The austere cover made me curious as to which form this release would take. Could it be minimalist? Maybe it would be something heavier. This release is a split between Jeremy Kelly and Chapels, on House of Alchemy. House of Alchemy is a wonderful, fecund label. Travelers who have passed through the house include Dreamcolour; Parashi; Venn Rain; Fossils from the Sun; Rambutan; Burnt Hills; Century Plants; VxPxC and other notable artists. As I opened the door, and gently walked into the august light of the house, the sweet sounds of Jeremy Kelly and Chapels made everything lucid.
Jeremy Kelly lays down three tracks to tape here - one with electric guitar and two with acoustic guitar. The first track is an electric mantra. It opens with some effects before wet strings echo into the atmosphere, summoning kindred spirits. The latter two tracks on the A side are excellent - two idyllic tracks of finger-picked guitar. Jeremy's playing is really good on these tracks, giving me visions of Chasny. These tracks remind me of Eugene, Oregon, my second home. The third track adds percussive instruments and slide guitar, though I might be wrong. For those familiar with Jeremy's work, this is on par with his excellent releases on Tape Drift, Stunned and Sweat Lodge Guru.
Chapels is Adam Richards, the man at the House of Alchemy. Adam lays down three tracks, the first two - Where is Everyone I and II - of which are excellent. The B side starts off with woozy, aching strings, searching for light in a vacuum. Loops are used to great effect, which augment the strings and gives the music a sense of immediacy. The second track - my favorite on the B side - feels like a journey in which there is low visibility, literally being in the moment and the music acting as the path. An electronic amalgamation of sounds signals the end. Check out Adam's other releases on Stunned, Peasant Magik, 905, Tape Drift and other excellent labels.
When one has bathed in the august light and consumed the nectar in the House of Alchemy, the only option is to return in reverence. Sounds from Jeremy Kelly's side will appear soon. This tape can be purchased directly from House of Alchemy.
Peace
