A warm, filled-with-rich-tones reissue of one of the earliest tapes of Charlatan, the synthesizer project of Brad Rose, one of the most active and influential figures in contemporary experimental music. Following his acclaimed Triangles LP on his own Digitalis label, Equinox represents Rose's second vinyl release under his Charlatan moniker, offering a mesmerizing journey through synthclouds and starchords layered over a carpet of pristine white hiss. Originally released on cassette via House of Sun in 2009, Equinox showcases Rose's mastery of analog synthesizer composition during a particularly fertile period of his artistic development. The album captures the essence of cosmic ambient music through seven carefully crafted compositions that balance transcendent beauty with compositional sophistication. Each track unfolds as a distinct movement in a larger sonic narrative, from the grandiose opening statement of "Titans" to the psychedelic closer "From Dust."
Rose's approach to synthesis on Equinox demonstrates his deep understanding of both the technical and emotional possibilities of electronic music. The compositions breathe with organic warmth despite their electronic nature, achieved through Rose's careful attention to tape saturation and analog processing. This is synthesizer music that feels lived-in and human, where technical mastery serves the greater goal of creating genuinely moving musical experiences.
As the driving force behind Digitalis Industries and the influential Foxy Digitalis online magazine, Rose has established himself as both a tastemaker and a creative force in the experimental underground. His various collaborative projects, including Altar Eagle and numerous limited releases, have positioned him as one of the spearheads of the experimental scene over the past decade. Equinox represents one of the highlights from this prolific output, capturing Rose at a moment of particular creative clarity and vision.
The album's track titles — "Titans," "Pyramids," "Tetrahedron" — suggest architectural grandeur and cosmic scope, promises that the music more than fulfills. Opening with nine declamatory minutes of widescreen radiance in "Titans," the album establishes its ambitious scope before settling into more reflective territories with "Pyramids" and "Tetrahedron." The interplay between intensity and contemplation creates a dynamic listening experience that rewards both casual attention and deep focus.
"What a beautiful set of blissed-out synthesizer music this is from Digitalis label head Brad Rose under the Charlatan name. This aptly titled Equinox recording spreads seven sunblinded and starry-eyed settings across two twelve-inch sides." "Though the material is wholly keyboard-based, it's compositionally rich enough to render that detail moot, and one finds oneself repeatedly being swept up by the ravishing synthetic textures, as if one is warming one's ears before their radiant glow." — Textura
Edition of 300 copies.
Track A3 and track B3 are previously unreleased.
First 50 orders come with a bonus CD-r