2014 will see the 10th anniversary of “Spellewauerynsherde“ by Akira Rabelais, released in 2004 on David Sylvian‘s Samadhisound label. After 10 years, the album still sounds as mysteriously and haunting as ever. It is one of the few albums that never seems to lose its magic – however much I play it. (If you don’t know it, be sure to find it and check it out!)
In 2009, I was proud to offer an exclusive Cristmasse mix of the same material on Ambientblog. It was available as a free download only for three weeks then, and deleted on december 26.
To celebrate Christmas and the forthcoming 10th anniversary of “Spellewauerynsherde“, Akira Rabelais has generously agreed to make this mix available as a free download Christmas gift again.
So if you missed it first time around, be sure to grab this exclusive free download now: the file will be deleted right after Christmas!
Original introduction:
Right from the very first time I heard the “Spellewauerynsherde” album by Akira Rabelais (released in 2004 by David Sylvian’s Samadhisound label) this album has been one of my absolute favourites.
And now, almost 10 years since the original release, it still is a sound unheard neither before nor since.
Spellewauerynshere is built from found sounds, field recordings of traditional Icelandic a-capella lament songs that were recorded in the late 1960s or early 1970s. The recordings are heavily (and sometimes somewhat less heavily) treated and manipulated by Rabelais’ custom built music software, Argeïphontes Lyre.
Now, Akira created a complete new mix from the same source material, and decided to present it as a Christmas gift. It has the same haunting atmosphere, so if you want to have some ‘slightly’ different christmas music at home this year, this gift is for you. You’ll have to act quick, since the links and podcast will be removed after christmas.
“1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt 471 Wel By-Commes Such Craft Vpon Cristmasse” is a full hour remix, and will probably work best when played softly in the background. I guess it won’t be long until you will literally feel the presence of the Ghosts of Christmas all around you. To me, it has all the beauty and eerie enigma of the original recordings as presented on Spellewauerynsherde..and not to forget the original recordings from Iceland.
Thanks to Akira Rabelais for his permission to publish this mix on ambientblog.net!
By the way:
Spellewauerynsherde also was the main inspiration source for a 4 hour radio program in 2006. The first part was a special mix of the 2004 ‘Spelle’ album, the second and third were mixes that still can be found here: they are called “Wave” and “Ring“.)
*** Sorry – download no longer available. ***
*** Thanks again to Akira Rabelais for his fascinating ‘Cristmasse’ present ***