We recently finished a video for Derek Roger‘s upcoming LP, Saturations, which from what we’ve heard so far is absolutely beautiful and we can’t wait to get a physical copy. This video is for an edit of the 14 minute track Apparent Weight, a soft and swelling masterpiece that feels like giant clouds, rumbling vibrations, and someplace far off, somewhere on the brink.
This video also serves as a welcome return to the video medium for us, and we can’t wait to start working on and unveiling more projects using moving images. Watch this space.
Saturations by Derek Rogers will be released by Greenup Industries soon, and we’ll be sure to link it here, once it is.
Besides the Show No Mercy day party, the other highlight of our SXSW was getting to see Chelsea Wolfe and her band perform live. Her music is a mix of haunting folk, deep doom, and delicate electronics, which all come together to produce some incredibly dark and beautiful music. SXSW is a strange time for those of us who live in Austin, where suddenly our town is overrun with more amazing musicians than we could ever possibly see – so I was really really glad I was able to catch her set at the Beauty Ballroom in between work and other commitments. Seeing her songs performed live gave them a new power and beauty that cut straight to the bone, and the only thing I wished was that she had been able to play longer.
If you aren’t familiar with Chelsea’s music, you can stream her latest album, Apokalypsis straight from her website here. We’ve also embedded the video for the song Mer, below.
Happy Valentines day to all of you lovers and haters-of-love out there. Here’s a special little mix we made a couple of years ago just for this occasion, aptly called “The Mouth is for to Fuck”. Clicky clicky the lovely ladies below to download the mix, and printable PDF valentines we made just for you. Any man or lady or plant or animal will be sure to swoon:
Also, this Saturday (February 18th) at Cheer Up Charlie’s, we’ll be teaming up with Leisure Tourniquet for a special post-valentines day variety show of music, dance and et ceteras. We’ll be DJing, Little Stolen Moments will be performing, Willow House (some members of My Education and friends) will be playing covers of the best break up love songs, plus much much more.
Recspec loves you long time. Don’t ever forget that.
Our good friends Zorch (who we’ve blogged about before) have a tendency to (sometimes drunkenly) make up fake bands with various friends and musicians in the Austin area. These fake bands, it seemed, all just existed as jokes, nothing that would ever amount to anything — until they started actually making them all become reality. Thus, Raw as Fuck was born, a website dedicated to their side projects and experimentations (like, for example, their Rod Stewart cover band: Raw Stewart).
One of the many band of lore is called Edgar Allan Slow, comprising of a near super-group set of musicians. Recspec’s own David Milner as the front man, R. Lee Dockery plays bass, Henna Chou on guitar and gong and soundscapes, Zac Traeger on keys and soundscapes, and Sam Chown on drums. The concept is simple, yet brilliant: Doom metal with set to Edgar Allan Poe lyrics.
The band was actually formed once the Austin HQ of The Onion asked Zorch to play their Halloween Party at Club de Ville. Zorch suggested Edgar Allan Slow to play instead, and so it came to be!
Here’s some photos from the night, and a video that you can’t see much in, but can hear at least a bit of the performance. The whole set was recorded, so hopefully we’ll be able to post it soon as well. My favourite part was the Tell-Tale Heart, which was ferocious and awesome in its epicness. More to come soon! And you never know, this fake band could end up being a real band after all (or at least every Halloween, or perhaps even, once upon a fortnight)…
“It was night, and the rain fell; and falling, it was rain, but, having fallen, it was blood.”
Happy Halloween to all you ghosts and ghoulies out there.
Recently, we were very lucky to work with Marc Bianchi (aka Her Space Holiday) on the design for the final Her Space Holiday album (self titled), released last month. Her Space Holiday has been delighting listeners (ourselves included) for over 15 years, and this final album is the end of the Her Space Holiday chapter as Marc continues to make music in different forms and new ventures. Because this is the final album, the design is simple, deeply personal, and classic – focusing intently on the person behind Her Space Holiday, Marc himself.
If you listen to the entire Her Space Holiday catalog in chronological order, there’s a distinct progression not only in songwriting, but in personal perspective as well. There have been moments of optimism, delusions of grandeur, greatness, failure, self-indulgence, bitterness, humor, finger-pointing, compassion, stupidity, wisdom, joy, and loss. But for better or worse, each moment was part of the experience. And with Her Space Holiday, Marc has distinctly wrapped up one life chapter, while simultaneously and optimistically venturing onto the next. (Source)
We couldn’t be any happier with the outcome of the album artwork, which we worked with Marc directly on, every step of the way. Both Recspec and Marc’s own style come through in the design, and is a direct reflection of both the music, and the man behind the music. The music itself is beautiful, and the perfect sort of goodbye – not one you want to make, but since we have to, it couldn’t have been any lovelier.
The album is released both on CD and a beautiful limited edition of 75 on clear virgin vinyl. Both can be purchased directly from the Her Space Holiday web store, here.
Photos by Gabriel Darling / Marc Bianchi
Here’s a great video of an accoustic, live version of the first song from the album, Anything For Progress:
Our deepest thanks to Marc for including Recspec in the creation of this beautiful, final album. Please visit Herspaceholiday.com (also designed by Recspec!) for more information about and to purchase the album. You can also preview the whole album by streaming it directly from the Her Space Holiday bandcamp page.
Summer is here! And we’re working on a ton of great projects and new endeavors, but we’ve manage to fit in a couple of fun DJ nights next month between the craziness. We’d love to see you there!
The first is on Monday July 11th, where we’re playing with a few friends and co-horts for a sort of free-form DJ night at Beauty Bar. Come by and check out whatever music tickles our fancies, have a drink, and just hang out (facebook event). The lovely miss Honeybee is coming all the way from Houston to play with us as well — check out her awesome music site at Sucks My Brain Radio.
Then, on Saturday July 16th at The Volstead, we’ll be playing the best of the darker side of soul, funk, and country. Dark 50′s and 60′s pop, doo-wop, and other b-side gems. Music for gunmen and harlots (facebook event). We’re hoping to make this a semi-regular night, so please come out if you’re in the Austin area and journey to the Badlands with us.
Tonight is our monthly night at Rio Rita and our very own Mr. Kon Karne put together a hot little podcast as a preview for the night. Apologies for the radio silence on ye’ old blog – there are many new Recspec ventures and projects afoot that are currently in completion and thus taking up 99% of our time. We can’t wait to tell you about them! But until then, here are some steamy + sweltering jams.
Have we mentioned that its hot as hell in Texas? Literally. Like the surface of the sun.
Our friend Prince Klassen recently transfered his self to NYC from Austin, and we feel that his move is reflected in this lovely fall mix. Seems like the perfect thing to bundle up and walk the cold concrete of a big city to. It’ll definitely keep you warm. .
James Blake – Tell Her Safe
Twin Bicycles – #1
Manual – Velvet Sunset
Wilco – I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
White Birch – Seer Believer
Daedelus – Playing Parties
Fog – Not Every Goddamn Thing You Do Needs a Title
Bill Callahan – Rococo Zephyr
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Raspberry Dawn
Flying Lotus – Breathe.Something / Stellar Star
Bibio – Cherry Blossom Road
Rachel’s – Family Portrait
Four Tet – Circling
Florence + The Machine – You’ve Got The Love (The XX Cover)
The American Analog Set – We’re Computerizing and We Just Don’t Need You Anymore
Joe Goddard – Coconut Shy
The Go Find – Adrenaline
Outkast – Hold On, Be Strong
James Blake – Willhelms Scream
Sparklehorse – Hidden Track
As part of our monthly nights at Rio Rita, we also have a podcast representative of the style of music and theme specific to each month. This month we are lucky enough to have The Cosmic Orphan as a guest DJ, playing on the night and crafting the podcast. It is really a stunning, perfect mix, and very very recommended listening. You can stream below or download the mix here.
1. (sss intro)
2. james blake – i only know (what i know now)
3. mount florida – space, echos
4. indian jewelry – sirens
5. future blondes – heartless (g.d.w. mix)
6. my bloody valentine – i believe
7. throbbing gristle – untitled (heathen earth)
8. liaisons dangereuses – dupont
9. king crimson – prelude: song of the gulls
10. zoviet france – untitled (mohnomishe)
11. kiss inc. – hey mr. holy man
12. omd – abc auto-industry
13. the shadow ring – lindus hologram
14. sparks – sherlock holmes
15. ash ra tempel – suche & liebe (part b)
16. sun city girls – vine street piano
RECSPEC is an Austin, Texas based art and design studio founded by Laurel Barickman and David Milner. Besides design, we also specialize in video projections and production, show promotion, and DJing.
.
This blog exists for updates, inspiration, and other random bits and pieces we find along the way. RECSPEC.ORG
