|
Event
The Helio Sequence with Genders at Brickroom
The self-titled sixth album by The Helio Sequence began with a friendly competition. Several of the duos friends within the Portland, Oregon music scene had been playing The 20-Song Game. The rules were simple, playful and ambitious: Songwriters would arrive in their studios at prearranged times and spend all day recording 20 complete songs. When they were finished, theyd have a party, listen to the results and talk about the processof taking the good with the bad, of letting creativity push past constraint, of simply making music in the moment. Brandon Summers and Benjamin Weikel took the spirit of the The 20-Song Game to heart, and forged ahead writing a new record.
In a sense, The Helio Sequence had spent their whole career preparing for this record. Theyd sunk entire recording advances into studio purchases, collaborating with local engineers to build custom gear and a space where they could blend high fidelity with kaleidoscopic sound. In 2013, the pair took on their first full-scale production project, the Brazilian rock band Quarto Negro, after the group inquired about their space and availability through Facebook. As producers, theyd remixed Shabazz Palaces, picked up mixing sessions with Portland acts and earned representation from Global Positioning Services. Summers and Weikel discovered just how adaptable and powerful their studio could be.
In May of 2014, inspired by the 20-Song Game, they began arriving each morning in their Portland spacehoused in the cafeteria and break room of an old warehouse with the mission of making as much music as possible in one month. They began exploring and capturing, recording guitar riffs and keyboard loops, drum patterns and bass lines. One piece documented, they quickly advanced to the next idea. Summers and Weikel didnt discuss what they were making or the reference points that informed it, though such discussions had once been central to The Helio Sequences more self-conscious process. They just played. Created. In time, they returned to each fragment, broadcasting it over the studio PA, jamming and recording the results. Mistakes didnt matter, and second chances didnt exist. After two weeks, Summers and Weikel began cutting those loose takes into rough shapes, steadily building songs from their cavalier sketches.
Although making records can be a laborious and tedious process, Summers delights in the memory of making this one.
We were coming to the studio on these sunny mornings everyday with an open mind, Summers shares. We said, Im just going to do what feels good in the moment.
|
|
 |
LocationBrickroom (View)
35 North Main Street
Ashland, OR 97520
United States
Categories
| Minimum Age: 21 |
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: No |
|
Contact
|
