Sound artist and composer Liew Niyomkarn invites us back into her shimmering, dreamlike universe with her second release on Chinabot, In all possible places at once. Spoken word interludes drift through warm electronic tones and strains of traditional instrumentation to create a record that explores dimensionality – of space, of time, of self.
“I started recording zither, lyre, and handcrafted string instruments designed by Yuri Landman in my home in Brussels without any intentional duration or particular structure,” she says. “I only wanted to feel the delicate resonance of those instruments, tuned specifically, bouncing back and forth between my bedroom walls.”
Building on her acclaimed previous release, In All Possible Places At Once, she returns to the deeply personal sphere of family and memory, using field recordings of family gatherings in Thailand as she created the album back in Brussels.
“Composing this album felt like being in a liminal space, feeling in-between and finding a connection between places and many homes, sensing belonging or a physical transactional exchange of time,” says Liew.
Sliding synths build tension or drift out in waves, bells intertwine with the sounds of birds calling. New tunings and compositional methods appear, drawing from the work of Glenn Branca to traditional music in Southeast Asia; using lap steel and a zither, she experimented with Sonic Youth’s tunings, tuning off a D for a divided harmonic effect.
Yet most tracks rely on human connection and serendipity. A steel hand drum is heard at Bird's house, one that she found and began playing with while visiting her friend Bird in his home studio, bringing the record back to the importance of real-world textures and relationships. Rigor and spontaneity interplay in Liew’s work, reflecting her ability to meld her intellectual subjectivity with the air around her, a space that can generously hold the listener too.
releases August 20, 2024
Artist: Liew Niyomkarn
Album: in all possible places at once
Format: Digital / Tape
Cat.No: CHI051
Master: Justin Randel
Artwork: Saphy Vong
Release Date: 20 August 2024
Track 2 -- Shiny, soft, and clear. Recorded Hammond orgel at WORM studio, Rotterdam
Track 4 -- Roots. Recorded YAMAHA CS-60 at WORM studio, Rotterdam
Track 10 -- at bird's house --- bird's tongue drum.
Track 11 -- Denser medium. Recorded Hammond orgel at WORM studio, Rotterdam
Track 12 -- In collaboration with Galaxy
Track 13 -- Ritual of the boat -- extracted sample of Kaphe Ruea ( กาพย์เห่เรือ ) is a type of poetry decorated for singing and cheering in racing boat processions.
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released August 20, 2024
Artist: Liew Niyomkarn
Album: in all possible places at once
Format: Digital / Tape
Cat.No: CHI051
Mixed: Liew Niyomkarn
Master: Justin Randel
Artwork: Saphy Vong
Release Date: 20 August 2024
