Dear friends
Covid-19 is dangerously impacting the social-economic category of musicians. No concerts, poor political and social consideration, uncertain earnings. As a consequence, an ever-growing number of musicians, especially those from the experimental area, are trying to promote their music on BandCamp in digital format only. It is increasingly difficult for me to follow and review this incredible flow of music. I therefore decided to open this section on my blog Neuguitars where I propose music in digital format that I consider particularly interesting and worthy of attention. I hope you like it. Let’s support musicians. They need it.
Andrea Aguzzi
Mountains Become Stepping Stones by Elif Yalvac, BandCamp, 2020 on #neuguitars #blog
https://hazalelif.bandcamp.com/
On Mountains Become Stepping Stones (Elif Yalvaç’s first release with NNA Tapes), the electronic/ambient artist leads listeners on a transformational journey through outer landscapes and inner feelings. Inspired by her travels to Nordic countries far from home, especially by Iceland and Norway, Mountains Become Stepping Stones reflects the raw vitality of nature: its danger and intensity, as well as its beauty. The record also draws deeply on Yalvaç’s inner world, and it reflects her conscious choice to keep creating in difficult times such as these, despite challenging personal circumstances. Using a vast array of instruments, including electric guitars, synthesizers, and a Game Boy, as well as field recordings from Iceland, Yalvaç’s compositions embrace opposites: microsound glitches with slow intense builds; celestial beauty with abrasive energy.
credits
released December 4, 2020
Composed, recorded and mixed by Hazal Elif Yalvaç (2019-2020, Iceland, Turkey)
Music:
Hazal Elif Yalvaç: guitars, pedals, synthesizer, Game Boy, laptop
Field recordings: Hazal Elif Yalvaç
with Magnús Bergsson – (Breaking My Rose Tinted Glasses, Huginn and Muninn, Black Sand Beach) fieldrecording.net/english
Mastering: Michael Bearpark
with Andrew Ostler (Painted In Pitch Black)
Photography: Hazal Elif Yalvaç
Location: Diatomite plant and geothermal power plant near Lake Mývatn, Iceland
Special thanks: Michael Bearpark, Magnús Bergsson, Jason Arber, Adam Downey, Caitlin Pasko, Jón “Nonni” Friðriksson, M.J Harvey, Heather Coles, Ian Fairholm, Gísli Sigurgeirsson, Maria Sastre, Gísli Haraldsson, Marianne Tóvinnukona, María Tryggvadóttir, Haraldur Tryggvason, Katrín Ingibjörg Steinarsdóttir, Pan Thorarensen, Jesper Pedersen, Goodiepal, Ashley Ariel, Ríkharður H. Friðriksson, Daniele Girolamo, Kristoffer Lislegaard, the Priestess, Ümit İnginar, Bade Başer, Ayşegül & Günnur Yalvaç, Nuri
NeuGuitars 