THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH // 7PM // ALL AGES // TICKETS
JASON CALHOUN https://napsounds.bandcamp.com small circle, the latest work by Philadelphia-based ambient musician Jason Calhoun, begins with an offering. The listener is given a moment of quiet grace before being cast into an abyss of static, where clarity is foregone in place of a disorienting veil.
Calhoun’s work has always suggested the deeply personal while maintaining a certain distance, with each collection seemingly building upon the last, tangled with hidden truths and confessions. Entries are written and rewritten, intimate thoughts are quietly shared, providing a communal reflective space. In contrast to his previous two records, ben c, this is for you and notebook, tonal direction has been lost, but the harsh textures of ben c linger. The melodic is purposefully obscured, requiring a quieting of the mind.
small circle is confrontational in the same way that contemplative spiritual experience leaves nothing but one’s self to face. It is an expression of gestalt emotion, where impressions made are a passing blink amid an overwhelming divine emptiness. Chirps and clicks—of synthetic and natural origin—interweave with hushed conversations, steps winding through wooden trails, and the just-audible humming of a monastery. Suspended and devoid of sure footing, the listener is left to fend for themselves and find a path, if there is one.
The Ithaca-born musician has steadily released records since 2010, building a steady and loyal following for his consistent and unique poetics drawing on ambient and drone traditions. In addition to Dear Life, his music has been released on Patient Sounds Intl., Bridgetown Records, Florabelle Records, and Lily Tapes & Discs, among others. He’s also been a contributing part of various projects including Hour, ylayali, Katie Bejsiuk, and Obody
ALMA LAPRIDA https://almalaprida.wordpress.com/discography Alma Laprida (born in San Miguel, Argentina) is a multi-disciplinary artist whose creative pursuits encompass composition, improvisation, performance, installation, and radiophonic pieces. Her artistic journey began with formal training in piano at the Julián Aguirre School of Music, followed by studies in Arts Management and Electronic Arts at the Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero.
Armed with unconventional instruments and objects such as the trumpet marine, field recordings, synthesizers, megaphones and the lyre, her explorations traverse diverse realms in the pursuit of creating captivating sonic experiences. Her artistic endeavors have taken her across continents, as she has played, performed, and exhibited installations in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Italy, Mexico, and the United States. Alma has released three solo albums, collaborated on two other albums, and contributed to various compilations.
In her hometown of Buenos Aires, she founded and curated the concert series Ciclo Hertz. Additionally, she initiated the project «Estrépito y contemplación,» which fostered collaborations between visual and sound artists. She also served as the Curator-In-Chief at the Centro de Arte Sonoro, an institution under the purview of the Ministry of Culture in Argentina. Furthermore, she shared her expertise as an Assistant Professor in the BA in Electronic Arts program at the Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero.
In 2021, after a decade of creative work and life in Buenos Aires, Alma relocated to Maryland, USA.
