UnKnown/White Vinyl/40pp Booklet

Description

Swiss composer and sound artist Rolf Gisler returns to Hallow Ground with his sophomore album, DarkSonicTales. Released four years after his debut, 'UnKnown' is as diverse as its predecessor, but richer in contrasts. The five tracks highlight Gisler's mastery and ease, both in the small and in the large, combining rigorous minimalism and feverish post-rock throughout an album that exploits field recordings and acoustic and electronic instruments. 'UnKnown' is the result of life changes, which it reflects through ever-evolving sounds and atmospheres. This DarkSonicTales album is once again a masterful exercise in open-ended musical storytelling – an ode to adventure into the unknown. Once again, Gisler has worked with a wide range of instruments and has used unconventional techniques. "Ellipsis (Origin)" combines kalimba melodies and alphorn drones. The title track was inspired by the sounds of shower water falling on his glass door, recorded with a piezo sensor. Some pieces, like "TrainStation", use conventional setups including guitar, bass, and drums in unusual ways, and most of them rely on field recordings. Throughout the album, you'll hear a creaking door, car wheels on wet asphalt, the soundscape of Lucerne's main train station on a busy Saturday night, and much more. The last track, "Drain", is even entirely based on recordings made in a manhole after heavy rains. This track illustrates how 'UnKnown' draws its wonders from the banality of everyday life. By transforming his sound material through digital manipulation and enriching it with acoustic sounds, this album speaks of the beauty of getting lost along the way.