Archive for the ‘Blog from Sam’ Category
May 11
HALO STAR – 10th anniversary, free Black tape for a blue girl download
Sam writers:
HALO STAR
2014 is the 10th anniversary of Black Tape For A Blue Girl’s HALO STAR album. I put it up for you on Bandcamp at NAME YOUR PRICE; and I added 5 bonus tracks: 5 very different versions of the title cut.
Stream it / download it / donate if you feel charitable. Your support goes towards the gear I purchased for working on the next album: a brand new iMac for recording, new Soundcraft mixing board, new A–>D converter, plus repair on my Korg Poly-61, Moog Concertmate MG-1, and Eventide Harmonizer.
GRAVE CONCERNS WROTE: While it’s often a departure from the fairly consistent introspective, intimate side Rosenthal and company have explored throughout the last 15 or 20 years, HALO STAR showcases an interesting and ultimately successful sonic evolution. It’s an album that’s both more stylistically diverse and more accessible than much of their recent catalog but still retains enough “classic Black Tape” material to please fans of their more ethereal side. Whether you’re a long-time fan or a curious newcomer, you’ll find a solid album that is arguably one of the most interesting offerings the band has released to date.
Grab the “HALO STAR bonus disc” from the deluxe digital edition. Includes the tracks from the SCARECROW ep, plus live recordings from the 2004 tour. Stream, or download at Bandcamp, for just $5.
History: 15 years ago today, Black tape for a blue girl performed in Chicago! Show #64. Tues May 11 1999 | The Metro ~ Chicago IL. 3730 North Clark, Chicago, IL. With Lynn Canfield of the Moon 7 Times. If you have photos from ths show, please drop me a line. Full gigography.
Please share the HALO STAR download Bandcamp link, http://blacktapeforabluegirl.bandcamp.com/album/halo-star
Feb 24
Remnants of a deeper purity, Vinyl Kickstarter update
Hi everyone…. I’ve been meaning to start a video series of updates of what’s been going on with the Remnants of a deeper purity Kickstarter. I finally got the camera set up, and shot the first installment.
Watch the video at youTube Preorder the vinyl album at ProjektHere’s the text:
I’d say if all goes well, we’re six weeks out from having the finished vinyl in our hands and ready to send out to you. I’ve sent in all the audio files, the cover files, the label files, the stickers that go on the outside. And I already have back the CD that’s going inside it, which is the remastered version. So you can listen to the CD if you don’t have the ability to play the records.
I have back the booklets too. And here it is, the booklet that’s going inside the jacket. It’s massive. It’s really cool. Let me show you one page here. That’s the inside cover spread, you probably remember it from the CD, but now it’s eleven inches square. These are done and look really nice (sniff sniff), and they smell really good because they have a ton of ink on them because the coverage is really solid.
On the vinyl itself, I’ve received one set of test pressings, but they had some technical problems so they have to redo them. I’m getting another set next week and hopefully those will be cool so they can begin the actual pressing on the colored vinyl.
Then all the pieces come to me and I’m going to put them together and then we’re going to ship them out to you. And if it all goes well, like I said six weeks, that would be wonderful: to get this all to you.
There’s also this cool CD coming up, it’s Projekt’s three hundredth release, called redefine my pure faith, which is All my faith lost… doing covers of Black Tape For A Blue Girl’s songs. They’re an Italian band, sort of ethereal, heavenly voices; they’ve chosen six songs to cover, two of which are off Remnants of a deeper purity. And it’s going to be available at the same time (early Aprili-sh), so you’ll be hearing more about that really soon.
I guess that’s where we’re at right now, that’s a really quick update. I want to thank you all for having Kickstarted the release, for making it happen. And for keeping up on what’s going on. Thank you so much for your support in all of this. Bye Bye…
Sam
Feb 19
LYCIA CDs on sale for $7!
On sale for you while supplies last:
LYCIA Live LYCIA Compilation Appearances Vol 1 LYCIA Compilation Appearances Vol 2 LYCIA Tripping Back into the Broken Days LYCIA Estrella LYCIA Empty Spaces LYCIA / Estraya: The Time Has Come and Gone $5
Feb 10
Free Download Sampler + new releases @ Bandcamp + Erik Wollo is Echoes’ CD of the month
Various Artists: No41 | Winter 2014
An hour of music from Projekt’s latest releases (including new Archive digital editions). A nine track download album available at Bandcamp for “name your price” — it could be zero, or you could chip in a little something if you’re feeling it.
Check out the latest Projekt releases & discover something new that excites you.
Black Tape For A Blue Girl: the best of… (deluxe edition)Download 2-CDs worth of ‘Best of’ for $6 at Bandcamp Disc 1 was released as A RETROSPECTIVE in 2008 on Russia’s Shadowplay Records. Disc 2 was release as A TEARDROP LEFT BEHIND in 1991 on Germany’s Hyperium Records. That’s two CDs-worth of best-ofs for just six bucks! That’s a lot of best! : )
Try before you buy: Listen to a few tracks and see what you think!
Makaras Pen: Journeys to the End$4 at Bandcamp. For the next 4 days, use discount code “makaras” (without the quotes) to get 25% off
Makaras Pen’s indie rock, dreampop stylings create a wall of captivating sounds. The driving beat and cascading guitars are punctuated and accented by crashing percussion and Jenna Willis’ incredible soaring vocals. The tracks go from soft and simple, to strong, lush and distorted, following that shoegaze pattern of delicate and sweet at first rushing headlong to a powerful climax. Atop the ringing guitars (provided by Doug White and Jon Nemi), Jenna’s sensitive and heartfelt vocals sing sad yet hopeful lyrics. Doug says, “The guitars on this EP try to balance a very somber mood, keeping it epic to counter the new-found positive inspiration in Jenna’s lyrics.”
The Arms of Someone New: Every Seventh Wave EP (2014 Remaster)$2 at Bandcamp
The Arms of Someone New formed in 1983 when Mel Eberle and Steve Jones almost coincidentally began making music together. Steve managed and helped record Mel’s band The First Things; while in the studio to demo some of Mel’s songs, they started collaborating. Drawing inspiration from the Beatles, the Cure, the Teardrop Explodes and Jesus Couldn’t Drum (among others), as The Arms of Someone New they went on to release three full lengths, two eps, and numerous cassettes between 1984 and 1992.
Erik Wollo’s Timelines is Echoes Radio’s February CD of the month. Echoes is a nationally syndicated daily two-hour music radio program hosted by John Diliberto featuring a soundscape of ambient, space, electronica, and New Age music.
This is a big deal for us over here at Projekt! We like it when new fans are exposed to our artists’ great music.
Echoes writes, “Norwegian guitarist and synthesist Erik Wøllo returns with his< devastatingly beautiful CD of electro-orchestrated moods." $14 CD at Projekt | $10 Download at Bandcamp (FLAC, MP3s, etc) $10 Download at iTunes | $14.58 CD at Amazon
TRY BEFORE YOU BUY. Listen to a few tracks and see what you think!
Jan 29
Well of Souls at Bandcamp, save 30%
The 1995 2-CD tribal/ambient debut from Roach/Obmana, Well of Souls, has been added to the Projekt bandcamp page. Use the discount code “well_of_souls” to get 30% off (1 week only).
Jan 21
Three new Projekt releases for you. Dreampop, ambient & electronic
Our January 21st releases are now in stock at our webstore and available at Amazon and iTunes. Thanks for supporting art with your purchases. – Sam
Steve Roach / Kelly David: The Long Night
Projekt webstore CD • $14 Bandcamp Digital Download • $10 iTunes | Amazon
Atmospheres for the night journey. The Long Night is a deep-breathing sigh of the eternal nocturnal: gossamer atmospheres for the still hours of the night.
“From one who has used this type of music as accompaniment for meditation, slumber, and travels into deeper states of consciousness for at least two decades, it truly doesn’t get much better than this. This is not pretty new-age music, there is no form, rhythm or melodic color here, no sequences or anything like that. This is a slow-evolving exploration of sonic textures in its purest form.”– Expose
Alio Die & Sylvi Alli: Amidst the Circling Spires Projekt webstore CD • $14 Bandcamp Digital Download • $9 iTunes | Amazon
A captivating electro-ambient journey into interior space, weaving visions of strong emotional impact. Sylvi’s heavenly voice drifts within the highly processed acoustic sounds created by Alio Die: a hybrid between – sonorous soundscapes and acoustic mysticism.
“Trance-like atmospheres that a listener can easily get lost within. This is one of those discs you’ll want to set on endless repeat and listen to over and over until the first light of day arrives.” – Expose
Paulina Cassidy: Sugar Wingshiver
Projekt webstore CD • $14 Bandcamp Digital Download • $9 iTunes | Amazon
* The first 25 copies include a signed card from Paulina * Whimsical, quirky dreampop. Paulina uses her sultry, rich voice as a potent ethereal instrument in combination with her fluidly-layered compositions, drawing the listener into her fascinating world. “Cassidy’s half-whispered dreamscapes don’t need a lot of time to work their way into your mind and soul… she’s rapidly becoming one of my preferred artists.” – Hypnagogue
We’ve just added a free bonus track to Sugar Wingshiver. Get the mostly instrumental, “the mesmerist” at Bandcamp. If you own the album, if you’re considering buying the album, or if you just like free stuff, it’s yours!
Thanks for your support of these artists’ creative explorations.
Jan 01
Free download from Steve Roach’s Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces
At Bandcamp, I’ve added Steve Roach’s amazing 2003 4-CD set MYSTIC CHORDS & SACRED SPACES. Download “Vortex Ring,” a 12 minute track, for free while supplies last!
Dec 24
An Xmas gift: Terrace of Memories (name your price)
This is a limited time thingie, go over to Bandcamp and grab it today!
Hi — the year is quickly drawing to a close! This past week I was busy writing holiday cards to the extremely cool people who contributed to the Remnants of a deeper purity vinyl Kickstarter campaign. You know who you are, and you’re all cool.
Really cool!
While I was writing those cards, I was thinking about what might make a nice gift to give everyone, for making this a great year. And I settled on my 1992 collaboration with vidnaObmana: Terrace of Memories. It’s one of the many lovely albums from the 90s that has gotten “lost” over the course of time. There’s so much great music out there to chose from, how are you going to discover an album from 21 years ago?
Well, the best way is to get it as a gift.
Here you go!
For a limited time, you can have this download at Bandcamp for as little or as much as you want to contribute. It could be zero, it could be a buck. Or five. Whatever you chip in is appreciated.
As far as I can recall, I began working on this collaboration with vidna after the recording of A chaos of desire. Dirk sent me cassette tapes of music, and I worked on my 8-track. I believe the first track was “Of silent crossings” and I was very pleased with the result. But then I got distracted by other projects, and the tapes were pushed to the back-burner and the album wasn’t concluded until 1992. Quite honestly, I only have the vaguest memory of working on it in The Lush Garden studio in Los Angeles. I remember that even a few weeks after I finished a piece, it was hard for me to tell what parts I played and what parts were vidna. Aside from the low cello sound from my eMax, and the very slight vocals on the one track, who played what is a blur. That’s cool. It’s a great ambient blend.
I asked Vidna for his recollections on the album… “Back in the days, pre-internet, we traded a lot of tapes by mail. Projects and collaborations took much longer to complete due to the longer waiting times, waiting for the postal system to do their work. When I started to correspond with Sam in the mid 80s (I don’t know really who contacted who), I was very into the albums by his Black Tape For A Blue Girl band. The eerie atmospheres and ambience which surrounding the songs were really mesmerizing and I could hear a blend of Sam’s soundstructures with my ambience. So I sent him sources on tape. But with every collaboration release back then, time moved by before actually something was completed, again due to the slower way of communicating. Meaning that at the moment something came to you or vice-versa, it happened quite often you were already in a different state of mind. When Sam sent the first song, I wasn’t in tune anymore despite Sam’s brilliant interaction and additional performances. Nevertheless we completed the album and decided to release it as a Terrace Of Memories project, rather than a Sam Rosenthal & vidnaObmana album, most likely due to my doubts for the album back then. But with every strong album, my feelings towards this album changed over time and over the course of the next five years I learned to love this album again and it became and still is one of my favorite collaborations I ever done. And believe me I did plenty. Terrace of Memories is a real Sam Rosenthal & vidnaObmana collaboration and I truly wonder why we never did a follow-up. Enjoy.”
“More than ever before, Sam lets his emotions run away on a tide of ambient turbulence. Five drifting movements ride the intake of senses, breathing the air of life and surrounding beauty. As fullsome as the cycle of seasons, cascading visions of past and present contact loop and collide. A very deep personal intrusion into the mind & heart, represented by a dark, mysterious and sensual music. Cast adrift into the caring hands of this truly original and honest artist who not only lives within himself, but sheds his soul through others as well.” – THE EMPTY QUARTER, England
Happy Holidays,
Sam
PS: get your free download from Bandcamp.
PSS: Please SHARE this. Here is a Facebook note you can post on your page. Or drop this URL into your post: https://blacktapeforabluegirl.bandcamp.com/album/terrace-of-memories-name-your-price
Dec 20
Projekt turns 30 this year. Feeling the love…
From Sam Rosenthal: Do you know that Projekt is 30 years old this year? I didn’t really do anything to celebrate…. any suggestions? I started a facebook thread for this one; go over and post your comments. And also read all the great Projekt memories. Many suggested I celebrating by putting out a brand new compilation. 30 tracks for 30 years. Yes, wonderful idea, EXCEPT for the costs! I have to pay the bands, I have to pay to make the CD. The last time I put out a deluxe compilation was Projekt 200. It cost over $15,000 to create! It’s a really amazing label retrospective. 3 CDs. Tons of music. Beautiful packaging. Pre-paid all the bands…. And ya know what, almost nobody bought it. : ( I had to throw most of them in the recylcing when the roof collapsed a few years back! I have been selling them off at a loss, just to recoup some of my investment. You can understand why I’m weary of investing a lot of effort and cash into a new deluxe compilation, right? Can I call Projekt200 our 30th anniversary disc, and everyone can go buy that!? I mean have you seen this thing? It’s gorgeous! If you wanna do something for Projekt’s 30th go visit the Projekt webstore and pick that one up for $11!
But enough of the party-pooping! : )The last few days, I’ve been hand-writing holiday cards to people who contributed to my Remnants of a deeper purity vinyl kickstarter. [ Did you hear? We raised just over $8000. Total success! ] It’s been really fun thinking up personalized messages for all of you, and thinking about how lucky I am that there are people all over the world who care about my art, and want to support what I do. Over the last ten days, I’ve been messaging with tons of my fans. Part of it was asking them to support the campaign, but it turned into talking about the music, reminiscing about shows, and realizing how much people care about my art. I have to admit, I feel a bit like Voltaire right now! Have you seen the man’s Facebook page? His fans are loyal, dedicated, and love his work. I am so impressed with how hard Voltaire works for his fans. And the love he receives back for that. I generally don’t get the opportunity to put in that kind of effort, because I’m busy Projekt-ing all day. But this week has been full of love. And I really feel it. And that feels good. Let’s keep doing that, ok? Writing these cards has filled me with gratitude for your support over the years. And reminded me that I’m an artist. And I make stuff, and some of you really love it. For those of you who missed the Kickstarter campaign, but would like to support… you can visit the Black Tape For A Blue Girl Bandcamp page and check out my music. Many are “name your price.” Or go and grab the Remnants of a deeper purity page here on Projekt. One can spend a lot of time noticing all the destruction going on in the music industry. However, it’s nice to see the other side: the people who care enough about my music to support it in a big way. You people are great. I do appreciate you being there. And I feel a lot better when I’m thinking about the positive side of things.
Thanks for reminding me of that.
Sam
Dec 12
What goes jingle jingle jingle, but doesn’t annoy?
In the last two days I’ve gotten a couple of really great emails from Projekt fans, telling me how much they love the holiday releases I’ve put together. Very sweet, I appreciate hearing that. You know, I gotta be honest, Xmas-day music really isn’t my thing. But instead of complaining, In 1995 I started to fix that: Projekt makes the season less glaring and much more warm and sensual with our lovely selection of holiday titles. A lot of darkwave goodness here. Check it out!
Ornamental ~ Various Artists | 2012 2-CD $14 | Bandcamp Download $11 | iTunes Download $12 > Silver Smoke, Star of Night ~ Jill Tracy | 2012 CD $10 | Bandcamp Download $8 | iTunes Download $7.92
“Jill Tracy’s Silver Smoke, Star of Night is the Christmas album I’d been wishing for my entire life.” —GOTHIC BEAUTY MAGAZINE
Spread holiday cheer by buying Ornamental and Silver Smoke, Star of Night together for $20. Holiday twin pack.
In the U.S.A., your order will arrive before Xmas. Not guaranteed for foreign customers (but we’ll try!).
Our #1 selling holiday item: Excelsis 3-CD Pack ~ v.1, v.2 & v.3 | CD $23 | This is a special package price on the first three releases in our holiday series…
Excelsis v.1 ~ a dark noel | 1995 CD $14 Excelsis v.2 ~ a winter’s song | 1999 CD $14 Excelsis v.3 (Maxi-CD) ~ a prelude | 2001 EP $8 Holiday Single 1 | 2004 Ltd Edition CD Single $2 Holiday Single 2 | 2004 Ltd Edition CD-Single $2 A Dark Noel “a best of” | holiday sampler 1-CD $5
Unto Ashes Spellbound in Winter | Bandcamp Download $5 Erik Wøllo Crystal Bells (ep) | Bandcamp Download $4 Paulina Cassidy Ice Iris (a holiday ep) | Bandcamp Download $4
