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| Vague Voices |
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| Evitceles |
30/10/2022
FRISSON 2022
Studio EW, Sofia
Photos by Zlatina Tochkova
Friday, November 4, 2022
Friday, October 28, 2022
amek067 Vague Voices "II. Елегии" (CS)
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| Order at Bandcamp. |
Three years have passed since Vague Voices, a collaborative project between Stefan Bachvarov (Cyberian) and Angel Simitchiev, debuted with their full-length “Гробник”. The duo has mostly kept a low profile since then, except for contributing music to the compilation projects “Vanishing Standards” (2019) and “An Embrace” (2021, co-released with Vaagner).
The work on “II. Елегии” commenced in early 2022. This new album sees the music of Vague Voices gradually drifting away from a strictly electronic sound to more guitar-centered, noisy, aggressive, and introverted territories. The full-length is a mesmerizing narrative-driven musical experience whose tense atmosphere shines especially dark when performed live and loud. While the direct video game inspirations from the duo’s debut are now mostly gone, the otherworldly atmosphere of unknown and non-existent cyber realities is still here. As evident on the closing tracks, especially "Светът трепери" featuring lyrics and vocals by Feedbacker's very own Ivan Shentov, the musical worlds of Vague Voices have become even more brooding, and at times, dare we say, extreme.
In Bulgarian "елегии" stands for pieces of literature or music, inspired by or dedicated to tragic events, and while what Vague Voices are painting with their music might seem grim and bleak, Amek is nothing but excited to welcome the return of one of our dearest and most signature musical projects.
The work on “II. Елегии” commenced in early 2022. This new album sees the music of Vague Voices gradually drifting away from a strictly electronic sound to more guitar-centered, noisy, aggressive, and introverted territories. The full-length is a mesmerizing narrative-driven musical experience whose tense atmosphere shines especially dark when performed live and loud. While the direct video game inspirations from the duo’s debut are now mostly gone, the otherworldly atmosphere of unknown and non-existent cyber realities is still here. As evident on the closing tracks, especially "Светът трепери" featuring lyrics and vocals by Feedbacker's very own Ivan Shentov, the musical worlds of Vague Voices have become even more brooding, and at times, dare we say, extreme.
In Bulgarian "елегии" stands for pieces of literature or music, inspired by or dedicated to tragic events, and while what Vague Voices are painting with their music might seem grim and bleak, Amek is nothing but excited to welcome the return of one of our dearest and most signature musical projects.
Produced by Stefan Bachvarov & Angel Simitchiev
Vocals & lyrics on "Светът трепери" by Ivan Shentov
Mastered by Marius Costache (Studio 148)
Vague Voices logo by Georgi Ivanov
Vocals & lyrics on "Светът трепери" by Ivan Shentov
Mastered by Marius Costache (Studio 148)
Vague Voices logo by Georgi Ivanov
Wednesday, October 19, 2022
a-m_e|k p_94 Musical Statues, krāllār, Dayin at Fabrika Avtonomia - 08/11
On November 8 summoning all ambient and drone heads in Sofia for a drifting autumn gathering at Fabrika Avtonomia with live performances by Dayin, krāllār and Musical Statues.
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| RSVP: https://facebook.com/events/628302955602208 |
Monday, July 4, 2022
amek065 Shentov, Simitchiev, Lukanov "Palimpsest" (CS)
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| Order at Bandcamp. |
The source material for “Palimpsest” was recorded over several fairly different sessions. Some of them took place in the live setting, others happened in the confinement of the Kontingent Records studio. These recordings were then carefully examined, subtly (re)arranged, and barely overdubbed. Four long-form pieces were shaped in the end. Despite having collaborated on many different occasions and in varying formats, “Palimpsest” is the first full-length recording in which the different approaches by Shentov, Simitchiev, Lukanov are utilized in pursuit of a unified musical direction.
The result is an album that explores minimalist drone territories through a purposely limited toolset and in a recording environment that relies heavily on intuition, spontaneity and patience. The record also carries delicate traces of raw ambient, found sounds and field recordings, processed guitar and electroacoustic improvisation. While the first three tracks are slightly more condensed in both length and substance, the closing piece, which spans over the whole B-side of the album, is where this collaboration peaks. During its almost thirty minutes, it majestically unfolds its textures and synthetic artifacts, which are layered over a subtly shape-shifting backbone of guitar drones, melodic fragments and loops.
Music by Ivan Shentov, Angel Simitchiev, Martin Lukanov
Mixed by Angel Simitchiev
Mastering by Marius Costache (Studio 148)
Artwork by Silvana Ilieva
Live photo by Zlatina Tochkova
Mixed by Angel Simitchiev
Mastering by Marius Costache (Studio 148)
Artwork by Silvana Ilieva
Live photo by Zlatina Tochkova
Friday, June 17, 2022
amek064 Bogdan Simeonov "Equivalence" CS
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| Order at Bandcamp. |
Bogdan Simeonov’s “Equivalence” kicks off in a severe, textured whirlwind of hurriedly (un)winding, mechanical clicks and cracks which are underscored by a series of submarine, hazy bursts of pulsating bass. The seemingly chaotic dynamism of this abrasive sonic flurry gradually simmers down, revealing underneath its ardor a delicate and dazzling aural tableau of luminously cascading chimes and drony synths. As the name of the album’s opener “syzygy” suggests, the listener is witnessing the steady, fluctuating structures of cosmic time and space, where order and disorder dialectically unfurl. The rest of the tracks further unravel the inner workings of this strife-ridden sonic parable by alternating between harshly textured, noisy set-pieces and hypnotic, sublimely undulating drones.
The concept of equivalence, originally borrowed from the field of algebraic topology (the study of algebraic invariants of spaces), receives in the context of the album a whole different, almost utopian meaning. Being both the title track and the closer, “Equivalence” sonically bears only residual marks and blemishes left over from the monumental dialectic (r)evolutions of Simeonov’s cosmic soundscapes. In the last moments of the conceptual and aural denouncement, the serenely layered, serpentine drones dreamily begin eluding description – they flow in and out of silence and like a sonorous cloud of sensuous ambiance, they disappear behind a horizon of arcadian stillness.
Written, recorded and produced by Bogdan Simeonov
Mastered by Marius Costache (Studio 148)
Design and artwork by Hasan Halilov
Liner notes by Stefan Goncharov
Monday, June 6, 2022
Shentov, Simitchiev, Lukanov, scav, Crosspolar at Koncept Space (gallery)
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| Shentov, Simitchiev, Lukanov |
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| scav |
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| Crosspolar |
Shentov, Simitchiev, Lukanov, scav, Crosspolar at Koncept Space (gallery)
Koncept Space, Sofia
May 28, 2022
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
a-m_e|k p_93 Jerusalem In My Heart, Jessica Moss, OOHS! at Mixtape 5 - 29/05
Our Sunday noise show series шумна неделя returns to its original live format for a live concert, hosted in collaboration with partners in crime Alarma Punk Jazz. On May 29, Jerusalem In My Heart returns to Sofia in the company of the amazing Jessica Moss. Our own dream-pop cowboys OOHS! will be opening the evening. You can find tickets here.
P.S. The show takes place right after Sofia Дrone Day 2022 (a free show) so prepare for an Amek weekend at the very end of May.
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| RSVP: https://facebook.com/events/513358016935821/ |
Sunday, May 1, 2022
Ivan Shopov, Vague Voices, Hiro Kone, Evitceles at Koncept Space (gallery)
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| Ivan Shopov |
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| Vague Voices |
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| Hiro Kone |
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| Evitceles |
Ivan Shopov, Vague Voices, Hiro Kone, Evitceles
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