*100 copies limiteed edition* Bone Flower is the vinyl debut by Belgian musician Ben Van Houdt (Sitka), releasing solo work since 2015. Born from a decade of sound experiments, the album unfolds as a focused and emotionally charged performance, fusing modern classical elements with drone and minimalist composition. Centered around bowed guitar that drifts between the timbral spaces of cello and violin, its harmonic textures are shaped by magnetic tape and decaying sound structures, creating moments of collapse that never fully give in to noise. Instead, Sitka leans into beauty – finding balance in deterioration, harmony in abrasion and elegance in imperfection. Recorded during a period in which Van Houdt faced the possible loss of his ability to play music, Bone Flower channels these events – rooted in melancholy.
Finding out I had a bone tumor growing in my left hand, I thought I’d never play music again. Or at least, not in the same way. And that’s how it felt for a long time. In this deeply vulnerable space I was struck with the image of my finger consuming itself and blooming like a flower of death. It set me on a path to where the heart burns brightest, leaving a faint trail of the darkest red witnessing the bones of things. A body that wonders and yearns.
Performed and recorded to 1/4 inch tape during 2023-2025 by Ben Van Houdt using bowed guitar, oscillators, tape machines, reel to reel recorders, preamps and effects.
Mastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri at Black Knoll (NY).