Tag Archives: hessien

Hidden Landscapes (compilation)

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Hidden Landscapes compilation on Audio Gourmet in conjunction with Hibernate Records; features some great music, including an exclusive song by Hessien “Hypothesis”

Audio Gourmet presents Hidden Landscapes… A limited edition CD of just 200 copies.
More info here

For the first full compilation to be released on Audio Gourmet, we have teamed together with Hibernate Records, the Felt Collective and a selection of some of the finest names in the modern ambient music scene. The compilation, called ‘Hidden Landscapes’ features fourteen pieces of music in which the artists were briefed to compose something particularly wintery to match the mood of the colder season.

The resulting soundtrack should be the perfect listening companion for colder times, with its icy cold exterior. Perhaps once the ice melts and the temperature begins to rise, parts of this album will reveal themselves to you and sound different in the warmth. There are 200 limited edition CD copies of Hidden Landscapes available for purchase thanks to Jonathan of Hibernate Records. He has kindly offered to design and print this stunning album as a physical copy. He’s also provided the front cover photography through his Cragg Vale Photography project.

The digital counterpart is available through the Audio Gourmet Bandcamp account, with proceeds going towards keeping the netlabel section up and running. This has become necessary with Bandcamp now charging account holders to distribute music for free. Since we wish to continue using the site for its aesthetics and ease of use, these compilations will become a frequent feature here on Audio Gourmet.

Hessien “Home is where the Ghost is”

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For sale at Normans Records now – Hessien ”Home is where the Ghost is” here’s what they had to say about it….

‘Home Is Where The Ghost Is’ is the debut full length record from collaborators Tim Martin and Charles Sage, known collectively as Hessien. They are creators of a super restrained form of ambient music that merges subtle melodies with waves of breezy drones which makes for particularly relaxed listening. Guitars play a prominent role on ‘Home is Where…’ providing much of the melodic front whilst layers of synths and tones back it up. On first listen it reminds me of the loose ambient moments that precede a Tortoise track kicking in. This brings me to the conclusion that Hessien dabble in a sort of ambient post-rock/jazz type sound. It’s dynamic and playful in much the same way as the Chicago strain of post-rock/jazz and it also has that conversational feel you’d expect from artists playing off each other in real time. I can’t tell if these tracks are improvised or carefully structured, in parts it feels like they probably do both. Incredibly relaxing stuff that will more than likely appeal to the Norman massive, so get in… There’s only 100 hard copies available and we have 30 so catch ‘em while you can.

Follow the link to buy from Norman Records here

Home is where the Ghost is (review)

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“….Working under their Hessien guise, acoustic sound artists Charles Sage and Tim Diagram produce beautifully crafted works that merge the acoustic and electronic together to form a seamless whole. Home… is noticeably sparser than Hessien’s previous works, allowing the album to grow as a whole over a longer period of time.”

For the full, in-depth review of “Home is where the Ghost is” head over to Fluid Radio

And for the full Hessien interview, go here

Pre-orders are welcomed –they will be limited to one copy per person and will be limited to a first come, first serve basis, for more info contact: handstitchedinfo@gmail.com

Hessien – Home is where the Ghost is (edits)

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Hessien – Home is where the Ghost is. Released mid-November.

Placing Shells - 3:11
Part of You – 4:40
The Invisible Man – 4:39
Sasparilla – 4:00
Get Polanski – 2:56
Overarchangel – 3:48
The Death of Abba – 4:57
Thuilm – 2:36
Loch Quoich – 4:29
Deep in the Mountains – 5:16
Rontgen’s Vibrations – 3:15
Speckled Peaks – 4:02
Centipede – 3:24

Hessien “Broken”

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Out today (14 October) “Broken” by Hessien, a 3-track ep, released on the Audio Gourmet label….

The muffled voices in the walls and the murmurs behind doors of Hessien continue on “Broken” — the new release on Audio Gourmet. Something of a departure from recently released material, this outing sees a subdued and distant approach to the melancholic side of implied melody.  

The dirty windows display looped field recordings, sustained acoustic delay and the fragile vocals of Jane Sage; the dark hallways are layered, wide-open passages that create the impression of motion. The rotting staircase is flickering static and kaleidoscopic distortion, leaning into organic textures and echoing reverb; all affected with a layered, instrumental composition that gives the sense of coming from or going to a faraway place.

The letters under the floorboards are the three tracks waiting to be uncovered —three compositions leaning towards organic textures and blissful drones. They remain disguised until they are eventually discovered, released from imagination.  

Check out the Audio Gourmet site to listen and download. An alternative link is on Archive [dot] org.

Thanks for listening.

Obelisk|Stelea out today….

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Released today. . . .

Release date: 4 October, limited to 200 copies for the world. Fluid Audio and Handstitched* have joined forces to release an EP by Hessien entitled “Obelisk|Stelea” including exclusive reworking of the original source material by Solo Andata, Jasper TX, Zelienople and Konntinent.

“Obelisk” – as Hessien’s landscape evolves, the sound continues to push into an environment littered with obstacles. Although not obvious at first, there is a relationship between these objects; a focus on submerged, hazy rhythms and textures that mirror the unconventional landscapes and surrounds. Prominent on this release is the human voice, represented in snatches of field recordings and overheard conversations, including vocals contributed by Jane Williams. Acoustic tones continue to underpin the tactile electronic arrangements – loops, delays, e-bow, cello, pedals, creaking furniture and low-fi hiss rearing up then dropping away as quickly as they came.

“Stelea” – these four pieces have been intercepted in various states of formation by – Solo Andata – combining distant parts of the original composition with their faultless signature sequences, unmistakable and balanced. The ever-prolific Jasper TX – weaving his acoustical, drone-style magic into the mix, floating into a territory with a never-ending haze as the backdrop. Zelienople – an open-handed reinterpretation shines and guides the way forward with acoustic/prog interestingness, flowing with a staccato pulse. And finally, Konntinent – transporting the listener into an irregular, avant-garde-like version, fuzzed-up, resampled and re-routed via a tape deck.

All four reworks have been broken down, inspected, and then put back together. Four pieces becoming eight tales of dislocation, separation and musical connectivity. Hessien and the four remixers conspire a bizarre plot and an equally bizarre, larger-than-life conclusion.

Packaged in letter pressed covers that slip nicely into organic silk screened cotton pouches, this Handstitched* /Fluid Audio split release is limited to 200 copies. An 8-page full colour booklet containing exclusive images and 4 specially commissioned poems by Estela Lamat, themed around the 4 original songs by Hessien, also accompanies the release.

Songs 1-4 produced by Hessien (Charles Sage & Tim Diagram) 2010. Recorded on location in Queanbeyan, Australia and Cambridgshire, UK. Songs 5-8 remixed by Jasper TX, Solo Andata, Zelienople and Konntinent.

1. A Letter from Engels
2. Gazed and Pale Reflections
3. Five Sisters
4. Breaking Webs
5. Gazed and Pale Reflections – Solo Andata Remix
6. A Letter from Engels – Jasper TX Remix
7. Five Sisters – Zelienople Remix
8. Breaking Webs – Konntinents’ Analogue edit.

Available soon through Fluid Audio, Norman Records and Experimedia.

There’s a free download of an exclusive Hessien Track “We Don’t want to Live in Your Dreams here

To check out more info, buy the CD and to check out some super-cool images and short audio samples of “Obelisk|Stelea” visit Fluid Audio

A review in for Obelisk|Stelea from Was is Das
More copies available at Norman Records!-be quick!

Hessien – Skurjn (digital release)

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After much demand for ‘Skurjn’ to be released in digital format, the ep is now available at Bandcamp. Below are reviews from Cyclic Defrost (AUS) and Norman Records (UK).
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The long-distance collaboration between “acoustic noise artist” Charles Sage in Australia and Tim Diagram of the band Maps and Diagrams in the UK, Hessien makes its debut with a 20-minute EP limited to 100 copies in hand-stitched cork sleeves. (It will eventually see digital release, though). Recorded either late at night or early in the morning – depending upon which side of the time difference you look at – these compositions feel cast in a fitting sort of half-light. Manipulated field recordings are mingled with strands of acoustic guitar and hazy effects, blurring the lines between all of those ingredients.

The EP is steeped in quietude, starting with the shivering ‘When I Look Down 3’ and the especially translucent ‘The Blundering Pilot’. The middle track, ‘Small Earthquakes’ is more atmospheric than the others, while ‘Neroli Orange Blossom’ is slightly disconcerting somehow yet still quietly vibrant. Each could be a mirage, always wavering and never quite revealing its true form. The closing title track has a lullaby quality to it, and there are similar moments of tranquility elsewhere on Skurjn. Yet there’s an air of uncertainty to it, thanks to so many tiny, fleeting details. Doug Wallen
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In between hanging around with Aussie sound art artist chap called Charles Sage, Tim Martin (Maps & Diagrams) has been hob knobbing and hanging around with Dennis Nilsen and Jeremy Bamber, Crazy times! Tim & Charles (no Jeremy an Dennis though…) have created some music under the guise of Hessien. They’ve collaborated to make a rather lovely 5 track EP called Skurjn. Like the other releases on the Handstitched label it’s lovingly packaged in some hand stitched cork and uber limited (there’s 100 of this one). Well nice!! This is dreamy stuff…. beautiful post rock style guitars over fuzzy soundscapes. Plenty of micro noises and electronics going layering over the field recordings to make a complex yet accessible lump of ear noise. It’s very busy yet un cluttered. Listen to it with headphones though and you’ll be amazed at the level of detail and the richness of the music comes alive. Fans of Moteer, Mobeer, Manual will lap this up!! This will make a superb addition to your 3″ family but be quick as the last 2 releases on the label sold out in hours!

Hessien ep (Flac download)

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This self-titled Hessien ep was originally released for free download from Hessiens’ web site in December 09 as a prelude to the ‘Skurjn’ ep on Handstitched* Recordings. After much demand for these songs to be released in flac/lossless formats they have been remastered and now appear at Bandcamp for easy, accessible downloading. There is also an extra, bonus track ‘Varieties of Parable’ that didn’t appear on the original ep.

Hessien – descending out of the grey (mix)

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Hessien appear on Fluid Radio Friday 19 March with an exclusive hour-long mix, tune in at 7pm BST. Fluid Radio and now available to listen to via mixcloud

Tobis Lilja – Days Pass Faster
Spinform – Yppersta Utposten
On! Air! Library! – 195
Hessien – Monsoon
Tarantel – When We Almost Killed Ourselves
Library Tapes – VIII
People Press Play – Studio
Tobias Lilja – My Teacher Died
Goddamn Electric Bill – Clouds and A Bee
Maps and Diagrams – T’horbed Earth
Mogwai – Wake Up and Go Berserk
Hessien – Gazed and Pale Reflections
Dictaphone – K2
Opitope – A Quiet Morning Arriving to the Valley
Tunng – Tale from the Black
Zelienople – Little Little Eye-Full
Hessien – Neroli Orange Blossom
Dirac – Bantu

Hessien ep_Beko_33

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Released 1 march - two new and exclusive tracks by Hessien on the wonderful French label Beko. ’To the Finland Station’ and ‘The Book of Lost Tales’ are available for free download,  for more information and to download more of Beko’s digital catalogue visit Beko ….and dont forget, for fans of the Beko_33 ep there’s still some free, downloads of Hessien music over HERE

Skurjn_single of the week_Norman Records!

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 ’Skurjn’  by Hessien is released today (29th January) and is limited to 100 copies for the world, packed in cork sleeves and hand -stitched. ‘Skurjn’ is available exclusively from Norman Records, quite arguably the most highly skilled handlers of music in the UK, if not the world.  More information can be found below and free Hessien songs are on the Hessien website, follow the links,  it wont take you long. Thanks for coming and thanks for listening.

What Norman Records has to say….

Single of the week 2

Hessien – Skurjn (Handstitched*) 3″CD

In between hanging around with Aussie sound art artist chap called Charles Sage,  Maps and Diagrams has been hob knobbing and hanging around with Mr Nilsen and Mr Bamber, Crazy times!  Tim & Charles have created some music under the guise of Hessien. They’ve collaborated to make a rather lovely 5 track EP called Skurjn. Like the other releases on the Handstitched label it’s lovingly packaged in some hand stitched cork and uber limited (there’s 100 of this one). Well nice!! This is dreamy stuff…. beautiful post rock style guitars over fuzzy soundscapes. Plenty of micro noises and electronics going layering over the field recordings to make a complex yet accessible lump of ear noise. It’s very busy yet un cluttered. Listen to it with headphones though and you’ll be amazed at the level of detail and the richness of the music comes alive. Fans of Moteer, Mobeer, Manual will lap this up!! This will make a superb addition to your 3″ family but be quick as the last 2 releases on the label sold out in hours!

s k u r j n – released 29-01

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Hessien usually occurs somewhere between the UK and Australia, somewhere between the hours of 11pm and 6am (Southern Hemisphere) & 9am and 8pm (Northern Hemisphere) Hessien is made up of acoustic noise artist Charles Sage (Australia) and Tim Diagram (UK). They collided through a coincidence and were pleased to note that the collision has produced an EP – ‘Skurjn’, to be released 29th January. ‘Skurjn’ is the first EP from Hessien, is limited to 100 copies (worldwide) and housed in hand-stitched cork sleeves (from a sustainable source)

The musical content is acoustically-challenged, inverted and lo-fi, an amalgamation of tanglible styles, pedal-work and mangled, modern conversions that combine the audible landscapes into one bigger image. Each song has been constructed from live workings and sketches of sound and field recordings, stitched together with fine acoustic thread and broken down into less accessible fragments to be built up again into mutual timings and compositions.

‘Skurjn’ will be available from Norman Records and eventually via digital form from Handstitched* Recordings. Hessien also have a single due for release shortly on Beko (digital single label) in France. Hessien can be found randomly recurring at short intervals around the Equatorial 3rd parallel-north in the early hours of the morning (or late at night, depending from which side you’re looking at it)

For more information and five songs that were found under the old hessian rug go here.