Name: Space Solo 1
Brand: Rafael Toral

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

taiga2

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2008-11-27

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Cargo

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

Total Cap

1 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

Rafael Toral

Genre GB

Electronic

Metal

Label GB

Rafael Toral, born in Lisbon in 1967, is a composer and performer who has been deeply involved with various genres of music throughout his life. He initially explored the realms of Rock, Ambient, Contemporary, Electronic and Free Jazz music. In the 1990s, he gained recognition for his blend of Ambient and Rock on albums like Wave Field and Violence of Discovery and Calm of Acceptance.

In the early 2000s, Toral felt a need for a creative change and embarked on an ambitious project called the Space Program. This experimental endeavor utilized electronic instruments to create music that was melodic without notes and rhythmic without beats. Described as "visceral and emotive," Toral's work stood out from his contemporaries.

Throughout his career, Toral has collaborated with numerous renowned artists such as *Jim O’Rourke*, *Jim Baker*, *Sei Miguel*, *Chris Corsano*, *John Edwards*, *Evan Parker*, *Tatsuya Nakatani*, *Manuel Mota*, *Alvin Lucier*, *Phill Niblock*, *Christian Marclay*, Sonic Youth, Rhys Chatham, Lee Ranaldo, C Spencer Yeh among others. His performances have taken him across Europe, Canada, USA, Mexico, South Korea Japan New Zealand Australia.

Besides music, Toral has also dabbled in visual arts producing videos and

space solo 1 is rafael toral's second release in his ongoing space program, a venturesomely bold series of recordings. internationally acclaimed for his experimental drone and ambient guitar work, the space program is completely divergent from his past output. equipped with handmade instruments, toral's current project is a performance-based discipline, which he calls post-free jazz electronic music. following the space program's inaugural release, space (taiga 1 2xlp / staubgold 69 cd), space solo 1 presents a raw exploration of a select few instruments toral designed for the series. in contrast to space, which consists of thoughtfully layered recordings from various live and studio performances, space solo 1 presents unaccompanied instruments traveling through unfamiliar territories where sounds exist in their singularity. the result grabs at the listener to stay alert, tiptoeing around silent moments, increasingly mounting tension and inspiring awe. as each instrument hints at a particular language belonging only to itself, toral's masterful playing is revealed as an instinctual process. space solo 1 is 44 minutes of otherworldly splashing, ripping, beeping, hissing, etc. an indefinite number of sounds carefully coaxed from unique instruments, drawing a blurry line between ancestral and futuristic. originally released on cd by quecksilber in 2007, space solo 1 is now available on lp through taiga records. this deluxe audiophile version was mastered direct to metal, pressed on 200g transparent red virgin vinyl and is presented in a limited edition of 500 copies. the jacket was cleanly designed by helder lus at no type, featuring the rui toscano drawing from the cd version printed on reversed stock and a pantone red flood in the pocket.

Space Solo 1

Music GB