Qebo & William Fields - αlive (3OP006) OUT NOW!

[eczem]

William Fields returns to 3OP, this time with Greek electronic musician and sound-designer Alex Retsis, aka Qebo.

Recorded live in Athens during Summer 2021, what you hear was made using a selected hardware set and Fields’ own compositional system. And masterfully executed.

αlive is a perfect blend of melodicism, rhythmic sophistication, playfulness, changing moods, fantastic sound design… the music here is incredibly organic.

Fluid timbres, nuanced production, and the driving, skittering percussion you've come to expect from both of these artists, combine for an experience that is truly greater than the sum of its parts.

When we listened to the result of this collaboration, we pretty much instantly knew we wanted to release it on 3OP. This was even before we knew it was recorded live on video.

While there's nothing like being physically present for a performance, we hope the companion videos help to capture just how much this release embodies its name : αlive

-E & n.

released February 11, 2022

Performed and recorded live in Athens, Greece on August 11, 2021.
Produced by Alex Retsis and William Fields, 2021-2022. Visuals by William Fields.
Mastering by Nil Hartman
Artwork by DEN
Videos by Konstantinos Tsakmaz.

The videos can be found here:

https://threeop.bandcamp.com/

and here:

https://www.3op.xyz/

 

 

Edited February 11, 2022 by eczem

[Nil]

If you're familiar with William's work, this one is quite singular and explores different tempi and moods. I didn't know Alex's work before but their collab works wonders, I don't think either would have written such tunes solo. Quite a luxuriant record, gorgeous stuff.

[eczem]

 

[gl0tch]

Bill is on fire! SOOOOO good. Big ups to both.

[Nil]

Bump, as it's a sublime record.

[oscillik]

3OP clearly needs to be dowsed with liquid nitrogen because it's too damn hot

[eczem]

We at 3OP are actively reviewing our thermal management policy upon release day.

In the meantime, please enjoy this stellar recording.

[eczem]

Here's the entire αlive video playlist.

[dcom]

Quote

Oh, how we enjoy good blips’n bleeps. Its cyber-kinetic aura floating in the breeze, Qebo & William Fields blissfully craft computer code for deciphering aliens. These relaxed, flickering sound sculptures found on αlive ebb and flow through R2-D2 and C-3PO conversations; their whimsical nature surrounded by melodic bursts (“Thira Clock”) and swaths of texture’n glitch elements, as evidenced on “Difora Pulse.” As αlive is in fact, a live recording that took place in Athens Summer 2021 using selected hardware and William Fields’ own compositional system—subtle timbres cascade from left to right, as if tapping us on the shoulder to get our attention. The fluid electrical pulses and pulsars that illuminate the senses come to life, quite literally, on “Ishii Pump,” where Autechrean soil is unearthed; dilapidated beats and strange tones and drones capture the sound scape, taking us to uncharted worlds. As these abstract and dissolving blips’n bleeps continue to crunch away, it’s tracks like the closing “Xale Ladder” that give us comfort knowing that downtempo IDM escapades are αlive and well, taking us further and further into this decade.

Igloo says things.