Obscura, by Alargo

Obscura

by Alargo

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$15 NZD or more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Presented as a beautiful hardcover artbook

Includes digital pre-order of Obscura. The moment the album is released you’ll get unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus a high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Includes unlimited streaming of Obscura via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 7 days

$45 NZD or more

1.	Rangitoto 07:36	buy track
2.	M31 09:49	buy track
3.	Maungakiekie 06:28	buy track
4.	Vestiges 06:39	buy track
5.	Stasis 08:50	buy track

about

"Experimentation is at the heart of this – but never in any alienating sense. The music is clean and easy to follow, easy to feel, and so easy to get lost in…I play this album for hours on repeat. Can there be a better recommend than that? In my world, no."
Simon Sweetman
March 03, 2022
Off The Tracks
offthetracks.co.nz/alargo-obscura/

With firm roots in improvised music, Alan Brown and Kingsley Spargo have confidently cut their own distinctive paths, but their collaboration as Alargo offers even greater fluidity and freedom of expression. As Spargo says, "We take listeners on a journey that's new for them because it's new for us."

The music on Obscura is conceptualised to favour space, texture, and atmosphere over usual composition forms such as melody and tempo. Alargo records live with no overdubs, which allows for a deeper exploration of their creative spontaneity, and free rein for instinct and inspiration.

Obscura builds on the groundwork established on previous releases, Central Plateau (2016) and Primacy (2017), and is the most crystallised expression of their creative explorations to date. The performances on Obscura were faithfully captured by recording engineer Matt Hammond, and the delicate art of balancing disparate synthetic and acoustic sounds was masterfully achieved through the sage ears of Paul Streekstra, whose contribution to all three albums has helped manifest beauty and tension through an intuitive understanding of Alargo's creative vision.

credits

released October 21, 2021

Kingsley Spargo (trumpet, tuba, pūmoana, vocals)
Alan Brown (keyboards, iPads)

released October 21, 2021 on Rattle (rattle.co.nz)

Produced by Alargo
Recorded by Matt Hammond at Tin Dolphin Music Studio, January 2020 (tindolphin.com)
Mixed by Paul W. Streekstra at Bird Song Audio (birdsongaudio.com)
Mastered by Angus McNaughton at Auralux Mastering
Cover photography by Angus McNaughton (angusmcnaughton.com)

All compositions © Alan Brown and Kingsley Melhuish, 2021
all rights reserved

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about

Alargo Auckland, New Zealand

Multi-instrumentalists Kingsley Melhuish and Alan Brown juxtapose natural and manipulated sounds ‘live’ with no overdubs. A disparate sound palette of brass, conch, percussion, synth, loops, and effects weave together to create evocative, cinematic soundscapes.

Taking inspiration from Brian Eno, Aphex Twin to Norwegians Jan Bang and Arve Henriksen; Alargo produce elegant, haunting music. ... more

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discography

Obscura

Oct 2021
Primacy

Sep 2017
Central Plateau

Nov 2016

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Alargo recommends:

Silent Observer
by Alan Brown

Alan's solo project was met to critical acclaim. This album features his sublime and transfixing improvised piano compositions. Alargo
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Chasing Spirits
by Kingsley Spargo

With some sublime songwriting, the Alargo sensibility comes through with Kingsley's stunning vocal delivery, and Alan's perfectly sympatico piano playing. Alargo
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