Symbion Project
Symbion Project official website :: http://www.symbionproject.com
Symbion Project on Facebook :: http://www.facebook.com/symbionproject
Symbion Project on Soundcloud :: http://soundcloud.com/symbionproject
Symbion Project CD are sold here :: http://symbionproject.bandcamp.com/
Discography:
2016: Arcadian (release 9/9/16)
2015: Semiotic
2012: Misery in Soliloquy [exposed]
2011: Contrapasso
2010: Misery in Soliloquy
2007: Wound Up by God or the Devil
2003: Immortal Game
1997: Red
Arcadian is the 8th full-length album from Seattle-based electronic-music songwriter/producer Symbion Project aka Kasson Crooker. While previous releases have seen the moniker’s sound range from chaotic IDM to cinematic downtempo to classical synthesizer music, Aracadian sees the project nod to electronic-based, beat-driven song structures that draw circles around the world’s more melancholy realities. The album is set for release on September 9th, 2016.
At its core, Arcadian is a bittersweet focus on escapism, from the myriad ways our world can both connect and disenchant. Lyrically, the album bookends "Arcadian" and "Mikros Kosmos" explore the desire to leave the complex real-world behind for more tranquil other-worldly places, even with their inevitable loss of identity. Love can bewitch us and just as equally destroy us --- and the songs "The Charmed" "Napoleon" and "Stainless Endless Radiance" explore the extents to which this force affects our lives. Another important aspect to the album was that the artwork be physically real by layer lasercut paper geometry over fluid watercolors. The contrast of the abstract textures and organic lighting help complete the album's complex aesthetic.
Upon listening, one of the striking elements of the album’s densely layered 11 songs are the vocals throughout the album. In addition to vocals from Kasson himself, the album features guest vocals from Seattle composer/sound conjurer Briana Marela (Amiina, múm collaborator signed to Jagjaguwar), Seattle’s Jenni Potts (most recently heard on Odesza’s “White Lies”), Finnish singer Markus Junnikkala (from the band MY), and long-time collaborator Melissa R Kaplan (Splashdown). The album features a handful of additional instrumentalists as well, with classical guitar and french horns adding depth to the layered electronic arrangements. The production also features numerous vintage synthesizers like a massive Moog Modular from the late 1960's which brings unexpected textures that current synths lack.
Along with founding several bands including synthpop legends Freezepop and Rocococo in addition to Symbion Project, Kasson is an accomplished composer and audio technologist. His music has been featured in interactive music games like Amplitude and RockBand, he's created spatial audio experiences for the Microsoft HoloLens, and is currently scoring the indie-game Shard. Influenced by 80’s synthpop acts Depeche Mode and New Order, Massive Attack and Portishead in the 90’s, Royksopp and Air in the 00’s, Symbion Project strives to define it’s own aesthetic and songwriting style.
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For the last 20 years, Symbion project has been electronic music endeavor of Kasson Crooker. During that time, he founded the synthpop band Freezepop (www.freezepop.com), was a member of the electronic rock trio Splashdown, wrote a bunch of music for videogames (FreQuency, Amplitude, Rockband, DDR). The sound of Symbion Project is dark and haunting downtempo and features a large collection of vintage analog synthesizers. Symbion Project is very inspired by the artists Massive Attack, Depeche Mode, Wendy Carlos, Vangelis, Air, and Erik Satie.
The first full length Symbion Project cd "Red" came out in 1997 followed by "Immortal Game" with artwork by Stoltze Design. Not being one to be pinned down stylistically, Symbion Project has continued to embed differing styles of electronic music into its overall aesthetic. Early songs incorporated elements of instrumental techno & trance, along with spastik drum & bass programming. Songs on "Immortal Game" slowed dramatically into hypnotic down-tempo, reminiscent of boards of canada & dj shadow, with haunting synths & vangelis-esque ambient soundscapes. "Immortal Game" also features guest vocalists Melissa R Kaplan of Splashdown/Universal Hall Pass & Leah Callahan, alongside the instrumentals. "Wound Up by God or the Devil," was released in early 2007 and was the first foray into a different sound for the band. Inspired by the baroque qualities of vintage synth artist Wendy Carlos (A Clockwork Orange, Tron) and Vangelis (Bladerunner), the Wound Up album became the first in a trilogy of instrumental analog synthesizer releases.
2009 saw the release of the 4th studio album "Misery in Soliloquy" which was released on cd in stereo and on dvd in a quad 4channel surround sound format. This album returned to the downtempo sounds of Immortal Game and heavily featured Melissa R Kaplan and Kasson on vocals along with strings arranged and performed by Simon Swarbrick. A followup version cd called "Misery in Soliloquy [Exposed]" has just been released and features the entire album mixed without vocals or drums, allowing the synths, strings, and ambient fx to shine.
"Contrapasso", which is a followup to the Wound Up album, was released in 2011. This album features a cover of the Dead Can Dance song "Enigma of the Absolute."
2015 saw the release of the album SEMIOTIC ~ darkly instrumental and much edgier with the drum programming and synths. This album is best described as "unapologetically synthetic". This album is the only Symbion album squarely in the techno/IDM genre.
Symbion Project now tours around the US. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
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