New Steve Roach discs on Timeroom Editions

[drone on]

Did you order these new Vortex titles?  I did the combo pack for $30.  No mp3 up so I'm buying on sheer faith.  I passed on the $130 book of images from vortex concert.  Both CDs and book for $160.  If you live outside the US it'll cost $60-$70 just to ship it.  So that's $220.  Holy shiiiiiit....

I hate to say it, but isn't this just a little too "too"??  (I mean the book part).  I don't know if pretentious is the word.  Seems a bit excessive.  Limited to 100 copies.  Well ok but who's going to pay that? 

[Wanterkeelt]

I love Steve's music and I will buy the CD Combo pack. I won't buy the book, the price is insane, especially for someone living in Europe (but also the US-price is crazy).
I love CDs coming in artbook form or accompanied by a big artbook, especially the ones released by Prophecy Productions (check here if you'd like to know more: http://en.prophecy.de/collector-s-editions/), a German Metal label. But those books cost 30 or 40€, which is a price I'm willing to pay, but not 130$+, even if it's Steve Roach.

[drone on]

Why does a book of photos cost $130???  This is excessive.  I can see paying $50 or $60 for something like this.  I bought William Lesch "Expansions" desert photography book from Roach back in mid 90s.  I think it was like $50.  Beautiful and well worth it.  I'll be content to see some photos from vortex concert in the CD booklet. 

[Antdude]

The new albums are now up on Bandcamp, the "Alive in the Vortex" appears to just have the first disc's stuff available for listening, though. So far, I really like these new albums. I heard the podcast of these shows in 2013 and thought it was an excellent live set from Steve.

Only thing is, I ordered the discs from Steve's web site and they won't ship until next week. 😡 First time I feel like a schmuck for pre-ordering the physical discs.

[drone on]

I don't understand your last statement about pre ordering.  Why did you regret it?

[chris23]

Looks like the Bandcamp site has both discs, based on doing some basic napkin math on the track times.

I'm pre-viewing it right now; love that first selection.

[SunDummy]

I got the Bandcamp downloads yesterday; no real surprises in either release, solid work.  My only complaint about both releases is the presence of the high-pitched "dog whistle"; this sound is really grating, and ruins the mood for me.

[drone on]

Ambient dog whistle, the latest craze sweeping the EM world!

[SunDummy]

 :D

File it in the "music my dog hates" section, along with every ambient disk with storm sounds in it. 

[thirdsystem]

Haha , I don't mind the occasional storm sound  ;) however I am really not keen on aforementioned ambient dog whistle ! And I know exactly what you mean by this as I have also noticed this on some recent, and not so recent, releases. I find it highly irritating and a complete disappointment. To such end that if I detect it on samples, streams etc the music will not be purchased .

I will have to check out the bandcamp streams of these two first before committing, the great thing about bandcamp !!

[drone on]

I received the discs over the weekend.  The live set is excellent.  The immersion zone CD not so much.  Now I know what was meant by dog whistle.  I don't know why he likes this sound so much but it ruins the album.  To me it's too similar to Possible Planet anyway so I wouldn't play it much or at all.  Namlook was fascinated by the sound on his late period Move D/Namlook releases.  Didn't care for it then either.  Annoying is right. 

[DeepR]

https://steveroach.bandcamp.com/album/alive-in-the-vortex-2-cd-set

Either Bandcamp is messing with the sound or something went wrong with the mix...
I'm glad I saved the original broadcast from At Water's Edge, because in this release the low end is almost completely gone. Makes a track like Vortex 5 sound weak in comparison. I really enjoy the percussion in that one.

[drone on]

So I finally gave these albums some proper deep time and I have to say the live set is pretty awesome.  Last week sounded amazing in the car driving to San Francisco.  Great mix of the sequencer stuff and tribal.  In fact I probably should have put this one on my best of list.  After the whistles subside in the Immersion Zone disc, it gets progressively better.  It's a nice (slight) variation in the Possible Planet theme. 

One thing I never understood about these releases on Steve's site:  Each disc was $15 and the "combo pack" was $30.  Shouldn't it be *cheaper* as a bonus to purchase both together? 

[dreamin4ever]

considering it as an investment since it will become an collector item which you probably can sell on ebay for much more then what you gave in the future.

Well lets see who buy the book for that price.
what is expensive is very relative..so..

Investment? I don't know if it could considered as an investment. It does cost a lot. How much do you think someone could get on eBay or other places? I did buy the book with CD combo pack. I can see maybe after the limited 100 copies are sold out at Timerooms and Projekt that somebody might want to purchase it and is willing to pay $200+ for it. Or if I were to try and sell it later that a hardcore Roach fan might want a copy of it. But I could be wrong. The book is really nice. Worth the $$$? Guess we will have to wait and see.
As far as the cd's... I was at both shows in LA and also have the podcast version. But I am really digging his newest releases Emotion Revealed and Live in Tucson-Pinnacle Moments over in Bandcamp. Was also at the Tucson gig for both nights. Epic nights.

[drone on]

The people who bought the book are likely the ones who fly from all over to Tucson to see one concert.  I would never do that for any artist or band.  I don't care who it is.  I once drove like 80 miles one way to a concert and it wasn't worth the money, time, and stress.  Some people can afford the Roach workshops.  It would be nice to attend but, like the $150 book, I just cannot afford to be that big of a fan.  The music is enough for me.  I'm not criticizing anyone for how they spend their money.  I hope they enjoy the book if they bought one.

[DeepR]

"In the next newsletter we have big news to announce on BioSonic, an amazing collaboration with UK-based electronic artist Robert Logan, four years in the making. Stay tuned!"

Seems very interesting!

[Robert Logan]

"In the next newsletter we have big news to announce on BioSonic, an amazing collaboration with UK-based electronic artist Robert Logan, four years in the making. Stay tuned!"

Seems very interesting!

👍😉