Head over to the site and let me know what you think of it
More info coming soon!
A big thank you to my brother who created a neat CMS module (easy to maintain website module - recommended!) and everyone who helped me to get this thing up.
2ism Recordings [my new label]
Moderator: Aesthetics
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Aesthetics
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2ism Recordings [my new label]
I'm thrilled to announce my brand new label called 2ism Recordings!! The first release by Benign & Roy Hessels - Ego wil be released on the 12th of April!
Head over to the site and let me know what you think of it
More info coming soon!
A big thank you to my brother who created a neat CMS module (easy to maintain website module - recommended!) and everyone who helped me to get this thing up.
Head over to the site and let me know what you think of it
More info coming soon!
A big thank you to my brother who created a neat CMS module (easy to maintain website module - recommended!) and everyone who helped me to get this thing up.
Last edited by Aesthetics on Fri Mar 29, 2013 8:54 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Life is a Frequency
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this is exciting
endlessly manifold, self contained revealed, replete
http://maketapesounds.bandcamp.com/
https://0robor0.bandcamp.com/
https://personproject.bandcamp.com/
http://maketapesounds.bandcamp.com/
https://0robor0.bandcamp.com/
https://personproject.bandcamp.com/
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I like this idea ALLOT, as I've said before in other threads, but a few questions remain and I don't mean to sound like an asshole, I really really really really (really!) like this, and I wish this label the best of luck and look forward to great 2ism releases but is this idea for/about this community or not? Will the twoism community have anything to with this? Why is the forum hearing about this now, after the "5 years span from the idea to this"?
The EGO release looks amazing, will listen to it asap.
The EGO release looks amazing, will listen to it asap.
Throw away your smartphone.
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Personally, I don't see it should be any more specifically for or about this community than the One on Twoism releases (which have regularly included non-forum artists). It's for Aesthetics to run any way he likes. I have no idea what he has in mind other than I trust his taste and judgement.Cupz wrote:I like this idea ALLOT, as I've said before in other threads, but a few questions remain and I don't mean to sound like an asshole, I really really really really (really!) like this, and I wish this label the best of luck and look forward to great 2ism releases but is this idea for/about this community or not? Will the twoism community have anything to with this? Why is the forum hearing about this now, after the "5 years span from the idea to this"?
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Aesthetics
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Thanks for the feedback everyone 
I've been ill the past week so I wasn't able to reply sooner..
I feel I have something to explain here: Redpoint kind of said it the way it is but let me enlighten it a bit more. First let me paste a part which is on the about page:
So, all in all there is not a connection music wise with BoC nor with the OoT series/artists. In fact, I didn't want any BoC references in the first release because I don't want this label to be connected to BoC like the OoT series is. Like many know most reviews of the OoT series are compared to the brothers work to some extend.
The 5 year span wasn't intended at all. This label should have been out there like 2-3 years ago already but setting up such a label where you have to connect 2 artists (music and art) with each other is damn difficult and time consuming. A couple of 4 who should have created a release backed out somewhere along the process. All for various reasons really... but you can imagine that whatever reason it might be it is difficult to create a release where 2 artists have to line-up... there should be some kind of connection / enthusiasm to keep it going. I got a few very excited artists lined-up who sadly didn't continue their story. I had my ultimate dream couple Saturday Index and Sarin Sunday already lined-up (before Sarin went sky high) but SI got a writers block and some changes in his personal life so that one never really got off the ground. Still have a nagging feeling when thinking about how good it would have been. Imagine the sound of both combined!
Same with Hills West and Redpoint where Hills disappeared from the web. I had AM-boy and Ciaran Byrne lined up but the overly enthusiastic AM-boy suddenly fall of the face of the earth.
I also had two artists of which I can't say who they were who liked the setup of the label but didn't want to have their name linked to a label which has a connection to BoC.
Enough about that, now let's focus on what's coming:
"The chemistry on Ego is instantly felt on the first track in which the two join forces. In fact, the collaboration is so seamless that there's almost really no focus on debate over which artist played which part in which song. Sure, there are a few solo tracks along the project, but when the two come together on "Interlude," it's lethargic guitar licks and synthesizer drops and sputters play out like Pink Floyd trapped in a world of psychedelic neo-soul that's trying to find light through electronic darkness. Experimentally, the more optimistic sections of this interlude begin showing their opposition toward the middle of the song when they begin to be played backwards. At the end, rising and lowering pads further demonstrate this optimistic vs. pessimistic play and flow right on into the Hip-Hop inspired, minimalist "Dyssomnia"." (source 2020k)
I've been ill the past week so I wasn't able to reply sooner..
You sure might. I already had it planned but left it out just before going live. On it right now. Icon will appear there in just an hour!Kamas009 wrote:Might I recommend you make a tumblr page?
Because the label itself isn't connected to twoism per se. The only connection is that I approached some artists on here. Read my reply to Cupz at the bottom of this post.zeitgeist wrote:How come there is no twoism link on the links page!?
You got it right man, read my comment above this one.747Music wrote:I noticed that twoism.org is no where in the links page. Perhaps it would fit in in the misc links? Or was that not there on purpose?
Thanks for your sympathy Cupz.IanRedpoint wrote:Personally, I don't see it should be any more specifically for or about this community than the One on Twoism releases (which have regularly included non-forum artists). It's for Aesthetics to run any way he likes. I have no idea what he has in mind other than I trust his taste and judgement.Cupz wrote:I like this idea ALLOT, as I've said before in other threads, but a few questions remain and I don't mean to sound like an asshole, I really really really really (really!) like this, and I wish this label the best of luck and look forward to great 2ism releases but is this idea for/about this community or not? Will the twoism community have anything to with this? Why is the forum hearing about this now, after the "5 years span from the idea to this"?
I feel I have something to explain here: Redpoint kind of said it the way it is but let me enlighten it a bit more. First let me paste a part which is on the about page:
- Q: 2ism, as in the release Twoism. Is there a connection with Boards of Canada?
- A: Yes, there is a small connection to Boards of Canada. The idea of this label came into being on the Boards of Canada fan forum, Twoism. In 2006 members of this forum started a pretty succesful compilation series called One on Twoism. At the start of the 3rd compilation the idea of a separate split release label was born. It's all in the name twoism. 2ism isn't a real word but it really reflects something.. and that is where 2ism Recordings comes in. This is also the reason why every release is done by 2 artists. The music however is not connected to Board of Canada.
So, all in all there is not a connection music wise with BoC nor with the OoT series/artists. In fact, I didn't want any BoC references in the first release because I don't want this label to be connected to BoC like the OoT series is. Like many know most reviews of the OoT series are compared to the brothers work to some extend.
The 5 year span wasn't intended at all. This label should have been out there like 2-3 years ago already but setting up such a label where you have to connect 2 artists (music and art) with each other is damn difficult and time consuming. A couple of 4 who should have created a release backed out somewhere along the process. All for various reasons really... but you can imagine that whatever reason it might be it is difficult to create a release where 2 artists have to line-up... there should be some kind of connection / enthusiasm to keep it going. I got a few very excited artists lined-up who sadly didn't continue their story. I had my ultimate dream couple Saturday Index and Sarin Sunday already lined-up (before Sarin went sky high) but SI got a writers block and some changes in his personal life so that one never really got off the ground. Still have a nagging feeling when thinking about how good it would have been. Imagine the sound of both combined!
Same with Hills West and Redpoint where Hills disappeared from the web. I had AM-boy and Ciaran Byrne lined up but the overly enthusiastic AM-boy suddenly fall of the face of the earth.
I also had two artists of which I can't say who they were who liked the setup of the label but didn't want to have their name linked to a label which has a connection to BoC.
Enough about that, now let's focus on what's coming:
"The chemistry on Ego is instantly felt on the first track in which the two join forces. In fact, the collaboration is so seamless that there's almost really no focus on debate over which artist played which part in which song. Sure, there are a few solo tracks along the project, but when the two come together on "Interlude," it's lethargic guitar licks and synthesizer drops and sputters play out like Pink Floyd trapped in a world of psychedelic neo-soul that's trying to find light through electronic darkness. Experimentally, the more optimistic sections of this interlude begin showing their opposition toward the middle of the song when they begin to be played backwards. At the end, rising and lowering pads further demonstrate this optimistic vs. pessimistic play and flow right on into the Hip-Hop inspired, minimalist "Dyssomnia"." (source 2020k)
Life is a Frequency
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Aesthetics
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One week to go till the first release hit your ears!
In the meantime you can check out the first song Dyssomnia on Soundcloud, Youtube and Last.fm.
The all-embracing and precise review by 2020k:
By society's standard, the word ego has seemingly become fully equated with narcissism. Though webster will exclaim that in a certain form, that is correct, there are other aspects of the word that demonstrate a state of being that's equated with self esteem, and rooted self-respect and assurance. The latter definitions better describe the debut project from Benign & Roy Hessels, two separate musicians who came together to release Ego on the 2ism Records imprint, which specializes in bringing together two artists to work together to achieve one collaborative project.
Bringing together Belgium based, atmospheric inspired Benign with Dutch electronic musician Roy Hessels is a sonic marriage that works together in the most joyfully threatening way possible. Where Hessels fills sometimes strives for a more organic, guitar laced downtempo vibe, Benign compliments with controlled rhythms and exuberant glitch-esque breaks.
The chemistry on Ego is instantly felt on the first track in which the two join forces. In fact, the collaboration is so seamless that there's almost really no focus on debate over which artist played which part in which song. Sure, there are a few solo tracks along the project, but when the two come together on "Interlude," it's lethargic guitar licks and synthesizer drops and sputters play out like Pink Floyd trapped in a world of psychedelic neo-soul that's trying to find light through electronic darkness. Experimentally, the more optimistic sections of this interlude begin showing their opposition toward the middle of the song when they begin to be played backwards. At the end, rising and lowering pads further demonstrate this optimistic vs. pessimistic play and flow right on into the Hip-Hop inspired, minimalist "Dyssomnia".
Broad classifications of sleeping disorders, known as dyssomnia, fit into Ego's realm quite perfectly as Hessels and Benign seem to be striving through this album to find a place of peace within battles of today. What better way to describe this and explore it through the conscious and unconscious parts of one's full day? The groove on "Dyssomnia" is one of toned strength, which allows guitar and piano portions of the track to show that while they'd like to drift off, they have to stay with the groove, quite like the mind racing, but wanting to fall asleep during the night. Quite clever, right? A sort of lecture plays toward the track's middle half and while a lot of these words blend into the mix of the song, they play out through some gorgeous chord changes that appear in the last minute and a half of the song, one sentence sticks out the most in the mix, "When was the last time you enjoyed silence? Genuine silence. And you wonder why people can't sleep?!"
Backtracking, the first two tracks are strictly Roy Hessels. The technology based sounding introduction pitches down and time stretches vocals that pulse along the lower frequencies of the mix, end, and bring in the extremely Burial inspired "My Refuge". In opposition of the introduction, vocal samples are pitched up, manipulated and stuttered while a deep-alternative dubstep sounding production unfolds in traditional electronic composition. Reverberation and delay techniques play a large part in the cornerstone of this song, as well as the album as a whole. During the middle of the song, there is a main synthesizer solo that fadedly delays out, faking a premature end to the song, but quickly slaps the listener back in the face and comes back for more. While this Hessels track is the song most derivative of the underground-alternative electronic scene, it's quality at it's best and comes across more as a contemporary refuge than an imitation prison.
"Longing/Lost" follows as a Benign solo track and begins at a slow atmospheric crawl, phasing out the Burial-isms, but keeping vocal samples interpolated. The song slowly works into a wildly paranoid sense of rhythm, while repetitive pads and background synths lend themselves to a conglomerate sense of stereo imaging that's quite impressive. The pieces fit together, along with a primarily mid-range focused/punchy-compressed kick drum, and create one of the densest, most layered movements on this debut.
Continuing with the dual names, which seems like a play on two separate things coming together, "Void/Fall" is another Benign song, toward the end of Ego that finds itself building up from a slow progression, into a tense state of production. Right before the song's final movement, there is a portion of the song that plays in a high octave, then drops before a pad is cleverly invented and manipulated through the human voice. It does get a bit busy in the higher frequencies of this song, and in "Hiroshima," but interestingly supplies an interestingly emotional technique. There's a difference between distortion and frequency fighting because of lack of attention to detail, and when it's used for creative intent. This is definitely creativity being used.
While we're covering "Hiroshima," it's filled with drum and bass trepidation, and distorted, in your face horror. The most schizophrenic, unfocused song on Ego finds itself moving through deep-dubstep bass-lines, while manipulating the lead synth to purposefully march into notes that are one hundred percent out of key. Would you expect something else from a song with a title of Japan's city that's most noted for the terrifying events during World War II? Coincidence? We don't think so. "Power To The Beast" seems to explore the more humanistic themes of war and the internal affiliation with religion. A man quite muscly makes statements about nations with no values, and having no faith in God or Jesus Christ.
"Conviction" is the most ambient, minimal track on Ego and not surprisingly is the most emotional. There aren't too many layers on the song, but the ones that are there definitely find themselves having a lot of programming and reverberation and delay techniques applied to them in order to make the depth of the mix sound euphoric and larger than life. It's a Roy Hessels solo track and gently unfolds through stereo panned melodic aspects and a low, sixteenth note synth bass. Toward the end, it's standard build up could be compared to a more layered Moby project from the Destroyed era, mixed with Mux Mool's beautiful deep grooves.
One thing that sticks out on the Benign & Roy Hessels project is how wonderfully mastered the project is. Christopher Leary, who has mastered Twoism Records produced "One on Twoism" compilation albums, has a knack for creating the most cohesive space for the final mixes of songs to live in. He's the icing on the cake to a wonderful auditory feature and while not much is known about him other than a quick Google, he's a rising star to the mastering profession and is to be commended for his attention to fine detail and being able to enhance the overall product of the projects he's taken on in his career thus far.
By the end of Ego, there's one final seven minute journey that aggressively explores the subtitles of downtempo electronic music. "Shadows" ties together, in cinematic fashion, the creepy and disturbing underlying feel of the record.
The Outro seems to be meant to snap the listener back into reality. That is, the facade of which is put on to disguise societies problems. It's crowd-sourced recording plays prominently along with a warbling rhodes sounding. "If you think about it.." is the only phrase that can really be made out through the entire outro, and if you think about, Roy Hessels & Benign carve out one hell of a commentary on a lot of different subjects that span from political, to social, and beyond.
The Outro shows the ego of Earth in a sense, the dignified sense that throughout the religious, political, and social discord that's happening around us, we're always able to see the good, or the self-esteem that each of us puts on to face the day.
Perhaps Ego does show all senses of the definition after all.
In the meantime you can check out the first song Dyssomnia on Soundcloud, Youtube and Last.fm.
The all-embracing and precise review by 2020k:
By society's standard, the word ego has seemingly become fully equated with narcissism. Though webster will exclaim that in a certain form, that is correct, there are other aspects of the word that demonstrate a state of being that's equated with self esteem, and rooted self-respect and assurance. The latter definitions better describe the debut project from Benign & Roy Hessels, two separate musicians who came together to release Ego on the 2ism Records imprint, which specializes in bringing together two artists to work together to achieve one collaborative project.
Bringing together Belgium based, atmospheric inspired Benign with Dutch electronic musician Roy Hessels is a sonic marriage that works together in the most joyfully threatening way possible. Where Hessels fills sometimes strives for a more organic, guitar laced downtempo vibe, Benign compliments with controlled rhythms and exuberant glitch-esque breaks.
The chemistry on Ego is instantly felt on the first track in which the two join forces. In fact, the collaboration is so seamless that there's almost really no focus on debate over which artist played which part in which song. Sure, there are a few solo tracks along the project, but when the two come together on "Interlude," it's lethargic guitar licks and synthesizer drops and sputters play out like Pink Floyd trapped in a world of psychedelic neo-soul that's trying to find light through electronic darkness. Experimentally, the more optimistic sections of this interlude begin showing their opposition toward the middle of the song when they begin to be played backwards. At the end, rising and lowering pads further demonstrate this optimistic vs. pessimistic play and flow right on into the Hip-Hop inspired, minimalist "Dyssomnia".
Broad classifications of sleeping disorders, known as dyssomnia, fit into Ego's realm quite perfectly as Hessels and Benign seem to be striving through this album to find a place of peace within battles of today. What better way to describe this and explore it through the conscious and unconscious parts of one's full day? The groove on "Dyssomnia" is one of toned strength, which allows guitar and piano portions of the track to show that while they'd like to drift off, they have to stay with the groove, quite like the mind racing, but wanting to fall asleep during the night. Quite clever, right? A sort of lecture plays toward the track's middle half and while a lot of these words blend into the mix of the song, they play out through some gorgeous chord changes that appear in the last minute and a half of the song, one sentence sticks out the most in the mix, "When was the last time you enjoyed silence? Genuine silence. And you wonder why people can't sleep?!"
Backtracking, the first two tracks are strictly Roy Hessels. The technology based sounding introduction pitches down and time stretches vocals that pulse along the lower frequencies of the mix, end, and bring in the extremely Burial inspired "My Refuge". In opposition of the introduction, vocal samples are pitched up, manipulated and stuttered while a deep-alternative dubstep sounding production unfolds in traditional electronic composition. Reverberation and delay techniques play a large part in the cornerstone of this song, as well as the album as a whole. During the middle of the song, there is a main synthesizer solo that fadedly delays out, faking a premature end to the song, but quickly slaps the listener back in the face and comes back for more. While this Hessels track is the song most derivative of the underground-alternative electronic scene, it's quality at it's best and comes across more as a contemporary refuge than an imitation prison.
"Longing/Lost" follows as a Benign solo track and begins at a slow atmospheric crawl, phasing out the Burial-isms, but keeping vocal samples interpolated. The song slowly works into a wildly paranoid sense of rhythm, while repetitive pads and background synths lend themselves to a conglomerate sense of stereo imaging that's quite impressive. The pieces fit together, along with a primarily mid-range focused/punchy-compressed kick drum, and create one of the densest, most layered movements on this debut.
Continuing with the dual names, which seems like a play on two separate things coming together, "Void/Fall" is another Benign song, toward the end of Ego that finds itself building up from a slow progression, into a tense state of production. Right before the song's final movement, there is a portion of the song that plays in a high octave, then drops before a pad is cleverly invented and manipulated through the human voice. It does get a bit busy in the higher frequencies of this song, and in "Hiroshima," but interestingly supplies an interestingly emotional technique. There's a difference between distortion and frequency fighting because of lack of attention to detail, and when it's used for creative intent. This is definitely creativity being used.
While we're covering "Hiroshima," it's filled with drum and bass trepidation, and distorted, in your face horror. The most schizophrenic, unfocused song on Ego finds itself moving through deep-dubstep bass-lines, while manipulating the lead synth to purposefully march into notes that are one hundred percent out of key. Would you expect something else from a song with a title of Japan's city that's most noted for the terrifying events during World War II? Coincidence? We don't think so. "Power To The Beast" seems to explore the more humanistic themes of war and the internal affiliation with religion. A man quite muscly makes statements about nations with no values, and having no faith in God or Jesus Christ.
"Conviction" is the most ambient, minimal track on Ego and not surprisingly is the most emotional. There aren't too many layers on the song, but the ones that are there definitely find themselves having a lot of programming and reverberation and delay techniques applied to them in order to make the depth of the mix sound euphoric and larger than life. It's a Roy Hessels solo track and gently unfolds through stereo panned melodic aspects and a low, sixteenth note synth bass. Toward the end, it's standard build up could be compared to a more layered Moby project from the Destroyed era, mixed with Mux Mool's beautiful deep grooves.
One thing that sticks out on the Benign & Roy Hessels project is how wonderfully mastered the project is. Christopher Leary, who has mastered Twoism Records produced "One on Twoism" compilation albums, has a knack for creating the most cohesive space for the final mixes of songs to live in. He's the icing on the cake to a wonderful auditory feature and while not much is known about him other than a quick Google, he's a rising star to the mastering profession and is to be commended for his attention to fine detail and being able to enhance the overall product of the projects he's taken on in his career thus far.
By the end of Ego, there's one final seven minute journey that aggressively explores the subtitles of downtempo electronic music. "Shadows" ties together, in cinematic fashion, the creepy and disturbing underlying feel of the record.
The Outro seems to be meant to snap the listener back into reality. That is, the facade of which is put on to disguise societies problems. It's crowd-sourced recording plays prominently along with a warbling rhodes sounding. "If you think about it.." is the only phrase that can really be made out through the entire outro, and if you think about, Roy Hessels & Benign carve out one hell of a commentary on a lot of different subjects that span from political, to social, and beyond.
The Outro shows the ego of Earth in a sense, the dignified sense that throughout the religious, political, and social discord that's happening around us, we're always able to see the good, or the self-esteem that each of us puts on to face the day.
Perhaps Ego does show all senses of the definition after all.
Life is a Frequency