21 March 2023 - 0 Comments

Karl Sölve Steven is a composer and producer, currently based in Pārāwai (Thames).

Steven's output is a collage of organic and electronic sources, synthesised down into an ambitious and enigmatic sound. While working mainly with music to picture, Steven has also been a part of groups Queen Neptune, The Drab Doo-Riffs, Heart Attack Alley and Supergroove.

Today Steven announces All Of Human Emotion On Microfiche (The Remixes) (out digitally on July 6 via Sunreturn),an album of remixes by key personalities from Aotearoa's experimental electronic scenes. Steven also shares the first single Acoma (Phase I) (Stef Animal Eithne Ní Bhraonáin 1986 Remix).

STREAM KARL SÖLVE STEVEN - Acoma (Phase I) (Stef Animal Eithne Ní Bhraonáin 1986 Remix)

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Stef Animal's Acoma (Phase I) (Eithne Ní Bhraonáin 1986 Remix) is lush, rhythmic re-imagining of Steven's original.

“[Acoma (Phase I)] sounded to me like the album's statement of intent. I loved the chord sequence - it was large, adventurous and a bit mysterious,” says Stef Animal. “Each chord carried a lot of weight. Some musicians throw chords around like candy - Beck for example - and that's fun too, but I do love a calm, considered harmonic progression. This can leave a lot of space for a compelling melody and this track is a perfect example.”

“The track immediately reminded me of Enya's first couple of albums - especially her debut soundtrack for the 1986 BBC documentary series 'The Celts', which is full of these expansive, adventurous musical themes. I decided to try to attempt a vague Enya-fication of the track using similar synths and sounds from that period of her career. So there's big warm Roland Juno string sounds (and some sparkly Juno arpeggios), abstract rhythmic background vocal stuff, sampled percussion and that lovely Yamaha DX7 bell sound.”

Reflecting on the remix Stef Animal says "I'm not sure I completely nailed the idea I had in my head, but it's close enough to be fun. When I'm making tracks I don't usually start with a conceptual idea like this, I'm more of a 'fuck around and find out' kind of producer."

Steven responds "I love how Stef Animal’s remix removed the beating heart of Acoma and placed it in an early-digital Irish popscape. Listening to it is like standing on the turret of a castle programmed on a Commodore 64 as the clouds move in a game-loop overhead."

Karl Sölve Steven's All Of Human Emotion On Microfiche (The Remixes) features remixes and reworkings by Stef Animal, along with Liam K. Swiggs, Sonya Waters, Proteins Of Magic, Dream Chambers, Grecco Romank and Gayblade (the collaborate project of Amamelia and Baby Zionov).

Photo Credit: Geoff Steven

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