Random Rab Announces New Album + Tour

Article Contributed by Random Rab | Published on Monday, June 12, 2017

Random Rab Announces New Album Formless Edge + Summer 2017 Tour Dates

A luminary of the West Coast's psychedelic-bass music diaspora, Random Rab rises to occasion with Formless Edge, his eleventh full-length solo opus, to be released on June 16, 2017 and available for pre-order now. The sommelier of sacred returns to the collective consciousness with 15 songs that unveil an ever-evolving kaleidoscope of styles, each embedded with his idiosyncratic codings and vintage visceral vibration. Placing a focus on fidelity, and the delicate dalliance betwixt the organic and electronic, Formless Edge transmits a bold frontier in sound design that incorporates over 30 unique instruments and features collaborations with Lapa, Rigzin, Kyrstyn Pixton, Jason Kalidas, and Peia.

"I’ve been approaching my electronic sound in a new way, focusing on analog frequencies and fidelity. As opposed to simply computer generated tones, I treat electronic sound like an instrument. I pull digital sounds into the analog realm to bring up the resolution and bring it back in so it’s actually a pristine analog recording" explains Rab.

Formless Edge beckons introspection, and lures imagination from the outside in. First single "Gimme That Hope" is the Formless Edge embarkation point, and Rab captains a patient and spirited build. "A Little More Free" is a mantra for self-empowerment, mined from a personal journey inward, Rab speaking to, and from, the soul. Rab reconnects with beloved co-creator Rigzin on the sublime “Bodhicitta”, the duo weaving another remarkable rumination together, continuing their decade-long skyward trajectory.

Watch the mesmerizing video for lead single “A Little More Free” here.

An ethereal passage through the nascent "Outpost Aurora" arrives at "Parallels", a definitive juxtaposition. One of three collaborations with Lapa, the song unearths fertile soil in the eternal search for new land. "Redacter" is an older composition given new life, the obtuse groove rings familiar. It's the tried and true, glitchy-glue that first seduced a wandering spirit over to Rab's storied career. The prominent violin and majestic resolution hark back to the glories of yesterday, whilst shining a light on the morrow.

Amid the minimalist programming and trademark electro Rab flourishes in Formless Edge, one will hear the fruits of Rab's laborious, inventive experimentalism. Rab incorporates a variety of sonic ingredients and instruments to create his vast, far reaching canvases from Elektron's Analog 4 and Heat to a laundry list of vintage analog synths from Moog and Korg. Rab also embeds various field recordings from nature and unveils mystical sounds from the guzheng (21 string Chinese harp), tan bo and lei bo (Chinese guitars), a 100 year old piano, the ubiquitous Fender Stratocaster, duduk, tambura, and more. Chief collaborator Lapa is well versed in antiquity, and utilizes the oud, violin, mandolin, and percussion on his contributions to Formless Edge.

Formless Edge is available on June 16 via major digital outlets. Pre-order on Bandcamp and iTunes. Special edition audiophile 24 bit aiff flash drive and Formless Edge 6x6 8-page book of artwork is also available via Bandcamp.

In support of the new album, Random Rab will tour this summer with ten cities across North America and Hungary. Dates listed below or find out more here.

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Formless Edge Track List: