Hear, by Fortresses

Hear

by Fortresses

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Hear 07:31

about

London-based musician Fortresses returns to Dragon’s Eye Recordings with his fourth release on the label. Made during the fall of 2022, HEAR emerged from a period of intense processing; for the artist, it stands as a milestone at the end of a year filled with personal challenges and breakthroughs.

Much like NEAR, his most recent release with DER, HEAR expands upon Fortresses’ creative exercises in patience. It is a gorgeous and grounded demonstration of restraint, allowing the negative spaces tucked among the notes and chords to stand out all the greater. Just as the naked tree branches shiver stark and leafless against silver autumn skies, HEAR embodies a cyclic where excess falls away and the skeleton is laid bare. And when there is little else to strip away, what’s gone becomes just as apparent as what remains.

Fortresses remains connected to the origins of his first two releases, EVE and SPRING— HEAR also crackles with airy hints of field recordings made in his native East London during periods of seasonal change. But now, tones gently dip lower than before. It instead possesses a more solemn, grounded nature than its ethereal counterparts, echoing the earthy denouement of his world as it prepares for winter.

When autumnal weather dampens the bright colors and dulls the sounds of vitality, we settle in. HEAR prepares us for just that; and through its meditative nature, it captures the gradual shifts towards stillness as all things come to rest.

credits

released July 21, 2023

Composed, performed, recorded and mixed by Sam Ashton in London, late 2022.
Mastered by Taylor Deupree @ 12k Mastering.
Cover photo by Sam Ashton.

Once again, endless thanks to Yann Novak for his continued incredible work with the label.

license

about

Fortresses Portland, Oregon

Fortresses is the Ambient Drone project of London-born/Portland-based multidisciplinary artist Sam Ashton
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Compositions of manipulated guitar, synthesiser, cassette hiss and found sounds

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discography

Hear

Jul 2023
Near

Nov 2022
Spring

Dec 2021
Eve

Oct 2021

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