“An Album A Day” #4 is probably the newest release in my collection of non-music albums. The seventh studio album by Douglas Quin, Fathom, was released in 2010 by the experimental-heavy Taiga Records label. Other artists you might recognize who have recorded for the Minnesota-based label include Eleh, Jon Mueller and Lotus Eaters. Fathom was Quin’s first album since 2001’s Caratinga (CD only), which I’ve never heard. It was 1998’s Antarctica (CD only) that put Quin on my radar. I first heard a cut from that album on WFMU (probably Bryce’s show? Sadly I don’t remember) and when I looked it up online I immediately set out to find a copy. I mean, what’s not to love about a description that includes, “Experience the otherwordly voices of Leopard and Weddell seals and the creak and groan of glaciers. Then hear a colony of 160,000 Adelie penguins on Antarctica’s frozen shores and a gathering of Emperor penguins at the edge of the sea ice.” Sold. Duh.
Fathom travels along a similar path. The record’s four tracks (two on side ‘A’ and two on side ‘B’) are titled using longitude/latitude coordinates. The liner notes indicate that, “All soundscapes are minimally edited and were made with an underwater perspective using one or more hydrophones recording to digital tape.” Since geographic coordinates don’t do much to describe what exactly it is you’re hearing, further information is provided on each track.
A1) Walruses (Odobenust rosmarus) recorded Bristol Bay, Alaska.
A2) Beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) recorded at the mouth of the Nushagak River, Alaska.
B1) Icebergs and brash ice recorded near Palmer Station, Station E., Antartica.
B2) Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii), Leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx), Orcas (Orcinus orca) and ice fractures recorded McMurdo Sound, Antartica.
Quin’s Fathom was cut direct to metal & pressed on 200 gram virgin vinyl. Mastered by the estimable James Plotkin, of course. Housed in a beautifully designed sleeve and pressed in a limited edition of 100 on white vinyl, 300 on clear vinyl (my copy), and 600 on black vinyl. There’s also a sealed envelope containing an insert but I never opened it. Maybe there’s a plane ticket to Antarctica inside. I guess I’ll never know…
My copy was purchased via mail order from Aquarius Records on July 12th, 2010. Actually that’s probably the date it arrived in my possession, not the date of the order. I usually catalog stuff when it makes its way out of the package and onto my turntable. What else did I order from Aquarius that day, you didn’t ask? Oh, thanks to my ridiculous organizational skills (read: OCD) I can easily tell you what else I got from them. Aluk Todolo’s Finsternis, The Body’s All The Waters Of The Earth Turn To Blood (first pressing), Ben Frost’s By The Throat, and Master Musicians Of Bukkake’s Totem Two. That’s quite the haul, no?
Tomorrow is the last day of week one of this new feature. I hope you’re enjoying it. I’ve got some good theme ideas in store for the future.
Douglas Quin
Fathom
(Taigia Records – TAIGA 11, 2010)
A1. 58° 37’ N 159° 59’ W
A2. 59° 02’ N 158° 25’ W
B1. 64° 49’ S 64° 02’ W [MP3]
B2. 77° 37’ S 165° 48’ E
