Fooled you…probably fooled ourselves, too. We couldn’t help but plot out one final release for the year, bringing our total catalog additions for 2021 up to a whopping 25! Who’s keeping score, anyway?
With that said…
Full Spectrum Records is pleased to present one final blast of big room drone to close out the year that was and mark the passing of the winter solstice, courtesy of Ryan Jobes’ Sunken Cathedral project. The third in a trilogy of digital EPs he has released with us, ’Of the Dying Year’ picks up where its predecessors, ‘Steam Turned to Ash’ and ‘Sounds for Walking In Circles, left off, delving ever deeper into the shadowy aural zone that has served as Jobes’ refuge during the tumultuous times in which we find ourselves persisting.
The slow burning “Through Mist and Light” serves as the EP’s a-side, enveloping the listener in slowly undulating waves of analog synthesizer over the course of its 11-minute run-time. The track has a sort of devotional quality to it, as well, which is perhaps fitting considering its origins as a product of Jobes’ weekly Sunday morning ritual. Each week, he sets aside 3-4 hours on Sunday to enjoy coffee and craft a drone, making subtle refinements here and there as he works toward a state of aural suspension. It’s a meditative practice that has become a cornerstone of his creative process during the creation of these three EPs.
“Arid Winds / Parched Land,” however, could be considered something of an echo back to the earliest entry in the trilogy, setting cycling doom metal guitar riffs against a densely layered drone generated from his favored Prophet 5 synthesizer. Slowly revealing its melodic theme in waves as the piece evolves, this is the staunchly resolute send off that 2021 deserves.
We remain. We will continue. The eternal drone will carry us forward. Infinite Future.
credits
released December 21, 2021
Composed recorded, and performed by Ryan Jobes in Fairfax California, late Autumn 2021.
Created using Sequential, Moog, and Make Noise synthesizers, Guitar, various effects.
Special Thanks to: Sequential.
Mastered by Andrew Weathers
Artwork by Gretchen Korsmo
Full Spectrum Records releases the works of experimental musicians and sound artists, with an ear towards idiosyncratic tones, extended time frames and unique compositional approaches.
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One of her strongest works ever. This album has deep ambient drone instrumentals, but also some almost krautrock-y moments which I seriously love. 5/5. zensounds
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