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Biome

by Llyr

supported by
Isa Najem
Isa Najem thumbnail
Isa Najem The album’s infectious nature seems to stem from the boldness to reinvent the sonic wheel, the physical exploration to collect auditory treasures, and to blend them in trance-like rhythms against organic textures. Biome has shed light on the symphonic cacophony rainforests have to offer of species who's voices I've never heard but now long to hear in person. I'd like to thank Llyr for positively influencing me as a composer, producer, environmentalist and most importantly, as a listener. :) Favorite track: Refuge of Majesty.
Dugo
Dugo thumbnail
Dugo There's no doubt that this album is a historic monument of electronic music, but it's ironic that in reality most of the album is made up of organic sounds. I listened to the album non-stop 1st song to the end while meditating, but in the middle, I was almost struck by the fantastic scenery of the virgin forest of Borneo. And as a music producer myself, I couldn't stop crying when I realized how meticulously and boldly Llyr poured his ideas and talents into every moment of the album. Favorite track: Intrusion #509.
Steve Kelly
Steve Kelly thumbnail
Steve Kelly Sublime album, in keeping with the quality that always comes from Mesh. Highly recommended x
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  • Streaming + Download

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    12" LP Eco-recycled vinyl
    180g
    Double sided printed art insert

    As we are using recycled vinyl every record will be unique, no two colours will be the same.
    All cardboard used is FSC certified.

    All tracks written, produced and mixed by Gareth Williams (Llyr)
    Sounds provided by the flora and fauna of Borneo
    Vocals on ‘Interject’ performed by Sean Phillips of Private Agenda
    Mastering by Chris McCormack at Blacklisted Mastering
    Additional mix support by Nicolas Bougaieff

    Artwork by Gareth Williams (Llyr) and Colin Droz
    Layout design by Colin Droz
    Additional design support from Jack Dominy
    ℗ 2021 Mesh © 2021 Gareth Williams (Llyr)

    Includes unlimited streaming of Biome via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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    Purchasable with gift card

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Encroachment 07:17

about

Constructed from a library of sounds collected by the artist in the rainforests of Borneo, Llyr’s debut album is an expansive documentation of natural beauty and human interference. Out July 29th on Max Cooper’s Mesh imprint, it is the first full-length album from the Berlin resident.

The result of painstakingly manipulating these recordings via a multitude of cutting edge production techniques, Biome is an expression of precarity and beauty. It invites the listener to be enveloped by Llyr’s augmented reality rendering of the tropical rainforest, one of the Earth’s most biodiverse and iconic biomes, and encourages them to consider our impact on the natural world.

Split into two sections - Pre-Anthropocene and Anthropocene - Biome tells its story with vast sonic ecosystems of molecular detail. Opening to the sounds of bird call, faint monkey hollers and the gentle crackling of mist-enshrouded trees, the album sets its tone with an archetypal impression of the jungle; one of instant familiarity. This is then expanded on across eight tracks, with the first four offering an abstract meditation on the marvels of nature, and the remainder of the album presenting a sonic vision of human interference - more chaotic and complicated than before.

Llyr’s recordings include signifiers of human presence left untouched as an integral part of the story, with natural phenomena manifesting in different ways on each track. The resulting creations are a testament to the inherent musicality of the natural world. ‘Courtship Signal’ uses a recording of frogs singing in Kubah National Park to map out the rhythms and pitches of its composition, reconstructing an exact structural replica of these mating calls before manipulating and recomposing. Elsewhere, ‘The Hawthorne Effect’ captures a swarm of insects engaging in a rare mating ritual, sampling both a collective hum and individual percussive moments to build an entire library of sound. Similarly, ‘Winged Chamber Music’ carves out a majestic sonic cave using recordings of water dripping and the chattering of bats pitched down to human hearing range. Having engaged wholeheartedly with these moments as they occurred, Llyr extracts themes and motifs with a sincere respect for their origins.

The first section is made in its entirety from Llyr’s own rainforest recordings with no use of drum machines, synths or samples. The recordings feature at every possible scale from macro to micro: unmodified binaural field recordings set the scene; granulated layers add pseudo-synthetic textural atmosphere; iteratively processed one-shots provide punctuation; and carefully designed custom instruments, forged from short fragments and cycles, express harmony and rhythm. The second half, heralding the arrival of humans, relaxes the rule book and a smattering of synthetic elements enter the fray to maximise visceral impact.

The resulting work is a debut album that considers extensive themes by weaving these rare recordings into a remarkably coherent sonic blueprint. Biome resonates as both an affecting listening experience and a thematic exploration of the changing world we inhabit.

credits

released July 29, 2021

All tracks written, produced and mixed by Gareth Williams (Llyr)
Sounds provided by the flora and fauna of Borneo
Vocals on ‘Interject’ performed by Sean Phillips of Private Agenda
Mastering by Chris McCormack at Blacklisted Mastering
Additional mix support by Nicolas Bougaieff

Artwork by Gareth Williams (Llyr) and Colin Droz
Layout design by Colin Droz
Additional design support from Jack Dominy
℗ 2021 Mesh © 2021 Gareth Williams (Llyr)

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about

Llyr Berlin, Germany

Llyr makes music and sonic ecosystems.

With one foot in the rave and the other committed to widescreen dynamics, dancefloor bangers sit side-by-side with textural ambient, sweeping harmonies and freeform electronica.

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