The nature of a long-running project like Jon DeRosa’s Aarktica (in existence for over 25 years) is such that most listeners of the new Ecstatic Lightsongs are likely to be those who’ve been following his work for some time now. It’s the eternal struggle of the long-term working artist, but in this case also offers a lovely silver lining; those same listeners are the ones most likely to both notice and appreciate what makes this record stand out from the many ambient classics released under the Aarktica name (as opposed to his other endeavours). For one thing, here DeRosa’s vocals take center stage on nearly every track as opposed to just a few; but what might be even more striking to long-term fans can be summed up in one word. Drums.
DeRosa has been upfront when discussing Ecstatic Lightsongs about this being an Aarktica record that overtly nods to the post-punk, new wave, and post-rock music he loves, singling out late-period Talk Talk as a rhythmic inspiration. And sure enough, mere seconds into the opening “Trick of the Light” you can hear Mike Pride’s gently rolling fills setting the scene just as much as DeRosa’s ringing guitar. That Laughing Stock influence is most notable on “Laughing in the Rain,” where Pride and bassist Lewis Pesacov (who also produced most of the LP) immediately sketch out a similarly expansive, open space for the song to exist in. But the percussion here takes on more than one form, like the dusty, looping playing that opens “To Love Is to Believe” until it fades out as the track swells into an echoing, faintly dubby cloud.
Pride, Pesacov, and cellist Henrik Meierkord even put a shuffling spin on “Destination Paradise” that comes close to trip hop, not least because that’s also one of three songs here that features Britt Warner’s singing. Her and DeRosa’s interplay on those tracks is immediately compelling in a sandpaper-and-honey kind of way. DeRosa’s vocal tracks are often highlights on Aarktica albums, and their predominance here only confirms that they can carry a song practically on their own instead of just being an occasional ingredient.
Which is not to suggest that Ecstatic Lightsongs is a radical change from the kind of beauty Aarktica normally deals in, nor that DeRosa has abandoned his traditional strengths; although he adds synths here (in a less immediately surprising but equally significant departure from most Aarktica releases) his guitar remains the mainstay of the sound throughout and it’s always gorgeous, whether in the increasingly distorted solo playing on “Why Say Anything?” (the vocal track that most sounds like it could be plucked out of a past Aarktica release) or on the two instrumentals, especially the gorgeous duet with Meierkord that makes up “The Bird That Hides Itself.”
The digital release of the album closes with a bonus track that’s almost a proof of concept of the idea behind the whole LP, a cover of the Chameleons’ 1983 “Second Skin.” The original is great in a very characteristic way, both murky and confrontational with a great whacking beat and increasingly tormented vocals. The Aarktica take doesn’t try and beat the original at its own game; the beat is still central but, diffused a touch and surrounded by cello and DeRosa’s smoother baritone, the result feels more sweeping and darkly romantic. By taking on one of his inspirations directly and offering a fantastic, significantly tonally distinct version of it, DeRosa is showing both how this iteration of Aarktica is fully capable of standing with the works and artists it seeks to join, and that his own originals hold up well in their company. “Second Skin” is a classic, and it fits right in here.
No Solace in Sleep was the first album that ambient/experimental/neo folk composer Jon DeRosa released under the name Aarktica; it was released over a quarter of a century ago. The album was recently remastered and re-released by Projekt Records; DeRosa is currently crowdsourcing a vinyl version on Kickstarter. Find out more here.
[photo by Joelle Hannah]
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You can see my 2022 interview with Jon DeRosa here, our chat from 2019 here, and a joint interview with DeRosa and Projekt Rekords founder Sam Rosenthal here.
Jon DeRosa has made a lot of music under a lot of names (and with a lot of people), but his drone/ambient project Aarktica is one of his most prolific and long-lasting outlets. Beginning with 2000’s No Solace in Sleep, Aarktica has long been a reliable name for those interested in the more otherworldly and transporting side of the guitar. But while DeRosa has kept busy, this year’s Mareaciónmarks the first time in almost a decade that there’s been a fully-fledged Aarktica LP. Dusted’s Ian Mathers describes it as “conjuring up a range of atmospheres and emotions from a relatively small sonic palette”; to go along with the album, DeRosa has provided us with a list of inspirations old and new.
I began working on the new Aarktica album Mareación over two years ago. Over the course of that time there were many influences, some musical and some personal, that affected my life and perspective, and really my entire human experience, which in turn inspired me creatively. These influences, combined with a few forever-influences that have been there all the while, are highlighted here. My hope is that it paints a bit of a colorful picture as to who and what was influential in the making of Mareación and to share these artistic inspirations that have been so important in my life with others.
Steve Roach—Structures From Silence
Structures From Silence is what I consider to be the most perfect ambient composition of all time. I have been a fan of Steve Roach since I saw him perform in Chicago when I was 16 years old, but it wasn’t until 15 or so years later that I’d rediscover this early work of his in a completely new context, one of the shamanic / plant medicine world. I recently saw him perform here in Los Angeles and to my delight he opened with this piece. It is a masterpiece that has its own life. It’s a composition that actually breathes.
La Monte Young—The Well-Tuned Piano
I went deaf in my right ear right before I turned 19 years old. Shortly thereafter, I had started volunteering as a monitor for La Monte Young’s “Dreamhouse” sound and light installation Downtown. One night while working there, his assistant (my friend) came up to the third floor and said, “La Monte wants to talk to you.” I walked down to the second floor where he and his wife Marian lived and knocked on the door. I had never really met him before and I’ll never forget that first interaction. La Monte opened the door, sunglasses and bandana on, shirtless, earrings dangling, and said “I heard what happened and...I think we can help. I think we can help you.” I began studying raga with them in an effort to restructure the way I heard and interpreted sound. Aarktica was born in the midst of all of this, and more than that, they may have actually saved my life in the process.
Richard Grossman
My dearest friend and teacher, I’ve had the privilege of working by his side for many years now. In a world where everyone seems to be a shaman, a healer, witch, mystic, etc... Richard is one of the very few authentic healers I’ve met. He’s also a hell of a musician, though he will probably not admit it. And he’s an excellent storyteller, which he probably would actually admit to. Much of Mareaciónwas inspired by our work together.
Mariana Root—“Sāo Árvores”
The first time I ever sat in a plant medicine ceremony in Peru I was fortunate enough that Mariana was there as an assistant. Her presence set a very high musical bar for all ceremonies to follow. Mariana possesses the most beautiful voice in the world, and I have been singing her songs ever since I met her years ago. I haven’t found anyone with both this level of tonal integrity and actual channeled beauty in melody and lyrics.
Pandit Pran Nath—21 VIII 76 NYC Raga Malkauns
I was introduced to the music of Pandit Pran Nath during my studies with La Monte and Marian, as he was their (as well as Terry Riley’s) guru and teacher for many years prior. There is really no other voice so haunting, no other voice that can say so much in just a few notes. I have listened to the same few ragas of his for almost 20 years now and they continue to evolve and change with every listen.
Electric Sound Bath—“Still Water High Seas” video
There is no one doing ambient and modular analog music with such sensitivity and soul as Electric Sound Bath. Their new single “Still Water High Seas” stirs a lot of emotion. And beauty. Ang from ESB took the photos for Mareación and Brian from ESB did all the design work and videos for the album. They are some of the kindest and most talented people I know. Los Angles is a better place with them in it.
Javier Regueiro—Plant Medicine Transmissions podcasts
Javier is another dear friend and teacher from Peru, a brilliant Ayahuasquero and Huachumero who has written some of the best books out there on working with plant medicines. Much of Mareación, especially the more ambient pieces “Her Divine Light” and “Awakening” were composed very shortly after returning from visiting him a few years ago. And “Don Francisco’s Blues” was influenced by a dieta I completed with him and his teacher Don Francisco Montes Shuna at Don Francisco’s land in the jungle Sachamama. I highly recommend his podcast series “Plant Medicine Transmissions” for both the beginner and the experienced plant medicine explorer. He’s eloquent and knowledgeable, and an overall beautiful human being.
Various Artists—I Am the Center: Private Issue New Age Music In America 1950-1990 (Light in the Attic)
This compilation from Light In The Attic is brilliantly curated and has been in my regular rotation since it was released a few years ago. An excellent starting point for exploring the genre...
Luz Maria Ampuero—Ancestral
Ancestral by Luz Maria Ampuero
I have a lot of love for my dear one Luz Maria, one of the more powerful curanderas I have known and worked with. This album of hers from last year (Ancestral) captures the beauty and magic of her voice and her spirit in these channeled songs. The song “Eating Rose Petals” from Mareación was inspired by her.
Kabir (poet)—Two Poems
In one of my favorite poems by Kabir, the 15th century Indian poet and mystic, he says: “Student, tell me, what is God? He is the breath inside the breath.” Nothing has ever made more sense to me. This was the inspiration for the opening track on Mareación.
If you hadn’t heard anything from Jon DeRosa in a while, he might not be the most obvious pick to collaborate with Stephin Merritt. After losing hearing one ear, DeRosa formed (the mostly solo) Aarktica to channel the aural hallucinations he was experiencing, and under that name specialized mostly in beautifully drifting soundscapes, although through the years he also proved to be a capable songwriter in more conventional molds with songs like “Aura Lee” and “Hollow Earth Theory.” The latter provides the most obvious connection between his work as Aarktica and his officially solo material, appearing both on the former’s last LP to date In Sea as well as his first LP under his own name, 2012’s A Wolf in Preacher’s Clothes. The latter version was a bit warmer and sweeter, but mostly revealed how skilled DeRosa has gotten at blending the various facets of his musical life (ambient/drone, including studying with La Monte Young, post punk, 1960s pop, Americana) together.
Which brings us to Merritt; DeRosa worked with him on the opera The Peach Blossom Fan and here co-writes “When Daddy Took the Treehouse Down.” That song is about as ideal a midpoint between the two men’s work as you could imagine, meaning that you could imagine it fitting in perfectly on Realism even as DeRosa gives it a different shading than Merritt could. If that collaboration attracts any fans of more conventional songcraft to Black Halo it will have been worth it just for that, the quality of the song aside, because this collection confidently presents itself as one of the peaks of DeRosa’s long and varied career.
The opening “Fool’s Razor” makes clear just how much DeRosa is channeling the crooning pop of yesteryear, even as the subject matter keeps the song inextricably current (not that the singers of the past never pondered existential questions, but they generally didn’t come right out and sing “what does anything mean? I have no answers”). The dark swoon of the backing strings and DeRosa’s deep, clear baritone makes for a lushly seductive opening, and while that is the register that much of Black Halo works in, DeRosa excels on the more varied songs.
The core and peak of the album is the trio of “Give Me One More Reason”, “Coyotes”, and “Dancing in a Dream”. The first is a surprisingly wiry, somehow minimalist, Wall of Sound slow burner. It turns its title into a demand for justification for both self-destruction and resisting self-destruction, spinning into the most soaringly romantic song on the album, where DeRosa intones “fill your lungs/flood the stars/with joy and sorrow/like wild coyotes/bear your soul/kill the pain/and fall in love again/like wild coyotes” with a power and control that paradoxically makes the track seem even more wild. “Coyotes” would be hard song for most albums to follow up, but with songwriting/singing assistance from Carina Round (whose backing vocals are excellent throughout the album), the darkly pretty “Dancing in a Dream” (which works equally well as a “Will the Night”-style ballad of separation as it does as the best song about a loved one dying since “Paint It, Black”) does so ably.
There’s plenty more to Black Halo, from the seance-as-metaphor-for-isolation dirge “Knock Once” to the sun-blasted “High & Lonely”, but that center would be enough to recommend it. Throughout DeRosa’s experience shows in his tight command of lyrical, sonic, and emotional themes, with Charles Newman’s rich production tying everything together. DeRosa has plenty of excellent work in his oeuvre already, but he can be proud of Black Halo; on merit, it should introduce him to a whole new audience.
A breathtaking video for Jon DeRosa’s “High and Lonely” directed by the artists The Current Sea. Love this haunting shamanic journey through the desert.
