THIEF · Bleed, Memory | TRANSPARENT ORANGE LP

Gatefold LP (orange transparent vinyl), paper sleeve, protection sleeve.

Dementia is a thief. It robs its victims piece by piece of their memory, identity, family and friends, and often enough even their human dignity. On their fourth full-length album, "Bleed, Memory" Los Angeles-based electronic experimentalists THIEF explore the theme of 'memory' both lyrically and musically, which runs as a bold dotted line throughout the album. The solo project's mastermind, Dylan Neal, was largely inspired for this album after witnessing his father, who had recently been diagnosed with dementia, transition from bouts of forgetfulness and confusion to acute episodes of false memories, delusions, visions, and strange behaviour. This makes "Bleed, Memory" a very personal creation and the experience has led Neal to question his own memories and explore how they shape his identity and reality. Memories are not just the stories we tell ourselves and others and this is evident in Neal's comparison of them to ghosts. Those have no corporal existence, yet scare those who believe in them. Once again, the backbone of THIEF is made up of sampled sacred chant music. Some were sampled from crate digging, and some recorded at various orthodox churches. These samples got stretched, cut, mangled, morphed, and pitched to function like its own ethereal instrument. Neal deliberately designed "Bleed, Memory" to sound haunted. One of the techniques that he used to achieve this effect is 'granular synthesis'. The more prominent use of granular synthesis on this record means that samples got split into small blips of audio, barely exceeding 100 milliseconds. This unique approach, amalgamating musical elements from ambient, industrial, choral music, black metal, and trip-hop, among other influences, into a new sonic experience, has long granted THIEF a cult status among the initiated. Neal once more recorded and mixed most of the album in his apartment. For the mastering he managed to win John Greenham again, whose collaborations include artists ranging from THE LOCUSTS and KATY PERRY to DEATH GRIPS, and who has received three Grammy Awards in 2019 that honoured his mastering for BILLIE EILISH. With "Bleed, Memory", THIEF deliver a dark yet beautiful artistic contemplation of a terrible affliction that is at the same time conveying anger, melancholy, sorrow, and loss as a Gesamtkunstwerk (synthesis of all arts) lyrically, musically, and visually. Beware this sonic ghost will haunt the memories of its listeners!

Tracklist:
01. Apparitions
02. Cinderland
03. Paramnesia
04. Pneuma Enthusiastikon
05. Prankquean
06 Dead Coyote Dreams
07. Bleed, Memory
08. Dulcinea
09. Behemouth
10.. Hexproof
11. Pissing
12. To Whom it May Concern

Background information about 'Bleed, Memory'

Gatefold LP (orange transparent vinyl), paper sleeve, protection sleeve

Manufacturer: ProMedia GmbH, Im Gartenfeld 1, 54516 Flußbach, Germany, Contact: prophecy.de