“I suppose finding words and meaning to describe this release would be
next to impossible. This recording was a real joy, to go back to our humble
beginnings. To have the freedom to create art only for ourselves was truly
sublime” — Adam Bryanbaum Wiltzie of A Winged Victory For The Sullen
Erased Tapes rounds off a jubilant year of tenth anniversary celebrations with a
very special release, 1+1=X, a set of exclusive music from every artist on the
label. Featuring never before heard tracks from Nils Frahm, Kiasmos and
A Winged Victory For The Sullen, 1+1=X sees Erased Tapes artists come together
to make an album as a collective. Sharing the same space, instruments and each
others’ capabilities during a residency at Vox-Ton studio in Berlin, they
recorded 20 songs to mark the label's 10-year history. Previously only
available as a limited vinyl box set for Record Store Day, 1+1=X — produced
by label curator Robert Raths — will be now be available as a 3-LP set on
August 17th to accompany the 2CD box set and digital download to be released on
29th June
2018. “It was important to create something communal and reflective of our
time, to capture something of value using traditional recording techniques,
experimenting and reacting to each other in real time, sharing the same
space,” says Raths.
Between August 2016 and 2017, each artist arrived with a new composition or
an improvisation to record at Vox-Ton. Run with much love and care by Italian
engineer Francesco Donadello – who has worked on many Erased Tapes recordings
before including A Winged Victory For The Sullen, Michael Price and Lubomyr
Melnyk – it is one of the few studios left where it’s still possible to
record fully analogue, isolated from the city noise and in a room that can fit a
large ensemble. Reflective of the communal spirit, 1+1=X is the result of an
ambitious undertaking; to create a singular record as a collective, not just
a
compilation of songs, that celebrates the benefits of community over
individuality
and improvisation over rigorous planning.
“As much as Erased Tapes probably wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the digital age, we should also remind ourselves of what we are capable of without it,” adds Raths. “1+1=X is a testament of what can be achieved when we work together as a collective, which is more than the sum of what we can achieve as individuals.”
The majority of songs on this album feature contributions from multiple
performers, whether it’s Nils Frahm duetting on the keys with Arthur Jeffes
of Penguin Cafe, Kiasmos being joined by Högni and a string ensemble, Douglas
Dare’s one-take ‘Darling’ featuring Rival Consoles on synths, Masayoshi
Fujita on vibes and Raths himself controlling the tremolo on his voice. Peter
Broderick’s ‘The Perpetual Glow’ meanwhile, brings in a full big band and
choir where everyone present, including the studio staff, was invited to grab
any
instrument and join in. Every song has a unique story and approach – in-the
moment decisions and little accidents that could only come out of these kinds of
circumstances where people work together in the same space, sparking off each
other and their environment. Even Rival Consoles’ remix of Daniel Brandt’s
‘Blackpool Sands Forever’ was conceived of in the studio kitchen during
recording breaks.
Japanese vocal performer Hatis Noit decided to bring a field recording of the
ocean with her, which she had taken near the Fukushima power plant after
participating in a memorial ceremony for the opening of the evacuation area. It
is also no coincidence that the album opens with ‘Brutal Moderna’ by Qasim
Naqvi (Dawn of Midi) and A Winged Victory For The Sullen’s ‘Long May It
Sustain’, which were both recorded on the day the U.S. election results
came in.
“Qasim asked me to read the news headlines with a stutter over the top of
his piece. It was an oddly beautiful experience which brought all of us together
on a day when spirits were otherwise a bit low,” says Peter Broderick.
“I thought this residency was a wonderful idea. In fact I would have loved
to be there for more of it. I made some amazing new friends, some stronger
bonds with old friends and some wonderful pieces of music that I’m honoured to
be a part of. Robert has often described Erased Tapes as a family, and perhaps
above all else this was just his earnest effort to bring the family together.
I hope we’ll have
some reunions in years to come!” Designed in collaboration with Torsten
Posselt at FELD, album is accompanied by a book of photographs documenting the
recording process. It is housed in a bespoke, hand-assembled white box.