Sam McLoughlin, David Chatton Barker // The Heavenly Realms LP+BOOKLET

British fairy musicianThis is a collaborative record released in April 2023 by Sam McLoughlin and David Chatton Barker, head of the folklore research label Folklore Tapes.

Swedish mysticInspired by Emmanuel Swedenborg,Made using only the chime of an antique clockIncludes 2 minimal drone tracks.

Comes with an 24-page booklet and DL code.

Below is a commentary by the label.

"Folklore Tapes explores yet another area of ​​investigation with a new Mystic series that begins with Emanuel Swedenborg, a Swedish mystic who spent the latter half of his life in England.

“The Heavenly Realms” will be released in October 2022.Folklore Tapes was born out of a stay at Swedenborg House.This house in Bloomsbury Way, London, is the headquarters of the Swedenborg Society, an organization dedicated to the research and publication of the works of scientist, philosopher and visionary Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772). .

Sam McLoughlin and David Chatton Barker were invited to respond creatively to Swedenborg's legacy, but it may come as a surprise to their followers that they drew inspiration from Swedenborg's mystical experiences. Probably not.Swedenborg's most famous work, Heaven and Hell (1764), integrates years of dreams, trance states, and ecstatic communications with angels to create a complete vision of the afterlife and spiritual realm. I drew it out.In it, Swedenborg meticulously details the hierarchical order of the heavens.In this ultimate reality, physical matter is related to spirit through a divine correspondence that emanates from God, the highest and purest hierarchy.

The duo approaches this vision of eternity through music made entirely from a collection of antique clock chimes.As is often the case with their work, this seeming limitation unlocks the project's singular, expressive depth. The Heavenly Realms opens with a fade from silence to shimmering tintinabras and blaring chimes, waves of sound into the collective memory of driven metal as timekeepers, summoners of souls, and banishers of evil spirits. and draws the listener in.

Urgent yet gentle, simple yet complex, an angelic serenity humming above a creaky, mournful undertone.Musical drama exists both horizontally and vertically.A chorus of overtones surpasses the fundamental frequency, intertwining like Swedenborgian correspondences.Overtones that exceed the audible range suggest a realm beyond perception, and by emphasizing each moment of sound, which is different from the relationship between moments, it evokes a sense of timelessness and the eternity that dwells in each moment.

That's not to say that music won't develop.However, the listener is invited to listen not only forward, but also upward and inward.Heaven's most beautiful treasures are reserved for those who listen deeply.A revelatory sound world appears, a microcosm of the absolute. "

Labels and other worksplease use this form. ///Click here to see more Folklore Tapes releases available at Tobira.

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Includes DL code. 12" black vinyl. 

Tracklist:

1 Part 1
2 Part 2

Folklore Tapes:

"Folklore Tapes grow yet another branch of investigation through their new Mystic Series, which begins with the Swedish mystic Emmanuel Swedenborg, who spent the latter portion of his life living in England.

The Heavenly Realms unfolded from Folklore Tapes' residency at Swedenborg House in October 2022. The house, in Bloomsbury Way, London, is the headquarters of the Swedenborg Society, an organization dedicated to the study and publication of the works of scientist, philosopher and visionary Emmanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Sam McLoughlin and David Chatton Barker were invited to respond creatively to Swedenborg's legacy, and it will come as no surprise to their followers that the duo took inspiration from Swedenborg's mystical experiences. Swedenborg's most renowned work, Heaven and Hell (1764), synthesized years of dreams, trance states and ecstatic communications with angels into a complete vision of the afterlife and the spiritual realms. In it Swedenborg meticulously details a stratified order of the heavens, an ultimate reality within which physical matter relates to spirit through divine correspondences emanating from a highest , purest echelon, God.

The duo approach this vision of eternity through music created entirely with a collection of antique clock chimes. As is often the case in their work, this seeming limitation is precisely what unfetters the project's singular, expressive depths. The Heavenly Realms opens with a fade from silence to shimmering tintinnabulations and pealing chimes, a wave of sound whose undertow pulls the listener into collective memories of struck metal as timekeeper, summoner of souls and banisher of evil spirits.

It's music held taut by oppositions, at once urgent yet calm, simple yet intricate, with angelic tranquilities humming above a grinding, plaintive underbelly. The drama of the music is as much horizontal as vertical. Choirs of overtones outshine their fundamental frequencies, entwined like Swedenborgian correspondences. Harmonics rising above the audible spectrum imply realms beyond perception, and a certain emphasis on each moment of sound in itself, as distinct from relations between moments, invokes a sense of timelessness, of eternity in each instant.

That's not to say the music doesn't develop. It charts a contemplative, meditative journey full of variety and interest - it's just that the listener is invited to listen as much upwards, inwards as forwards. The Heavenly Realms' most beautiful treasures are reserved for those who listen deeply. A revelatory sound-world manifests, a microcosm of the absolute."

Artist: Sam McLoughlin, David Chatton Barker

Label : Folklore Tapes