A Strangely Isolated Place Label Showcase at Public Records - Photos from the night

We had an amazing night at Public Records, New York last Friday, as we held our first label showcase in a very long time. With OKRAA in town from the UK, and local artists Salvatore Mercatante and Aspetuck, it made sense for us to put some firepower behind this moment and bring them together for a special evening (and then also spend the weekend record shopping!).

Aspetuck opened the evening with his sublime meld of ambient-forward beats, debuting new material, including tracks from his upcoming ASIP album in 2025.

Salvatore Mercatante followed, and put the epic Devon Ojas 4-point surround system to the test through his chest-rumbling electronics and sharp hi-hats, taking music from his recent release ‘Ø’, plus plenty of unreleased material.

OKRAA closed the evening with a mixture of his amorphous ambient and big swells of drones, interspersed by his more electronic breaks and electro from his new album ‘La Gran Corriente’. By the end, the room was jacking, and Juan was pulling at our hearts as the closing track from his 1994 release, ‘Ola De Luz’, rounded out the evening in fine fashion.

A big thank you to everyone who came, said hello, and purchased some records. Visuals on the night were created by Salvatore for his own set, and Dead Society for OKRAA’s, with photography by Daniel Salemi.

See you at the next one.

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Video: swanasa / Swan Song (by guardabrazo)

A new video for the final track, Swan Song, taken from swanasa’s new release here on ASIP. Directed by guardabrazo the video’s simplicity matches the track’s pure recordings and abstract manipulation of swan sounds.

Mirror EP by swanasa, is now available digitally, streaming, and as name your price on Bandcamp.

swanasa / Mirror (ASIP042)

A Strangely Isolated Place proudly presents Mirror EP, the first label release from Hungarian electronic artist swanasa (A. Abigél Bánházi). Following her 2023 debut, When You Need to Rest, Let the Sounds Hold You, released on Budapest’s EXILES, Abigél’s Mirror EP serves as a captivating follow-up and a purposeful first introduction to the world of ASIP, showcasing her ability to bridge experimental sound design with hypnotic, meditative drones.

“We begin at the edge, the Sad Sea, where the waves mirror our emotions, a boundary between the conscious and the deep unknown. As we dive, the waters grow wild, swirling in the chaos of our unconscious. But through the storm, we start to see the patterns—guided by the wolf, the soul’s escort through the shadows.

Deeper still, silence falls. In this quiet, the voices of whales, and dolphins become our companions, leading us toward truth. The water washes away the darkness, and in that stillness, the swan rises—a symbol of transformation, of wisdom found.”

Mirror EP encompasses a diverse range of textures, from deeply immersive soundscapes to intricate rhythmic elements, reflecting swanasa's dedication to pushing the boundaries of ambient music, informed by the interplay of folk culture, Jungian psychology, and digital experimentation. Each composition is a seamless blend of synthetic and organic sounds, influenced by her connection to nature, creating an evocative experience that resonates with themes of ecological awareness and modern technology’s role in artistic expression.

Featuring rhythmic chanting and layered vocal samples that invoke a sense of ritual and deep introspection, washes of abstracted sounds manipulated from the recordings of wolves, and mystical sounds straight from nature’s own. The EPs tracks highlight swanasa's exploration of sound as a symbolic language, inviting listeners into a world where the lines between reality and imagination blur.

swanasa's music is brought to life through her live performances, where Mirror EP and her previous material form the foundation for dynamic, meditative sets. Having performed alongside artists such as Abul Mogard, swanasa’s live shows emphasize deep listening and immersive sound environments, drawing audiences into her unique sonic world.

Mirror EP will be released on November 22nd, 2024, available as a digital download, mastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri @ Black Knoll Studio, New York. The artwork, an original texture created by Zsuzsi Palman, continues the theme from Abigél’s first EP.

View the release page for full details and links to buy.

OKRAA / Infinito (ASIPV051) Official video by Dead Society

A new full-length video for the second single from OKRAA’s upcoming album La Gran Corriente - 'Infinito.' This track will feel more familiar if you enjoyed Juan's previous ASIP release '1994', featuring scattered synthesis and complex braindance underscored by a soaring progressive atmosphere. It is matched by some lovely, energetic visuals from @deadsciety.

La Gran Corriente, is now available for preorder on gatefold 2LP and digital. View the release page for more details and links to listen and buy.

Join us on October 23rd for the album listening party and full album playthrough over on Bandcamp, at 11am PST. RSVP here.

ASIP Label Showcase @ Public Records, New York: OKRAA + Salvatore Mercantante + Aspetuck

A Strangely Isolated Place presents an evening of room-filled atmospherics, taking over the Public Records Sound Room.

Colombian-born, OKRAA, presents his intense analog walls of sound and complex IDM, as heard throughout his new album on A Strangely Isolated Place, ‘La Gran Corriente’, as well as his previous outings, ‘1994’ and his more beat-driven alias ‘Laudrup’.

Debuting on the label earlier this year, New York-based artist Salvatore Mercatante is quickly defining a sharp and soaring IDM style, with complex drum patterns and clinical progressions, that cry out for a big system, and now finally unleashed in his hometown.

With a release set to arrive on the label next year, local producer, and Hudson NY native, Aspetuck will be opening the evening with a DJ set, highlighting his unique ear for a blend of electronic styles, and a taste of what’s to come on the label in 2025.

Tickets via Dice

RSVP to the event on Resident Advisor.