photos by Alex Jackson
“…MARTIN HOWTH’s experimentation with looped vocals recorded live in diverse locations absolutely works wonders.” – Everything Is Noise
Distant Dissonance, the fascinating new album from eclectic A Capella soloist MARTIN HOWTH, is now streaming exclusively at Everything Is Noise ahead of its release this Friday on Nefarious Industries.
MARTIN HOWTH is the solo looping project of jazz vocalist Audra Mariel based in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. The music has been described as ethereal, even meditative, but also features catchy hooks and thoughtful lyrics. Using a loop station housed in a signature green suitcase, MARTIN HOWTH loops and layers vocals to weave harmonic and lyrical tapestries. All loops are generated live without the use of pre-recorded tracks nor digital effects, other than the looping effect itself; varied sound is achieved solely through using and exploring the voice as an instrument. Surrounded by several singles and collaborations, MARTIN HOWTH’s The Wayward Warbler debut EP was released in 2018, and now the expansive debut full-length Distant Dissonance arrives.
A collection of live takes recorded in various historic spaces, each song on Distant Dissonance was recorded in a different New Jersey location on either the Georgian Court University campus (the former Gould Estate) in Lakewood, or in the Historic Strauss Mansion Museum in Atlantic Highlands. Because MARTIN HOWTH is a project where vocals are always looped live in performance, recording live takes in unique spaces were an interesting way to create a record with the intent to achieve an authenticity that might be lost on a tracked studio recording.
Distant Dissonance was recorded by MARTIN HOWTH and Alex Jackson and mixed and mastered by Michael Flannery (Jumping Giant), and the cover art features a collage by Corrine Henn with additional artwork by Daimon Santamaria. While difficult to pinpoint its exact genre or style, fans of Björk, Fiona Apple, Tune Yards, Dirty Projectors, Alous Harding, and The Dead Singer should not miss out on this album.
MARTIN HOWTH reveals, “The album, Distant Dissonance, is a collection of live takes recorded in various historic spaces; each song was recorded in a different location on either the Georgian Court University campus (the former Gould Estate) in Lakewood, New Jersey, or in the Historic Strauss Mansion Museum in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. Because MARTIN HOWTH is a project where vocals are always looped live in performance, recording live takes in unique spaces felt like an interesting way to create a record with the intent to achieve an authenticity that might be lost on a tracked studio recording. Recording live takes requires one to cultivate a certain level of patience and simultaneously release some of the perfectionism that might be part of a typical recording session. Being in each of these unique spaces made this process an exploratory one, where I could discover how the sound of each room and the energy of the space shaped the performance of a song.”
Everything Is Noise writes, “Having given the album a listen, I can happily report that MARTIN HOWTH’s experimentation with looped vocals recorded live in diverse locations absolutely works wonders. Every song feels distinct and has its own unique personality, from the lush, soothing choir of voices that come together for closing track ‘Golden Mean’ to the spoken word ode to home ‘Magic House’, featuring the sounds of wind, insects, and a chatty cat. The lyricism throughout is thoughtful, and the slow build of every song all but assures that listeners open to the approach will be fully engrossed in the album front to back. It’s an airy album that feels plaintively honest, expertly crafted, and is just a joy to listen to.”
Listen to MARTIN HOWTH’s Distant Dissonance early courtesy of Everything Is Noise RIGHT HERE.
Distant Dissonance will be released as a 2xLP cut at 45RPM and digitally on April 19th. Preorders and more can be found at Nefarious Industries where the video for “Dear Dorine” is also playing HERE.
Watch for additional videos from Distant Dissonance to post shortly.
Following a release show for the record last week, MARTIN HOWTH continues booking new live performances supporting the album. Additional shows are currently being planned into the Summer months.
MARTIN HOWTH Live:
5/18/2024 Rahway Library – Rahway, NJ w/ Boy vs. Ghost
6/15/2024 Asbury Underground @ Art 629 Gallery – Asbury Park, NJ
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The post MARTIN HOWTH: Everything Is Noise Hosts Exclusive Stream Of Distant Dissonance LP By Eclectic New Jersey A Cappella Soloist; Album Sees Release Friday On Nefarious Industries first appeared on Earsplit Compound.