CONTRAPHONIC

Frank Rosaly's Milkwork OFFICIALLY OUT TODAY

Today marks the official release date of the Milkwork LP from Chicago-based drummer and composer Frank Rosaly. Rosaly, a frequent contributor and player alongside the likes of Matana Roberts, Rob Mazurek's Mandarin Movie, The Rempis Percussion Quartet, Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten, Jeff Parker/Nels Cline Quartet, Josh Abrams' Remindring, Fred Lonberg-Holm's Valentine Trio, and many more, has been navigating a fine line between the improvised music, indie-rock, experimental and jazz communities for the past decade.

Milkwork is the resulting work of one of Rosaly's solo drum ventures. Milkwork explores the process of free-improvisation with both acoustic and electronically manipulated percussion instruments to produce a wild and gorgeous panoply of sound. Released in a limited edition version on milky white vinyl only, Milkwork navigates a wide sonic palette: Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Jazz and non-idiomatic grooves using unconventional techniques, dense Free-Jazz vocabulary, heavy drones and feedback. Again, only 500 LPs on milky white vinyl exist! Hurry and secure one up at the ContraStore now. [posted TUES. 01/12/09]

Contraphonic celebrates our Annual WINTER OF LOVE

In what has become an annual celebration, the Contraphonic Winter of Love party is set for Saturday January 16th. This year, we move the party over to Chicago's The Hideout, where we will have sets by Frank Rosaly (official release show!), Pillars & Tongues, and Tobin Summerfield Ensemble. Nothing could possibly cure your winter blues more so than the Winter of Love. Catch Time Out Chicago's preview of the night now and then join us this Saturday, January 16, in imbibing mead with post-holiday cheer. [posted TUES. 01/12/09]

Pillars & Tongues to go back Across the Pond

Our tireless friends in Pillars & Tongues continue their endless touring, and take off to Europe in early Feb. Since the release of their acclaimed Protection lp, P&T have traversed the US numerous times, headed north to Canada alongside Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, and will now be heading back to Europe after successful engagements there in early 2008. Check out their tour page for the emerging details on their French and Spanish excursions, and be sure to engage in their otherworldly avant folk workouts via Protection and Little Hell Vol II: Our Lady of the Underpass available now in the ContraStore. [posted TUES. 01/12/09]

We Don't Stop / Winter of Love

It's been quite a year here at Contra HQ and we thank you all for supporting the cause throughout. We don't quite rest on our laurels though and lazily sip our eggnog by the fire. We've got exciting releases to unleash in the coming year, and a series of events that know no rest. Martin Bisi continues his year-long touring by heading out to the West Coast as we speak, The Lesser Birds of Paradise are gearing up for a series of shows as they emerge anew, and we here at Contra HQ are in the final planning stages for our annual Winter of Love show. More details TBA, but here's your save the date info: it's going to be a full blast Contraphonic Winter of Love Weekend:

Contraphonic DJs at the Burlington- Chicago, Friday, January 15th.

Contraphonic Winter of Love/High Five Anniversary Celebration at The Hideout with Frank Rosaly, Pillars & Tongues, Tobin Summerfield Ensemble and perhaps some guests to boot. Chicago, Saturday, January 16th. [posted MON. 11/30/09]

Working Up to Full Reflection, new release from Never Enough Hope composer Tobin Summerfield

Never Enough Hope composer Tobin Summerfield is currently writing and preparing the next NEH record for sometime in the coming year. While meticulously preparing and prepping for the 20-part orchestra that is Never Enough Hope, Summerfield pares things down a bit in the interim, with the release of Working Up to Full Reflection, a digital-only full-length release of solo guitar pieces in the vein of Rafael Toral and Morton Feldman. There's a frozen gorgeousness to Summerfield's textured drones, played and executed with more emotion than most ambient artists. The release of Working Up will be celebrated with a set by Summerfield at the Hideout in Chicago on Thursday, November 5th. You can get your copy today by heading to the ContraStore, iTunes, or your preferred digital vendor. [posted MON. 10/26/09]

Joshua Marcus emerges with Environmental Justice Project in This Land

Over the past year-and-a-half, Philadelphia-based banjo balladeer Joshua Marcus has been working on This Land: an environmental justice folk recording project, with community groups and individuals in the eastern United States. Following the tradition of social justice folk music, such as songs from the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, Marcus partnered with seven different community action groups and individuals to create songs about their current successes over and struggles with environmental justice issues. The songs focus on issues like mountaintop removal, toxic soil and water contamination, and environmental racism. This Land is structured within seven songs and accompanying interviews, with Marcus aiming to share the powerful experiences and perspectives of those involved in their causes. Contraphonic has teamed up in distributing This Land by making it available now in the ContraStore. In addition, Marcus will be playing a series of shows to highlight this new release across the US in the coming months. For more info, please visit the beautifully rendered http://thislandourland.org. [posted MON. 10/05/09]

Martin Bisi Video Tour

Resident Contra HQ "cultural antagonist," Martin Bisi will be heading back out to the West Coast yet again, for a series of dates this Winter. While checking out his tour dates on his artist page, be sure to pick up a copy of the two acclaimed releases from this year: Son of a Gun ep and Sirens of the Apocalypse. In leading up to the tour dates, Contraphonic will be rolling out episodes of our "Talks with Martin" series on the CJ's Corner page of our site. Each episode will feature Bisi talking about some of the illustrious records he has worked on in his lengthy and storied career as a producer since launching BC Studios. Take a peek at the first episode now to hear Martin on working with Sonic Youth, Unsane, Material, William S Burroughs and more! [posted MON. 10/05/09]

Pronto Unleashes The Cheetah; Tour With Fruit Bats

The day we let The Cheetah free is finally upon us!

While it's already been a busy year for Wilco's Mikael Jorgensen and his solo project Pronto, things keep piling up for the TransAtlantic band. Their All Is Golden CD, which was released on Contraphonic in March of 2009, saw critical praise from far corners of the blogosphere, to the cover of the Weekend Section of the Chicago Sun-Times.

And now comes The Cheetah, a collection of songs and musical experiments that were created between 2000 and 2004 by Jorgensen, Chris Girard and Greg O'Keeffe, with guests Rob Mazurek and Noel Kupersmith. Representing a different face of Pronto, The Cheetah is the product of new technological music-making tools, and documenting the resulting inspiration. Although it may be the follow-up release to All is Golden, it also serves as an indication of where they were coming from and where they are going.

We are proud to announce that The Cheetah is available now--in various stripes-- in the ContraStore. In addition to the standard digital release, you can get your deluxe version equipped with exclusive animated videos from video artist Michael Lascarides. Turn your computer into a museum with Lascarides rich visuals set to Pronto's songs. Plus, we are rolling out the entire Pronto catalog for a limited time- get both the deluxe version of The Cheetah and All is Golden in one compact package.

To coincide with all this, Pronto are heading out on tour starting...today! First up, a duo of Jorgensen and Girard will play some supporting dates for SubPoppers Fruit Bats. Then Pronto reassembles with a full band of O'Keeffe and bassist Tunde Oyewole for the remaining dates. Check out the dates here to mark your calendars, and head on over to the ContraStore now. [posted TUE. 09/08/09]

Upcoming Shows

02.08.10 Pillars & Tongues @ Clos de Milliardaires. Brussels, Belgium

02.09.10 Pillars & Tongues @ Giraf Cafe. Strasbourg, France

02.11.10 Pillars & Tongues @ L'Olympic. Nantes, France

02.12.10 Pillars & Tongues @ CNR Chapel. Rennes, France

02.13.10 Pillars & Tongues @ Le Sonotone. Mont-de-Marsan, France

02.14.10 Pillars & Tongues @ Desafinado. Zaragoza, Spain

02.15.10 Pillars & Tongues @ La Resistancia. Barcelona, Spain

02.16.10 Pillars & Tongues @ Espai Forum Mediterrania. Palafrugell, Spain

02.16.10 The Lesser Birds of Paradise @ The Whistler. Chicago, IL

02.17.10 Pillars & Tongues @ Jimmy Jazz Club. Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

02.18.10 Pillars & Tongues @ La casa de Los Jacintos. Madrid, Spain