with_Virlyn

Of Mirrors

This album is a cooperation between AN MOKU and Virlyn. «Of Mirrors» has an organic element. The album is for explorers, while the sounds settle in being extremely meditative, surreal, and ambient. The Artists take old classical instruments and use them as acoustic drones while acquiring and manipulating specific elements of the sounds for each song. The phrase ‘Nature is beautiful’ is a purveying interpretation for the listener here. As they hear slow waves, and other ‘found’ sound samples, played alongside the dirgeful drones and scattered bits of solemn strings, «Of Mirrors» brings out the beauty in a natural progression. Quiet ambient soundscapes for electronics, piano, strings and field recordings. «Of Mirrors» has been recorded from November 2011 until March 2012. 

«After finishing it, we kept the album in our secret place until today. We hope you enjoy it. Thanks to all the participants, our families, friends and our great, great listeners!» :-) 

This album is released in cooperation with David Newman’s label Audibulb:  anmokuandvirlyn.bandcamp.com/album/of-mirrors
www.audiobulb.com

Electronics, instrumental and field recordings by AN MOKU 
Electronics by Virlyn 
Mixing by Virlyn 
Mastering by Weldroid 

www.weldroid.net
www.facebook.com/VirlynMusic

All instrumental and field recordings captured in Switzerland and Iceland 
Ending of ‘Frost’ captured during an orchestral warm up session at Harpa, Reykjavik 

Swiss Performers: 
Piano by Cornellia Stromeyer 
Violin by Orina Zänerle 
Cello by Jacki Knöpfel 

Modified vocal sample taken from -The Seventh Seal- by Bergman, 1957 

Photography: Dominik Grenzler, Reykjavik, January 2012 

RMX: 
soundcloud.com/snoopy-over-the-hills
endtitles.ch/artists/oblique-noir/
endtitles.ch/joel_gilardini/
soundcloud.com/zosimos-of-panopolis
www.chihei.org

Virlyn & AN MOKU: Of Mirrors

AD088_02“Virlyn and An Moku’s release, ‘Of Mirrors’ has an organic element. Meaning there is a naturalness to the ‘putting together’ of each song. The album is for explorers, while the sounds settle in being extremely meditative, surreal, and ambient. They take old classical instruments and use them as acoustic drones while acquiring and manipulating specific elements of the sounds for each song. Both musicians have an outstanding history from creating theatrical performances of Herman Hesse novels to being part of supporting acts for Whitney Houston, Joe Cocker and several others.
The phrase ‘Nature is beautiful’ is a purveying interpretation for the listener here. As they hear slow waves, and other ‘found’ sound samples, played alongside the dirgeful drones and scattered bits of solemn strings, “Of Mirrors” brings out the beauty in a natural progression. Virlyn and An Moku create the perfect ambience for multiple types of backgrounds by incorporating recordings from the lobbies before a jazz concert, reproducing the sounds of hiking through the woods, and waves rushing and crashing – all tied up with a classical harmony and steady drones. Coming from two countries, Belgium and Switzerland, it’s Virlyn and An Moku’s collaboration, ‘Of Mirrors.’”
Ray Jackson, Already Dead Tapes, 2013

Of Mirrors:
Steelyard blues
Secret place
Dance of the creatures
Mirror (Part1)
The room
Frost

Digital bonus track: Mirror (Part2)

Total running time: ca. 60 min

All music composed and produced by Virlyn and AN MOKU
Mixing and mastering by Virlyn
Electronics by Virlyn
Electronics, instrumental and field recordings by AN MOKU

All instrumental and field recordings captured in Switzerland and Iceland
Ending of ‘Frost’ captured during an orchestral warm up session at Harpa, Reykjavik

Swiss Performers:
Piano by Cornellia Stromeyer
Violin by Orina Zänerle
Cello by Jacki Knöpfel

Modified vocal sample taken from -The Seventh Seal- by Bergman, 1957

Photography:
Dominik Grenzler
Design:
Pan Pan/Joshua Tabbia

‘Of Mirrors’ has been recorded from november 2011 until march 2012.
After finishing it, we kept this album in our secret place until today.
Thank you for supporting us. Enjoy the tape!

Buy here.

Virlyn’s «Man asleep»

“Man Asleep” is an electronic experiment with a wide variety of instruments. The idea is to deform and reform the classic sounds of various instruments and vocals and to reuse them in an electronic and atmospheric setting. With an emphasis on experimentation the original musical output of the instrument is reshaped and distorted beyond recognition. A second constant is the use of housemade sounds and field recordings, varying from recordings from nature (rain, fire, footsteps in snow) to the use of selfmade wooden and plastic sound reproducing equipment. These field recordings and homemade sounds infuse the soundscapes with a more tangible and less elusive sensation.

Instruments and software: cello, violin, banjo, flute, duduk, percussion, house made sound devices, FL Studio, Audition.

credits

released 23 April 2013
Vocals on ‘Lorelei’, ‘Dawn’ and ‘Kristal’ by Cristiane Silva Corten.
Sax on ‘Dawn’ by Lucas Van Milders.
Duduk on ‘Lilith’ by Lieven Stockx.
Cello on ‘Descent’ recorded by Dominik Grenzler.
Violin on ‘Swan’ and ‘Kristal’ recorded by Frédéric Vanderlynden.
Field recordings by Frédéric Vanderlynden.
‘Mirror’ is part of a collaboration with Dominik Grenzler aka AN MOKU.Artwork by Emma Shoard | www.emmashoard.co.uk

Thanks to Grzegorz Bojanek @ ETALABEL, Dominik Grenzler, Cristiane Silva Corten, Lucas Van Milders, Emma Shoard, Pauline & Anémone Vanderlynden, Hilde Declerck, Mateusz Bąkała @ Widzimisie, Serge Vanderlynden and finally Joannes Truyens for endlessly having to listen to my experiments.

Special thanks to Dominique Grenzler for the musical input.

Review about Virlyn’s work…

…and I am mentioned in it. Thank you that, Frédéric!

«Par ailleurs, il se murmure qu’une autre sortie pourrait bientôt voir notre soundscaper associé à un certain Dominik Grenzler alias  AN MOKU, Polonais émigré à Zurich. Et là encore, la mise en bouche est aussi inquiétante et fantasmagorique que prometteuse…»

-> Link to the review about Virlyn’s work…

Let me introduce you to the guy I found on the internet among others!

Virlyn:

Born in the bad part of a backwater town, Virlyn’s only escape from the boredom that enveloped him was taking hallucinogens at an early age. This led him to both experimental first words (“dada” and “dodecahedron”) and experimental music. He put his peculiar fascination with music and animal sounds to practice when he was given the sought-after Animal Farm electronic set from Mattel. Producing promising farm sounds at an alarmingly high rate, his parents were quick to label him a genius. Hoping the world would soon follow, Virlyn bought his first barrel organ at the tender age of ten and quickly made his way to the very top of the barrel organ scene. His title as “King of the Barrel organ 1995” (youngest ever!) propelled him to quit school and move to the big city. There, he endured a couple of challenging (read: homeless) years that nonetheless helped him craft his art. Holding down a job in the exciting industry of waste allocation allowed him to set some money aside, and eight years later he used his meager earnings to buy a laptop. Virlyn as we know him today took shape! Planet Mu and Warp Records soon discovered his exceptionally well-hidden talents, the latter of which ultimately chose to release his first EP “Wolk” under the Xtraplex Records label. His parents are still not regretting the purchase of that Animal Farm set.

Xtraplex Records

Facebook

Soundcloud