AURAL DESIGN - LOOKING AND SEEING
This album is about atmospheres and a kind of meditation about perception and the psychological aspects of space, beyond the visual and formal aspects of things, where memory also acts as a mechanism of creation and invention.
All compositions were recorded and mixed at home, using multiple vintage analogue synthesizers (70s and 80s), modern DSI mono synths, a Pittsburgh modular, a J45 and Jazzmaster guitar, a Squier short scale bass and a bunch of guitar pedals (bbd delays, tape echo, analogue modulations and Moogerfoogers). Everything was mixed down to an old 1/4” tape deck at 7 1/2 ips.
Bass and guitar formed the starting point to most compositions including the pieces where the synthesizer became the main focus. Echo and reverberation were also fundamental and used as a creative instrument in itself and played a pivotal role in the construction of the spacial texture. The compositions are purposely simple in structure and have been recorded this way in order to facilitate a precise emotional response whilst avoiding any kind of multi-mood narrative.
credits
released June 26, 2020
"Aural Design, projecto de João Paulo Daniel ... “é acerca de atmosferas” e que se expõe como uma espécie de “meditação acerca da percepção do espaço e dos seus aspectos psicológicos” reconhecendo, e como é norma hauntológica, de resto, que “a memória também age como um mecanismo de criação e invenção”. De facto, construímos tudo aquilo de que julgamos recordar-nos e talvez em nenhum outro domínio isso seja tão verdade quanto no das memórias musicais. Aural Design é assim acerca de reimaginar aquele ponto de confluência entre o que a memória guardou das bandas sonoras dos documentários que uma certa geração viu avidamente na televisão serem apresentados por gente tão fascinante quanto Carl Sagan, Arthur C. Clarke ou Jacques-Yes Costeau e o que o contínuo escrutínio do presente sobre o passado electrónico nos foi revelando através das reedições carimbadas por editoras como a Finders Keepers ou Trunk.
A proposta musical de Aural Design, na forma como inteligentemente cruza electrónica e uma sensibilidade acústica folk, é tão sólida que começa a ser justo exigir que João Paulo Daniel estenda a sua visão até ao fôlego de um álbum. Será, certamente, mais do que bem-vindo."
RUI MIGUEL ABREU - Rimas e Batidas
Composed, produced and mastered by João Paulo Daniel
Cover Design by João Paulo Daniel
Lathe Cut by Lisbon Vinyl Cutters
Russian Library 2020
supported by 12 fans who also own “H Series #7 - Aural Design”
REALLY wish I'd subscribed sooner to be able to enjoy this on vinyl! Curious the artist cited 12 Monkeys and not La Jetee as one of the key inspirations. For me, this has a more somber, introspective and timeless feel more akin to La Jetee than 12 Monkeys (though I also am a big fan of Terry Gilliam). Gorgeous music and you get the bonus of a list of excellent movies to enjoy (another note to the artist: Time Crimes is also a good film to watch). Now to somehow procure a vinyl copy... Anthony Childs
supported by 12 fans who also own “H Series #7 - Aural Design”
Hugely enjoyable companion piece to Eternal Return, with space given to allow tracks to develop and evolve. After listening to Eternal Return, you are left wanting more - and here it is! EdgeofMull