Lower River Michael A. Muller

• Michael A. Muller:
• 1Muller: Lower River04:56
• 2Muller: New Symmetry03:46
• 3Muller: Glyph I03:19
• 4Muller: Seen03:45
• 5Muller: Glyph II03:09
• 6Muller: Elyria04:20
• 7Muller: Fixed Shadow03:53
• 8Muller: Recedes04:52
• 9Muller: Glyph III04:14
• Total Runtime36:14

Info for Lower River

Beacon Sound presents Lower River, the debut solo album by Michael A. Muller. Conceptually, the album explores the place where time, space, and self are occluded - a field of pure energy and creation similar to "the flow" or Zen state where ideas stream without impediment. Inspired by Muller's own remote travels throughout the US and Europe and the personal exploration of a meditative practice, it's a sonic exploration of what it means to deeply listen versus to merely hear, to immerse oneself in navigating the subconscious plane of pure energy and deep, immersive creativity. In 2006, multi-instrumentalist Muller co-founded the Austin-based ensemble Balmorhea; over 13 years he has co-led the group through six full-length records, numerous EPs, global tours, and original scores and worldwide track placements. Lower River began as a sound experiment in 2018 spanning from the isolated Oregon coast to rural Southern Italy and remote fishing villages in the South of France. With a tape recorder in hand, Muller chronicled his journeys through sound, contemplating along the way what it means to deeply listen amid a modern narrative underwritten by distraction. Merging his field recordings with original compositions recorded in his home studio in Austin, Lower River is a sonic venture into other worlds and into the depths of one's own mind; a study in engaging with sounds that don't easily slot into pre-existing notions of what an album "ought" to be. The final composition includes works by avant bass clarinetist Jonathan Siela (Golden Retriever), vocals by Heather Woods Broderick (known for work with Sharon Van Etten and Efterklang), and abstract double bass and cello by Balmorhea's Sam Pankey and Elan Green, respectively. The album cover art was made by renowned Dutch photographer Awoiska Van Der Molen. Includes download code and Riso print.

“A sonorous tapestry that you’ll want to wrap yourself up in.” (Elizabeth Arker, BBC)

Jonathan Sielaff, bass clarinet
Elan Green, cello
Sam Pankey, double bass
Heather Woods Broderick, vocals

Michael A. Muller
is a multi-instrumentalist and composer based in Los Angeles, best known for his work with Balmorhea (Deutsche Grammophon) which he co-founded in 2006.

He began his dedicated solo works in 2019 with Lower River, a textural and meditative debut album that toured as a multi-disciplinary exhibit from Berlin to Los Angeles. The collaborative Lower River Reworks followed, featuring Bing & Ruth and Masayoshi Fujita among others. Since, he has created site-specific work at artist residencies and widened his output by placing songs and creating scores for dozens of ads, films and documentaries, as well as reworking material ranging from pianists Víkingur Ólafsson, Michael Price and Daigo Hanada to the Belgian black metal group Oathbreaker.

Muller is currently working on a new solo album, as well as scoring several film and multi-media projects.

This album contains no booklet.