landings

REVIEW: Grace Scheele – landings (2023 cassette, plus bonus tracks on Side B)

GRACE SCHEELE – landings (2023 EP – cassette side two – bonus tracks)

Last year we reviewed Grace Scheele’s concept tape about the moon landing called, bizarrely enough, landings!  Today we listen to the three bonus tracks that make up side two of the tape.  For your convenience, the original cassette review is included below.

Grace loves the cassette format and understands the desire to own physical music.  Therefore, she was wise to include bonus music on side two.  If you want to hear this, you have to be one of the folks who own a cassette, of which I have two.  There are three bonus tracks on the B-side.  Check out these titles:

1.  “- – – – – – – – – -”  (10:16)

2.  “pu-sil-lan-i-mous” (7:46)

3.  “cachinnate”  (3:48)

The first bonus track (I’m gonna call it “lotsa dashes”) features flute-like keys to open it.  This relaxing piece is enjoyed best with eyes closed.  The time actually flies despite its length.  This is vastly different from the music on the A-side which largely featured soundscapes and space sounds.  This is just notes: pure music, and it sounds largely improvised.  It’s like a lovely backdrop to a quiet night, drifting along to a book of your choice.  (Something science-y would be good.)

Bonus track #2 “pu-sil-lan-i-mous” is in a completely different direction from the first.  This time, the harp takes its time entering the scene over some gentle keys.  But that harp ain’t gentle at all!  With an abrasive scream, the calm is violently pierced by an instrument you do not associate with violence.  It continues to tickle the ear in unexpected ways.  A bassline underlines the music while Grace makes her harp speak, and even sound like feedback.

Percussive sounds introduce the third track “cachinnate”, and strings pluck away satisfyingly while loops ebb and flow.  This is the most “traditional” sounding harp piece on the tape, but electronics take it to another unexpected level.

This music is for those who want to be challenged every once in a while.  This is for the curious, who want to hear the lengths to which you can take a musical instrument without breaking it.  Grace Scheele’s landings is a remarkable release, perfect for open ears or ears that wish to be opened!

The original review for Side A is below.

From Grace’s bandcamp page:

“landings” centres on the real and imagined experience of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon; wielding bowed harp, electronic fx, and sampling from speeches, newsreels, mission audio, and NASA’s own interviews with those present at the historic newscast.  Ranging from the ethereally ambient to grinding, jarring industrial noise, the seven tracks across this debut EP represents an imagined journey into the darkness of space.

I’d call it a concept EP, based on that alone.  It’s a real listening experience, with elements that remind me of Pink Floyd, Star Trek, and War of the Worlds.  Some of the speeches and dialogue will be familiar, others will be novel.  There are sounds that, in my limited experience, I didn’t know you could make with a harp.  At 22 minutes,  is easy to digest in a single sitting, and the download comes with a “gapless version” that enables just that.  The layers of harp, samples, and electronic sound build, painting a sonic picture.  You can feel the tension of the launch!  I bet this sounds great with headphones.

The track “pomposity” has been getting some exposure, so if you only check out one track, try “pomposity” for a taste of what this is like.

Each tape comes in chromed silver with white printing — absolutely stunning!  They also come hand-wrapped in aluminium foil, and packed with personalized goodies.  Mine came with stickers, hand-drawn art, and even a package of Pop Rocks candy.

 

4.5/5 stars

 

Tune in this Friday on Grab A Stack of Rock for a special cassette episode with one of Grace’s teachers, Dr. Kathryn Ladano!

Landings Unboxed! Grace Scheele joins Grab A Stack of Rock to talk about her debut cassette EP!

A blast (-off) was had yesterday, taking a look at Landings, the debut EP by electroacoustic harpist Grace Scheele!  It’s a concept EP about the Apollo 11 mission.  If you like science fiction, space, the moon, chilling, or not chilling, this cassette is for you!  Chromed plastic, sleek packaging, bonus tracks, what more could you ask?  And a small quantity is still available if you’d like your own copy!  You can get it at Bandcamp, and I’m getting a second copy while I still can.  Why?

  • Supporting independent artists is important.
  • Each tape comes hand-sealed in silver foil, with a sticker on the seam.
  • Cassette-only bonus tracks on the B-side!
  • Sensational packaging; chromed cassette shell.
  • Music that is truly out of this world.

Grace joined me on an impromptu short episode of Grab A Stack of Rock on Sunday afternoon, where she explained the creative process, the art, and other details.  Why cassette?  You’ll love the answer.  Also, find out what to do with an ornamental electric harp thingy if you want to have some fun with hacking!  Seriously!

Great little mini-episode!  Thank you Grace for sharing your time with us!

Pick up Landings on Bandcamp!

 

REVIEW: Grace Scheele – landings (2023 – side one)

GRACE SCHEELE – landings (2023 EP – cassette side one, and download)

I’m a sucker for a pretty tape.  This has to be the prettiest tape I’ve ever seen! Limited to 75 copies, I was very happy to participate in a Kickstarter from electroacoustic harpist Grace Scheele.  It’s called landings and, well, I think Grace says it best on her bandcamp:

“landings” centres on the real and imagined experience of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon; wielding bowed harp, electronic fx, and sampling from speeches, newsreels, mission audio, and NASA’s own interviews with those present at the historic newscast.  Ranging from the ethereally ambient to grinding, jarring industrial noise, the seven tracks across this debut EP represents an imagined journey into the darkness of space.

I’d call it a concept EP, based on that alone.  It’s a real listening experience, with elements that remind me of Pink Floyd, Star Trek, and War of the Worlds.  Some of the speeches and dialogue will be familiar, others will be novel.  There are sounds that, in my limited experience, I didn’t know you could make with a harp.  At 22 minutes, landings is easy to digest in a single sitting, and the download comes with a “gapless version” that enables just that.  The layers of harp, samples, and electronic sound build paint a sonic picture.  You can feel the tension of the launch!  I bet this sounds great with headphones.

The track “pomposity” has been getting some exposure, so if you only check out one track, try “pomposity” for a taste of what this is like.

Of course, the cassette itself will be fun once I have it out of the box, and will include three bonus tracks.  You know me and bonus tracks — Can’t wait to hear those!

I can’t wait until I get this tape unboxed, for which I will be joined on a live stream by Grace herself.  We’ll talk about the music, the artwork, the Kickstarter and of course the cassette itself.

Music like this is hard to rate, because I think it’s art, and what’s the point of rating a piece of art?  It either resonates with you or it doesn’t.  I find landings to be an innovative listening experience, unlike anything else in my collection, and I am looking forward to checking it out in different listening environments.  Headphones next, and then this summer, on the front porch of the cottage at sunset.

4.5/5 stars