Lords of the Drift is a drone supergroup featuring Tim Showalter (Strand of Oaks), Arjan Miranda (Black Mountain), David Bason (Barfbag, War Orphan), and Tomo Milicevic, and they're releasing their debut album The Arecibo Message on November 20 via Stay Gold Records. Arjan produced and mixed the record -- which consists of one track in three movements -- and made an accompanying album length video.
"Lords of the Drift represents four people getting together to find a language to describe the infinitesimal and eternal," says Tim. "There is a sense of comfort that comes from facing head on the overwhelming nature of existence."
Here's some more background on the album's premise, via press release:
Act 1 - Earthmakers (0:00 – 11:30) Two massive celestial entities rub up against each other. Each swirling in opposite directions, grinding as they collide. You hear the point of contact. There is a struggle as the behemoths fight for the same space. Low end grazing against high end as they fight to squeeze past each other. Friction with each contact generates heat.
Act 2 - Geomancy (11:30 – 16:45) Relief. The two entities have passed and continue on their journey. The expanse is vast. The two bodies eventually come to rest, each having been introduced to new matter in the passing.
Act 3 - The Golden Ratio (16:45 – 29:02) The bodies find motion again. As new base elements melt, waves ripple at the edge of the celestial pool. Life is awakening, stretching, groaning, tales on primordial tadpoles wiggle and we witness evolution. But there is a sound that is not natural, it’s the sound of technology.
"We were all big fans of Earth 2. We wanted to make a record with the same basic 3 movement structure that left you feeling like you’re levitating once you got through the whole thing," David said. "Arjan did a really good job of getting that across in the mix." He also adds, "This is what space sounds like."
That should give you a good idea of what to expect, and you can get a taste right now from the nine-minute second act, which premieres below.
Earlier this year, Strand of Oaks released a new single, as did Black Mountain. Barfbag dropped the LP Let's Stop A War, while War Orphan issued their Closer to Death Than Life EP.
