I remember our 5th vinyl release way back. Just our second artist album at the time, but an artist who is still with us today.
I’d been a fan of Chymera for a long time prior, but I first heard Brendan’s alias, Merrin Karras on a John Beltran compilation - ‘Music for Machines’. ‘The Veldt’ went on to appear on Brendan’s first ASIP album, Apex (our 5th vinyl release - no wait, technically our 6th after the ASIPV003R) and to this day it remains a firm favorite of mine for many reasons. The biggest reason -and like most deluded label owners I’m sure -is that I can imagine that album being looked back at in many years to come as a true understated gem. It will never be big enough in my opinion. I don’t think I’ve met anyone who has given Brendan’s albums a listen and not been blown away. Truly transportive and timeless music just waiting to be found.
With each new Merrin Karras album, the bar has been raised. But hearing Brendan’s music in one long-form set is always a special and unique perspective to take. Much of his influences stem from early Berlin School producers like Klaus Schulze and Steve Roach- evident in most of his releases so far. But Merrin Karras’ truest proof point so far has been the release of his last long player, Silent Planet, where Brendan took the opportunity to expand his music to a full 40+ minutes, similar to many of the early long-form compositions that established the style. The hooks, chord changes, evolving atmospheres, and instrumental elements added a certain dynamism to his sleek, fluid sound and proved to be a true pinnacle in his catalog so far.
So, when Merrin Karras plays an hour’s worth of material in one set, it’s time to take it all in.
We’ve been sat on this set for a while and there’s never been a right time to release it. It’s been up on YouTube with some great visuals for a few years already.
But on Thursday afternoon - mere hours before Bandcamp Friday - I happened to be on an email thread with Brendan, and it reminded me this gem was sitting rusting away when it could be channeled as HQ into the eardrums of everyone here.
In the space of ~3 hours, we had everything ready to go (a testament to Peter Skwiot Smith having some superb artwork handy).
It’s simply an unmissable set of music in my opinion, and I think it’s hard to say that about most live sets in this world nowadays. (Talking of great live sets, don’t sleep on this one btw)
Merrin Karras was built for this type of approach and is holding the torch for the nu-Berlin School era.
~
It’s been nearly two years since Brendan Gregoriy’s (Chymera) Merrin Karras alias graced us with a new release, but since his magnificent Berlin School opus, Silent Planet (following 2020’s ‘Northwest Passage’, and 2016’s ‘Apex’), Brendan has been quietly musing on the next evolution of his beloved synthesizer-laden sound.
Until that day arrives, we’re being treated to a recording from one of his rare live appearances, capturing special moments from across his catalog in one expanded set. In a similar style to the extended long-players of early Berlin School masters, Brendan’s live performance follows a similar narrative, traversing an expanse of intensity, pace, and atmosphere with subtle edits and transitions making familiar tracks seem like entirely new passages of time and sound.
Featuring artwork by Peter Skwiot Smith
Originally performed and recorded for Reworks festival, Greece, 2021. reworks.gr
Watch the full A/V set featuring custom visuals from MinimalicQuantum below.
