Asianova

Asianova 'Burning the Blue Skies Black' was the first work to be produced and "released" on CD and we are also now passing the tenth anniversary of this wondrous series of collaborations featuring the members of VOICE OF EYE and Ure Thrall along with his partner at the time, chanteuse Pamela Passmore. Back in 1991-2 the scenario was basically just two friendly couples spacing the night away on a wild ride through self-manifested cosmosonic drifts. But after repeated listenings of these sessions a sense of validity and purpose revealed itself and thus I compiled the majority of these recordings into a series of Asianova cassettes on my homespun label DISCORPOREALITY in 1995. To celebrate this occasion, 2 more Asianova CDs are in the works to be released by the end of 2002. The working Titles are: "Love like a Veiled threat" "Turning the Black Skies Blue" Only some of the tracks previously appeared on the Asianova cassette releases (limited to 40 copies each) but all songs are remastered and re-edited by u-r-i in 2001-2 for these CD-R releases.The origins of the Asianova sessions started with my year long improvisational collaboration with Jim Wilson under the name CRUOR in 1988. Things were attempting to take on a more structured format within the parameters of our improvisations and I then began focusing more on the harmonic aspects of composition. At this point experimental flautist / vocalist Bonnie McNairn and finally noizeman Tim Sternat joined the group. After many live performances in the fledgling electronic music scene of Houston, Texas, my focus dwindled and CRUOR disbanded. Later they reformed as ESOTERICA LANDSCAPES SEVEN and after numerous ambitiously convoluted performances they disbanded only to reform again (minus Mr. Sternat) as the now legendary VOICE OF EYE, with Urâs truly sitting in only on rare occasions (resulting in my appearances on two tracks of the Voice of Eye CD releases). In my absence I spent this time focusing on my intuitive compositional skills and only occasionally jamming with Jim and Bonnie.In 1991 I went into the Cyclotron studios with Jim and Bonnie and Pamela Passmore to record a lengthy series of improvised sessions continuing until 1993 which have since been compiled into the first ASIANOVA cd and several cassette releases as mentioned above. Even more sessions were recorded with Pamela Passmore absent and these were rather nice as well. They were edited and released on Discorporeality under the oft-used moniker 'NOCTURNE' and will eventually be assimilated into the newer Asianova releases. During this period VOICE OF EYE was hitting their prime, recording and releasing 3 incredible CDs as well as 2 collaborative CDs with the group LIFE GARDEN. But after the release of 'Transmigration' in 1995 their focus shifted to preparing for the coming apocalypse by building themselves an elaborate EARTHSTATION in Taos, New Mexico. Apparently after years of continuous performing, rehearsing and recording their incredible music to suit their extremely high standards, they expressed to me repeatedly their dissatisfaction with the limitations of the genre on many levels. In spite of the fact that Iâve never witnessed more amazing and intense live performances from a duo in my life, they were unhappy with the imprecise nature of performing in general (perfectionists!) as well as the limited rewards exacted from all their tireless hard work and ambitious musical endeavours over the previous 8 years. (Can anyone relate?) Nonetheless I and many others feel the absence of Voice of Eye keenly and I know theyâre still making music out there in Taos. The question is will we ever hear any of it?Asianova was the result of numerous generous invitations by Jim and Bonnie to record with them in their studio, and without their tireless dedication to seeking out new forms of emotional musical expression I donât think Iâd have ever come close to creating anything like it with anyone else. It certainly was what I was shooting for and the tracks we recorded often seemed guided by the will of the cosmos, which for me was what improvising was all about: leaving ourselves open to channeling that guidance. I dream constantly of an Asianova reunion of sorts and can only imagine what magick would result.ASIANOVA CASSETTE RELEASES: Discorporeality 6: Asianova (self-titled) Discorporeality 12 The Sun is Burning Discorporeality 14 Falling·.into the Sky Discorporeality 18 The Wonderful World of Silence Discorporeality 19 Love Like a Veiled ThreatNOCTURNE CASSETTE RELEASES (Jim Wilson, Bonnie McNairn, Ure Thrall) Discorporeality 5 Shades of Night Discorporeality 8 What Beauty Lies in the Shadow of your Eyes? Discorporeality 15 Space RagasAll of the above releases were limited to 40 copies or less and sold out in 1996 via Anomalous Records. Gradually I've culled the best of them into 6 new CD releases thanks to the great amount of interest generated by "Burning the Blue Skies Black" as well as those cassette sales through Anomalous records (Thanks Eric!)As a result EIBON/Radiotarab Records saw the merit in releasing the 1st volume of the series "Love like a Veiled Threat" on their label, And the SUBSTANTIA INNOMINATA Series on DRONE RECORDS followed shortly after that with the pressing of the psychedelic swirled pink 10 inch entitled "Magnamnemonicon". Thanks to both these releases plus a steady outpouring of distribution of my CD-Rs through the great mensch at DRONE RECORDS enabled the strained sounds of ASIANOVA to gradually reach a much wider audience around the world, all of whom seem to enjoy our sounnds immensely. Thus we have been truly blessed by the pantheon of the magnamnemonicon!And now it's 2008, We've just recovered from our fabulous PRATSAYANA TOUR of Europe with TROUM and I'm busy preparing the LIVE CD recorded at our show at FUNDUS in Weingarten, Germany (thanks to Patrixk and Dominic!) as well as the aazing live collaboration recorded by TROUM-Asianova/VOICE OF EYE to be entitled "A Dream of a New Europa". Tracks from both of these CDs can be found on the upcoming leviathan of a CD Compilation from OLD EUROPA CAFE entitled OEC 100 - Coming soon!Other than that, we prepare for future unfathomable forays into the fertile fiekds of the uncoscious realms of sound you heard manifested in your dreams JUST LAST NIGHT...Want to hear MORE Asianova tracks? Go to www.soundclick.com and enterASIANOVA in the artist search window. ENJOY...