This past January Douglas Appling, the Portland-based electronic musician known to electronic music enthusiasts as Emancipator, announced his sixth studio album Mountain of Memory (April 3, Loci Records) with the release of “Labyrinth.” Today (2/21), he follows with another instrumental hem from the collection with “iron Ox.” The album’s official pre-order also launches for digital formats via a Pre-Sav, Add or proper pre-order, as well as vinyl or one of a few exclusive vinyl/merch bundles.
Listen to “Iron Ox” now here: https:///ffm.to/emancipator-iron-ox
“Iron Ox” starts with an ambient fusion of pad-like chords, a beat, and a plucked ukulele. “The beat is strong and persevering as the layers build to an almost overwhelmingly saturated atmosphere. The title is a direct reference to a strong animal symbol but also a play on words - Iron-Ox being short for iron oxide, or rust,” says Appling. “Rust is formed when metal mixes with water. The timbres in this song are metallic and fluid. The spirit of the song is maintaining a steady strength despite the constantly changing waters of our lives and the entropy of time.”
Mountain of Memory’s 13 free-flowing tracks effortlessly encapsulate his entire musical history without sounding forced or overly complicated: Mid-tempo dance grooves, solid boom-bap hip-hop beats, and calm, reflective tempos blend with electric and acoustic guitars, classical violin, Persian dilruba, cimbaloms, finger snaps, symphonic strings, bubbling water, Latin and African hand drumming, music boxes, Baroque flutes and opera singers, who add unexpected vocal ornamentations to accent certain melodic phrases. Underlying it all is the bed of sound Appling produces using electric pianos, ethereal synthesizer washes, processed and almost inaudible vocals, soothing ambient textures and the pulsing of an infinite heartbeat produced by electronic bass tones.
Catch Emancipator Ensemble—who is Doug Appling (production/guitar) along with IIya Goldberg (violin), Colby Buckler (drums), Mub Fractal (bass) and Asher Fuler (keys)—on tour this spring to support Mountain of Memory:
DATE
4/29/20
4/30/20
5/1/20
5/2/20
5/5/20
5/7/20
5/8/20
5/9/20
5/10/20
5/13/20
5/14/20
5/15/20
5/16/20
CITY
Santa Barbara, CA
San Diego, CA
Phoenix
Los Angeles
Bellingham, WA
Portland
Vancouver
Seattle
Bend, OR
Arcata, CA
Nevada City, NV
Sacramento
San Francisco
VENUE
Soho Music Club
The Observatory North Park
The Van Buren
The Fonda
Wild Buffalo
Crystal Ballroom
Commodore Ballroom
Showbox Sodo
Domino Room
Arcata Theatre
Miners Foundry
Ace of Spades
The Warfield
About Emancipator:
Classically trained as a violinist from an early age, Appling’s organic approach to electronic music production draws inspiration from a wide range of international cultures and musical genres, culminating in a refreshingly authentic brand of electronic music that has infiltrated global consciousness. Mountain of Memory due out April 2020—follows his other albums Baralku (2017), Seven Seas (2015), Dusk To Dawn (2013), Safe in the Steep Cliffs (2010), and Soon It Will Be Cold Enough.
brian@photosbybrian.co