{"title":"2017","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"grid-nelson-dahl-podgurski","title":"GRID (Nelson, Dahl, Podgurski)","description":"\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=2776226345\/size=small\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/grid.bandcamp.com\/album\/grid-2\"\u003eGRID by GRID (Nelson, Dahl, Podgurski)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cp\u003eTim Dahl (Child Abuse) on bass, and Nick Podgurski (New Firmament; Feast of the Epiphany) on drums. Despite the trio formation and the individual players’ backgrounds with jazz, the GRID sound takes the plunge toward the darker, heavier, and more psychedelic realms of improvised music. While undoubtedly harnessing the clamorous spirit of free jazz, the trio ventures beyond its acoustic borders, cleverly implementing electronic processing as well as dirge-like tempos that draw upon the slow-burning qualities of Doom and Sludge for inspiration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe four pieces that make up the album cover plenty of sonic territory and are ripe with expressive gesture, but are unified by the resulting singularity of atmosphere they conjure. Dahl’s extra-heavy bass guitar often marinates in the lower registers, creating a thick undergrowth of growling low end frequencies that anchor the pieces in a doom-like ambiance. Sliding up and down the fret from note to note creates a swaying imbalance that only amplifies the queasy, slow-motion tempos. Nelson’s saxophone, in conjunction with electronic effects processing, unleashes a multitude of refreshingly twisted new sounds, dynamics, and textures from the horn. Overdriven feedback is used to add a deeply fried sustain to the notes, giving them a Hendrix-like soulfulness and urgency. Squeals and squelches occasionally emerge from the web of filtering, reminding the listener that they are in fact hearing saxophone, not guitar. Podgurski’s loose, collapsing drumming style fills the nooks and crevices left behind by Dahl and Nelson’s destructive dissonance, stirring the pot and propelling the music forward. His painterly attack hits in all the right places, reinforcing tempos but also dancing around them, while adding an acoustic juxtaposition that gives dimension to each piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUpon listening, there’s no denying that these musicians are deeply rooted in the craft of improvisation – they bring not only experience, but a high level of understanding to their work as well. What makes GRID unique however, is their ability to play with dirtier, noisier, and heavier textures, but with the sensitivity of a seasoned improviser. There is an undeniable physicality to GRID’s sound, as all of the sounds are related to the actual touch of the instrument. Although electronics are utilized, they embellish this physical playing, rather than dictate it. Nelson, Dahl, and Podgurski place individual expression in the back seat in favor of a cohesive vision that relies as much on mood and aura as it does technical chops. Recorded live to two inch tape at Seizures Palace in Brooklyn, the cavernous quality of the recording and signature mastering from Weasel Walter augment an undercurrent of grit and dread. Overall, the album has an essence of eternal void, as if the music exists in a vacuum of space that could go on infinitely in either direction. GRID’s debut is merely four glimpses into this alternate dimension of sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCassette comes packaged with digital download coupon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Tim Dahl (bass guitar), Matt Nelson (saxophone) and Nick Podgurski (drums) make up what promises to be the new standard in heavy doom jazz.” – Something Else Reviews\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The trio’s common denominator is ’70s free jazz — but that genre’s intensity at a grueling pace, through manipulated electronics.” – NPR\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Listen to GRID rip the sleeves off Fundamental Free Jazz” – Noisey\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Though the textures are extreme in nature, and densely layered, GRID doesn’t seem primarily interested in bludgeoning listeners.” – Pitchfork\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"NNA Tapes","offers":[{"title":"Cassette (With Digital Download)","offer_id":45567665111263,"sku":"CS-NNA-096","price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Digital Download (WAV)","offer_id":45567665078495,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Download (320 MP3)","offer_id":45567665144031,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/9256\/8543\/files\/NNA096.jpg?v=1714759721"},{"product_id":"lea-bertucci","title":"Lea Bertucci - All That Is Solid Melts Into Air","description":"\u003cp\u003e‘All That Is Solid Melts Into Air’ is a collection of new compositions from New York City-based sound artist, performer, and composer Lea Bertucci. As a performer, Bertucci has worked primarily with amplified woodwind instruments, creating enigmatic electro-acoustic interventions of the bass clarinet and saxophone in conjunction with tape collage and electronics. Her latest release on NNA, however, explores her work as a composer, which investigates extended acoustic resonance on classical instruments and their potential to powerfully occupy physical space. The two sides of this cassette contain two different pieces that exist around a common concept – the live performance of extended technique on stringed instruments, and the otherworldly way that the resulting sound exists in the space in which it is created.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first piece, “The Cepheid Variations”, is a recent piece for viola, cello, and magnetic tape collage, premiered in January 2015 as the first performance of Bertucci’s 2015 ISSUE Project Room Residency. Born out of an interest in the timbral and acoustic possibilities of harmonics, these pieces combine extended techniques for cello (performed by Leila Bordreuil), viola (performed by Jeanann Dara), combined with live concrete sound generated from magnetic tape, performed by Bertucci herself. Drawing upon the natural acoustics of ISSUE’s 22 Boerum Place theater, “The Cepheid Variations” examines the movement of sound in space through the use of dissonance, wide dynamic fluctuations, and particular sonic textures. Beginning with a pensive, ghostly landscape, the viola and cello explore glassy, fragile frequencies to their most powerful capability. A variety of bowing techniques are utilized by the performers, from slow, meandering pulses to frenetic scraping. Each subtlety in the physical manipulation of the instrument reveals new variations to the overall tension of the piece. The introduction of tape collage expands and adds dimension, introducing new frequencies into the sound field that cleverly juxtaposes the live instrumentation with pre-recorded sonic material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second piece, “Double Bass Crossfade”, positions two double bassists (James Ilgenfritz and Sean Ali) at opposite corners of the Knockdown Center’s 50,000 square foot main room. The instruments are wirelessly amplified, allowing the performers to slowly move across the room over the course of 40 minutes, meeting in the center and then crossing to each other’s original starting positions. Using a custom installed 10-channel sound system, the sounds of the performer’s instruments are dynamically routed from speaker to speaker according to their physical position, creating in their wake a mutable, engulfing sound field. The piece begins with the hypnotic, gentle bowing of the bass in its upper registers, but gains intensity as the piece progresses, finding its most powerful moments with a loud, rumbling low end that showcases the incredible acoustic power of the double bass. Tremendous depth is achieved through the layering of contrasting harmonics from each player, as the two performers engage with each other in focused technique, listening intently and creating a symbiosis through sound. Condensed from the original 10-channels to the stereo field for the purposes of this release, duality is the emphasis of this piece – in the musicians, their physical positioning, and their location in the stereo field. But as they eventually reach the lower ends of the register, the sounds they produce blend and fuse together into one raucous, engulfing whole.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe two pieces on this cassette demonstrate the incredible amount of dynamic diversity that can be achieved by the phenomenon of vibrating metallic strings. Resonance and frequency are thoroughly explored with thought, care, and dedication. These works reveal a fresh voice in new music, while also championing the pioneers of the 20th century avant-garde – recalling the tonal curiosity of Ligeti, the emotional power and sensitivity of Arvo Part, the strident minimalism of Tony Conrad, and the unflinching violence of George Crumb. Bertucci exhibits a keen and perceptive ear for nuanced acoustic sound, and a passion for focused musical investigation is made evident through her compositions. Stepping aside from the role of performer, ‘All That Is Solid Melts Into Air’ shows us a different side of Bertucci’s repertoire – that of the writer and composer. This album reinforces her talents not only as a player, but as an imaginative explorer of music’s more cerebral and metaphysical outer limits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCassette comes packaged with digital download coupon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Bertucci’s compositions are stark, resonant, and certainly something to behold” – Ad Hoc\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Bertucci uses strings (and tape\/amplification) to mirror the vibrations of breath, making near-hypnotic rhythms that seem circular even as they are continuously changing” – Tiny Mix Tapes\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“One gets the sense that Bertucci arrives at her work not with an idea to impose, but a question to develop.” – Pitchfork\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"NNA Tapes","offers":[{"title":"Cassette (With Digital Download)","offer_id":45567665307871,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Download (WAV)","offer_id":45567665275103,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Download (320 MP3)","offer_id":45567665340639,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/9256\/8543\/files\/NNA097-HiRes.jpg?v=1714759732"},{"product_id":"wren-kitz-dancing-on-soda-lake","title":"Wren Kitz - Dancing On Soda Lake","description":"\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=1670801090\/size=small\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/wrenkitz.bandcamp.com\/album\/dancing-on-soda-lake-2\"\u003eDancing On Soda Lake by Wren Kitz\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eNNA Tapes is very pleased to present the latest full-length recording from Burlington, Vermont artist Wren Kitz. Following up his debut album “For Evelyn” back in 2015, “Dancing On Soda Lake” continues confidently in the unique and personal style of music that Wren has carved out for himself over the years. By blending traditional guitar-and-voice songwriting with field recording and tape collage experimentation, Kitz has developed a ghostly and contemplative form of musical expression all his own that breaks down walls between genre categorizations. Together with a newly-assembled band consisting of percussion and strings, “Dancing On Soda Lake” is Kitz’s most fully-realized and captivating effort to date.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eWith a recurring aqueous motif both lyrically and sonically, “Dancing On Soda Lake” captures this essence elegantly throughout the gentle impermanence of it’s luminous song cycle, flowing freely back and forth between beauty and mystery, not unlike our own plasmic origins. Wren’s sensitive vocal delivery drifts carefully between loose, rhythmic tempos and plucks of the guitar, punctuated by swells of percussion and heart-wrenching harmonies from the bass, cello, and violin. The oblique lyrics hint at a narrative, though never fully disclose their true intentions, utilizing abstractions in language to shroud meaning, the way that dusk envelops a landscape. Themes of confusion, isolation, and existentialism indicate that there is a distinct darkness buried in these songs… though it is not articulated through sonic aggression, but rather through mood by way of wistful melancholia and bittersweet recollection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe most intriguing aspect of Kitz’s compositions is his ardent dedication to magnetic tape, unlocking its tangible and nostalgic qualities not only through recording, but through instrumental utilization as well. A dedicated field recorder, Wren’s travels with his tape recorder yield a trove of extracted sonic memories that he is able to access in his songs through manipulation and collage. Wren captures literal moments from his life and recontextualizes them as musical elements, building textures and atmospheres from a faded reality, from subtle rustlings to roaring oceanic vastness. This blending of fidelities creates a very dynamic listen by constructing a hypnagogic tension between traditional songwriting and avant-garde experimentation. Through Wren’s distinctive musical vision and his tasteful mastery of his materials, “Dancing On Soda Lake” manifests as an intimate yet mystifying album, like viewing a sparkling body of water through a distorted lens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eCassette comes packaged with digital download coupon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\"It’s a gorgeous and discomfiting tribute to the frustrating limits of the physical form, while still able to recall the ethereal bitcrush of forgotten, secret worlds.\"\u003cb\u003e–SPIN Magazine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s an underwater dance that is portrayed in the album, made of muffled sounds and slow movings, leaving the listener as fluctuating in the still aquatic reservoir watching the sunlight filtering through the transparent substance.\"\u003cbr\u003e–\u003cb\u003eGuia Cortassa, Gold Flake Paint\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Dancing On Soda Lake, building off of the stylistic world he created with For Evelyn, is an initially approachable dream\/soundscape that pays dividends in transcendent, previously hidden harmonies, newly perceptible bits of texture, and buried snippets of field recordings revealing more of themselves with each repeat play.”\u003cbr\u003e–\u003cb\u003eElisabeth Fuchsia, POST-TRASH\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"NNA Tapes","offers":[{"title":"Cassette (With Digital Download)","offer_id":45567665438943,"sku":"CS-NNA-098","price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Digital Download (WAV)","offer_id":45567665504479,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Download (320 MP3)","offer_id":45567665471711,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/9256\/8543\/files\/NNA098-cover.jpg?v=1714759742"},{"product_id":"multa-nox-living-pearl","title":"Multa Nox - Living Pearl","description":"\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=203836810\/size=small\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/multanox.bandcamp.com\/album\/living-pearl\"\u003e'Living Pearl' by multa nox\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #993366;\"\u003e* Purchase \u003cb\u003eboth\u003c\/b\u003e Wren Kitz ‘Dancing On Soda Lake’ + Multa Nox ‘Living Pearl’ together and receive a \u003cb\u003eFREE LP\u003c\/b\u003e from our \u003ca style=\"color: #993366;\" href=\"http:\/\/nnatapes.com\/sale\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eSale section\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e! After ordering, email \u003ca style=\"color: #993366;\" href=\"mailto:info@nnatapes.com\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003einfo@nnatapes.com\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e to claim your free record. *\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eMulta Nox is the recording and performance project of Sally Decker, New York City-based musician and writer. “Living Pearl,” her latest release for NNA Tapes, thoughtfully explores the nexus between music and emotion, using vivid electronics as a portal of connection between the mind and the heart. Decker’s backgrounds in music, poetry, and sound art all work in conjunction to create a harmonious sonic environment where light and darkness ebb and flow throughout one another, finding a highly personal voice among the diverse lineage of ambient music. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eThrough her use of the synthesizer, Decker investigates the way the evocative qualities of electronic music can elicit emotional responses from the listener, constructing understated melodic phrases that are ripe with warmth and nostalgia, like looking at a faded family photograph. These lines of varying texture and tone shift fluidly across each other, coming in and out of focus in layers in a manner similar to that of visual art or cinema. Multa Nox works with a refreshing purity where all elements mesh into a singular whole, rather than focusing on separate components of technology to convey ideas. The resulting melodies are like clusters of beautiful simplicity that float throughout a colorful landscape, like cells that make up a larger musical organism. Rhythmic devices are introduced subtly, creating a propulsion and momentum that carries the composition forward, never erupting into the driving force of a proper beat, but rather acting as a biological pulse that gives life to the music. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eDecker injects further humanity into her compositions by utilizing acoustic elements as well, such as human speech and field recordings. By obscuring and abstracting her own voice through techniques such as whispers and cut-up dissections, Decker produces fragments of enunciation that function as textural rather than narrative elements. On tracks like “A Body Holds Still,” the gritty sounds of traffic and noise in an urban environment are introduced, reminding the listener of the sharp edge of reality. By combining these field recordings with her manipulated vocal samples, a soft, delicate layer is injected into an increasingly menacing sound world, conveying a stark juxtaposition and vulnerability that can be reflective of our methods of reconciling our innermost conflicts. From this ominous squall, melodic splendor once again emerges like rays of sunlight through clouds, demonstrating a cyclical nature that Multa Nox is able to harness with a sophisticated poise. It is through this musical methodology that Decker is able to mine the subconscious in order to communicate the mystery within the emotional moments we experience as human beings. This establishes a universal connection through music where tone, texture, resonance, dynamics, and harmony function together in vibrant unison.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eCassette comes packaged with digital download coupon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The compositions that Sally Decker makes as Multa Nox are filled with gestures that force contemplation… her pieces move slowly and deceptively, producing an illusory stillness—a respite from the world where you can stop and think for a second.”\u003cbr\u003e\n–\u003cb\u003eColin Joyce, THUMP\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Utilizing synthesizer, found sound, and vocals she creates mysterious worlds that drone with subtle activity, half-hidden melody, and organically propulsive rhythm.”\u003cbr\u003e\n–\u003cb\u003eLive Eye TV\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Language, enunciated in Decker's whispers, becomes disentangled from signification, becomes vibration, becomes physical. And with that, her whispers bear an enormous weight: the ability to transform words into something sumptuous, something delectable.”\u003cbr\u003e\n–\u003cb\u003eBen Bieser, AdHoc\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"NNA Tapes","offers":[{"title":"Cassette (With Digital Download)","offer_id":45567665602783,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Download (WAV)","offer_id":45567665570015,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Download (320 MP3)","offer_id":45567665635551,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/9256\/8543\/files\/NNA099-cover.jpg?v=1714759752"},{"product_id":"kalbells-ten-flowers","title":"Kalbells - Ten Flowers","description":"\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=50967868\/size=small\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/kalbells.bandcamp.com\/album\/ten-flowers\"\u003e'Ten Flowers' by Kalbells\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eNNA is overjoyed to unveil ‘Ten Flowers,’ the debut album from Kalmia Traver’s solo venture Kalbells. Nearly a decade of tireless and dedicated work on writing, vocal, and saxophone duty with her euphoric art-pop band Rubblebucket has given Traver a wealth of musical strength and experience, inspiring fans across the world to be proud of who they are and let their individualism shine through. In recent years after coming face-to-face with some strenuous life hurdles, including an experience surviving cancer, Traver decided to engage in a period of creative personal retreat in order to focus on writing new music. Instantly finding the process to be deeply cathartic and healing, she emerged with not only an important sense of self-discovery, but an abundance of new songs as well - and the genesis of ‘Ten Flowers.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eBy opening up the floodgates for inspiration and personal expression, Kalmia found a voice for her music that largely reflects her unique personality - a colorful world filled with imagination, wonder, honesty, light, and no shortage of gorgeous melody and harmony. After assembling a self-recorded demo of songs using voice, electronics, pocket synthesizer, and other musical odds and ends, Traver teamed up with singer, songwriter, producer and fellow Vermonter (and NNA Tapes artist) Ryan Power to enter the studio and make ‘Ten Flowers’ a beautiful reality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eA largely electronic record, ‘Ten Flowers’ creates an environment that is lush and vivid with warm, purring synthesizers, arpeggiated embellishments, and deep palpable bass tones. However the organic touch of humanity is still very present, integrating plenty of environmental recordings, percussion, woodwinds, tapping, clapping, and whistling that bestows the songs with a unique playfulness. These predominantly metronomic compositions are conducive to finding one’s personal groove, encouraging dancing throughout a variety of tempos and instilling the album with invigorating momentum, aided by the contributions of drummer Ian Chang (Son Lux, Landlady) on several occasions. The backbone of these songs is of course Kalmia’s distinctive voice, one that is delicate, vulnerable, and tender, yet at the same time self-assured, dynamic, and powerful in spirit. The intricate layering of vocals unleashes cascades of glorious harmony that coexist comfortably with the rich instrumental melodies that envelop each song. Her lyrics are able to communicate the diverse emotional currents of the human experience through a genuine poetic sentiment. Circling around themes of self discovery, empowerment, and the quest for unity inside \u0026amp; out, the lyrics acknowledge and face hardships by finding the light and beauty inside of them, and they rejoice in the freedom that comes with acceptance of mystery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e‘Ten Flowers’ stands out not only in the NNA discography, but amongst the current droves of contemporary music as well. Traver’s natural talent, in conjunction with her seasoned experience, exude musical confidence and demonstrate a willingness to embrace a multitude of influences. The result is an individualized style that refuses to be compartmentalized, and transcends modern day genre corrals. The spirited collaboration between Traver's imagination and Power’s detailed production talents has birthed an album that invites one not just to listen to it, but to spend time inside of it, be enveloped by it, and find something new with each repeated visit. You just may end up learning something about yourself. Kalbells’ debut is a testament to the power of music to heal, and to achieve personal liberation. It is also an ode to the courage to explore oneself, to plant sweet, healing seeds that might blossom into fully unique work, a pure expression of self that is open, accepting, and bound by love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eVinyl LP comes packaged with digital download coupon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\"I have not been this obsessed with a song in a long time.\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e–Bob Boilen, Tiny Desk regarding the single “Why?!steria”\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\"If Rubblebucket were the rave, Kalbells are the chill out room.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cb\u003e–If It’s Too Loud\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“a brooding delight, a colourful pop composition that drifts in and out of focus, plummeting in to the dark in moment before shifting in to far lighter climes as Traver’s sumptuous vocal takes centre-stage.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e–Tom Johnson, Gold Flake Paint\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“intimate, quaint, and stunning… Traver’s vocals are soft and light, like a feather floating in the wind.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e–The Revue\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“there’s an uplifting spirit to \u003ctraver\u003e new work… is it the bells, the synths, the whistles? Who cares, it’s simply great.”\u003c\/traver\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e–Austin Town Hall\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"NNA Tapes","offers":[{"title":"12\" LP (With Digital Download)","offer_id":45567665668319,"sku":"LP-NNA-101","price":18.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD (With Digital Download)","offer_id":45567665701087,"sku":"CD-NNA-101","price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Digital Download (320 MP3)","offer_id":45567665733855,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Download (WAV)","offer_id":45567665766623,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/9256\/8543\/files\/NNA101.jpg?v=1714759764"},{"product_id":"matthewdavids-mindflight-ophiuchus","title":"Matthewdavid's Mindflight - Ophiuchus","description":"\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=978534528\/size=small\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/nnatapes.bandcamp.com\/album\/ophiuchus\"\u003e'Ophiuchus' by Matthewdavid's Mindflight\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cp\u003eNNA has long respected and admired the work of Matthew McQueen, aka Matthewdavid. Whether through his solo music, his work with forward-thinking radio, or his own eclectic label Leaving Records, McQueen has always shown the utmost dedication and passion for his creative outputs. In the midst of the year 2017, we’re honored to collaborate with Matthewdavid’s Mindflight on his latest release ‘Ophiuchus.’ As a purveyor of Modern New Age, Matthewdavid's work represents a full-circle return to NNA’s roots and influences in new age music, and nearly a decade later we are happy to continue to give this music a home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThroughout his musical career, Matthewdavid has been fearless in taking risks and stepping into new territory in an ego-less fashion. In addition to his own diverse output, his impeccable curation and “all genre” philosophy with Leaving Records is also indicative of an openness to a wide range of styles and influences. In recent years, Matthewdavid’s work has shifted away from it’s roots in hip-hop, electronic beats, future funk and R\u0026amp;B, and moved toward a more pure vision of Modern New Age with his Mindflight releases and collaborations. This work has been further reinforced by his excursions into experimental radio with his “Mindflight Meditations” show on the online radio platform Dublab, where he creates improvisational meditative soundscapes both solo and with guest collaborators. In this regard, what separates Matthewdavid from other electronic musicians is his dedication to the New Age not just in sound, but in lifestyle. He strives to provide a spiritual context for his music, whether its an offering to ancient astrological wisdom, the sacred nature of friendship, or providing a vehicle for one’s development of a cosmic consciousness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough his style has varied throughout the years, Matthewdavid consciously maintains a signature sound palette, a trait which lends to a cohesiveness across his entire discography. Instead of eschewing his stylistic roots, he embraces and integrates them fluidly into his current work, thus preserving the signature Matthewdavid sound. On ‘Ophiuchus,’ he presents two long-form compositions that vary in inspiration, but maintain consistent moods throughout. The title track ‘Ophiuchus’ was composed in anticipation of the birth of his daughter and focuses its energy on the 13th Zodiac as a deep protector and gatekeeper of cosmic knowledge. The second track, “Geddes,” is a dedication to friend and fellow LA musician M. Geddes Gengras. While both tracks have distinct personalities, the sounds within them retain an extended serenity. They are each dense and full of cascading textures that create a naturally shifting ebb and flow, giving them a lunar or tidal flavor that synchronizes with our own biological rhythms. A vast field of dynamics encompasses the work, with high end particles scattering themselves throughout a sweeping, expansive field of low end undulations. This emphasis on texture as a tool to stimulate the ears and brain separates Matthewdavid’s work from other ambient musicians who often favor melody over texture. The music of Matthewdavid’s Mindflight encourages active listening for one to achieve elevated consciousness, as opposed to it being merely background music. To be present in it’s sound means fully embracing the possibilities of music to transcend and heal, to generate love, and to unite people through explorations into a universal environment of peace.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"NNA Tapes","offers":[{"title":"Cassette (With Digital Download)","offer_id":45567666323679,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Download (WAV)","offer_id":45567666356447,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Download (320 MP3)","offer_id":45567666389215,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/9256\/8543\/files\/NNA102.jpg?v=1714759809"},{"product_id":"patrick-higgins-josh-modney-evrly-mvsic","title":"Patrick Higgins \u0026 Josh Modney","description":"\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=1787015233\/size=small\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/nnatapes.bandcamp.com\/album\/evrly-mvsic\"\u003e'EVRLY MVSIC' by Patrick Higgins \u0026amp; Josh Modney\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eWe’re very proud to have the innovative composer and performer Patrick Higgins return to NNA Tapes, this time in a duo format with acclaimed violinist Josh Modney. On 2015’s ‘Social Death Mixtape,’ we witnessed Higgins’ talents as a composer, creating intricate electroacoustic compositions with a variety of performers. On ‘EVRLY MVSIC’ however, we hear Higgins as a skilled performer on his primary instrument, the guitar. Josh Modney comes from a similar background, having established himself as a prominent figure in New York City’s New Music circuit, with work ranging from the chamber music group International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), to composer-performer collective Wet Ink Ensemble. Having shared the stage together for the past 5 years both as improvisers and as chamber musicians, the foundation of ’EVRLY MVSIC’ is built on a long term musical connection between Modney and Higgins, a bond that is made evident throughout these recordings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eOn ‘EVRLY MVSIC,’ the two performers have taken the concept of “Early Music” \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eas a stimulus to inspire performances of acoustic improvisation that aim at a compositional tightness, creating a musical framework based more around the feeling, rather than the sound, of Medieval struggle. Tightly coiled around highly virtuosic and austere interactions, Higgins and Modney harness the essence of Early Music both in sentiment as well as gesture, using guitar and violin in unorthodox ways that sometimes recall the sounds of early stringed instruments such as the oud and viol. Each instrument inherently carries the capacity for both classical beauty and textural violence, both of which are employed with tasteful skill and execution. Improvisation in this project is neither free nor, strictly speaking, structured. Instead, it is aimed at an emergent form in the instant, looking toward song structure in the most novel and ancient sense. Noise and extended technique are used to create a lyrical aching quality, while melody is used to create unsettling noise. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eThroughout the album, EVRLY MVSIC displays a linear progression of material, building over the course of three \"Partitas.” The first two utilize an arcane, sparse musical language of plucked sounds strangely reminiscent of Renaissance lute music, advancing to a lushly harmonized set of microtonal, cantabile pieces that explore the full expressive range of violin and acoustic guitar. What furthermore adds to the uniqueness of this album, however, is the third Partita, which introduces electric guitar and real-time electronic processing on both instruments to culminate in an expansive, relentlessly energetic display of refreshing new sounds. The original acoustic palette of guitar and violin is retained, but vastly expanded upon, injecting a dense, unpredictable modern edge into the archaic atmosphere. ‘EVRLY MVSIC’ presents an incredibly original fusion between ancient European musical history and distinctly American experimentalism, hinged on the nexus between improvisation and chamber music, and fueled by a deeply personal musical alliance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"NNA Tapes","offers":[{"title":"Cassette (With Digital Download)","offer_id":45567666421983,"sku":"CS-NNA-103","price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Download (WAV)","offer_id":45567666487519,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Download (320 MP3)","offer_id":45567666454751,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/9256\/8543\/files\/NNA103.jpg?v=1714759820"},{"product_id":"ryan-power-they-sell-doomsday","title":"Ryan Power - They Sell Doomsday","description":"\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=2718698487\/size=small\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/ryanpower.bandcamp.com\/album\/they-sell-doomsday\"\u003e'They Sell Doomsday' by Ryan Power\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is with much excitement that NNA presents ‘They Sell Doomsday,’ the latest full-length album from songwriter \u0026amp; producer Ryan Power. As evidenced by his previous work with NNA and beyond, Ryan Power has spent most of his life immersed in the many realms of music creation. ‘They Sell Doomsday’ is his seventh full-length album, and with dedication to one’s craft comes refinement and mastery. In many ways, this is Power’s most ambitious recorded statement yet, combining the musical palettes of his previous work with explorations into uncharted territories, plus his quintessential attention to sonic detail and innovative lyricism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to the uniquely colorful electronic environments developed on his previous two albums, Power more prominently integrates his natural talent and foundations in jazz guitar into the mix - smooth solos and tender acoustic pluckings find their homes comfortably in the beds of lush synthesizer chords and metronomic drum machines. While ’They Sell Doomsday’ provides plenty of the perfect, silky pop hits that Power is known for on tracks like “The Cavalry” and “Lazy About Love,” it also contains some of his most complex, challenging work to date. Ryan is fearless in mining the weirder, more demented corners of pop songwriting as the modern world around us follows suit. Songs like “In a Tizzy” or “Issues” at moments sound like looking into a funhouse mirror through a kaleidoscope, with complex lyrical patterns bisecting a Rubik’s cube of melodic shifts, all while somehow being tethered to reality by a steady pulse. Power’s deep exploration of melody and chord changes are pushed to the brink of chaos, creating musically Cubist puzzles that splinter off in unpredictable directions, only to effortlessly land back where they started. Amidst all the hysteria, however, is a foundation of the gorgeous, jazz-influenced chord progressions that define Power’s sound. The common thread across all of the album’s songs which makes the bizarreness so palatable is his ingenious use of melody, even in the most unexpected places, taking the listener on a chromatic merry-go-round of pop songs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lyrical themes of ‘They Sell Doomsday’ touch on the building blocks of our contemporary human existence - the future, the past, romance, purpose, human nature, technological mayhem, cerebral disarray - all sifted through the sardonic mind of Ryan Power, and delivered in lyrically beautiful, often cryptic poetics. While perhaps more conceptual than previous albums, the lyrics on 'They Sell Doomsday' also show maturity through self-awareness - of fears, faults, both personally and societally. Power continues to muse on the joys and pains of love, desire, and the inherent duality of their conflicting biological and mystical tendencies. He also touches on the paradoxes found in life’s current social climates, and the struggle to maintain a peaceful isolation from the technological and media frenzies while simultaneously not being categorized as unaware or apathetic. These themes are conducted fluidly through Ryan’s often tongue-in-cheek writing, using abstraction and wordplay in a way that feels less journalistic and more stream-of-consciousness than his previous work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe highly personal nature of Ryan’s music is reinforced by the fact that the final product is entirely self-built, and his presence in all aspects of it's creation can not only be heard, but felt as well. This record is the definitive statement of a practice and craft refined by it’s creator through passion and time. It is not an album that someone would make for their first, or even their fourth, full-length; this is the work of a highly developed musician in full control of their vision. The perfect storm of high-quality, inventive writing and production make ‘They Sell Doomsday’ a milestone in Power’s discography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDouble Vinyl LP comes packaged with complete lyrics sheet and digital download coupon.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"NNA Tapes","offers":[{"title":"Double 12\" LP (With Digital Download)","offer_id":45567666553055,"sku":"LP-NNA-104","price":28.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD (With Digital Download)","offer_id":45567666585823,"sku":"CD-NNA-104","price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/9256\/8543\/files\/NNA104-Digital-border-nogrey.jpg?v=1714759830"},{"product_id":"the-ah","title":"The Ah - Common Bliss","description":"\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=4092592029\/size=small\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/the-ah.bandcamp.com\/album\/common-bliss\"\u003e'Common Bliss' by The Ah\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cp\u003eNNA invites you to step inside The Ah, a unique sound world concocted in the mind of New York City-based musician Jeremy Gustin. Known best for his talents on the drum set, Gustin has recorded and toured the world with the likes of Delicate Steve, David Byrne, Rubblebucket, Marc Ribot, his band Star Rover, and many more. On ‘Common Bliss,’ Gustin shares his personal music with the world for the first time, opening the door to The Ah for all to enter. Though instead of considering this music a “solo project,” Gustin instead views The Ah as a collaboration with his own imagination and the world around him. This mentality makes way for an openness and liberation, letting the sounds come to him through dedicated experimentation instead of seeking them out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Common Bliss’ is a largely electronic record, utilizing sampling techniques, synthesizers, and drum programming to create a cohesive signature sound with enough personality to exist in a league of its own. Though it fits into no preconceived mold, The Ah tastefully borrows subtle stylistic idiosyncrasies from a multitude of genres such as pop, dub, hip-hop, idm, and even world music, further contributing to its originality. Given Gustin’s background as a committed musician, these songs are fully developed structurally, indicating a songwriter’s approach to creating left field electronic music. Melody plays a central role here, traversing a variety of moods throughout the album like a cinematic safari through a colorful topography. Ironically enough, there is no drum set present on this record, though Gustin’s talents for rhythm are applied to thoughtful electronic programming, revealing inventive patterns and textures that venture toward more complex rhythmic structures than your average 4\/4 looping.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat makes the music of The Ah truly stand out is it’s use of field recordings and organic found sounds to literally breathe life into the music. Frogs, sheep, dolphins, guinea pigs, and baby rhinos are just a few of the creatures that accompany these tracks. Humor and unpredictability are put to good use - the cartoonish, evocative samples ping pong their way throughout the tracks, giving the album a candy-coated quality, steeped in colorful psychedelia. The incredibly lyrical melodies make it easy to imagine vocals, and though occasional textural vocals are present, Gustin instead opts for abstraction through sampling. This pushes narrative and context to the back seat in order to make way for pure sound and imagination, but also for more complex emotions and ambiguity. This emphasis on playfulness gives some insight into the mind of it’s creator: Gustin goes beyond the motions of merely “making a record” and instead has crafted a whole world of his own to innocently explore, a by-product of creative practice and the process of making music without expectation. The Ah is a prime example of a highly personalized music that is a pure and direct extension of it’s creator.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCassette comes packaged with digital download coupon.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"NNA Tapes","offers":[{"title":"Cassette (With Digital Download)","offer_id":45567666684127,"sku":"CS-NNA-106","price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Digital Download (WAV)","offer_id":46475508875487,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Digital Download (320 MP3)","offer_id":46475508908255,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/9256\/8543\/files\/NNA106-digital.jpg?v=1714759839"},{"product_id":"birthing-hips-urge-to-merge","title":"Birthing Hips - Urge To Merge","description":"\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=2819877502\/size=small\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/birthinghips.bandcamp.com\/album\/urge-to-merge\"\u003e'Urge To Merge' by Birthing Hips\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cp\u003eNNA Tapes is very excited to welcome Boston, Massachusetts-based Birthing Hips to the family. Over the last decade, Boston has proved itself to be a creative melting pot for a new wave of uniquely deranged rock bands. The city’s rich history of punk, combined with its strong DIY culture, plus its local concentration of formal music schools have merged together in a bubbling stew, yielding an abundance of highly talented, energetic, and unruly new acts. At the forefront of this new crop is Birthing Hips, a noisy four-piece known for their virtuosic players and intense live performances. Following up their 2016 self-released debut ‘No Sorry,’ their latest release ‘Urge To Merge’ continues their ruthless trajectory into more aggressive, yet more refined, territory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe four members of Birthing Hips operate like a finely tuned machine: each part operating independently, but when functioning together as a whole, it yields tremendously effective results. Although their rock and roll roots are undeniable, the genre’s cliches are consciously avoided – intros can be more like preludes, the verse\/chorus format is only loosely followed, and endings are creatively fragmented and self-destructive. The traditional format of guitar, bass, drums, and vocals are simultaneously tied to inventive song structures, but also free to improvise individually, creating a looseness and tension that draws as much from jazz as it does from punk. Wendy Eisenberg’s guitar takes on many forms, proving that she is in in full control of her instrument – at times Sun City Girls, sometimes Slayer, other times Sonny Sharrock. Her complex 32nd note passages weave seamlessly with Andres Abenante’s mammoth basslines, burning holes through his impeccably placed and deeply deliberate riff structures. Owen Liza Winter’s drumming sprays forth in a frantic shuffle, darting in and out of rhythm with plenty of individual character. Their range on the kit is displayed by switching from blastbeats, to jazz shuffles, to locked-in grooves at the drop of a dime. Carrie Furniss’ vocals tie everything together with her highly dynamic voice, using whispers, howling, and classic dramatic embellishments as her weapons of communication. In the profound moments when all of these roles align and lock together, it is a truly powerful musical moment that can be devastatingly satisfying to the listener. These recordings were all performed live in real time, a quality which not only adds a tangible rawness to the sound, but also demonstrates the improvisatory tightness of its players.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lyrical themes on ‘Urge To Merge’ range from menacing to sarcastic to existential, reflective of a person pushed to their boiling point in the face of social bullshit and modern injustice. Birthing Hips’ juxtaposition of female vocals with blistering noise rock suggests notions of traditional femininity being smashed to pieces, like glitter being sprayed out of a can of mace. Buried within these songs’ bestial exterior, however, is an underlying melodic core of pop, showing an informed understanding and appreciation of all types of music from its creators.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCassette comes packaged with digital download coupon.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"NNA Tapes","offers":[{"title":"Cassette (With Digital Download)","offer_id":45567666716895,"sku":"CS-NNA-105","price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"WAV Download","offer_id":46446378385631,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"MP3 Download","offer_id":46446378418399,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/9256\/8543\/files\/NNA105-digital.jpg?v=1714759848"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.northern-spy.com\/collections\/2017.oembed","provider":"Northern Spy Label Group","version":"1.0","type":"link"}