Preview video for our upcoming show at Le Poisson Rouge, NYC.
So excited to bring “1979” to Le Poisson Rouge in NYC July 25th.
It’s an amazing venue. Should be a great night! Tickets on sale now.
In The Studio
I did an "In The Studio" interview with Headphone Commute.
The Future Never Comes
I just posted "The Future Never Comes" to SoundClound and I figured I'd use this track as an opportunity to talk about some of the production on "1979". As some of you have been asking, I bounced all of the songs on the album straight to cassette tape. I bought an old Marantz portable tape deck on eBay and the songs went straight out of the computer onto the deck, fully mixed. The tape recorder is kinda fucked up and has a really pronounced pitch warble that I love. It gives everything a very distinct character. Throughout the years I've become less careful with my mixes. I don't think I would've ever done this when I was first making music and was obsessed with clarity or whatever, but now that I've been doing it a while I'm much more into interesting mixes... Mixes with character.
This song in particular almost didn't make it onto the record. It's the only song with a beat on the album, and I wasn't sure that it fit because of it. But after playing the album to a few friends some of them said that it was their favorite, and that it provided a nice contrast to the rest of the songs. It's hard to gauge these things while working on the music sometimes as you're too close to it. But I'm glad I was convinced. Ambient music is just music after all.
- Ben
PS: The SoundCloud player really does some heinous shit to the tape noise in this one. Listen to a real copy if you can sometime.
You can grab it HERE.
Prepping...
for The Echo Society.
The Echo Society - BLOOM
I'm excited to announce The Echo Society's third concert, Bloom, March 12th in downtown Los Angeles. We will premiere new pieces from all of our composers, as well as new works from our two guests, AMON TOBIN and RYAT.
Tickets available now: www.theechosociety.com/three-bloom
I Would Like / Ivan's Childhood
Someone on YouTube combined "I Would Like" with footage from "Ivan's Childhood".
"1979" Rehearsal Photos
Some still shots from our rehearsals for the "1979" show.
Video coming soon.
The Obverse Box
There are only a few Obverse Box's left. We hadn't released the photos below as we wanted this package to be a surprise when it showed up at your door step. I think it's time.
Outliers Iceland - Free To Watch Now
In 2012, I traveled to Iceland with a group of amazing photographers and film-makers to make an improvised documentary about creativity and inspiration. I scored the film, and asked a bunch of musicians to contribute to the soundtrack. "Outliers Vol.1, Iceland" is now free to watch in full!
LA Weekly - July 17th, 2014
Feature in this weeks LA Weekly, "Deru - In Search of Lost Time".
Let The Silence Float
Second track off of "1979", released on digital, vinyl, and handheld projector. Friends of Friends Records.
"1979" - OUT NOW
The Future Never Comes
A new video for "The Future Never Comes" premiered today on XLR8R.
1979 - Reactions
One of the things I've always loved about releasing art into the world is that you can't control the ways people will react to it. Everyone's experience will be unique, and each persons relationship to your work becomes their own. In that spirit we loaned some people an Obverse Box and filmed some of their reactions. Here is a handful of some of the best of them.
Projector Case Time-Lapse
"1979" projector case CNC. The process takes about 50/60 minutes to go from a solid block of walnut to it's final form. Then there's the laser milling for the ports and vents. Then staining, assembly...
"1979" - Introducing The Obverse Box
Here it is. “1979” my new album in a handheld custom video projector. It's loaded with a video for each one of the songs off of the record. Turn it on, and the album will beam to your walls.
Before music was such an easily traded commodity, it was often an experience to which people gave their full attention. Let’s bring that experience back. Let’s respect what music is worth.
Yours in the waves,
Deru
1979 - Title Track
The title track to my new album is available to stream on Soundcloud, and the full album is up for pre-order on iTunes.
THE OBVERSE BOX - 1979
Memory is one of our greatest gifts; it gives us access to time, to identity, to dreams. Guided by the wisdom of Jackson Sonnanfeld-Arden, discoverer of the Nine Pure Tones, I created 1979 as a concept album through which I could share his brilliant theory, and my life-long infatuation with memory.
Before music was such an easily traded commodity, it was often an experience to which people gave their full attention. Let’s bring that experience back. Let’s respect what music is worth.
Yours in the waves,
Deru
/\\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\//\/\\/\/\\//\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\//\/\/\/\/\
CREDITS:
Director: Mark Palansky
Editor / Art Director / Post-Production: Anthony Ciannamea (effixx.com)
Director of Photography: Kenneth Wales
Music: Deru
Production Designer: Lara Howenstine
Foley Editor: Aran Tanchum
Foley Artist: Vincent Guisetti
Boy: Webb Hayes
Man: Eric Kaldor
The Creators Project
Nice interview about "1979" on The Creators Project. See what it's all about and a few hints about what's to come.