Secret Thirteen Mix 034 - Aidan Baker

“Secret Thirteen Mix 034” is transcendental and hypnotizing musical compilation that shows variable electric guitar, pedal effects, uncommon instruments and subtle electronics usage in the mostly live recorded and shaped compositions from some honorable artist like David Daniell, Rhys Chatham, Duane Pitre, Nigel Wright, K.K. Null, James Plotkin and other talents.

The author of the mix is Aidan Baker (born in 1974), Canadian musician, writer and poet, currently residing in Berlin, Germany. Baker is classically trained in flute, self-taught on guitar, drums and many other instruments. Associated with experimental, ambient, drone, jazz, metal, post-rock and contemporary classical music Baker explores his genuine sound identity. In addition to his solo work, Baker also performs with the following ensembles: Nadja (married to bandmate Leah Buckareff), Whisper Room, Infinite Light Ltd., Adoran, B/B/S/, and ARC. He has composed and performed work of a more classical nature for the The Penderecki String Quartet, The Riga Sinfonietta and The Monday Morning Singers. Baker has released numerous albums (over 100) in various formats on independent labels Alien8 Recordings, Broken Spine Productions (Bakers co-founded independent label), Beta-Lactam Ring Records, etc. He has toured in both North America and Europe, and has made appearances at the OM Festival, MUTEK, South by Southwest and the Distillery Jazz Festival. He is also the author of four books of poetry and has published poetry, short fiction and criticism in literary and scholarly journals.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 034” is a spatial and generous musical selection that consits of fourteen sensuous and nostalgic collector's records released between 1994 and 2012. Actually Baker assembles records from the contributors to the artists who inspired his forthcoming album "Origins & Evolutions" and this fact thoroughly reflects his fundamental taste of music, knowledge and philosophy. The basis of the mix is formed from airy and durable meditative atmospheres fused with a gently and phlegmatic sonorous classical instruments arrangement. Cathedral type sounding brings a rich listening experience into this ideologically and emotionally powerful recording.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 034” is like striking and erotic Amedeo Modigliani's painting “Liegender Akt” where graceful figurative distortions and large flat areas of a color shroud a natural beauty that seems lethargy asleep and only exist in her unexplored imagination. Baker's mix definitely uncovers abyssal depths of calmness, intelligence and subtle elegance.

Tracklist:

01. Elika - A Year Alone [Saint Marie Records, 2012]
02. David Tagg - Picked In Air [Second Sun Recordings, 2009]
03. Yellow6 - And In The Distance [Mini50 Recordings, 2012]
04. David Daniell & Douglas McCombs - 30265 [Thrill Jockey, 2012]
05. Duane Pitre - Section III [Important Records]
06. Zach Hill & Mick Barr - Closed Coffin Curtains [5 Rue Christine, 2006]
07. N - Netzgang [Denovali Records, 2010]
08. Rhys Chatham - A Crimson Grail Part 3 (excerpt) [Table Of The Elements, 2006]
09. Vampillia - Land (excerpt) [Important Records, 2011]
10. Gates - Birds Plunging Through The Wall Of The Ocean [Land Of Decay, 2012]
11. Signalsundertests - Quiet Arcs [Fluttery Records, 2012]
12. The Max Walther & J.F. Sebastian - Rainbow Gathering Fall [unreleased] 13. Kazuyuki K. Null & James Plotkin - Neuro [Sentrax, 1994]
14. Nigel Wright - Fighting Fit [Gest Records, 2008]

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