Vancouver ambient maestro Loscil (a.k.a. Scott Morgan) never seems to slow down, recently returning with his three-song For Greta EP. That said, he's got an impressive back catalogue that's always worth revisiting. Soon, we'll be able to do just that with a vinyl reissue of his stunning Plume album.
The release originally arrived in 2006, though it was never pressed to vinyl. Kranky have opted to remedy that with a proper pressing of the LP, due out on October 16.
Looking back on the album, Morgan offered a thoughtful statement:
Compositionally, many tracks on Plume are similar in approach to First Narrows; they started with a harmonic root from which sounds were processed into a loose structure over which the live players could improvise. There was substantially less editing this time around with the live tracks. I opted to choose the better improvised passes and merely mix them in and out rather than cut them up. I think this leaves a lot more natural space and balances the heavily structured and repetitive electronic elements with more organic performed layers. Jason Zumpano returned from the First Narrows ensemble and I also recruited long time friend Steve Wood and my partner Krista to play some ebow guitar as well as Josh Lindstrom to play some xylophone and vibraphone which added some new elements into the mix.
Thematically, I stuck with things that are quintessentially Loscil: flow, subtle movement, gradual transition, growth. Also of significance to this album is the family connection. "Charlie" was composed after seeing and hearing my daughter Sadie through ultrasound while still in the womb. The track was also composed as a womb-like sound experience for her to sleep to after she was born, hence the heart beats.
In addition to the new reissue, Loscil has a series of tour dates in the works. These include his previously announced appearance at the Vancouver New Music Festival, along with some European dates. Peep the itinerary below.
Tour dates:
10/21 Seattle, WA - Machine House Brewery
10/23 Vancouver, BC - Vancouver New Music Festival
11/20 London, UK - Church of St John-at-Hackney
11/21 Utrecht, NL - Le Guess Who? Festival
11/22 Glasgow, UK - The Glad Cafe
11/23 Salford, UK - The Eagle
11/27 Berlin, DE - Tiefgrund
11/28 Wroclaw, PL - Festiwal Ambientalny
12/02 Bratislava, SK - Fuga / Forum Absurdum
12/03 Lausanne, CH - Le Bourg
12/04 Verona, IT - Venue TBA
12/05 Schio (Vicenza), IT - Il Bruco di magrè
Plume:
1. Motoc
2. Rorschach
3. Zephyr
4. Steam
5. Chinook
6. Bellows
7. Halcyon
8. Charlie
9. Mistral
The release originally arrived in 2006, though it was never pressed to vinyl. Kranky have opted to remedy that with a proper pressing of the LP, due out on October 16.
Looking back on the album, Morgan offered a thoughtful statement:
Compositionally, many tracks on Plume are similar in approach to First Narrows; they started with a harmonic root from which sounds were processed into a loose structure over which the live players could improvise. There was substantially less editing this time around with the live tracks. I opted to choose the better improvised passes and merely mix them in and out rather than cut them up. I think this leaves a lot more natural space and balances the heavily structured and repetitive electronic elements with more organic performed layers. Jason Zumpano returned from the First Narrows ensemble and I also recruited long time friend Steve Wood and my partner Krista to play some ebow guitar as well as Josh Lindstrom to play some xylophone and vibraphone which added some new elements into the mix.
Thematically, I stuck with things that are quintessentially Loscil: flow, subtle movement, gradual transition, growth. Also of significance to this album is the family connection. "Charlie" was composed after seeing and hearing my daughter Sadie through ultrasound while still in the womb. The track was also composed as a womb-like sound experience for her to sleep to after she was born, hence the heart beats.
In addition to the new reissue, Loscil has a series of tour dates in the works. These include his previously announced appearance at the Vancouver New Music Festival, along with some European dates. Peep the itinerary below.
Tour dates:
10/21 Seattle, WA - Machine House Brewery
10/23 Vancouver, BC - Vancouver New Music Festival
11/20 London, UK - Church of St John-at-Hackney
11/21 Utrecht, NL - Le Guess Who? Festival
11/22 Glasgow, UK - The Glad Cafe
11/23 Salford, UK - The Eagle
11/27 Berlin, DE - Tiefgrund
11/28 Wroclaw, PL - Festiwal Ambientalny
12/02 Bratislava, SK - Fuga / Forum Absurdum
12/03 Lausanne, CH - Le Bourg
12/04 Verona, IT - Venue TBA
12/05 Schio (Vicenza), IT - Il Bruco di magrè
Plume:
1. Motoc
2. Rorschach
3. Zephyr
4. Steam
5. Chinook
6. Bellows
7. Halcyon
8. Charlie
9. Mistral