Compiled by ‘transient ambient’ group Worlds Only, featuring 24 tracks of post-genre experimentation with debut collaborations, one-off matchups, spin-offs, and rarities.
Listen and donate on Bandcamp.
‘Community’ in experimental music is a nebulous thing. Online, it is sprawling and vaporous; on ground, it can be covert and often short-lived. Tenuous though it may be, a strong and active community is critical for our sustained interest and sustained practice, and is often the balm we need to steady our anxious minds.
As we consider what community means in the common era, we turn to Worlds Only, an itinerant group of artists who celebrate collective creative action. Their presence may seem nascent, but their connections to New Weird Australia stretch back to our own genesis, fifteen years ago. Their extended family, represented here, likewise features label community old and new.
This compilation, the 31st in our canon, represents longevity and resilience as much as variation and vigour – delviering the requisite yin / yang for a healthy community, one that exists today and persists tomorrow.
Featuring Tracy Chen, Aarti Jadu, Makeda, CORIN, mara, Worlds Only, Match Fixer, lu9a, Deep Phase 1, Rory J S, T. Morimoto, Earth Coincidence Control Office, Flirting with Shadows, Del Lumanta, akka, Blue Divers, Oscar Key Sung, Tzeki, Wytchings, AnSo, Ivan Vizintin, Source Decay, Monica Brooks and Tzekin & Ali, with cover artwork by Alexander Tanazefti.
You can stream or ‘Name Your Price’ to download this compilation on Bandcamp. All proceeds from the release on all platforms will be donated to organisations delivering mutual aid on the ground in Palestine, and to recently settled Palestinian refugees. Read the Artist Statement below more details.
Tracklisting.
New Weird Australia, Worlds Only World | NWA024
- Tracy Chen – Something true (draft) 01:29
- Aarti Jadu – ostuni 03:40
- Makeda – Blue Eyes 04:50
- CORIN – retorno 04:58
- mara – Arthur 03:39
- Worlds Only – Bingo 07:57
- Match Fixer – Dozing in the cool air 04:24
- lu9a – Ma Fi 06:24
- Deep Phase 1 – The Abyss 05:05
- Rory J S – 26 02:43
- T. Morimoto – cold rock 04:36
- Earth Coincidence Control Office – A Pit A Labyrinth 03:51
- Flirting with Shadows – 我想你了 03:45
- Del Lumanta – Guiding Spectres 08:29
- akka – solemn debt 05:21
- Blue Divers – Last Place 03:25
- Oscar Key Sung – last day of june 03:02
- Tzekin – Not An Angel 04:46
- Wytchings – Crop Circles 03:52
- AnSo – silent destruction 04:33
- Ivan Vizintin – Don’t Play the Wordle 01:43
- Source Decay – I Wish You Knew Me In December 04:45
- Monica Brooks – Morph For Puddles 12:19
- Tzekin & Ali – Dislocated Improv 08:32
Credits.
Compiled by Worlds Only
Mastered by T. Morimoto
Artwork by Alexander Tanazefti
Worlds Only is:
Alister Hill
Darren Lesaguis
Jenny Trinh (Wytchings)
Justin Tam (Tzekin)
Reginald Harris
Thomas William Smith (T. Morimoto)
Download PDF booklet with artist bios and links.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Worlds Only is a transient ambient group. The term is vague, specific, metaphorical and literal depending on what day it is. More than anything, it’s a way to play, listen and share music with a group that feels bigger than any individual. It’s about the space in between people, cultures, identities, the physical and spiritual worlds, what is in our control and isn’t, and personal transcendence that is invisible to the public eye.
During Worlds Only’s formation, Darren (Lesaguis) mentioned that when he thought about the ambient music we would make, his mind naturally veered toward colder, more isolated sounds, and he was surprised as to how warm our music was. This warmth is a defining element that ties the relationships between each artist within the group, and the expanded universe of friends, comrades, local icons and lifelong influences who contributed to this compilation. Tom (T. Morimoto) may have been joking when he suggested calling it “Worlds Only Extended Universe”, but it truly distils the intricate web of relationships that connect us all musically and humanly.
The group of artists here do not represent a specific scene, but collectively reflects a particular mindset that embraces ambiguity, values integrity, distorts the idea of what constitutes experimental music, blurs traditional songwriting vs improvisation, complicates Australian identity, stretches how melodic and rhythmic ambient music can be, and celebrates the transient ambient nature of how our lives intertwine.
On Worlds Only World, you will find 24 tracks featuring all new music, debut collaborations, one-off matchups, spin-offs, and rarities dug up and polished off from hard drives and archives. For each artist and track, we have tried to provide some musical and social context to the artist, the accompanying music, and why they are here. Thank you for being here.
ARTIST STATEMENT ON DONATIONS
Every dollar from this release will go to the people of Palestine. Due to the escalating genocide in Palestine and our own government sending weapons, we will send it to two places: mutual aid on the ground such as @gazamutualaid, @operationolivebranch, @connectinghumanity_, to ensure resources reach people and are not blocked by faceless government institutions; and @para.foundation, who are equipping recently settled Palestinian refugees and seeking ongoing donations for items requested for families.
We ask you to escalate your actions in your own communities, with other musicians and workers, at your shows, until Palestine is fully liberated.
NWA024 was compiled on the sacred land of the Darug People. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we work and pay our respects to Indigenous Elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty has never been ceded. It always was and always will be, Aboriginal land.
