Netlabel: Resting Bell

Brighternow

- So much excellent music coming from this netlabel, thus it's own thread:

Resting Bell is a netlabel, founded by Christian Roth.
The presented music should be meditative, experimental, electric, peaceful, beautiful, exciting, acustic or grounding. It could be nearly anything.

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Guanxi – Graveyard Shift - (RB087 - August 27 2010)

The Guanxi pseudonym is orchestraed towards ‘a sui generi sound’ through research, investigation and with a hunger to explore a constructed visual and non-subjective disposition.

“Graveyard Shift” contains 5 pieces of complex and playful sounds from guitar, piano, bells, strings, flute, vocals, field recordings and electronics. Some of the pieces have a noisy and harsh character of a musical sketches, others operate with droning elements and a more calm ambience. And some combine both things. If you want to find a category for this, forget it.

For me the most precise analogy would be the sound world of a modern metropolis. You can hear layer over layer of multiple elements which are structured and arranged into a current impression. But it is constantly changing and moving. With every listen you get a different layer of “Graveyard Shift”. One time it seems to be a loud and unorganised cluster of tones, the next time you hear a reduced and humming melody, hidden under other elements before.
Be curious and adventurous, you will be surprised.
- Christian Roth / Resting Bell.

Dr. Mutex

Saito Koji – Candle

This is very pretty and relaxing.

Brighternow

The Inventors of Aircraft - As it is (RB88 - September 24, 2010)

“As it is” has an enormous warm and dense sound. You’ll find some elements you know from “Unknown Language” like the repetitive melodic motifs over the foundation of droning, growling sounds. But for me “As it is” also sounds like a massive step forward. And massive is the keyword: The sound is one of the thickest and richest things I’ve heard for a while. When I listen to the pieces the best comparison coming to my mind is the black monolith from “2001: A Space Odyssey”. Or the fantastic sound-design from Danny Boyles “Sunshine”. It sounds like something really elemental and physical. And so it is hard to point out one special track or part. The drones and melodies are moving slowly as one organic flood of magma, crawling further and further. And on top you have little scratches and crackles, shimmering and reflecting like the sunlight.
- Christian Roth / Resting Bell.

Brighternow

Slow - Room Phive

Description
After the powerful and emotive “Love”-EP on Autoplate, “room phive” is the third release by Russian composer Sergey Suokas. Sergey makes music since ‘99. And besides of his techno-project “Suokas“, Sergey releases soulful and hypnotic ambient-music under the moniker “slow“.

“room phive” is a 4-track-EP filled with friendly and deep collage-electronica composed with samples taken from nature and sounds recorded at the studio. The result are four very deep, organic and warm ambient-tracks with electronica- and shoegaze-elements, soft synth-patterns, flute- and wind-melodies and athmospheric collages.

Pack yourself in this warm, cosy sound-blanket and get some warm feet.

Release Date
01.01.2009

Author
All tracks written and produced by slow

Artwork
done by Christian Roth.
Image: Excerpt from the 72th plate from Ernst Haeckel’s Kunstformen der Natur (1904)

Slow - Dual Box

Description
You might remember slow by his “room phive”-release on Resting Bell last December, or for the “Love”-EP on Autoplate. If not, slow is the moniker of Sergey Suokas, a russian composer in the fields of techno (as Suokas) and soulful and hypnotic ambient-music (as slow).

His new release “dual box“ can be seen as a meditation on the “Flower of Life“. This geometrical figure is a composition of multiple evenly-spaced, overlapping circles, that are arranged so that they form a flower-like pattern with a sixfold symmetry like a hexagon. In combination with triangles and cubes you get a sacred geometry which has references in most of the commons religions and spiritual ways.

Every single track on “dual box“ is dedicated to a circle in the geometrical figure. Starting with “chinatown“, you get from a very clam and percussive piece to warm multiple guitar-layers, repetitive synth-elements and little miniature compositions. A beautiful and complete concept.

And not to forget: Ian Hawgood mastered this release with calm hands and very sensitive ears.
Thanks a lot for your work, Ian.

Release Date
03.10.2009

Author
All tracks written and produced by slow
Mastered by Ian Hawgood

Artwork
done by Christian Roth.

Slow is:

Sergey Suokas was born in Petrozavodsk in the north of Russia. In solo he produces freaky minimal techno as Suokas, ear-friendly melodic electronica as Hot Arctic and atmospheric abstractionism as Slow. Soon after he started his own productions he hooked up with other likeminded people in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and many other cities eventually resulting a plenty of great musical connections.

Suokas composed music for silent movie "Mother" as Electron Hemisphere (with Mental Overdrive and Aggie Peterson), arranged ambient compositions with Feldmaus (also known as Modul) and produced vocal pop-electronica with Svea. He also participated in one-shot collaborations with dOP and AI (as Ritturbont). Working under many aliases Sergey always keeps atmospheric and glitchy mood full of smooth organic noises and pure life with a certain nothern touch in his music.
- Passage.

Brighternow

Derrick Hart - Fall Asleep to This - (RB078 12.02.2010)

Description
Derrick Hart is an American musician. You might know him from his “Songs From A Cross (The Sea)” EP on 12rec, a release in which Derrick shows great musical talent and a really fantastic sense for song-writing and melodies.

With his “fall asleep to this” EP he goes a more experimental and meditative way. The five tracks are mainly based on vocals, even though there are no actual lyrics. “kontakt” and “when someone loves you no more” are performed only with his voice, captured with a contact-mic, processed and converted. “when someone loves you no more” begins things with a profound wailing on behalf of anyone who has ever suffered before blooming into some incomprehensible sonic victory. “emporia”, “colors that surround you” and “kontakt” are beautiful melodic miniatures and “wilderness of the city” ends it all with strings and a relentless, hypnotic groove. But always is Derrick’s voice as the key element in each song, tying everything together.

To follow Derrick’s advice: The EP serves as a meditation tool to listen to before sleeping.
So plug your earphones in and fall asleep.

Derrick Hart bio.

Brighternow

- This message @ the Resting Bell HP:

Goodbye myspace

Is it time to say goodbye? Yes, it is.

Today I looked at the RB-myspace-profile and recognized that they switched the profile from the old design to the new one. Without asking or notifing me. Grrrr.

And so there is only one thing left to do: Cancel the account!

myspace really helped RB a lot in it’s early days but in the last year I only passed by there once a month to add a new release.
So thanks a lot for your help, myspace, but I think our time together is over.

Brighternow

Offthesky - Rare Decay - (RB017 15.11.2007)

Description
What an enormous output this year by Jason Corder aka offthesky. He has given us two great releases on term and autoplate. Now he returns with a 4-track-EP on Resting Bell.

Musically related to the “Du Soleil ep” on atmoworks, “rare decay” presents four careful though stunning pieces. The entire release from beginning to end is a perfect compliment to lying down and watching the clouds lilt by. Or like listlessly gazing on a silent snow fall. It is a fitting soundtrack to harbor the softer side of winter’s brittle curse. It’s warmth beckons beauty that stirs fire in the icy corners of a torpid tundra landscape.

Take a rest and enjoy this great piece of music.

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Offthesky - Du Soleil - (RB082 30.04.2010)

Description
Time is a strange thing. Two and a half years ago (65 releases ago, in netlabel-speak) Resting Bell released offthesky’s “rare decay“. A timeless and beautiful 4 song EP. I didn’t hesitate a second when Jason Corder asked me if I’d be interested in a re-release of his musically related “du-soleil” EP which was originally released via atmoworks back in 2007.

“du soleil” is not only fully remastered, but it is also extended with three fine remixes from Darren Mcclure, Billy Gomberg and offthesky himself. So all in all around 54 minutes of pure bliss – not really an EP anymore I suppose. As I listened to “du soleil” it was hard for me to believe that this work is even dated. It sounds fresh, gentle and bright with the same timeless quality, you can find in all of Jason’s releases. “du soleil” is a very calm ambient-work with many subtle melodies and musical ideas hiding inside.

Last but no least, the three additional remixes are quite stunning: Darren McClure’s rework presents a multifaceted structure of evolving and lush tonal climates. Billy Gomberg brings a moody and diffused interpretation with subtle tone resting upon a bed of ash like analog texture. Jason’s own perspective is a soft re-synthesis of compositional elements and samples used throughout all 4 pieces in “du soleil”. This group of additional treats, makes the perfect landing for a work that certainly stems from somewhere above.

Germanprof, Thanks for the reminder about this brilliant artist.

Brighternow

Saffron Slumber – Somnogen - (RB92 31.12.2010)

Description
Kevin Stephens has been writing music under the name of Saffron Slumber since 2004. Originally started as a project to explore ideas in ambient music, the project has continued to evolve over its lifespan to include aspects of noise, drone, and other forms of experimental composition. Former releases could be found on Pocket Change Records, Skrow!Media, Zenapolae, Luxus-Arctica Records International, and Circlesandlines Recordings.

“Somnogen” consists of 6 tracks and has a complete duration of 36 minutes. The first five tracks are three to five minutes long. Beginning with the noisier “Möbius Thought”, it becomes more calm and droning with the following three tracks. Fragile melodies are woven together with meandering, droning sounds and glimmering organic patterns. “Onyx” returns to the noisier, darker ambiance of the beginning and serves as a bridge between its melodic predecessors and “Oneiric Sun” – a massive 18-minute track, slowly breathing and evolving from a dark and mellow foundation to a burning star and back again.

Enjoy this wonderful and warm piece of drone- and ambient-music.

Kevin Stephens has been writing music under the name of Saffron Slumber since 2004. Originally started as a project to explore ideas in ambient music, the project has continued to evolve over its lifespan to include aspects of noise, drone, and other forms of experimental composition. The songs of Saffron Slumber are almost always improvised piano pieces or self-generated loops using acoustic instruments which are then processed digitally in an effort to create unique timbres
- Saffron Slumber

Brighternow

Damian Valles - Bow Echoes - (RB81 26.03.2010)

Damian is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist who creates ambient/experimental works based mainly on solo guitar. He utilizes a wide range of sources to expand his sound which include a variety of percussive elements, piano, and field recordings. Past releases include a full length on the excellent Under The Spire imprint, and a 3? EP on Standard Form. The latter being the first in a series of limited 3? releases called “Rural Routes” that he is curating for the label.

His work “Bow Echoes” contains 6 audio-tracks with a duration of about 40 minutes and a 10-minute video for the opening track “Ground Truth”. Compared to his other releases, Damian put his focus more on drone- and ambient-scapes; however, “Bow Echoes” still has a very, very strong melodic center. The dominant washed-out and fading guitar-work give the whole release a touch of beauty and sublimity. Blurry shades, dimly lit landscapes, and warm colours layer and fade into each other. In addition, the video for “Ground Truth” perfectly visualises the sound and feel of the complete release.

- My 2 cents: Gorgeous !

Damian Valles @ eMusic

Brighternow

Now, how could I forget about this ?


Astrowind - Der Leuchtturm - (RB042 06.10.2008)

“Der Leuchtturm“ is the german phrase for “lighthouse“, and the album is dedicated to the old city Libava, now Liepaja, the baltic seaside and the lighthouses there. Warm and deep synth-drones are floating around like some obscure fog, and in-between little glitches, higher tones, samples from far, far away and melodie-fragments are blinking like an old lighthouse, guiding you through the dark and abyssal carpet, woven by old russian analog synths and desktop fx’s.

- Top shelf Resting Bell stuff !

Brighternow

- and this:

Astrowind – Somewhere The Music Had Been Played - (RB008 27.09.2007)

Description
To speak with Spiritualized: „Ladies and Gentlemen, we are floating in space“
After two amazing releases („The Night The Stars Flew“/Electrosound & „Into Vernadsky“/12rec), Astrowind come up with another great 7-track-EP.
Deeply influenced by german krautrock, „Somewhere The Music Had Been Played“ puts you in a warm blanket and let you float in time and space. This deep harmonic athmosphere guides you through the complete release.
From the first track soft bubbling synth-patterns and soundscapes take you by the hand and let you forget time and space around you. And leave you after 35 minutes in a calm and peaceful condition.
By the way: The whole EP was recorded during a live improvisation on soviet-era analog synth and desktop FX. An exciting example of creating music together spontaniously.
- All tracks written and produced by Kriipis Tulo/Mahi Bukimi

Edit: no longer available on Resting Bell but still on FMA

Brighternow

strom noir – kueyen - (RB067 - 03.09.2009)

strom noir is a project of Emil Matko, born in 1979 and now living in Bratislava, Slovakia. He is wellknown from his releases on u-cover (ylomejja, kruhyNAvode), ambsine (luvyoo) and format noise (lorawa).

“kueyen“ brings you six athmospheric ambient-experimental tracks, built mainly with electric and acoustic guitar loops, synth-layers and some well-arranged field-recording elements. Deep, sometimes really dark droning elements, repetitive melodic structures and more abstract electronic sounds were composed to six works with a big ambience and a little melancholic touch. Especially the combination between the rougher guitar loops and the cleaner synth-parts opens up a new and wide soundworld to the listener.

Brighternow

RB095 – 25.03.2011.

Description
If Guilds Requiem was the acceptance of staring at the dying embers of the funeral pyre, then Ascension is the sound of a thousand gnarled branches clawing relentlessly at a muted Sun.

Utilising Bass guitar drones effected, looped and processed, the ep features two new pieces, Ascension and Atonement.

This is the second EP from Engineer, Bassist Mark Midgley’s solo project, Guild (also known from
The Black Lanterns, Alt, Falconetti)

- http://markmidgleyofficial.blogspot.com/

Brighternow

- "Similar as Saito Koji's former RB-release “Guide” “Again” consists of eight tracks, each 3 minutes long.
And also the music hits a similar tone. Droning, distorted and dense guitar tones are swirling around. Every piece contains a short melodic loop, presented in a very uncommon lenth. But the pieces are so compact and dense that you don’t need a 30-minute repeating loop."

- "Saito Koji was born in Fukushima, Japan in 1978.
He uses guitars, keyboards, some effects and field recordings to create delicate minimal sound collages and improvisations. He cites three primary influences in his approach to experimental music : Otomo Yoshihide, Derek Bailey, and the sublime visuals of Kaoru Abe.
Since 2004 Koji has released works on the Japanese Magic Book Records, Kesh Recordings and Gears of Sand Recordings."

Brighternow

- Excellent stuff from the RB back catalogue:


Description:
- "Jeremy Bible and Jason Henry are two productive artists based in Canton, Ohio, an area of the United States referred to as ‘the rust belt’ due to its rapid industrial decline. Similar to their surroundings which contrast rural farmland against decaying industrial landscapes, the duo contrast various sounds and styles in ways that can be compared to the elegant and subtle color contrasts created by painters of fine abstract-expressionist art. Utilizing field recordings, found sounds, acoustic instrumentation and electronic soundscapes, their compositions take place in the wide field of musique concrete, experimental acoustic music, and electronic sound design.

“glare“ is a huge piece of modern contemporary music. 5 tracks, about 60 minutes duration.
From the first track, you can almost grab the intense and exciting spirit, being inherent in these pieces. Dark and gloomy melodies meet abstract glitches, lost radio frequencies, mysterious field recordings and other interferences. With all these ingredients, Jeremy and Jason create warm, nostalgic, and at times frightening scenery.

It smells like old basements, dusty treasure chests, old physical instruments and yellowed pictures from your grandmother’s photo album.

The duo’s growing catalog of “sound paintings”, each creating a new experience, will see release through a growing list of labels including Resting Bell, Gruenrekorder, Abgurd, Gears of Sand, and their own imprint, Experimedia."