Slow Reels – "Everyday Exotic"

On March 20th, an exciting album by two well-known ambient and experimental artists will be hitting the scene, which I'm sure you'll look forward to. It will be released in the quiet details series. James Murray and Ian Hawgood are about to delivere nine outstanding tracks under the name Slow Reels. "Everyday Exotic" has the power to carry you to a distant island where the omnipresent tsunami of war news, stress, anger, and pollution doesn't exist.

The record sounds like something from a peaceful parallel universe, free from poisoning, fear, and catastrophe. I think this is precisely what many people dream of in our current epoch. It provides a peaceful place to retreat to when impressions become too much. It is meditative, resonant, relaxed, and simultaneously thought-provoking—in a clear and refreshing way.

Ian Hawgood

You may already know Ian from the legendary Home Normal label. The artist has an impressive discography, consisting partly of his own releases and partly of collaborations with other artists. He has made a name for himself primarily through his virtuoso handling of tapes, synths, and electroacoustics. He always pays attention to the ever-so-small details in his productions—which is pretty much evident again in his new work with Slow Reels.

James Murray

James became renowned with his label Slowcraft. He also produces excellent ambient-influenced music. His productions are always top-notch—full of analogue and digital experiments and imaginative effects. Especially in his work for various film scores, he repeatedly demonstrates his remarkable talent for capturing moods and setting them to music.

An ambient super duo

United as a duo, the two multi-instrumentalists complement each other perfectly. You could also hear that on their recently released first two Slow Reels releases, "Farewell Islands" on Morr Music and "Sustain" on Fluid Audio. They have now reached the pinnacle of creativity with "Everyday Exotic" and continue exploring the many layers of the playful electro-acoustic sound world. The best thing is: I'm sure endless expanses lie ahead of them still, and they will surely bring us many more musical masterpieces in the future.

"Everyday Exotic" tells a moving story

The harmony and sensitivity of their music reflect the detailed and professional compositional work of the two artists from London and Warsaw. Their music invites listeners to experience moving moments—an expedition into the inner self—versatile, surprising and immersive. From the first track, "Keepsake", to the ninth and final track on the record ("Equals"), the songs flow seamlessly into one another and tell a coherent story that should not be separated. All components—from the piano playing to the electro-acoustic and field recordings, the ingenious interplay of synths, granular processing and versatile textures—form a living organism. Ian and James' dedication is evident in every note.

The artwork is just as holistically integrated into the overall work of art—influenced by the music on the record. The base for it was a picture of James' cockatiel friend, Coco. A few analogue photography experiments and editing in the quiet details studios later made it perfect.

You can get "Everyday Exotic" as a 6-panel digipak including a fine art print or as a CD. The CD contains a beautiful long-form continuous mix of the album—according to James and Ian, you can experience the nine tracks in their most genuine form here. Of course, the album is also available on music streaming services. Please mark the date in your calendar and listen to it as soon as it is out!

Check out Slow Reel's release newsletter for more details!

Please note: Don't forget to check out more brilliant artist from the quiet details series like Anthéne, and Zakè!