Steve Roach -- the endlessly meditative thread

I actually don't own any Eno. I have some Harold Budd that I enjoy, so I was thinking of getting one of their collaborations as a good Eno starting point, but somehow I keep putting it off.

get The Plateaux of Mirror right now.

music 4 airports > on land

yes

no

I love Music for Airports, but I find On Land a lot more interesting. Maybe for a nice, calming ambient album MfA works better, but On Land has this uneasiness to it that I find pretty fascinating -- it's so wonderfully dark and eerie.

i've given 'dreamtime return' a listen to tonight. i thought the first half of it was godly, then, i don't know. . . the second half just kind of went nowhere for me. i know i'll have to give this another listen or two, but if that's what i just got from this album right now, could anybody tell me if i should seek out anything else he's done? i mean, i really do enjoy this kind of shiftless new age-y ambience, but that did become a bit trying after a while. maybe it was my own fault for just sitting down and taking it all in at once?

can be easy to overdose on this stuff, though enough of Roach's records are different to justify owning several (of the dozens)

it's always time to listen to tod dockstader's 'aerial 1' again, though it was composed decades after roach hit his stride, which is a big part of the reason I learned to <3 steve roach, time is on his side

get The Plateaux of Mirror right now.

and then get The Pearl

do not pass Go, do not collect $200

Well what a coincidence - I've been listening to a lot of Steve Roach recently. I can't say I'd recommend any more than any other (that's helpful of me isn't it) but I will say you can really do some serious zoning out to it and that's fine by me.

His latest on Projekt, Dynamic Stillness, has one of the darkest sounding beginnings I've heard from him yet. Pretty dramatic statement of purpose (and matched by the artwork, which like the music makes me think a bit of Thomas Köner's work, if more by association).

Count me as a fan, primarily of Roach's 4th World ambient side. This album, in particular, is tremendously effective at evoking amelodic twilight rituals in the late Pleistocene, with much amanita muscaria:

Steve Roach - Origins (1993)
http://img.digitroc.com/cd/569/L145141.jpg

It's sorta lost amongst his mountain of releases and collaborations, but to me this is the album where he achieved exactly the production ambiance he was aiming at post-Dreamtime Return. About of a third of his albums since have been variations on its formula.

When I hear Roach's name, I always think of those terrible AMG writers who end every review with: "This is essential e-music."

Ran across a box of old tapes I recorded off the radio from when I was in high school. Most of them were things like the Dr. Demento show, KLOS' "The Seventh Day" (seven albums in their entirety!), but I had a couple tapes of KSPC's electronic music show - one of shows featured most of Roach's album Traveller. Definitely wears its Klaus Schulze influence on its sleeve, but it's a tremendous album.

If it's the droney side of Roach you're looking for, check out Robert Rich, especially "Trances/Drones." I drift off to that nearly as often as Budd and/or Eno.

Also, Jeff Greinke's "Cities in Fog"--music inspired by late night walks in the industrial outskirts of Seattle and the drone of trucks on distant highways at 3 a.m.

I've listened to a good amount of Steve Roach and one I just got off emusic called "Life Sequence" from 2003 is one of the best. It is kind of a modern return to the rolling German 70s style of repetitive rolling sequencer music that Schulze and Tangerine Dream would do and Roach did earlier in his career except with modern production sounds.

It is really excellent.

absolutely the best music for driving around in southern california thinkin about your LIFE. for real. not bad for doing so in other states either but A+++ for doin this in california.

my favorite one for the last two years has been "Immersion: One" -- his first one where it's basically just an absolutely motionless pad, no chords changes, no events, nothing happens or changes for 73:16 -- I bought Two & Three as well, it's the same approach but I can't make it all the way through those, but One is a thing

I tried 'Dreamtime Return' again last year and it's still a little too glossy for me, when I try to sleep to it I get worn down instead of relaxed, it's almost like there's -too much- going on in it. still listening to Karma Moffett's 'Golden Bowls of Compassion' about every single day.

you know what needs a reissue? http://www.discogs.com/Geoffrey-Chandler-Starscapes/release/664130 -- recorded after hours at Orban in 1980

Structures from Silence impressed me when I was previewing it on iTunes. Actually, I'm a little pissed right now that so little of his stuff is on Spotify and MOG. I just wanna be like, "People, services like these are what your music is made for!"

you know what needs a reissue? http://www.discogs.com/Geoffrey-Chandler-Starscapes/release/664130 -- recorded after hours at Orban in 1980

Recorded and mixed at Orban Recording, Menlo Park, California using a Moog synthesizer with extensive outboard processing equipment, including custom multiple-delay-line analog time-base process, custom voltage-controlled narrowband and wideband frequency shifters, parametric equalizer and reverberation. Mixed through the Orban Stereo Matrix, which creates stereo space and depth effects.

I bought Structures From Silence today on iTunes -- I'm a huge sucker for endlessly shifting analog pads. Sounds to me based on the articles I've read the last few weeks that the guy is an Oberheim Xpander ninja of sorts -- this record would seem to be evidence of that.

I've had a bit harder of a time digging into The Magnificent Void tho I definitely appreciate it for its...emptiness. This is one that actually is on Spotify so I'd like to give it a few more chances.

Another I've poked around on iTunes with is Empetus -- one of his more Berlin-ish sequencer outings from the mid-80s. The reissue has another CD of long sequencer tracks he did in 1982. Clips make it sound good -- presumably on his ARP 2600.

Apparently if you buy CDs from his site he'll apparently autograph them! Not sure that's enough to make me pile yet more CDs into my house -- but I'd still like to hear more.

A healthy approach.

Cool piece on the 30th anniversary of Structures:

http://m.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/celebrating-the-silences/Content?oid=4074680

And here's my own on same!

http://www.wonderingsound.com/review/steve-roach-structures-silence-30th-anniversary-deluxe-remastered-edition/

Good piece, Ned.

Thoughts on the two other discs? Liner notes?

I admit that I haven't yet quite *gotten* Roach's immersive thing just yet – and that part of what I love about this record is that it has layers upon layers of what is, at the end of the day, a distinctively Oberheim sound.

The original edit mentions the extra two discs more -- also lovely but, I think enjoyably and appropriately, different from the original; he didn't try and recreate the sound but sought to explore the same themes from his point of view from where he more currently stands.

Been listening to my (older) Projekt re-release of Structures from Silence and wondering if it is worth ordering the deluxe edition or just snagged some other Roach back catalog stuff I've missed. I get enough shit for buying more than one Steve Roach album, imagine if they find out I'm buying the same one twice. Actually it won't surprise anyone at this point.

Part of me thinks, "Gee, I really love SfS, I wish he recorded more stuff like it" – which it course makes me think I should buy the set as well...

New tracks not really like SfS at all, instantly spotable as recent output.

I got a copy of 'Dynamic Stillness' last year at the Hearts of Space festival in San Rafael and it's solid recent Roach, same textures as the Immersions but with much more in the way of slow harmonic changes & melodies.

Been listening to a lot of Jorge Reyes recently and have just gotten around to the two Suspended Memories collaborations with Roach. Maybe a little less deep than Reyes on his own but still pretty great.

I have his iPhone app

I got that triple CD a couple years ago or was it a quadruple

fuck yes to Steve Roach

That Hearts and Space festival was called Ambicon 2013. Rad.

looks like Ambicon 2014's in Helsinski :(

Your (free to download, or send him a few bucks for it) Blood Moon soundtrack:

http://steveroach.bandcamp.com/album/bloodmoon-rising

Future Flows from a few years back was available for free until a few days ago:

https://projektrecords.bandcamp.com/album/future-flows

I usually grab them when I get an email about the free ones. This one was quite good I thought – pure electronic spaciness.

Steve Roach is just plugged in. Following him for a few years, it's pretty astounding how much music he creates. He's not just doing 45 minutes and out in a club either, the guy is like let's do a three day getaway and play the entire time.

There are descriptions that the guy will setup sequences in a room and just keep them running over and over. Every now and then he wanders in and changes the sequence and then moves on to working on something else while the sequence just keeps moving.

He's like an old jazz guy in that he does alot of jam records with other artists. They get into a room, hit record and out of the session comes a record.

Yeah in terms of consistency as well as range within the form I'd place him among my favorite musicians now.

Been listening to lots of the deep void stuff -- Mystic Chords, BLOODMOON RISING 1+3, Future Flows. Another Bandcamp freebie he released a few years ago, Sigh of Ages, is a bit more along the lines of Structures from Silence -- less black hole emptiness and more cascading analog textures using ARP String Ensemble. I like it.

Feel like seeing this guy live would be a pretty great (three day) experience. How often does he venture out of his desert fortress?

In the early 1980s, KSPC in Claremont used to have a late-Sunday night electronic music show. Listened to it all the time - I remember hearing Traveller on it when it first came out and to me it just obvious that Roach was resolutely looking outward and not turning around. His recent work has just been outstanding. Would love to go to one of these desert shows.

ILM road trip!

Sigh of Ages is pretty amazing - a lot more movement than Structures but a pretty incredible vibe

I mentioned this over on the Frippertronics thread ... but it's actually maybe a bit more relevant to this one. I've been listening to a ton of Fripp's "Soundscapes" recordings the last several days -- less charitably, they could be described as the digital descendent of Frippertronics. But they actually share a lot in common with Roach's space void music (one reason I suspect the two collaborated) -- big, swelling things that go on for a long, long time and put you in a really different listening space. And the more I listen to them, the more I really like the textures Fripp creates.

Like Roach, Fripp has recorded far more of this stuff than he could ever hope to release in a physical package, so he's taken advantage of putting this music online -- in his case on DGM Live. There are some good freebies (some of which sound a little like Fripp's ode to Eno's Neroli album) but one of the better (and more Roach-y) ones to pay for is his concert at the World Trade Center in November, 2000 -- there are several really long pieces that just build and build. Can be found here: http://www.dgmlive.com/archive.htm?artist=14&show=925

New releases on Bandcamp, and he's making this one name-your-price for the next couple of days:

https://steveroach.bandcamp.com/album/fade-to-gray

Grabbed it, haven't listened yet.

For those who are interested, Roach did a nice Q&A with the gear sluts over at Gearslutz in September. Covers lots of technical questions as well as some philosophical ones:

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/q-steve-roach/

Hey, new interview with the man on Bandcamp:

https://daily.bandcamp.com/2017/02/08/steve-roach-interview/

Great to see -- a little jealous I didn't think to pitch one earlier!

And as it turns out -- did a really great interview with the man for RBMA. It'll be running soon, will post here when it does!

His surprise birthday release earlier this month, The Passing, is yet another fantastic effort. The man's quality control in combination with his rate of releases is just astonishing.

Oh nice! I will keep an eye out for it.

Still think we need an ILM Desert Road Trip to see this guy...

looking forward to your interview ned. amazing you were able to keep your composure. i would've been like "uh, so.... do you like voids *twirls phone cord around finger*"

Hahah. One of the easiest interviews I've ever done -- gave very long, thoughtful answers on some big questions about his work. And if I had more time I could have asked a lot more (really wanted to get into his collaborative process, since he's worked with so many people).

shh i'm trying to keep up the illusion that when steve roach opens his mouth a pure and endless sound issues from it

And having promised, here's my interview with the man. Easily one of my favorite pieces I've ever done.

http://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2017/03/steve-roach-interview?linkId=35319969

structures from silence absolutely slaps

His music really clicked for me when I learned that his studio is in Tucson. Its a nice translation of the feeling I had when I lived there and would drive home up into the mountains at dawn with my ears ringing from a warehouse show.

My copy just arrived and I'm very much looking forward to reading this. I came to him via being really into Jorge Reyes which led me to Suspended Memories and then to SR's solo work, though I feel I have only scratched the surface of his discography.

structures from silence so beautiful, i think i've begun dabbling in others but really need to amp that up

Projekt records are a good follow on bandcamp as most of the back catalogue is on name your price costs.

which means its easier to drop £1-5 on a digital download, Structures from Silence is still a great start.

His 2021 Michael Stearns collab is recommended.

structures from silence absolutely slaps

I'm not sure that's the right word in this case. "Structures from Silence absolutely gently brushes your cheek"?

lol

Quick note for any Bay Area friends that I have guest list space for Roach's Grace Cathedral show this Saturday -- give me a shout if you're interested!

Alas, already bought my tix, see you there

Looking forward!

Phew, great performance last night indeed, we had a mini ILX coffee klatch in the back with lukas, beard papa and myself. A wonderful two hour trip.

Well damn, missed this thread and went to the show last night, it was absolutely fantastic!

Yeah remarkably compelling over that two hours. He seems to know what he's doing.

The projected lighting was one of the more beautiful accompaniments to a show I've ever seen, and that's saying something. Seemed like Roach performed a bunch of stuff spanning his career then ended on Structures From Silence.

He mentioned in a quick email to me that they loaded in at 10 am and worked to get the sound right up through 5:45 pm — all time worth spending, you could feel that all the way to the back where we were at!

I wasn't even on anything for that show and the visuals made me feel like I was hallucinating so I had to close my eyes for a lot of the performance. What a great show.

Truly! Had some thoughts:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/some-weekly-111-102230898

Hah, I was listening for the "gentle fanfare" too.

Real fun new release from him -- it's his set opening for Blood Incantation at their record release show in Boulder:

https://steveroach.bandcamp.com/album/crossing-the-bridge-live-in-boulder

As he says, basically the idea was to take folks on a trip in a concentrated hour-long space for a crowd that would hopefully be receptive but not necessarily familiar with him. I remember him talking about becoming friends with them when we did our Wire interview and it was great to see that this had happened!

he took the stage with Pallbearer last night in Tucson, playing some didgeridoo.

oops not last night, it was a few days ago.

Steve's hanging in the live chat for the listening party for the new album, just started a few minutes ago (gorgeous stuff btw)

https://steveroach.bandcamp.com/live/the-reverent-sky-listening-party

also, JMK interview recently published: https://toneglow.substack.com/p/tone-glow-180-steve-roach

anyone seen "Life in the Soundcurrent"?

New album indeed great, was listening to it earlier.

anyone seen "Life in the Soundcurrent"?

Yup, watched it in advance of the big Wire interview I did with him -- he kindly sent a private link. Good little overview, it doesn't delve into everything and anything -- just an hour long -- but it's a solid portrait of a particular artist in his moment, and really 'places' him in where he lives and works.

Blood Incantation guitarist has just released a CD of ambient 70s synth/guitar Jams on Projekt Records.

No Vinyl, but name your own price this weekend...

This is like the drone equivalent of Led Zep and Sabbath playing a double bill.

William Basinski & Steve Roach
May 1, 2026 - Tucson

Anyone from ILM that goes, please report.

My 83 year old dad lives in Tucson. Last year I mentioned that Steve Roach lives in Tucson too, and he told me he saw him and a bunch of other electronic artists live at a six hour shoe at Club Congress. There is apparently some overlap between the archery community and the ambient music community.

Hahah amazing. Anyway tell your dad to go that show for me.