Maybe it’s because of this unpronounceable title, but I have completely missed this (2004!) release. I never have heard about it until recently. Better late than never, because this is easily one of the strangest and the most compelling albums I ever heard!
Upon hearing only the first track of this haunting album I realised that this is a sound completely different from all I heard before.
It’s as if a voice coming from the middle ages haunts you in your deepest sleep. It’s beautiful, heavenlike. But at the same time it’s distorted and confusing, scary even.
“Spellewauerynsherde” is built up from found sounds, field recordings of traditional Icelandic accapella lament songs recorded in the late 1960s or early 1970s on Ampex tapes and then forgotten about. After discovering the neglected tapes, cleaning them up and digitizing them for a library, Rabelais became fascinated with the heartbreaking sadness of the voices and began to think of them as source material for a series of compositions.
As the title (Spelle, Wavering, Sharde) suggests, you will not understand a word of what is sung. But somehow the message will come through.
This incredible record is available through samadhisound (David Sylvian’s label)
A Boomkat (recommended online store specialised in recordings like this) quote: “Not many album’s will move you in quite the way that this album does. Believe. “
Believe, indeed!
Dutch NPS/Radio 4 will host a full one hour special to present Spellewauerynsherde.
It will be presented in April 2006 (so that leaves some time for good preparation), as the first in a series that also will feature some new ambient collages and remixes from myself.
Akira Rabelais himself has already promised to contribute some special unreleased related material.
[Note]: this radio show, including unreleased material from Spellewauerynsherde, is posted [Here]
*** edit aug 2017***
A vinyl version of the album has been released
***edit dec 2015***
Since Akira Rabelais finally decided to maken this legendary album available through BandCamp, here’s the preview link.
If you’ve missed it before, here’s your chance to catch up:
Akira is a genius
I see renewed interest for this album – one that I consider one of my all time favourites! The reason may very well be: you can find it on Bandcamp now. Just sayin’!
https://akirarabelais.bandcamp.com/album/spellewauerynsherde
Thanks for finally writing about > Akira Rabelais – Spellewauerynsherde – Ambientblog < Loved it!
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