nisei23 – Soft Shapes

nisei23′s album Soft Shapes is an overture of Drone-driven and melodic textures & rhythmic loops at the same time. It is product of over 3 years of work. nisei23′s music on this album is designed to be amorphous, shifting through time and space. Soft Shapes contains 19 Tracks, including extensive cover arts and release credits.

“It’s like a dream where everything is familiar but everything is different”, he confesses. The sounds on his album were carefully constructed from acoustic instruments and natural sounds which were manipulated and molded into drones, rhythmical loops and melodic patterns. The only exception was “Don’t Panic” which is entirely electronic. The melodies themselves are equally unconventional, sometimes with slow and subtle movements and other times making dramatic and unexpected twists.

“I don’t usually talk about my musical influences but while making this album I was listening to Can, My Bloody Valentine, Brian Eno, Miles Davis, Slowdive and Erik Satie and after much debate decided to include my version of Gymnopedie 1. There are also many non musical influences but that’s something I won’t divulge.” (nisei23, march 2010)

Excerpts from Soft Shapes album

Prologue (Horizontal Afternoon)
Gela Alta
I Am Siam
I Dreamt of Music
Sakura
Drowned in Space
Don’t Panic
Gymnopedie 1
Interlude VIII
Saturn Dreaming of Mercury

Download Soft Shapes

Biography nisei23

nisei23 aka. Rob Allen is currently living in Bangkok Incheon and has been making music and visuals for many years. In april 2010 he will also be releasing his Bare Bones EP via Lona Records. Rob also contributed with his eclectic remix track I love Special K to the remix album Fragment – Consider Revising by label mate Radio Scotvoid (half of Small Radio duo).

Official Website of nisei23
nisei23 visual works on vimeo
nisei23 photography at flickr

Music Video

Don’t miss the Music Video clip Don’t panic also produced by nisei23 himself