Edu Comelles - Still Life
On Still Life, Valencia’s Edu Comelles explores shattered tones and microscopic textures, stitching his jagged pieces of ambient back together and creating something positive out of ruin. Fluid Audio continues to delicately traverse a terrain of fragility and transience, but a wider theme of rebirth encircles Still Life’s thoughtful music; a phoenix of hope after a period of brokenness and desolation.
Sound design requires meticulous detail, and Comelles has always excelled in this area. He’s sensitive to each and every moment, and his bright ambient music bears the fruit of patience. Still Life zooms further in on the microscopic, but he passes through tonal-tributaries with a great amount of tenderness and affection. Broken places are teachers, and Comelles, through these intimate tones, gathers himself and his music, literally picking up the pieces before being able to stand upright, without weakness, in the full light of day once again. Character is forged and then strengthened in moments such as these. Still Life is a place of rest, but not of pause. The music is still moving and the leaves are still swirling; with or without them, life is continuing on. The music’s breathing is another sign of mortal delicacy, and the music takes into account the art style of still life in that its camera zooms in and alights on the beautiful in closer detail.
The growing distortion of ‘Lament’ doesn’t break up the delicate feeling, although things are close to snapping. Crackles around the edge hint at some kind of acidic breakdown, a rapid dissolving, but growth can only proceed from erosion and begin from an ending; the soil is the birthplace of a future flower. In some ways, Still Life takes a philosophical and spiritual approach. Its drones are long sustains, forever thoughtful and forever faithful, but still imbued with tonal weakness. In fact, this weakness becomes its strength. ‘This Winter Sun’ is a prime example of fragility, as its weak light does nothing to dispel the February frost. As part of the packaging, old antique books were taken apart and reassembled to make something beautiful, mirroring the music's desire to rise once again. Still Life is placed on display for all to experience.
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Made by hand,
Vintage (circa:1880-1950) hardback clothbound books that have been re-assembled into CD covers using luxury binding cloth.
Each copy also includes 20-30 pages of writing held in place with book-binding screws
25 x luxury A7 prints
Library cards
3 x finger printed CDs
Vintage book-marks
Stamped / hand numbered / scented
All of the above rests inside stitched / sealed wax bags
Download code
Limited to 100 copies
Made with love...
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Of Course, But Maybe / 6:52
Composed mixed and arranged by Edu Comelles using only samples for a small wood kalimba and field recordings. Originally composed at El Polell, Montseny (Catalonia) during Summer 2018.
Still Life / 4:48
Composed mixed and arranged by Edu Comelles using only cello samples recorded by Sara Galán back in 2014 and field recordings.
This Winter Sun / 7:35
Composed mixed and arranged by Edu Comelles using synths and field recordings. Additional piano by Isabel Latorre recorded at Catarroja Conservatory on January 2019. Work originally commissioned by Domenech Vidal wine cellar at Penedés region (Catalonia).
The Sweet Hereafter / 6:50
Composed mixed and arranged by Edu Comelles using only samples from an early recording of the Organ at Logroño Cathedral. Original field recording can be heard in 2013 Comelles album "Camino, Parte Primera". Accordion recording by Isabel Latorre in 2019.
Lament / 10:12
Composed mixed and arranged by Edu Comelles using samples from rehearsals with Música Trobada Ensemble of Baroque Music. Samples feature harpsichord, violins and countertenor voice. Electric bass by Isabel Latorre recorded in Valencia in 2019.
a Lisbon Story / 1:46
An improvised and serendipitous recording of portuguese singer Felicia Mar done at Mãe d'Água in Lisbon, Portugal, during Lisboa Soa Festival.
Maestrat / 11:36
Composed mixed and arranged by Edu Comelles using field recordings of a fence being blown by the wind and voice by Isabel Latorre.
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Thanks:
Thanks to Sara Galán, Felicia Mar, Francesc Valldecabres and Musica Trobada and specially thanks to Isabel Latorre for her kindness and generosity. This album is dedicated to all musicians which whom I have collaborated and learnt over the years, specially those who kindly allowed me to tinker with their own sounds.