cascades (MOM 036LP, 2022), also contributes to "Les Tambours Subterraniens." There is also a collaboration with Raül Refree, an artist with whom Vian worked with in 2023, presenting "Font De la Vera Pau," an album that The Guardian defined as "a wonderful piece of electro-acoustic music, a captivating mix of strings and analogue synth drones which sometimes flirts with Alice Coltrane-ish spiritual jazz." With Earth, Our Planet?, Pedro Vian not only offers up some of his best work to date, but it is also a call to reflect on humanity's relationship with the natural world.
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2LP
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MOM 046LP
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A cross-cutting label exploring the boundaries between different disciplines based on deep listening and music research, Modern Obscure Music is set to release INRI (Industria Nacional Del Ruido Infinito), the new album from Dellarge. Inspired by the scenic beauty of his studio's surroundings at Lake Pátzcuaro in Michoacan, Mexico, Alejandro Barba, aka Dellarge, delves deep into the depths of his artistic consciousness to craft a spiritual album that encapsulates the essence of the place. INRI stands for Industria Nacional del Ruido Infinito (National Industry of Infinite Noise) and serves as a vessel for Dellarge's innermost self-expression and reflections on the potential of humanity. A multifaceted artist and veteran of the music industry for over two decades, his latest musical creation is an intimate and personal album and a departure from previous techno/EBM-orientated Dellarge releases. INRI offers a mesmerizing blend of ambient, futuristic, and industrial sounds that transport listeners into a realm of mysticism, futurism, and duality and stands as a testament to Dellarge's artistic growth and his ability to transcend boundaries, offering listeners an immersive experience that connects them to his world. Drawing inspiration from numerous sources, Dellarge found creative fuel in books such as El Arte de los Ruidos by Luigi Russolo, Manifiestos y Textos Futuristas by F.T. Marinetti, and science fiction classics including Congreso de Futurología by Stanislaw Lem, Neuromancer by William Gibson, and Dune by Frank Herbert. Musically, he delved into the works of Coil, Michael Bundt, The Threshold Houseboys Choir, krautrock legends CAN and Popol Vuh, early Kraftwerk, Arthur Brown, Yello, Esquivel, The Residents, and Hector Lavoe for inspiration. When asked about the creative process behind the album, Dellarge revealed a disciplined routine that involved immersing himself in the sounds, focusing on minute details that connected with the vivid world he envisioned. Ethereal tracks such as "Viento Androide" and "Viaje al Sol" offer a glimpse of a hopeful future, while darker compositions such as "Corpus de Sangre" and "Toro de Falaris", explore the wickedness and compassion within humanity. Each piece in the album represents a unique sonic journey. Includes Silent Servant and Pedro Vian remixes. Blue, transparent 180 gram vinyl + 7"; includes poster.
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MOM 047CD
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Modern Obscure Music introduces to the world to the innovative sounds of the Japanese improvisational music trio I-I. Composed of three exceptionally talented musicians, Kazuhisa Uchihashi (guitar, daxophone, pedals), Mitsuhisa Sakaguchi (synthesizers, pedals) and Tatsuhisa Yamamoto (percussion). This dynamic ensemble has embarked on a remarkable musical journey with their homonymous debut album. With this raw and unfiltered approach to music, I-I promises a unique listening experience. The album's overall sound and style can be described as completely improvised, devoid of any predetermined theme or content. Instead, the musicians rely on their deep understanding of each other's musicality to create spontaneous and captivating harmonies. This organic approach results in a tension-filled sound that challenges traditional norms. In their own words, the musicians stated that there are no particular themes or messages they seek to convey through the songs. Their creative process is one of pure exploration, allowing their musical intuition to guide them. I-I is the trio's debut album, marking the beginning of their musical journey as a collective. Despite the complexities of spontaneous creation, the trio revealed that they faced no significant challenges during the album's production, making the creative process smooth and seamless. The trio hopes that listeners will fully immerse themselves in I-I by sitting down in front of their audio systems and playing it as loudly as possible. Their goal is to provide a unique and unforgettable musical experience that transcends traditional boundaries.
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MOM 047LP
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LP version. Modern Obscure Music introduces to the world to the innovative sounds of the Japanese improvisational music trio I-I. Composed of three exceptionally talented musicians, Kazuhisa Uchihashi (guitar, daxophone, pedals), Mitsuhisa Sakaguchi (synthesizers, pedals) and Tatsuhisa Yamamoto (percussion). This dynamic ensemble has embarked on a remarkable musical journey with their homonymous debut album. With this raw and unfiltered approach to music, I-I promises a unique listening experience. The album's overall sound and style can be described as completely improvised, devoid of any predetermined theme or content. Instead, the musicians rely on their deep understanding of each other's musicality to create spontaneous and captivating harmonies. This organic approach results in a tension-filled sound that challenges traditional norms. In their own words, the musicians stated that there are no particular themes or messages they seek to convey through the songs. Their creative process is one of pure exploration, allowing their musical intuition to guide them. I-I is the trio's debut album, marking the beginning of their musical journey as a collective. Despite the complexities of spontaneous creation, the trio revealed that they faced no significant challenges during the album's production, making the creative process smooth and seamless. The trio hopes that listeners will fully immerse themselves in I-I by sitting down in front of their audio systems and playing it as loudly as possible. Their goal is to provide a unique and unforgettable musical experience that transcends traditional boundaries.
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MOM 043CD
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CD-r format... Set for release via Modern Obscure Music, Raül Refree and Pedro Vian unveil their highly anticipated collaborative debut album Font de la Vera Pau. Two creative minds from the Barcelona avant-garde music scene, the pair combine on a boundary-pushing release that oozes with artistic vision and creative genius. The album, simmered slowly and in complete complicity, showcases a strong musical connection interwoven in each of its nine compositions. A grand piano, a synthesizer, and a positive organ engage in a dialogue that breathes life into a hypnotic universe with psychedelic and minimalist nuances. Effortlessly merging a diverse array of influences, Font de la Vera Pau invites us on a transcendental and reflective journey. The pair allow space for the spirituality of cosmic jazz figures like Alice Coltrane and Sun Ra, the enveloping ambient soundscapes of Japan's Haruomi Hosono and Hiroshi Yoshimura, and the meditative minimalism of Steve Reich or Terry Riley.
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MOM 043LP
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LP version. Set for release via Modern Obscure Music, Raül Refree and Pedro Vian unveil their highly anticipated collaborative debut album Font de la Vera Pau. Two creative minds from the Barcelona avant-garde music scene, the pair combine on a boundary-pushing release that oozes with artistic vision and creative genius. The album, simmered slowly and in complete complicity, showcases a strong musical connection interwoven in each of its nine compositions. A grand piano, a synthesizer, and a positive organ engage in a dialogue that breathes life into a hypnotic universe with psychedelic and minimalist nuances. Effortlessly merging a diverse array of influences, Font de la Vera Pau invites us on a transcendental and reflective journey. The pair allow space for the spirituality of cosmic jazz figures like Alice Coltrane and Sun Ra, the enveloping ambient soundscapes of Japan's Haruomi Hosono and Hiroshi Yoshimura, and the meditative minimalism of Steve Reich or Terry Riley.
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12"
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MOM 041LP
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Constantly evolving and adapting his sound, Shackleton has releases spanning labels such as Honest Jon's, Perlon, and his own imprints, Skull Disco (co-founded with Appleblim) and Woe to the Septic Heart! Shackleton now finds a home for a brand-new project on the Barcelona-based, Modern Obscure Music. Undoubtedly Shackleton, but taking the meditative aspects of his sound to a new plane, The Purge of Tomorrow, is an alias born to transmit a less dancefloor-orientated experience to whomever is ready to receive it. The Other Side of Devastation is an investigation into a novel form of deepness. Adverse to the reductive label of "ambient", these tracks are spawned from a live performance context. The essence was to create an immersive encounter where listeners are called on to actively unburden their mind of unnecessary thoughts. Staying true to the trance elements that Shackleton is renowned for, this EP is not dependent on traditional structures or a linear narrative. "Time Moving" presents itself through a journey of disquieted moments and contemplative states. Hypnotic strings provided by Kathy Alberici construct pastoral phrases that mesh with the larger looming drones, culminating to conjure a daydream-like energy. Following on, "Waves" twists through various forms, awash with cascading vocal splices and soothing murmurs contrasted with rousing sub pressure. Reflective and sometimes provocative, as an artist who resents the pigeon-holes of genre, The Purge of Tomorrow presents an exciting new direction for Shackleton. Bursting-at-the-seams with emotional complexity as to echo the woes of the human condition, this EP is steeped in feelings of forgone events doomed to be replicated.
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MOM 040LP
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Modern Obscure Music brings together, on this album, musicians with whom they feel a very special connection, namely Felicia Atkinson, Büşra Kayıkçı, Carmen Villain, Kuniyuki Takahashi, Pavel Milyakov, KMRU, Ana Quiroga, Abul Mogard, and Pedro Vian. All of them have been very generous in their willingness to participate in an artistic experiment: to build bridges between architecture and music. Each of these artists chose a space and translated it into a piece of music, and the result is a sonic kaleidoscope through which specific territories can be gazed upon from unexplored points of view. The compositions that make up this compilation are synaesthetic windows through which we can observe with our ears. To look through them, all we have to do is listen and we'll be able to contemplate, in a unique way, spaces located in such different places as Vilches (Chile), Istanbul (Turkey), Oslo (Norway), Sapporo (Japan), Nairobi (Kenya), London (England), Rome (Italy), Berlin (Germany), or even in imaginary universes.
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MOM 036LP
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Modern Obscure Music presents Cascades, the new album from Pedro Vian and Mana, which premiered during their immersive live set at the most recent Sonar Festival in Barcelona. Cascades was recorded over a three-day studio session in Turin during the winter months, which is reflected in the musical narrative, as the eleven tracks flow gently like an icy river, filled with a mixture of hazy melancholy, uncanny dream-states and euphoria. Various recording techniques and instrumentation was utilized, including the Lyra-8 organismic analog synthesizer, which takes principles from living organisms to produce sounds resembling a conversation between nature and technology. The result is a spellbinding ambient odyssey that features a luminous synthesis of neo-classical strings and orchestral drones, together with strange voices, and abstract passages designed to evoke Dante's Inferno, which represent the soul's journey. Pedro Vian and Mana join forces to traverse new sonic territories between electronica, ambient, drone, and trance-inducing soundscapes.
Pedro Vian is a renowned Catalan artist who has released three solo albums and a collection of singles on his Modern Obscure Music imprint -- a multi-disciplinary platform based on deep listening and music research. Pedro curated the PRSNT compilation (MOMPRSNT) in 2021, featuring Laurie Spiegel, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Visible Cloaks. Pedro has been remixed by Inga Copeland and Pye Corner Audio.
As part of a new generation of Italian electronic music artists, Piedmont born composer and producer Mana has released two full-length albums on Kode 9's Hyperdub imprint, plus an EP on Nicolas Jaar's Other People label under his Vaghe Stelle alias. Earlier in his musical journey, Mana supported Laurent Garnier, James Holden, and Skream across the Torino club scene, and in 2011 teamed up with Italian friends Lorenzo Senni and A:RA to form the experimental group One Circle.
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MOMPRSNT
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PRSNT contains original compositions by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Pascal Comelade, Laurie Spiegel, Lyra Pramuk, Chassol, Nicolas Godin and Pierre Rousseau, Pedro Vian and Pierre Bastien, Visible Cloaks, Kelman Duran, Raül Refree, Lucrecia Dalt, Lafawndah. Includes 32-page booklet with writings by contemporary thinkers like Shumon Basar, François J. Bonnet, and pictures by Araki, Juergen Teller, Elizaveta Porodina, Dani Pujalte, P Jack Davison, Zhong Lin, Alessandra Sanguinetti, Adrià Cañameras, Javier Tles, among others. PRSNT is a unique global artistic project combining the input of artists across the worlds of music, video and written word which acts as a statement on how we, as consumers, engage with music in the 21st century. Vital electronic musicians have each contributed tracks, which are approximately 32 seconds long. The concept was devised by Created By Us and the Barcelona-based label Modern Obscure Music. They read a study which identified that the overwhelming volume of instantly accessible information online is shortening attention spans and altering how audiences engage with music digitally. Their curiosity about the state of online consumption developed further on discovering that around a third of all listeners using digital platforms skip to the next track, within the first 30 seconds of playing. Each musician was given a fascinating challenge to create engaging compositions with real artistic merit, inside the confines of this shortened span. Akin to Brian Eno's famous Windows 95 start-up music, the time constraints are crucial, and the compositions are deceptively complex and more substantial than expectations of their nano nature would suggest. PRSNT acts as a critique of flighty feed culture, but is simultaneously constructive, providing something which is either proposed solution, or "if you can't beat 'em join 'em" resignation. Every artist has interpreted the brief differently, resulting in an intriguing blueprint for the potential future of digital music. Could abbreviated micro compositions satisfy, inspire and nourish like their longer counterparts? They certainly take up much less of listeners' busy lives, which are often spent tackling ever-increasing workloads. Lacquer cut by Josh Bonati. Mastered by Rashad Becker. White vinyl; gatefold sleeve.
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MODERN 023LP
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Spanish producer Pedro Vian is dreaming of the sea on Ibillorca, his third studio album. "Ibillorca is a journey to a utopian island, a journey to a new state of mind." You can hear this displaced utopia on songs like "Can Mortera", a dreamy reflection on house music, recorded in Ibiza in summer 2019, that brings to mind Larry Heard at his most meditative; or "Medusa" (featuring artist Rosalie Wammes), which sounds like Tangerine Dream drifting over the sea. The Quietus called Pedro Vian's debut album Beautiful Things You Left Us For Memories (MODERN 005LP, 2016) "the soundtrack to walking around the city at night," while his eponymous second album was both deeply personal and more suited for the dancefloor. Ibillorca is his Mediterranean album and his most varied release to date. "The Destiny Manifest" nods to drum and bass -- albeit a touchingly Iberian take on the genre -- while "Western Snow" has a hint of Erik Satie's piano minimalism. Vian's new home in The Netherlands also played a role in shaping Ibillorca. Vian recorded the album during his residency at HetHEM, a new contemporary space in Zandaam, 30 minutes from Amsterdam. "I have my studio at the top of the building, from there I can see all the boats going up and down the river IJ," Vian says. "The art space is located in an industrial area, everything is grey, also the sky." All the better, then, for dreaming of the sea.
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12"
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MODERN 019EP
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Olaf Blanch debuts on Modern Obscure Music with the Borealis EP, which also features a remix by Suzanne Kraft. The Barcelona-based producer presents four original tracks that explore different Balearic soundscapes, from the exciting adventure of "Nur Yawa" to the deep ambience of "Birds". For reference points, think Mark Barrott's Islands project or some of the great ambient records of the 1990s. This isn't all. Suzanne Kraft turns "Nur Yawa" on its head, creating a catchy and very danceable Nu Beat styled remix.
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12"
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MODERN 020EP
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Fresh from Pedro Vian's full LP release, here are club ready remixes of "Flexible Girl" and "Darwin's Nightmare". These are remixes made with the dancefloor in mind. The "Flexible Girl" remixes come from Chicago's renowned sound sculptor Hieroglyphic Being who supplies a key led version, Barcelona based Cardopusher with an '80s bass-driven revision and a submerged acid remix from Portuguese producer Da Silva. The remix of "Darwin's Nightmare" is a trippy version by legendary Ukrainian producer Vakula.
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12"
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MODERN 017EP
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The first non-electronic release on Modern Obscure Music comes from Catalan pop-rock band Univers. The EP contains two unreleased tracks from their former LP session, Limit Constant (2016). "Joventuts Unides" is a slice of melodic, uplifting and slightly melancholic rock. It is followed by the dramatic "L'Home I L'epasa", which features powerful chords and spinning guitar lines. Remixes on the B Side comes from Lake Haze, a Portuguese native based in The Hague; MOM's label boss the Amsterdam-based Pedro Vian; and the final remix is by the mysterious M.T. Formula.
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MODERN 018LP
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On Pedro Vian's second album, the now Amsterdam-based artist opens up a new sonic chapter of his life, running through depths of emotions and feelings, traversing moments of euphoria, fury, serenity, hope, and love. Recorded between 2014 and 2018, the LP opens with a melodic flourish, drops down through mournful vocal driven pieces and lands on fast moving synths across a set of 12 deeply personal tracks. A follow-up to Vian's 2016 acclaimed debut album Beautiful Things You Left Us For Memories (MODERN 005LP, 2016), this sophomore LP shows the breadth and maturity of Vian's sound, falling in between the cracks of downtempo electronica, ambient, and post rock. Pedro discloses: "I have tried to be sincere, transparent and pure. During the recording process I have avoided artificiality. I do not like the overproduction of music. I like to feel the naturalness and the essence of the beat of the instruments. I like to look inside until I find something real with which to communicate." "Seneca" features Laia Nadal.
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12"
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MODERN 016EP
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Ginno Russo follows "She Is On Fire" with his full debut for MOM. The Valencia-based DJ and producer presents a stylish four-track EP. Travelling Around Zambia features rhythms and beats inspired by Africa; all four tracks on this EP are built for club play. "Lio" is a powerful and uplifting opener, with steady textured beats, a stylish keyed groove and rising strings. "Dubby" is a relentless follow-up; exploding chords and live bass take center stage. "Rosas" features textured percussion and powerful synths alongside looped vocal fragments. "Poble" finishes off the EP with a vocal winner over a powerful bassline.
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2LP
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MODERN 015LP
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Sam Haar is best known as being one half of musical hardware loving duo Blondes with Zach Steinman. Euso is an intense exploration of sounds, textures, and feelings, with field recordings laid over coarse soundscapes. Haar's compositions are woven patchwork-like from the fabric of the sounds that he uses. There is a real feeling that his music is alive, due to the fluidity of his compositions and how the tracks mutate. The album opener "Paradiso" offers colorful synthetics alongside running water and bold sounds. "Hal (The Slip)" features urgent percussion and hypnotic bass sounds, whilst "Gold Coast" sees vibrant synths do battle over emotive strings. "Radial" splits sounds and reforms textures in an ever-changing manner and "Stabilis" snatches lost dialogue over machinery type misshapen beats and poised synths. "Awatsa" is bathed in watery synthetics and is lifted higher by combo of strings and punched beats, as "Hive" offers wonderful synth-based confusion. "Plegadas" rounds off the album with eerie strings, ghosted vocal forms, and enveloping synths.
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12"
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MODERN 014EP
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Three rousing tracks to stir the attention. "The Things We Don't Know" is a mesmerizing keys-driven journey. It features gorgeous keyed sparkles, washing waves of acid, and clopped beats. "The Disbelief Habit" is driven by a strong melody that really grabs you and won't let go. This is accompanied by a strong bassline, focused keys, and closely held percussion. "The Achievement Factory" rounds off the EP with another distinctive musical effort that marches straight into the middle of the dancefloor. Punishing percussion and an in-step cavernous bassline are joined by loose acid and riffing keys.
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