Apolithoma by Veslemes

Veslemes (aka Felizol) makes his debut on Invisible Inc with this astonishing new album that comes hot on the heels of last year's ground-shaking "I Know Where You Live Vangelis!".

With "Apolithoma" Yannis Veslemes takes us further into the dark crevices of his psyche.

The album's themes are inspired by the dystopian sci-fi of JG Ballard's "The Drowned World" and "The Crystal World": both novels eerily prophetic in their dystopian visions of an irradiated Earth over which a bloated, blinding sun makes living as we know it bearable only within a few hours around dawn and dusk. Sea levels have risen and cities that are not wholly flooded are overgrown with emergent new flora adapting to this new and hostile environment.

In more remote locations, overgrown jungles and forests are exhibiting signs of a strange crystallisation: entire swathes of jungle petrified, calcified, crystalized, fauna included...and stories of missing explorers rumoured to themselves have crystalized!

An allegory for our times, for sure....but more importantly, the album is as adventurous musically as it is conceptually. Where on the surface we have stories themed around an external dystopian world, the music, like the rising floodwater, presents us with a lens through which to look at the internal world: on one hand a distorted prism into what lurks beneath, yet at the same time a perfect reflection - a mirror into the psyche.

At times dark, at times playful, unreservedly psychedelic, the album's wildly different musical styles all capture an atmosphere that is as profound and mystical as it is unique.

Featuring an assortment of guest musicians on saxophone, clarinet, vibraphones, oboe, guitars and other instruments not often heard in partnership with electronic music, the resulting collection of songs is up there with the best of Invisible Inc.

Disc One
A1 The Carnivorous Bar 08:07
A2 Beatrice Dahl's Jungle Fever 04:32
B1 Diamond Crocodile Tears 03:46
B2 Port Mattare 05:16

Disc Two
C1 Morning Patrol 05:10
C2 Magdalene 08:17
D1 Apolithoma 11:41
D2 Crystalize 03:08

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"Old J.G. drilled a hole in his forehead

Willy told him to

Now he can stay high for life

Now both the Drowned and the Crystal Worlds can flow from there

Like a river of wisdom

Like a broth of despair

Apolithoma (meaning fossil in Greek) was conceived and recorded during the spring of 2020 under the influence of J.G Ballard’s writings and the perplexity of migraine labyrinthitis vertigo episodes."

Y.V.

__________________________

DJ / RADIO FEEDBACK:

"Really good! Even if I didn’t know who this was I’d instantly recognise his sound. Tops!" JD Twitch [Optimo Music / Blackest Ever Black / Strut / On-U Sound]

"Spectacular! [...] This record is really good, a lot of depth, many levels [...] one of the best things this year so far" Sean Johnston [Hardway Bros / ALFOS]

"WHOA! DOPE! Love it man" Dreems [Multi Culti / Le Temps Perdu / Malka Tuti]

"I love Port Mattare and Crystalize" Manfredas [Opium / Les Disques De La Mort]

"It's fresh ...[Crystalize] is my favourite" DJ SoFa [Pingipung / Emotional Response / Kalahari Oyster Cult / Safe Trip]

"As usual, a strong release" Alexis Le-Tan [Full Circle / Bahnsteig 23]

"Great" Anatolian Weapons [Beats In Space / Lurid Music / Serenades]

releases: Optimo Music, Byrd Out, Invisible Inc, Macadam Mambo, Into the Light, Rotten City, Six Dogs Rec, Ntrop, Inner Ear Rec, Sportex Audio

DISCOGS
https://www.discogs.com/artist/762742-Felizol

SOUNDCLOUD
https://soundcloud.com/felizol

VIMEO
https://vimeo.com/user11104779