Elements of Nature - Felbm
In January 2021, Eelco Topper (Felbm) went into hermit mode by way of a two-week residency at Buitenplaats Doornburgh, a former monastery on the outskirts of his hometown of Utrecht, Netherlands. He had already intended to use only natural elements for inspiration, such as naturally-occurring textures and patterns, and the earthiness of acoustic instruments like singing bowls and a range of wooden percussion.
On arrival, the contemplative architecture of the building and the peace of the surrounding landscapes energized Topper so much that these initial ideas blossomed into nearly 50 minutes of intimate 4-track cassette recordings.
Following the residency, Topper collaborated with a cast of local guest musicians on flute, saxophone and cello, infusing the original rhythmic foundation of percussion and acoustic guitar with a lush melodic backdrop. The resulting new release – simply titled ‘Elements of Nature’ - marries the fluttering melodies and lo-fi cassette sound of earlier Felbm releases with a new conceptual approach and more varied sonic toolkit. Here, Topper successfully preserves the joyful naïveté of the Tapes series while exploring sweeping new ground, resulting in a decisive step forward for Felbm as a composer, producer and artist.
‘Elements of Nature’ was first released in November 2021 on limited edition cassette, accompanied by a riso-printed book of artwork. Illustrated once more by long-time collaborator Joost Stokhof, the artwork assembles Stokhof’s ink drawings together with the analogue photographs that inspired them, taken by Felbm during his residency.
Tracklist
1. Soil
2. Root
3. Métaux
4. Cycli
5. Release
6. Florissant
7. Reflections
8. Fall
9. Tsuyu
10. Timber
11. Reveille
12. Rise
13. Fruit
14. Sustain
15. Attack
16. Phi
17. Wood/wind
18. Quartz
19. Psi
20. Decay
Specifications
SNDWLP155
Released: 2022
Genre: Electronic, Classical
Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue
Vinyl colour: Black
Sleeve: Standard colour sleeve
Reviews
"Any time an artist with the sensibilities of Felbm surrenders themselves to the natural world to bring back treasures of sound for us all, the world becomes a better place."
Charlie Moonbeam