Approximat​e Infinite Daydream

One of the best parts about Baltimore's music scene is the abundance of variety and creativity when it comes to different genres and sounds. Contemporary ambient music is a genre that's been particularly bountiful as of late around town, and Approximat​e Infinite Daydream is a new series that aims to highlight this burgeoning realm.



Created by Matthew Papich (Co La, Ecstatic Sunshine) and Neal Reinalda (Daytime), the concept is not your typical concert series. All of the performers will be solo acts, and all of which are of the more ambient and experimental variety. Also important to note - these shows will not take place in typical concert venues, but rather in more common spaces not generally used for shows. Current planned sites include Fox Court at the BMA (The Echo Spot), Gottlund Verlag HQ in rural Kutztown PA, the Soft House, and more.



As for the music and the specific concept behind this series, Reinalda states "Many of the practitioners of this new music are interested in creating music for specific contexts, often domestic. This tendency follows a certain tradition related to Ambient Music, and more specifically, to Eric Satie’s “Furniture” or “Furnishing” music. As dictated by Satie, this music is intended to function in a space as background, unobtrusive yet distinct. The sound is constructed to play a role in, and transform its’ surroundings, sometimes even evoking a specific mood or feeling. Our goal is to explore the role context plays in relationship to this music, specifically the role of domestic space and time and its relationship to various forms of visual and aural works."



Artists involved include Eachothers, Bear & Pieces, Comeback Ranch, Jared Paolini, Narc, Dead Drums, Co La, Daytime, Dustin Wong, Ken Seeno, and Gem Vision, and more. The series starts with a book release/primer on April 28, and you can RSVP right here.

Tonight: Polygons, Ecstatic Sunshine, Bear & Pieces

Tonight the Hexagon's got a killer one with Ecstatic Sunshine, Polygons, Bear & Pieces, and Beastmaster. It's the release party for a brand new Polygons album called FANTASY.

I've been spending some time with this album over the weekend, and it's full of the improvised electronic sonics and breaks that Polygons have become known for. You can see for yourself, as the duo has been kind enough to put the entire release up on their Soundcloud page. You can check it out after the jump below.

Ecstatic Sunshine is also fresh off a new release, a new duo of songs called Freak Flag. Matt sent me the tracks a few weeks ago, and they haven't strayed far from my ears since. Expect more on Freak Flag very soon.

Friends and Friends of Friends:Lonnie Walker and B&P (formerly Bear & Pieces)

Friends and Friends of Friends was made available digitally for free this week, 60 minutes of new music somehow rooted in Baltimore by Friends Records.

Lonnie Walker is a country punk band with a knack for crafting songs drenched in Americana, along with a knack for a putting on one hell of a fun live show. They are based out of North Carolina, and grew up with the fellows of Future Islands.

Future Islands and Lonnie Walker are set to put out a split seven inch with Friends Records sometime this year (with a new Future Islands song that was written this month), but for now Brian Corum sent over a new track not off their stellar debut LP. The country-washed Pavement sounds of "Feels Like Right" will likely show up on the band's next release.



Check out a brand new track from B&P after the jump.


B&P is the solo project of Chris Day, a resident of Open Space and the creator of Lost Ghosts Records - one of the finest local proprietors of hand made musical collages and soundscapes. Chris had been dubbed Bear & Pieces up until a week or so ago, when he passed along "Greminals" and let me know he wanted to be called B&P from now on.

Chris designed and screen printed the poster for our first show back in January at the G Spot, and he is currently working on the inserts for the the new Sri Aurobindo LP. "Greminals" is an and eight and a half behemoth of a journey through moments and sounds, and is certainly the darkest moment of the cassette. Look for some more excellent new B&P sounds to come this year.

Clusterf*ck: Shows in Baltimore this Weekend

Hey, there's a lot to do this weekend. Let's get to it.

Tonight if you happen to come across Oliver and Guilford, you've got two options. Penthouse Gallery is offering The Great Valley, Brendan Sullivan, Bear & Pieces, and Sun on My Head. Bear & Pieces has a new tape almost ready which I am stoked for, but here's "Falling Down" off of Brendan Sullivan's Wooley Eyes tape.



Just around the corner is another fine bill. Moss of Aura, Power Animal, Winks, and Semya all play in the Annex. Just like the show in the Penthouse, there's a couple artists playing this one that you'll hear new things from on a compilation I'm putting together for Friends Records. Look out for details on that soon, but for now, get Winks' "Weed Makes Sex Weird" stuck in your head.



And last but not least, Friday night the 5th Dimension has a big one at the H&H put together by True Vine and Aural States. Matmos, Konk Pack, and Leprechaun Catering will all blast you with electronic stimuli, for just a $5-10 sliding donation. Jason Willett shared some Konk Pack sounds at Aural States earlier this week.

See what's going on Saturday after the click.

Saturday night the Ottobar has New York's Vivian Girls, with Vermont's Happy Birthday, the United Kingdom's Wet Dog, and our very own Weekends. Vivian Girls were pretty good last time they were around these parts with Ariel Pink. Details on the new Weekends LP will soon be available, which was mixed and mastered by Rob Girardi. It will be called Strange Cultures, and you can expect to hear things from this record very soon. This one's off their debut:



Down at the Annex, you can catch Videohippos, Nuclear Power Pants, Fang Island, and The Chinese Stars. Nuclear Power Pants are about to set off on tour with Height with Friends, and Videohippos just got back from a tour. Add the much hyped Fang Island and the always great Chinese stars, and you've got yourself a show.

Also, don't forget about the Publications and Multiples Fair on Saturday and Sunday.

Daytime - Mirrored World

Lost Ghosts Records is a fantastic little label based in Baltimore that has released some pretty big noise this year. I've gabbed about some of Bear & Pieces' output already this year, Chris Day's solo project who is also a member of Witch Hat. Expect to see more talk of Lost Ghosts Records here, as I was recently handed a pile of amazing releases from these fellas.

After indulging in about half of this glorious pile, the release from Daytime is certainly one that stood out. Clocking in at just around 30 minutes, these four tracks take you through a journey unique to only a Mirrored World.

This album is a dive into hushed computer noise that somehow manages to paint pictures of sunny skies and blue clouds. While some of the sounds might sound harsh on their own, when layered together they sound bright and uplifting. This theme continues throughout all four tracks, and is what makes this release so unique.

This is not for the faint-hearted, as the ambient drones sound best at high volumes and particularly sound great with a nice set of headphones. The static eventually becomes soft and fuzzy, ridding the feeling of any jagged edges and distortion even though both are prevalent throughout. Daytime's ability to turn dark into light is inspiring, and quite impressive.

The third track "Without Colors", is aptly titled as it is the most stripped down of all four. It uses the same layers, but less complex arrangements of each layer in order to give it a more basic feel. It's this track that really allows you to take a step back and see where all the noise is coming from, before throwing you right back into the clouds on the closing song.

Grab this CDR while you can from Lost Ghosts Records, as its limited to only 50 copies.

Bear & Pieces: Rooples : Query

Baltimore's Lost Ghosts Records is home to a few lesser known endeavors, most of which are certainly worth your while. Heavy on art and personal touch, the tunes ain't too shabby either.

If you didn't catch the label's release show at the Zodiac a few weeks back, chances are you've missed out on some pretty fantastic artists. Bear & Pieces has put out a plethora of limited-run releases, and is the focal point of Lost Ghosts. Chris Day is the entirety of Bear & Pieces, and also a member of Witch Hat.

Chris's solo project is full of swirling melodies, ambient bedroom soundscapes at their purest. With looping guitar churns that fade in and out, rich layers are often dwarfed by blissful simplicity. While diving into Wisdom Has No Gaurd and the digital "Allison" single are recommended, Rooples : Query portrays his work in a very appealing light.

This disc is highly limited with only 30 pressings available, and features three hefty tracks from the late summer of 2007. One might assume Chris utilized the common practice of laptop editing, a standard with most lo fi bedroom artists these days. But, Rooples : Query is amazingly all recorded straight to tape. This provides just enough sunny analog fuzz, and leaves the work to bare all of it's natural essence.

These tracks are highly recommended when in need of some heavy zoning out, and are the perfect accomplice to any need for late night inspiration. The sound bites mixed into his other works are enjoyable, particularly when the "sky falls" on Wisdom Has No Guard. But the stripped down nature of this release is truly hypnotic, and quite beautiful.

You can find some of the Bear & Pieces releases as free downloads over at the Lost Ghosts blog, including a recording of his set opening up for Ponytail at Floristee in 2008. Splurging the five bucks for any of these albums is an obvious choice, and do be sure to check out some of their other fine artists.