Release Notes
Label: Affin
Release: Fragments
Date: January 10th
Mastered By: Artefacts Mastering
Design By: Markus Guentner
Well, folks, here we are, near the end of this year. I could say a lot about 2024, none of which was highly positive and worth celebrating, so I’m happy to close this chapter and move on anew. If I could try to name one highlight of the last year, it would be the accelerating advancement of artificial intelligence, and even then, I’m not sure if it’s a good thing. I am confident that I’m not alone in this sentiment, having spoken to many musicians and label owners reflecting on the state of the scene, the music “business”, and the world in general. Plenty are struggling to keep going and hopefully persevere. With that said, I did spend a tremendous amount of time highlighting the albums worthy of your attention and money and selected my favourites for the upcoming Best of the Year feature, which I will begin publishing on January 1st. It’s one thing worth looking forward to. The other is this fantastic collaboration between my favourite artists, Joachim Spieth and Agustín Mena, recording as Warmth and SVLBRD. Separately, the two have produced an abundance of heart-warming music on their respective labels, Affin and Archives, which has kept me in comfort, sanity, and peace. Mena’s 2018 release Parallel nursed me out of COVID and remains at the top of my rotations, unparalleled in its charm. Meanwhile, Spieth’s dubbed-out ambience has been a spellbinding companion at home and on my travels, reducing anxiety and focusing the mind. I’ve profiled both artists on these pages in-depth (read the most recent In the studio with Joachim Spieth), and I’m excited to announce their upcoming joint release and share an exclusive premiere of this beautiful track.
The first musical points of contact between the two were in the form of mutual remix projects. This exchange laid the foundation for Fragments, which now reveals the intersections for a sense of space and timelessness. On seven tracks, the album takes the listener on a walk through organic textures and places of longing.
I quickly lose myself in the complex tonalities of Fragments, the careful curation of dynamics, appearing like waves and then receding into the depths of my mind, and the delicious textures for which both talented musicians have been praised on these pages. Once again, the whole is greater here than the sum of its parts, confirming my belief that music is a language at the centre of a dialogue between like-minded musicians. The album will be available in its entirety on January 10th, 2025, released as a digital download and a Compact Disc in a 6-panel digipack. It’s highly recommended, especially if you’re looking to wash away the remnants of this year.
