Sketches from Afar, by the volume settings folder

Sketches from Afar

by the volume settings folder

supported by

Zachary Wattus the volume settings folder fast became one of my favourite artists ever. This collection of raw loops is simultaneously warming and crushing. Favorite track: Pure XIII.

Matthias Brendel (aka neposilla) thumbnail

more...

	/

Includes unlimited streaming of Sketches from Afar via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 3 days

€11 EUR or more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Includes unlimited streaming of Sketches from Afar via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 3 days

edition of 30

€6.50 EUR or more
Streaming + Download

Includes high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. Paying supporters also get unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app.

Purchasable with gift card

name your price
Full Digital Discography

88

releases

Get all 88 the volume settings folder releases available on Bandcamp and save 50%.

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Postnatural studies, Gentle Tide, Leavings, Oostende, A pencil of sunlight, Sketches From Afar II, The Pantry Log, An Impression Of May EP, and 80 more. , and , .

Purchasable with gift card

€7.50 EUR or more (50% OFF)
Limited Edition CDr
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Includes unlimited streaming of Sketches from Afar via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Sold Out

1.	Pure I 03:08	buy track
2.	Pure II 03:53	buy track
3.	Pure III 02:33	buy track
4.	Pure IV 05:53	buy track
5.	Pure V 02:45	buy track
6.	Pure VI 04:46	buy track
7.	Pure VII 03:05	buy track
8.	Pure VIII 02:26	buy track
9.	Pure IX 02:12	buy track
10.	Pure X 00:59	buy track
11.	Pure XI 04:02	buy track
12.	Pure XII 02:35	buy track
13.	Pure XIII 02:44	buy track
14.	Pure XIV 04:09	buy track
15.	Pure XV 03:54	buy track
16.	Pure XVI 03:15	buy track
17.	Pure XVII 02:48	buy track

about

this is not a collection of leftovers. this is basically a collection of sounds in their practical form of loops.

during the last two years I collected a pretty decent amount of recordings, be those field recordings or snippets from german tv thrillers, or simply me playing on an instrument. I always try to record something that I think might be useful for a precise composition or a specific way of manipulation, and sometimes I succeed in this task.

either I get what I wanted or not, the creation of loops is the inevitable mid-stage of this process. sometimes, while trying to enrich the sound, add something to this first raw layer, simply nothing goes right, nothing fits.

now, listening back to those manipulations I realize that some of them could live on their own. or maybe, this is what they were trying to tell me from the very first moment I created them.

so "Sketches from Afar" is a collection of drones and loops in their most elemental, essential form, evoking a feeling or a state of the mind, an ephemeral and transient flutter that could have last a second or an hour, if not an entire day.

From igloomac.com

"The volume settings folder is an adventurous and devotional drone ambient project formed by the multi-instrumentalist and sound arranger Möbelstück Beckmann. I discovered his music incidentally on a blog (an extract from his recent EP ‘Heidelberg’). Those long sustained droning chords, reverb-like motives, mystical lysergic electronic spookiness and krautrockin’ progged-out inflections absolutely enthralled my capacity of listening. I was definitely curious to hear more, then I discovered his Bandcamp page which offers very special and uniquely packaged limited CD editions. Beckmann’s personal artistic touch is at every step of the process. He distributes himself his releases and makes great offers considering the impressively high quality of his work. Sketches from Afar is his last opus to date.

This hauntingly minimal droning post-rockin’ effort is in the direct musical path followed by his previous releases but here the mathy instrumental ambiences are less orchestrated to let the place to incredibly evocative and amazing blurry dream-like guitars and fluid-like sound patterns. The ambiences alternate soothing and slowly evolving sound sculptures with more erratic cinematic sonic pictures. Sketches from Afar is strongly introspective and spiritually melancholic dronescaping release which admits some lovely dreaming arrangements. An almost metaphysical atmospheric music linked to a religious sense of immortality. The sinuous and emotionally charged guitar sound ambiences can slightly remind the work of Troum (at their more detached-suspenseful moments), Tim Hecker, Aidan Baker and Eluvium. Among the most powerful, generous and emotionally compelling ambient-drone releases of the year. Exceptional."

credits

released June 21, 2013

Music and cover by M. Beckmann.
All sketch-sources recorded between 2011-2013. Album composed between May and June 2013, north-east Italy.

license

about

the volume settings folder Padova, Italy

since 2011, an ambient-drone-post rock music project developed by M. Beckmann. sketch and improv attitude to get sudden ambience.

Recommendations

contact / help

Contact the volume settings folder

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Redeem code

Report this album or account

the volume settings folder recommends:

Lucid: Remixes & Reinterpretations
by Tanner Garza

Tanner Garza is a Tape loop Ambient artist from Houston, Texas. here is a collection of remixes with my contribution, but do check his entire discography. the volume settings folder
go to album
Ivan Hoe and Other Tales - OIC001
by the volume settings folder

my second Album, out in 2012 on German label Organic Industries. the volume settings folder
go to album
Born to Lose/Born to Leave
by Sister Grotto & Braeyden Jae

the kind of low-fidelity and intimacy I would love to reach. by Sister Grotto & Braeyden Jae. the volume settings folder
go to album

If you like the volume settings folder, you may also like:

Stories Of A Hermit
by Music For Sleep

supported by 63 fans who also own “Sketches from Afar”

The long form melodic drone that is difficult to find, but so welcome when it arrives. I wish all music was like this. Christopher Shaw
go to album
Healing Sounds II: A Compilation For Those In Need
by Various Artists

supported by 61 fans who also own “Sketches from Afar”

this entire collection is a musical love letter 💌 Scott
go to album
Meditaciones
by Voel

Haunting and enveloping ambient music designed to replicate a state of meditation, the latest from Voel soothes & transports. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 26, 2020
go to album

Bandcamp Daily your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Fabiana Palladino stops by to talk about her mesmeric debut LP.

listen now