Out now! WLR024 Sea Trials – S/T

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We’re back from a holiday by the sea and raring to go with more limited edition releases. So fittingly, we welcome Sea Trials, an artist from Hungary (originally Cork, Ireland) called Ian W. McCarthy. This one’s a fascinating record using the decaying, dilapidated sounds of dying loops from cassette tapes that had been left out in the rain, submerged in salt-water and even burnt. This record certainly has its refreshing Ambient moments as old fragments of music float to the surface but this is experimental in nature as the synths and instrument sounds glean occasionally on a bed of noise and murk. This should appeal to those who enjoy sounds by Maps and Diagrams (or his work as Atlantis), Billy Gomberg or Skjølbrot.

At time of writing, we’ve got copies still available – to find out more or grab a copy, you can click the link below or on the image above to listen. To avoid missing out on future releases, you can join our mailing list HERE

https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/album/sea-trials

Whitelabrecs low-run releases will be made available suddenly without official release dates, meaning they’re likely to sell out fast. The best way to keep informed is to join our mailing list which can be located through our website menu.

press release
“The self-titled Sea Trials album is the debut from Irish born, Hungary based artist Ian McCarthy who has previously released in the Techno field under monikers Romart and Wilhelm on labels such as Flux Recordings, Nice Try Records and I Had An Accident Records. Sea Trials was spawned in 2015 as the foundations for Ian’s idea began with him creating a pool of material to draw from as he planned a number of recordings and we’re pleased to present his eponymous debut album to serve as the perfect introduction to this sound.

The 9 tracks were created from source material recorded to old or damaged cassette tapes which were treated by either being left outside exposed to the elements, by being burnt or submerged in salt-water for long periods. Inevitably, the deterioration of sound and medium became a crucial part of the process and became the concept: decay and rebirth.
Ian found himself unexpectedly longing for the sea as he was land-locked in North Eastern Hungary and so maritime references are aplenty along with a sweeping nostalgia that creates feelings of loss and longing.

Originally, Ian had set out to create almost orchestral styled pieces by using various instruments and synthesisers as his starting point for loops however, the methods of tape erosion played a part in warping this sound into dilapidated memories of the original works which occasionally resurface and reimagine as sections are spared the decay of the sea bed. Other sections of the source material did not survive the process so well and somewhere on this record, you will hear a tape machine dying an uncomfortable death.”