36 - Dreamloops 4xLP Preorder
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First ever vinyl pressing. Out August 23, 2024
Originally released on tape, these eight side-long arrangements are full-spectrum minimalist suites, both immersive and accomplished.
For fans of: Seefeel, GAS, Popol Vuh, Natural Snow Buildings, Stars of the Lid.
There is a beauty in this sound…[where] you can truly glimpse into the soul of the composer” - Headphone Commute
“Warm, hugely emotive loop-based compositions, with particular emphasis on melody and atmosphere.” - The Rest Is Noise.
Presenting the first vinyl release of Dreamloops, a collection of long-form tracks that form a stunning two-and-a-half-hour suite over 4 LPs. The box set has been created, mixed, and designed by Dennis Huddleston, who, as 36 (“three-six”), is among the most celebrated electronic musicians operating today. Praised for his ability to imbue songs with strong, relatable undercurrents, Huddleston achieves a new level of subconscious connection with Dreamloops.
These are not strictly loops, but rather a dreamstate interpretation of half-conscious repetition. Huddleston refers to the music he makes as “dreamlike, introspective midnight music.” All liminal effects are intentional.
First appearing in 2019 as a series of cassettes, Dreamloops was revisited by Huddleston in 2023 to bring newfound clarity, focus, and cohesion. The eight pieces, each an 18:00 minute standalone self-contained work, the tracks are unified, joined by a shared approach of hypnotizing loops that artfully shift and mutate. In each song, time slows as an ensemble of sounds builds on themes and develops emotional power. In the lineage ofMuch like epic works such as The Sinking of the Titanic by Gavin Bryars, LaMonte Young’s Well-Tuned Piano, Daughters Of Darkness by Natural Snow Buildings and Morton Feldman’s String Quartet II, each fragment of Dreamloops culls developing melodies towards hauntological steps forward. Sound spectrums don’t spread wide but instead focus on a precise musical statement, exploring its absolute potential.
That said, Dreamloops does not exist in its own idealized sphere. Deep listening reveals tape hiss, oversaturation, wow & flutter, and similar imperfections. The fingerprints deepen part of these tracks’ emotional impact. Henryk Gorecki’s humanity meets Max Richter’s sense of grandeur meets Deathprod’s absolute sound mining, as Huddleston deftly maneuvers his songs toward momentous epic impact. “Emotions get tied in our mind with specific sounds,” Huddleston says. “The whole point of creating music is to explore and discover those frequencies.” A simmering nostalgia is ever present.
"These are slow, hypnotic tracks, that exist in their own time and space. You may be surprised how much changes over the duration of each track. All tape-related artifacts such as hiss, saturation, wow & flutter are both intentional and encouraged. Careful listening will be rewarded. These aren't for everyone, but if you have the patience, they might be exactly what you need."
While the title describes them as loops, this is somewhat misleading, as the tracks are constantly evolving, slowly revealing new melodies, textures and emotions. Each tune was made to be self-contained, yet they work equally well as a long-form listening session. Keen ears will surely be rewarded.
36 (pronounced three-six) is the alias of UK producer Dennis Huddleston, who has been a prolific and leading figure in the modern ambient scene, following his 2009 debut album Hypersona. He currently releases music on A Strangely Isolated Place and Past Inside The Present. He also runs his own label 3six Recordings, which is where he released some of his most celebrated albums, including Lithea and Void Dance. The core of the 36 sound is a combination of warm melodies and widescreen atmospheres that is never shy from the abstract, but one that remains highly accessible. It's dreamlike, introspective midnight music, and the perfect soundtrack for your own Strangely Isolated Place.