news - aim - releases - reviews - plans - links - distributors - ordering - contact

alm 96
tone color
"today will die tomorrow"
4 december 2013

thanks to jean-marc, phil edwards, ryan bissett, harry towell, michael rice, michael waring, wil bolton
mastered by julien cornu-kuoch
photography: delphine ancelle-b.

tone color is based in manchester, uk using guitar, synths and field recordings processed through max/msp and had releases on audio gourmet, assembly field and futuresequence. carefully mastered by julien cornu-kuoch, "today will die tomorrow" is a collection of six sweet ambient tracks and we are very proud to offer you his very first physical release.

tracklisting :
1. in anticipation
2. 23 may
3. september
4. la ronde
5. the space inbetween
6. mon jour de chance

(also available as a limited edition 3-panel digipak)

reviews :

Vital Weekly 912
As per usual, new releases by Taalem are on 3" CDR and are released in groups of three. I started with the new names. Tone Color, for instance, from Manchester, who plays guitar, synths and field recordings, all processed through max/msp. Tone Color had releases on Audio Gourmet, Assembly Field and Futuresequence, but it's a new name for me (actually: these labels too). This is his first physical release. The interesting thing is that usually releases on Taalem have one long piece, two longish or three at the most, but Tone Color has six shorter pieces of ambient music. Finely woven, endlessly sustaining, cosmic chanting music. The original instruments are to be recognized indeed, and add a vague touch of melody to the otherwise warm yet glacial mass of sound. Not something you haven't heard before, but quite nice indeed.
[...] (FdW)

A Closer Listen
Taâlem’s latest batch of CD3"s arrived at the end of the year, but all are suitable for winter.  Tone Color‘s entry is cool and sleepy like a long hibernation; Øe (Fabio Perletta) and Enrico Coniglio’s is cold and dry like Antarctic wind; and Babylone Chaos’ is as disturbing as a stir crazy Jack Torrance.  They are available together or apart; the first editions are in digipacks, later editions in jewel cases.
Tone Color sets the stage with a tapestry of soothing sounds.  To listen is to experience the slow unfurling of a paper from a winter log or the frosting of a window as the sun begins to set.  An EP of increments, Today Will Die Tomorrow is reminiscent of the work of Yann Novak: deliberate, nuanced, and most of all, patient.  Arriving on the heels of Andy Lomas’ first full-length album (The Last Day, on Assembly Field), it is also much quieter, with fewer, longer notes and a less obvious use of field recordings.  The piano keys of “La Ronde” poke above the mist, but soon recede.  While listening, one might drift off for half an hour, only to revive, re-nourished.  Nothing here will harm, disturb, or unsettle; it’s a kind, peaceful recording that seeps gently into the subconscious.[...]  (Richard Allen)

Irregular Crates
Recently we posted about an excellent free netlabel release from Tone Color, who has also previously released free material through Audio Gourmet. In today’s post we received the first ever physical release from talented Manchester based artist Andy Lomas, which came out late last year on prolific French label Taalem.
Taalem have a knack of quietly and consistently carving out their discography, enlisting contributions from artists such as Yann Novak, Jannick Schou, Strom Noir, Pleq, Fabio Orsi, Simon Whetham, Chihei Hatakeyama and Celer to name but a few! Releases have followed the simple pattern of the minimally designed 3? CDr, mini jewel case and printed sticky label with the most important ingredient being fine experimental audio.
Onto Tone Color – as per our previous post, we really enjoyed Andy’s recent netlabel excursion on Assembly Field but somehow with Today Will Die Tomorrow we see the work of Tone Color go up yet another level. Firstly it must be said that the mastering on this EP is absolutely spot on; the warm hazey drones are presented at optimum volume; this sets the perfect listening platform so that this EP can be heard in all its glory. The aching melancholy of these six Ambient/drone pieces really strikes a chord – indeed, this is some of the finest material from the genre we’ve heard in a while. Selecting a favourite track is tough, such is the quality of this record but the jittering piano of La Ronde feels so refreshing when it enters four tracks in.