Markus Mehr follows up his stunning debut album Lava with three new releases. In is the first part of the triptych, comprising two monumental tracks, ‘Komo’ and ‘Ostinato’, each of which clocks in at around 25 minutes, circling around and building upon hypnotic instrumental motifs. ‘Komo’ gradually emerges from silence, its distant, filtered throb reluctantly revealing its source material – a heartbreaking string part whose emotional impact intensifies as the loop clarifies. ‘Ostinato’ is an altogether darker, gnarlier experience, its string loops chewed into distorted knots which are highlighted by treated guitars and crafted electronics.

“In this blissful wanderlust Mehr succeeds in spades creating a completely engrossing, engaging and all together reliable album full of the most powerful ambient-drone tracks this year.” – Tome to the Weather Machine on Lava

“They’re ‘big’ compositions, the sheer scale of the sonic work is rather awe inspiring, but they never sound antagonistic or uncomfortable… it sounds like the ebb and flow of space itself – individual snippets of a grand, repeating, organic process that keeps the universe in balance…” – No Ripcord on Lava

In is  available for purchase  now in digital format and for CD pre-order. The CD version of the album comes as a limited edition two panel CD cardboard sleeve of 100 numbered units with artwork by Stuart Medley. Head to the Hidden Shoal Store for all availability details and read a full press release here.

Markus Mehr – In (excerpt)

It’s a total win-win so head to the Hidden Shoal Store and check the specials on the front page. The sale ends on the 1st of Jan 2012 and some CD stock is very limited so do be quick.

Heresy and Rite producer Jonas Munk (Manual) takes on ‘The Invention of Steel’, rendering the song a brilliant, cascading and hypnotic krautrock jam. Previously unreleased track ‘50 Kisses’ is reworked by TV Baby as a driving, lo-fi chase scene, while ‘White Sight’, also previously unreleased, rounds out the album in fine style, with its main riff simultaneously drunken and laser-guided in intensity.

“… Salli Lunn persistently avoid any repetition or similar themes – and take every opportunity to push their music into new territories and expand on their own musicianship… on Heresy & Rite, this act of innovation and unpredictability delivers with extreme accuracy.” – No Ripcord

A Frame of Reference is available as an exclusive digital release through the Hidden Shoal Store and all good third party online stores. Album Heresy and Rite is also available worldwide in CD and digital formats and for the first time is now available through Hidden Shoal on vinyl. Be sure to check out the awesome music video for Scott Solter’s remix of ‘Mirror Girl’.

Salli Lunn – ‘The Invention of Steel (Manual Remix)’

And of course our US and international fans should continue to head to our wonderful distributor n5mailorder for Hidden Shoal CD titles.

Featuring Antonymes, Boxharp, City of Satellites, Elisa Luu, Hotels, Iretsu, Jumpel, Liam Singer, Markus Mehr, Mukaizake, My Majestic Star, Rich Bennett, Salli Lunn, Slow Dancing Society, Stray Ghost, Toby Richardson, Umpire and Wes Willenbring, Hydrozoa touches all the bases that make the Hidden Shoal roster unique, and massages them into a broad-ranging and utterly engaging whole. The release accompanied by a pdf booklet containing stunning artwork by Hidden Shoal’s Stuart Medley.

Download the sampler here.

Since starting up in Perth, Western Australia in 2006, Hidden Shoal has developed an enviable roster of genre-defying global and local recording artists. With 40+ acts from 10+ different countries ranging from the gorgeous neo-classical/minimal ambient of Antonymes through to the genius space-pop of Hotels and beyond the visionary team at Hidden Shoal continues to play an integral role in promoting exciting new independent music.

Markus Mehr – ‘Hubble’

Markus Mehr – Hubble Markus Mehr – Hubble

Speaking of Liam Singer, be sure to check out his interview with Conor O’Toole from Irish radio show The Underground of Happiness. You can download an mp3 of the interview here.

Check out both these amazing albums at the Hidden Shoal Store.

Liam Singer – The Brief Encounter Liam Singer – The Brief Encounter

“In this blissful wanderlust Mehr succeeds in spades creating a completely engrossing, engaging and all together reliable album full of the most powerful ambient-drone tracks this year.” - Tome to the Weather Machine

Mehr’s oft collaborator, visual artist Stefanie Sixt (Sixt Sense), has created an incredibly rich and layered widescreen visual accompaniment to ‘Cousteau’. Sixt’s work traverses film, performance and animation, and has won her several key visual arts awards in Germany.

‘Cousteau’ is taken from Markus Mehr’s debut album Lava out now through Hidden Shoal. The track is available for free download from the Hidden Shoal Store. Watch the ‘Cousteau’ music video on YouTube or Vimeo. Read a full press release here.
Markus Mehr – Cousteau Markus Mehr – Cousteau

Markus Mehr – Hubble Markus Mehr – Hubble

Markus Mehr – Hubble Markus Mehr - Hubble

Markus Mehr – Hubble Markus Mehr - Hubble

Lava holds true to its title – blending the dense surge of Tim Hecker with the radiant luminosity of Mountains, making new paths as it pushes through the landscape. But, after any destructive force there is new growth. Green shoots of melody arc out of the surface and populate the terrain as new possibilities emerge. A new master of heartbreaking ambient drone has arrived. These tracks evoke time spent transfixed, gazing through a giant looking glass, waiting wide-eyed as new discoveries are revealed in the album’s textured contours.

On epic opener ‘Agenda’, layers of gorgeous synth gradually accumulate into a gloriously massive chord. On single ‘Hubble’, a bedrock of fuzzed drone is decorated with glistening counter-melodies, tracing shards of light across the coal-black skies. ‘Softwar’ builds and then falls away, only to return with a spine-tingling theme that crumbles under its own majesty.

“…there’s something so fresh about Lava… The German musician/composer simply sounds liberated, despite the familiar vocabulary and nods to his various influences… Lava explores a wealth of approaches and destinations without getting in its own way. It’s wonderfully slow, enriching going.” – Cyclic Defrost

“Hubble is the most gorgeous synth orchestration I’ve heard in ages, a 1000-yard low drone gathering sparkles of melody as it rolls.” – The Underground of Happiness

The CD version of the album comes in a custom amaray case with gorgeous widescreen artwork. It is distributed through n5Mailorder where it is also available for online order. Lava is also available in all digital formats through Hidden Shoal Recordings and all good digital stores. Buy the album here and read a full press release here.

Markus Mehr – Softwar Markus Mehr – Softwar

Markus Mehr – Hubble Markus Mehr – Hubble

My Majestic Star – Crampling My Majestic Star – Crampling

Markus Mehr – Hubble Markus Mehr – Hubble

If digital is your thing then you can grab the album now from all good stores in all good formats. Check the HSR Store for all purchase links and info.

Markus Mehr – Hubble Markus Mehr – Hubble

Lava holds true to its title – it is a dense surge of glue-think sound, making new paths as it pushes through the landscape. But, after any destructive force there is new growth. Green shoots of melody arc out of the surface and populate the terrain as new possibilities emerge. A new master of heartbreaking ambient drone has arrived. These tracks evoke time spent transfixed, gazing through a giant looking glass, waiting wide-eyed as new discoveries are revealed in the album’s textured contours.

On epic opener ‘Agenda’, layers of gorgeous synth gradually accumulate into a gloriously massive chord. On single ‘Hubble’, a bedrock of fuzzed drone is decorated with glistening counter-melodies, tracing shards of light across the coal-black skies. ‘Softwar’ builds and then falls away, only to return with a spine-tingling theme that crumbles under its own majesty.

Lava’s ability to both suspend the listener in its abstracted liquid vapours and at the same time imprint its affecting narrative is a special thing. It is one of those albums whose emotional impact stays with you long after you feel its last touch.

Lava is now available in all digital formats through Hidden Shoal Recordings and all good digital stores. The album will see its physical release on 22 July. Buy the album here and read a full press release here.

Markus Mehr – Softwar Markus Mehr – Softwar

The first track to be taken from the forthcoming album Lava, ‘Hubble’ roves glacially across compelling, hypnotic terrain. Atop a bedrock of fuzzy synths, glistening counter-melodies arc from the surface in all directions, tracing shards of light across the coal-black skies. The track evokes time spent transfixed, gazing through a giant looking glass, waiting wide-eyed as new discoveries are revealed in the music’s textured contours.

Mehr wrote and recorded his upcoming debut album Lava at his home studio using guitars and synths, plus any noise-making accoutrements at hand – electric shavers, ventilators, electric tooth brushes and field recordings – all processed and distorted to create a gorgeous wall of sound, akin to the classic ’70s Kosmische music of Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream, but also the contemporary masters of textured luminosity, Fennesz and Tim Hecker.

‘Hubble’ is available for free download from the Hidden Shoal Store until the release of the album Lava on the 15th of June. Read a full press release here.

Markus Mehr – ‘Hubble’ Markus Mehr – ‘Hubble’

Mehr’s musical journey began with the guitar. He grew up listening to bands like Black Sabbath and AC/DC, before turning his ears to darker sounds and the ethereal, experimental pop of David Sylvian. After recording and touring with several bands, he struck out on his own with home studio project Aroma.

Now working under his own name, Mehr wrote and recorded his upcoming debut album Lava at his home studio using guitars and synths, plus any noise-making accoutrements at hand – electric shavers, ventilators, electric tooth brushes and field recordings – all processed and distorted to create a gorgeous wall of sound, akin to the classic ’70s Kosmische music of Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream, but also the contemporary masters of textured luminosity, Fennesz and Tim Hecker.

Lava holds true to its title – it is a dense, steaming surge of glue-thick sound. But, after any destructive force there is new growth. Green shoots of melody arc out of the surface and populate the terrain as new possibilities emerge. A new master of heartbreaking ambient drone has arrived.

Lava is to be released by Hidden Shoal on the 15th of June, preceded by the single ‘Hubble’ on the 9th of April. Read a full press release here.