Salamanda In Parallel [ARTPL-208] Japan Music CD

Product Description
Salamanda, a left-field ambient duo based in Seoul, South Korea, has signed with Wisdom Teeth, a cutting-edge electronic music label run by Facta and K-LONE, and completed their new album, "In Parallel." "In Parallel" is a captivating work with vibrant texture and immersion, bringing a new level of clarity to their signature psychedelic and expansive approach. Composed of friends Uman Therma (aka Sala) and Yetsuby (aka Manda), the duo has been creating intricate and dreamlike sonic worlds since their debut in 2019, refining their sound with four albums and over ten singles. Within their extensive discography, they have already established several key characteristics: mallet instruments and tuned drums play playful, music-box-like melodies, while thick, gaseous ambience evokes otherworldly and ancient soundscapes. Buried fragments of found sounds and manipulated vocals are layered, giving their compositions, which are supposed to be synthesized sounds, a warm, first-person narrative feel. Ambient and Reich-school minimalism are the most obvious sonic touchstones of this music, but the pulse of modern club and pop music is not entirely absent. However, "In Parallel" marks a step forward from Salamanda's previous work. Since their 2022 album "ashbalkum" (released on Human Pitch, a label run by Tristan Arp and Simisea, who also release music on Wisdom Teeth and are members of Asa Tone), the duo has toured extensively, playing in classical venues like London's Kings Place, DIY clubs like Manchester's White Hotel, and at world-renowned festivals such as Mutek, Nachti, and Dekmantel. Their creative setup has steadily grown by incorporating new machines, processes, and perspectives, leading their music in bold new directions in the process. The most obvious development here is the duo's use of vocals. This shift had been happening slowly on their previous albums, but it becomes strikingly apparent in 'In Parallel'. The album's lead single, "Homemade Jam," is the duo's most poppy track to date, with its upbeat beat and autotuned vocals sounding like something SOPHIE and Charli XCX wrote after drinking a particularly strong mushroom tea. It's a very sharp slice of alternative pop, offering what happens when Salamanda's vast and unrestrained creative energy is distilled down to something concentrated and refined. They've also brought their approach to rhythm more to the forefront, getting closer to the dance floor than ever before. The meandering drums and vocals of "Paper Labyrinth" are supported by a solid 4x4 pulse, and the Denbow groove of "Tonal, Fluid" would fit perfectly in a set by Nick Le?n or DJ Plead. "In Parallel" is an album about connection, vividly conveying the warmth of friendship and a nostalgic simplicity throughout. The album's title signifies the harmony the duo has found as friends and collaborators, and this is evidenced by the parallel lines of sound traced throughout the album. For example, the melody that underpins "Sun Tickles" returns in a different key and tempo in "Mysterious Wedding," the album's close. Parallel lines are traced between each artist and through their music, tracing back to the past and pointing to the future. Only Salamanda knows where these will lead us next.