vidnaObmana : 1987-2007 Chasing The Odyssee 8lp box-set

[vidnaObmana]

This is arguably the biggest project ever released on tonefloat. first announced as early as 2006, Chasing The Odyssee comprises 37 tracks on eight vinyl discs and an oversized 24-page booklet featuring exclusive liner notes. Covering the years 1987 to 2007 and following in the footsteps of an earlier set dedicated to the project’s obscure tape years, it documents Dirk Serries’s gradual development from an industrial sound sculptor to an artist equally at home in the world of electronica and contemporary composition.
Over the course of these 20 years, he would influence the gradual growth of ambient from nothing but a fleeting idea by Brian Eno to an established and challenging genre, sell 10,000 copies of his classic The River Of Appearance, write a soundtrack for the giant aquarium of the Antwerp Zoo and work with the likes of Steve Roach, Steven Wilson and a symphonic orchestra. Most of all, he would efficiently demonstrate that stylistic limitations are purely rooted in a lack of imagination.

To make these developments and changes transparent, Chasing The Odyssee has been divided into four chapters. While two records present a selection of pieces recorded and originally released before 2000, four sides have been reserved for a variety of previously unreleased Justin K. Broadrick remixes and live tracks providing for a hands-on impression of how powerfully the vidnaObmana studio sound studio sound translated to the stage.  Meanwhile, highlights from two unique cycles make up the extensive middle section of the box: the Dante Trilogy,a collaboration with ground breaking extreme metal label Relapse, as well as Serries’s Opera For Four Fusion Works (for Hypnos), an uncompromising stint into the world of the avant garde. Many of these pieces have long been out of print, but merely compiling oddities is not the aim of Chasing The Odyssee. Rather, it intends to present the music on the format they would have been released on in an ideal world in the first place and at premium acoustic quality – vidnaObmana has certainly never sounded better. Rather than resting on his laurels for the rest of his career, Serries decided to end the journey at its peak. Now, you can relive the experience.

From the liner notes: “listening to these records from beginning to end will take you on a personal journey, which, despite its occasional twists and turns, is devoid of stereotypical cliches and mythical transfigurations. Chasing The Odyssee is not just a collector’s item. Cinematic, evocatively physical and full of memories, it is a perfect representation of everything that vidnaObmana has stood for over the last 23 years.”

Chasing The Odyssee, pressed on eight 180 grams black vinyls discs, is packed in a hardback box with lid, and comes with 1 24-page booklet.
The release date for the box (which is limited to 400 copies) is January 24, 2011, and is available for pre-orders from the tonefloat store at the introductory price of only 49.99 euros (plus postage).

[vidnaObmana]

This is the complete tracklisting :

tf053
vidnaObmana : 1987-2007 Chasing The Odyssee

record 1 and 2: selections (1987-2000)
01. encountering terrain (8:03)
taken from crossing the trail (projekt, usa, 1997)
02. mute grief (6:53)
taken from the contemporary nocturne (hypnos, usa, 2000)
03. in hollow embraced (4:39)
taken from memories compiled 2 (projekt, usa, 1988)
04. guarding souls (5:46)
taken from shadowing in sorrow/the trilogy (decade collection, belgium, 1991)
05. mission ground (8:18)
taken from crossing the trail (projekt, usa, 1998)
06. charm mystique (5:01)
taken from twilight of perception (projekt, usa, 1995)
07. twilight came (8:01)
taken from twilight of perception (projekt, usa, 1995)
08. the first coil (8:29)
taken from the surreal sanctuary (hypnos, usa, 1999)
09. the ominous dwelling (5:53)
taken from the river of appearance (projekt, usa, 1996)
10. forest arrow (8:37)
taken from crossing the trail (projekt, usa, 1998)
11. until the glowering space (4:00)
taken from revealed by composed nature (decade collection, belgium, 1989)
12. before mutual grace (7:12)
taken from gathering in frozen beauty (decade collection, belgium, 1987)

record 3 and 4: opera for four fusion works (2000-2007)
13. iv – echoes of steel (17:07)
taken from act i: echoes of steel (hypnos, usa, 2002)
14. vi – phrasing the air (10:05)
taken from act ii: phrasing the air (hypnos, usa, 2004)
15. iv – phrasing the air (9:47)
taken from act ii: phrasing the air (hypnos, usa, 2004)
16. iii – reflecting on scale (14:01)
taken from act iii: reflecting on scale (hypnos, usa, 2006)
17. iv – reflecting on scale (8:28)
taken from act iii: reflecting on scale (hypnos, usa, 2006)
18. iii – the bowing harmony (22:07)
taken from act iv: the bowing harmony (hypnos, usa, 2007)

record 5 and 6: the dante trilogy (1999-2004)
19. skin strip (8:45)
taken from spore (relapse/release, usa, 2003)
20. cycle of agony (7:54)
taken from legacy (relapse/release, usa, 2004)
21. the insane brightness (5:08)
taken from tremor (relapse/release, usa, 2001)
22. impious rising (10:44)
taken from legacy (relapse/release, usa, 2004)
23. simulate (6:55)
taken from tremor (relapse/release, usa, 2001)
24. spore (4:50)
taken from spore (relapse/release, usa, 2003)
25. the seeker and the spell (6:58)
taken from tremor (relapse/release, usa, 2001)
26. torment and resolution (9:13)
taken from legacy (relapse/release, usa, 2004)
27. the nihilist (7:29)
taken from spore (relapse/release, usa, 2003)
28. creep (5:23)
taken from spore (relapse/release, usa, 2003)
29. mind tunnel (5:44)
taken from tremor (relapse/release, usa, 2001)
30. the virtual insomnia (11:16)
taken from legacy (relapse/release, usa, 2004)

record 7 and 8: references (1997-2003)
31. agony (12:37)
recorded live at wdiy’s emusic, allentown, usa, april 2003
32. pulse transcription (8:19)
recorded live at echoes living room concerts, upper darby, usa, november 2000
33. a scenic fall (5:51)
recorded live at due acqua, rome, italy, june 1997
34. legacy (7:42)
recorded live at the icehouse, bethlehem, usa, april 2003
35. the eternal (8:16)
recorded live at wxpn’s star’s end, philadelphia, usa, november 2000
references (1989-2003)
36. out from the garden reminded (8:10)
jesu remix
37. out from the garden reminded (11:42)
final remix

[drone on]

Sounds great, except I don't own a rekkird player anymore.  Any chance the material on LP 7 & 8 would be released on CD? Or maybe it was released previously on compilations?  Would be nice to have some unreleased VO live tracks or compilation tracks show up on CD at some point. Thanks.

[vidnaObmana]

Sounds great, except I don't own a rekkird player anymore.  Any chance the material on LP 7 & 8 would be released on CD? Or maybe it was released previously on compilations?  Would be nice to have some unreleased VO live tracks or compilation tracks show up on CD at some point. Thanks.

No, this is the definite last release, no reason whatsoever to release this on cd as most of it has been out on cd and still available.
The live material is exclusively part of the 8LP box-set and to be honest this is how the music of vidnaObmana should have been presented anyway.  Music is so much more on vinyl, to my humble opinion.  The circle is complete.
Thanks.

[modulator_esp]

I've ordered a set, it will be my first exposure to vidna obmana, am looking forward to it

[drone on]

I don't know about music being "so much more" on vinyl than CD.  If that were the case, where are all the Steve Roach, Robert Rich, and Alio Die records?   

[Paul Vnuk (Ma Ja Le)]

I am seeing so much cool stuff start to make it back to vinyl, makes me wish I had a turntable still...

[False Mirror]

Great, Dirk! Too bad I sold my two 1210's a few years ago :/

[vidnaObmana]

I don't know about music being "so much more" on vinyl than CD.  If that were the case, where are all the Steve Roach, Robert Rich, and Alio Die records?   

I meant for myself that vinyl offers me much more in terms of warmth, dynamics, the way how you present your music, the limited timespan per side which is to my humble opinion much better for the attention span of the listener.
What Steve, Robert, Stefano or others do is not up for discussion here.
Thanks.

[ffcal]

Hi Dirk,

No need for you defend your choice of medium (though I tend to agree with you on the superior warm sound of vinyl, which is why I still have my B&O turntable).  Thought that drone on seemed a bit presumptuous taking on your choice of medium for your own work.

Forrest

[9dragons]

I love vinyl. And was finally converted to its superiority recently. Listening to the same album on cd and vinyl within the space of a day, and really hearing and feeling the difference. Vinyl release also solves the piracy problem. Good job Mr. Serries, thank you for your dedication to quality.

[zzzone.net]

I have a love/hate relationship w/vinyl.

I love the jackets and to play/listen to the vinyl.

I hate the possibility of warped records, the sometimes new records with built in scratches, and the necessity of turning the things to hear an entire album.

I also hate the 30 euros that are required to get Dirk's records over to me; if the shipping rates (over which Dirk has no control) were better I might go with the love side of things.

Jim

PS As many of you might remember, I lost about 15,000 vinyl records in Hurricane Katrina.

[drone on]

To Dirk:

Not sure why you got so defensive after my first post.  All I said was it would be nice to have some of the more obscure compilation tracks, and some unreleased live recordings, on CD in the future.  Then you get really defensive when I bring up Roach, Rich and Alio Die (actually he's had some material released on vinyl over the years).  Simply making the point that vinyl isn't the most "popular" medium in which to release music these days.  You are eliminating I'd guess 75% (low estimate) of the people who'd be interested in such a box set simply because they don't collect records anymore in this digital age and don't have the equipment to play them on.  Also the fact that most of this material on the box was already released on CD will cut down on interest.  But for those who are "into" vinyl I'm sure it will be worthwhile.  I hope artist, record company, and buyers will all be happy with it (seriously). PS: Please stop saying "thanks" after every post, if you are mocking me it is just stupid as it wasn't intended to be some kind of sarcastic comment, OK??? "Thanks."

To Forrest:

How do you figure I was being "presumptuous" by "taking on" () Dirk's "choice of medium to release his own music"? I wasn't "taking on" anything, now was I? I simply said I DON'T OWN A RECORD PLAYER AND WON'T BE BUYING IT.  I hardly said "Don't buy this album" and I don't remember CRITICIZING anyone for releasing it or buying it.  This is a forum for comments, opinions (varying), and open discussion, is it not?   You know, I generally enjoy your comments but sometimes the subtle attacks are just plain weird and out of left field, and when you start being self-appointed VidnaObmana protector of non-existent attacks it just gets more annoying and bizarre. 

Good day sirs. 

[ffcal]

Drone on/Orion 32--Dirk pretty much handled your rhetorical question/dig, but I thought it was worth adding my support about the vinyl medium.  In any event, why would you have a problem with a fellow ambient musician sticking up for another's choice of medium?  As for Dirk's response, you have to be able to take it (that is, Dirk's response) if you're going to dish it out.  I thought his response was actually a bit restrained, compared to what he could have told you (and what I probably would have told you), on or off the record.  Of course, the ability to say what you want in a public forum doesn't mean that you should.

Forrest

[cbmcclintock]

To Dirk:

Not sure why you got so defensive after my first post.  All I said was it would be nice to have some of the more obscure compilation tracks, and some unreleased live recordings, on CD in the future.  Then you get really defensive when I bring up Roach, Rich and Alio Die (actually he's had some material released on vinyl over the years).  Simply making the point that vinyl isn't the most "popular" medium in which to release music these days.  You are eliminating I'd guess 75% (low estimate) of the people who'd be interested in such a box set simply because they don't collect records anymore in this digital age and don't have the equipment to play them on.  Also the fact that most of this material on the box was already released on CD will cut down on interest.  But for those who are "into" vinyl I'm sure it will be worthwhile.  I hope artist, record company, and buyers will all be happy with it (seriously). PS: Please stop saying "thanks" after every post, if you are mocking me it is just stupid as it wasn't intended to be some kind of sarcastic comment, OK??? "Thanks."

To Forrest:

How do you figure I was being "presumptuous" by "taking on" () Dirk's "choice of medium to release his own music"? I wasn't "taking on" anything, now was I? I simply said I DON'T OWN A RECORD PLAYER AND WON'T BE BUYING IT.  I hardly said "Don't buy this album" and I don't remember CRITICIZING anyone for releasing it or buying it.  This is a forum for comments, opinions (varying), and open discussion, is it not?   You know, I generally enjoy your comments but sometimes the subtle attacks are just plain weird and out of left field, and when you start being self-appointed VidnaObmana protector of non-existent attacks it just gets more annoying and bizarre. 

Good day sirs. 

I don't like Reagan, but:

[drone on]

Forrest:

You're still not getting it.  You feel you're "sticking up" for VO? It's just weird, you act like he's being bullied.  If I came on here and started making personal remarks about Dirk that would be another matter.  Also, I don't have a problem with you "sticking up" for whoever it is: but I DO have a problem with the way you did it.  Your perceived "dig" of VO was actually me playing devil's advocate with my comment about the fact Steve and Robert aren't releasing vinyl.  My point was that not everyone agrees vinyl is the best format for RELEASING music (sound quality was not the issue).   Don't personalize it.  And it really had nothing to do with you anyways. 

Actually what I wrote that was directed to you was the extreme edited version because it IS a public forum.   

As for all this stuff about being "restrained," you've got to be kidding!  Gee, you're right, I really deserved a total cussing out because I made an unfavorable comment about vinyl.  I'd hate to be the guy who cuts you off on the freeway.  And the "some things should not be said on a public forum" bit.  Who appointed you moral majority of the Hypnos forum?

Finally, I'm not sure what the intent of digging up my former screen name is (which I haven't used for years), but sounds like maybe you're holding a grudge with this irrational war you're waging here.   Chill out, dude!

[drone on]

OK, I've decided to order the box set and use the records as frisbees!! 

JUST KIDDING!!! :-)

[ffcal]

Drone on/orion 32:  Where are the cuss words?  Sounds like a bit of projection.  In the spirit of your (mis)interpretation of my comments, "thanks."

Good luck with your project, Dirk.

Forrest

[mgriffin]

OK, we need to stop the personal stuff, the finger-pointing, and the format wars. This topic is for Dirk's announcement of the new Vidna Obmana retrospective box set, and discussion of that release.  Feel free to debate the relative merits of vinyl in a new thread elsewhere. In fact, if you want to show your support for the CD format, we have a bunch of VO compact discs for sale -- feel free to order several of each.

[richardgurtler]

Finally, it was necessary, thanks, Mike!!!

Richard