Reviews

Mis+ress


Mis+ress

Somewherecold Records presents the new video for ‘Nested Infinities’ by MIS+RESS, the solo ambient project of Brian Wenckebach, best known as a member of Brooklyn shoegaze darlings Elika and experimental electronica outfit Thee Koukouvaya.

‘Nested Infinities’, which originally premiered on DKFM Radio, is a radiant stellar track, inspiring to reverie comparable to The Princess Bride soundtrack or the most ethereal works of Brian Eno, Michael Brook and Mike Oldfield. This new beautiful video follows up the release of the eponymous debut album, which also numbers among the top 2017 albums of electronic mastermind and radio host Ulrich Schnauss. 

 This self-titled 10-track offering is quite remarkable, oscillating between the atmospheric opaque reverie of such bands as Land Observations, the mysterious edge of Michael Brook and Daniel Lanois, and fantastic imagined music boxes for grown-ups.
 MIS+RESS is the solo project of musician, artist, mixing and mastering engineer, father and educator Brian Wenckebach. He has worked with a number of established artists and labels including Showtime Television Networks, Polyvinyl Records, Ulrich Schnauss, Asobi Seksu, Noveller, Thisquietarmy, Dead Leaf Echo and Nadja, and also re-mastered Blind Mr. Jones’ classic album ‘Tatooine’. 

Wenckebach first began recording music to analog tape in 1995 and, by the end of the decade, had started to move towards computer sequencing.  The Durutti Column, Land Observations, Daniel Lanois and Harold Budd number among his musical influences, along with Loscil, Nils Frahm, William Basinski, Noveller, Rafael Anton Irisarri, Susumu Yokota, and Tim Hecker.

 A long-term professional used to the comforts of his work with Electric Blue Studios in Brooklyn, this album marks a departure from the studio setting. It was recorded in Toms River, New Jersey with an electric guitar and four effects pedals in a make-shift studio he set up in his sister-in-law’s abandoned childhood bedroom. 
 

Rather than relying solely on atmosphere and texture, MIS+RESS creates songs with genuine emotional content. They are clever and intricate, dreamy yet broken. They paint a sonic canvas full of gorgeous landscapes, littered with machines languishing in obsolescence. This debut album evokes memories of a past/future you didn’t/won’t have. This is post ambient, instrumental guitar. No frills and no hiding.

“This is much simpler and more direct in the sense that I utilized a very limited palette (simply guitar with a few effects). My other projects have emphasized vocals and electronics and had hundreds of layers,” explains Brian Wenckebach. “Electronics used to feel rebellious to superimpose on shoegaze/dreampop.  Now, it is commonplace.  The danger is gone.  I figured I would go in the opposite direction.”

MIS+RESS’ album is the latest release on Somewherecold Records, whose blossoming collection of dreampop, nugaze and ambient offerings includes albums from Ummagma (Canada-Ukraine) with Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins and Dean Garcia of Curve, The Corrupting Sea (Fort Worth, Texas), The Beremy Jets (Malmo, Sweden), Aidan Baker (Toronto, Canada), and Yellow6 (Leicester, UK.

 This MIS+RESS album is a limited edition with only 100 copies available on CD and 50 on cassette, available exclusively through Somewherecold. They are available for pre-order now via the label’s Bandcamp.
CREDITS
Guitar + Processing: Brian Wenckebach
Mixed + Mastered by Brian Wenckebach at Electric Blue Studios
Art + Design by Thomas B. Martin 
 
TRACK LIST
1. The History of Fishes
2. Nested Infinities
3. OBAFGKM
4. Derealization
5. The Great Dying
6. Eligible Receiver
7. No More Parties
8. Mr. Bikinis
9. The Absolute Territory
10. Main Sequence Phase

 

Mis+ress – The History of Fishes

Mis+ress – Nested Infinities

Mis+ress links:

Band location – Toms River, New Jersey

Learn more about Mis+ress on their Facebook page

Watch the latest Mis+ress videos on their Vimeo channel

Listen to Mis+ress music on their Soundcloud page

Listen to and buy Mis+ress music on Bandcamp

Follow Mis+ress on their Twitter page


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