The Bleak Night
David R. Peoples composer
Deeply immersive electronic soundscapes and haunting harmonies stir the senses in THE BLEAK NIGHT from composer David Peoples. Featuring percussion, synthesizer, electronics, and electrophonic orchestra with narration and the manipulation thereof, Peoples captivates the ear and mind with suspenseful ostinatos that melt into entrancing waves of sound. A soothing beginning dissolves into hair raising junctures in Rock Me to Sleep, subtle grooves emerge amidst an ethereal atmosphere in Shinytastic, and tensions build to a boiling point before gently floating back down in The Bleak Night.
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Track Listing & Credits
| # | Title | Composer | Performer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Welcome to the Show | David R. Peoples | David R. Peoples, percussion, synthesizer, electronics, electrophonic orchestra; Luluvibe, narrator | 6:16 |
| 02 | The Bleak Night | David R. Peoples | David R. Peoples, percussion, synthesizer, electronics, electrophonic orchestra; Gerald Nicholson, narrator | 6:27 |
| 03 | Rock Me to Sleep | David R. Peoples | David R. Peoples, percussion, synthesizer, electronics, electrophonic orchestra; Luluvibe, narrator | 6:10 |
| 04 | The Abandoned Station | David R. Peoples | David R. Peoples, percussion, synthesizer, electronics, electrophonic orchestra | 6:13 |
| 05 | Grim Notes Trill | David R. Peoples | David R. Peoples, percussion, synthesizer, electronics, electrophonic orchestra; Gerald Nicholson, narrator | 6:14 |
| 06 | Dreamie-Landie | David R. Peoples | David R. Peoples, percussion, synthesizer, electronics, electrophonic orchestra; Matt Abbott, narrator | 7:14 |
| 07 | Fall Backward | David R. Peoples | David R. Peoples, percussion, synthesizer, electronics, electrophonic orchestra; Luluvibe, narrator | 6:41 |
| 08 | Shinytastic | David R. Peoples | David R. Peoples, percussion, synthesizer, electronics, electrophonic orchestra | 7:32 |
| 09 | Awaken Corridors! | David R. Peoples | David R. Peoples, percussion, synthesizer, electronics, electrophonic orchestra; Gerald Nicholson, narrator | 6:27 |
| 10 | The Show has Ended, Clap Wildly | David R. Peoples | David R. Peoples, percussion, synthesizer, electronics, electrophonic orchestra; Luluvibe, narrator | 6:04 |
Recorded January–March 2021 at Bluesilhouettes studio in Flowery Branch GA
All narrations recorded at the narrator’s individual studios.
Editing and Mixing David Peoples
Mastering Melanie Montgomery
Executive Producer Bob Lord
A&R Director Brandon MacNeil
VP of Production Jan Košulič
Audio Director Lucas Paquette
VP, Design & Marketing Brett Picknell
Art Director Ryan Harrison
Design Edward A. Fleming, Morgan Hauber
Publicity Patrick Niland, Aidan Curran
Artist Information
David R. Peoples
David R. Peoples writes with a ginger ale in-hand on a balcony surrounded by a forest. It’s from Flowery Branch GA, surrounded by nature, that all his compositions begin before being released into and around the world.
Peoples enjoys sharing his own and other composers’ new music in recitals. From April 2021 to May 2022, he presented recitals featuring over 100 composers in all 50 states through the National Association of Composers, Music Teachers National Association, Research on Contemporary Composition Conference, and Electrophonic Concerts. Peoples also actively composes new music with recent performances by soloists, Luna Nova Music Ensemble, Argento Chamber Ensemble, Contemporary Chamber Players, West Point Band, and other performance groups — with premieres in North and Central America, Europe, and Asia. Additionally, he has enjoyed jazz premieres by the Jazz Surge with Randy Brecker, David Sanchez, Rufus Reid, and Gary Foster.
Notes
This album marks the beginning of a journey. Under blue skies, surrounded by mountain laurels, the sounds of contemporary composers echo through the forests of the Appalachians. It is from picturesque views of the blue mountains that the Bleak Night was born. In 2019, I began presenting mobile installations – acousmatic composition to be presented from speakers while hiking.
I discovered that music with narrators held the ear captive as the sound traveled over lakes or into forests. So, I set out to create a conceptual cycle that involved narration and the manipulation thereof. The poem was structured in such a way that I could have a balance of harsh consonants and smooth syllables. I sought out talent from around the world to be the narrators of this experience.
I have carried this music across the United States, entertaining and interacting with hikers and new music enthusiasts with a recital in every state from April 2021 through May 2022.
– David R. Peoples