On June 5, stars of digital art the 404.zero will release their first full-length album “404.0” with Icelandic label, Bedroom Community. They are the first Russian musicians selected by this world-famous label.
The 404.zero, a duet of Russian media artists Kristina Karpysheva and Alexander Letsius, perfectly matches the spirit of the label. They expand the idea of art by experimenting on the borders of media and video art, music, acoustics, design and architecture. After notable success at dozens of major international festivals and projects (in places such as Japan, the USA, Moscow and Mexico City), and after presenting their works at the LACMA and Times Square, The 404.zero debuted as musicians in early 2020. In March, they independently released the audio-visual EP “Black Sunday” and in June the debut longplay titled “404.0” will be released by Bedroom Community.
Album “404.0” was created at the famous Greenhouse Studio in Reykjavik, where Bjork, Sigur Rós and Brian Eno recorded their music. While working on this album, it was important for the 404.zero to completely disconnect from any visual and sound distractions; the improvised sessions in Iceland became a way to destress and to get away from the tiring rhythm of big cities.
The sound of their new album captures the visual purity of the nature of the Northern Hemisphere - it can be heard in literally every note. They achieved this effect by using only analog electronic instruments such as Buchla synthesizers and the popular modular synthesizer format Eurorack; as well as by doing a final mix on analog equipment. The “404.0” album blends a variety of styles of clever meditative electronics. Transcendent mysticism, reminiscent of Tangerine Dream, is in dialogue with multilayered textures of dark-ambient. An impressive otherworldly sound - in the spirit of Autechre - is multiplied by immersive sound rituals that could be compared to Sunn O))).
Throughout the hour-long music score the musicians artfully maintain an almost spatial sense of form: the listener moves through the album as if between mystic architectural objects nonexistent in the physical world, ending up at a final sonic monument of sorts. “404.0” is a perfect album record from which no single track can be excluded. This is the music for future festivals; combined with powerful acoustics it is nigh on guaranteed to bring a sense of catharsis in the listener.
Founded in 2006 by an Icelandic composer Valgeir Sigurðsson, Australian electronic experimenter Ben Frost and American minimalist composer Nico Muhly, Bedroom Community is not just a record label but a close-knit community of versatile innovative musicians, who share a common philosophy of searching for new forms and sounds. The label releases works by extraordinary musicians from around the world: from label founders Frost, Muhly and Sigurðsson, Icelandic futuristic indie band aYia, Irish contemporary music ensemble Crash and American composer and violinist, Nadia Sirota. Drowned in Sound magazine called it "perhaps the best label in the world,” noting the imprint’s breakthrough musical discoveries. Bedroom Community is known for its highly selective choice of musicians: since its launch, its list of artists has barely reached over 20 names.
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The 404.zero are acclaimed digital artists. Media artist and designer Kristina Karpysheva and co-founder of Tundra audiovisual studio Alexander Lezius created the project in 2016. Since then they’ve managed to work with the largest Russian and international festivals such as MUTEK, Japan Media Arts Festival, Recombinant, Circle of Light, Gamma Festival, SOUND UP, present their works in LACMA, at the Times Square, in Mexico City, Seoul, Lima, New York, San Francisco. Esteemed international press, such as FACT Magazine, Decoded Magazine, Mixmag, Magnetic Magazine praised the 404.zero’s impressive projects.
In 2020, the 404.zero debuted as musicians. In March, they released the audio-visual EP “Black Sunday”, for which they created a monochrome video that allows a deep dive into the music. In June, their first full-length album, “404.0”, will be released by the cult Icelandic label Bedroom Community. This album will be a first release by Russian musicians on the world-famous imprint.
credits
released June 5, 2020
Music by 404.zero
Mixing and mastering by Francesco Fabris
Recorded at Greenhouse Studios, Iceland
Cover art direction by Sergey Skip
Cover photo by Rustam Shagimordanov
Cover artwork - 'No Time. No Future' by 404.zero
Release management by SoundUp Management
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