DATE PALMS Music for the rainforests of the moon, coming straight out of Oakland CA. Date Palms is the duo of Marielle Jakobsons and Gregg Kowalsky. The two have birthed a suite of slowed-down music of the spheres, a canopy of glowing fog in which a heavy narcotic bass pulse keeps the roots straight into the earth. It’s a heady mix of alap paced violin phrases, jewel toned keys, harp swells, distorted tapes and ever present bass waves all crafted with precision detail in a humid space that leaves a dreamy imprint in the mind long after waking. Although separately Jakobsons and Kowalsky have made inroads into these types of landscapes before (Gregg with his Tape Chants series & Marielle with MYRMYR & Darwinsbitch), nothing really compares the world of Date Palms that the two created together with its perfect balance of micro & macro, inner & outer, cosmic & earth bound, casting some sort of old world magic on everyone within range. Date Palms released their acclaimed debut “Of Psalms” on Root Strata in 2010 and follow this with “Honey Devash”, released on Mexican Summer in August 2011.

Date Palms recently opened up for Godspeed You! Black Emperor and played shows with Sun Araw, Best Coast, Grouper, Pocahaunted, Barn Owl, Nadja, the Alps. They tour Europe for the first time in the autumn of 2011.

Date Palms website



ALEXANDER TUCKER

British experimental musician Alexander Tucker released his Thrill Jockey debut ‘Dorwytch’ in April 2011. Dorwytch is a beautiful collection of songs, which show Alexander Tucker at the height of his creative talents. The record breaks new ground for Tucker by combining minimalist string arrangements with electronic manipulations and drones to produce doom chamber-pop songs and psychedelic music-concrete collages. He is capable of creating immense sounds on such a grand scale that it is astounding to realize that it is (mostly) all the work of just one man. This album will beguile and entice the listener, placing Tucker at the forefront of the experimental pop landscape.

Tucker’s sound has developed over the last ten years since his first self-titled solo album released on Jackie O Motherfucker’s U-Sound Archives label. He went on to combine compositional song structures, drones, layered vocals and improvisations on his 2005 album Old Fog released on ATP Recordings. This collection of spectral moods, eerie landscapes and fragile emotions was followed by Furrowed Brow (2006) and Portal (2008), where the songs and melodies became more pronounced, whilst infecting the tracks with underlying drone currents, traditional finger-picking, doom riffs and David Crosby inspired harmonies.

Alexander Tucker’s next album will be released on Thrill Jockey in 2012.

In addition to being a solo artist Tucker continues to collaborate with Daniel Beban (Orchestra Of Spheres) in their tape loop project Imbogodom (also on Thrill Jockey) as well as ongoing collaborations with Stephen O’Malley (Ginnungagap) and Daniel O’Sullivan (Guapo, Aethanor, Miracles, Ulver). Tucker is also a visual artist, creating artwork for all of his album covers and side projects, including ongoing paintings drawings, and comic artwork.

Alexander Tucker on the Thrill Jockey website

JASMINA MASCHINA

Jasmine Guffond relocated to Berlin, Germany from Sydney, Australia with her experimental electronic duo MINIT (Sigma Editions/Staubgold). Firmly rooted in experimental electronics with an equal dedication to song, composition and free improvised music, as Jasmina Maschina she began recording songs in her Berlin homes producing her debut solo album, 'The Demolition Series', in 2008, for the German label Staubgold. Followed by touring throughout Europe, China and Australia, in 2010, Jasmina Maschina released a split LP/CD, 'City Splits #1 Berlin' with Golden Diskó Ship on Monika Enterprise.

In September 2011 she released "Alphabet Dream Noise" on Staubgold, her second full-length album which continues her brave expedition into a musical dreamland as yet unknown. Firmly rooted in experimental electronics with an equal dedication to song, Jasmina’s folk soundscapes transport you into her beautiful world of sonic adventure, strong emotions, electronics, songs and deep love.

Jasmina Maschina on Myspace