#cestine

Three new releases coming later this week (l to r)  -MORMON TOASTERHEAD "Memory/Monument" double cassette -JAN "Let It Ride" cassette -CESTINE "Other Half/Bright Encounter" cassette

Together, Dominic Coppola and Theodore Schafer form the experimental/ambient duo that is Cestine. Seemingly out of nowhere their 2013 digital only debut release, “Pressed” impressed me so with its minimal, drone compositions that I reached out to them to express my interest in their work. At some point I offered an interest to document Cestine’s work on Rok Lok and sometime later here we are with the duo’s latest work “Other Half/Bright Encounter”. This two song cassette showcases two lengthy tracks of minimal ambiance that is performed with such a mature sense of timing and restraint, where the natural dynamics of the compositions just flow. Cestine locks into warm sounds of droney waves and builds upon layers in such a subdued manner that one is enveloped in a calm of manipulated synth drones, and honed improvisation. Not a single sound ever feels rushed or cluttered-even the field recordings explored are done so in a manner that is not obtrusive to the overall aura of the work. The spaciousness achieved by Cestine reminds of the work of Widesky, R. Sawyer or Steve Reich. “Other Half/Bright Encounter” is an immersive, introspective experience that commands a listener’s attention to fully appreciate but at the same time doesn’t give into the lure of lengthy, self indulgent forays sound experimentation but rather a more focused and refined sense of minimal composition. “Other Half/Bright Encounter” is limited to an edition of 40 cassettes (home dubbed in real time) packaged in full color, numbered j-cards and stamped labels.