WHICH WAY TO LEAVE | VINYL RECORD (LP)

Which Way To Leave? is the latest record by Stockholm based musician John Chantler. The self-reflexive sequencing that tracks the sub-harmonic series in the opening blast of "Falling Forward" positions the record as Chantler's most explicitly melodic. These melodies however do not exist in a mono-dimensional vacuum, rather they co-exist in a meshed framework of dynamic layers of timbre. The record's abrupt cuts, deft variations of density and unexpected diversions are happily explored with head-long dives into ravishing texture and extended stretches of surface stasis. The music draws on a domestic reimagining of the traditions of studio based electronic music/musique concrete and 20th century minimalism and delivers this with brash revitalized energy. Born out of his relocation to Stockholm, following an extended period in London, Which Way To Leave? bares the marks of senses attuned to new environments and spaces. Recorded for the most part at Chantler's home studio, additional material was recorded at Elektronmusikstudion (EMS). It features guest appearances by Carina Thorén (For Barry Ray) and cellist Okkyung Lee. Still Light, Outside his fourth LP released in 2015 is an extended suite that combines passages of stark minimalism centered at the bodily invasive extremes of the pipe organ's register with striking explosions of color; massed chords shot through with heavy distortion and electronics that operate according to their own dream logic. It was described as "strikingly beautiful" by The Guardian. Chantler's three previous LPs were all released on Room 40. Even Clean Hands Damage the Work (RM 459LP, 2014) included the first output from his time at EMS. It followed The Luminous Ground - released in 2011 and was included in The Wire magazine's top releases of that year. The Luminous Ground was his first LP release focusing on the modular synthesizer system he first explored as part of the trio LP with Lawrence English and Tujiko Noriko.