trome007

ARTIST: itdreamedtome
TITLE: A.Y.
FORMAT: CD-R + Assemblage Box (SOLD OUT) / Download
CATALOGUE NUMBER: trome007

Three pieces of alchemic abstraction and shimmering drones, housed in a Fluxus-style assemblage box, each box adorned with unique, individual artwork, a 12-page booklet, matchbox, iron pyrite and insert.
Both CD-R and Download versions come with 2 bonus download albums, all totalling over an hour and a half of immersive listening.
Please note: the physical release is now sold out at source but remains available in digital format.

TRACKLISTING

the pensive delicate ship
had somewhere to get to
& sailed calmly on

CREDITS

Artwork, booklet & box contents by Johann Wlight

Cover art by Chris Gowers

Mastering by Fraser McGowan

RELEASE DETAILS

Housed in a Fluxus-style assemblage box each with unique, individually handmade cover art and contents.
The box includes a booklet, insert, matchbox, and iron pyrite. Commercial grade CD-R with download including two bonus albums.
Strictly limited to 50.

BONUS DOWNLOADS

'Y.V.' TRACKLISTING

Y.V.

CREDITS
Music by Johann Wlight.

Mastered by Fraser McGowan in 2017.

RELEASE NOTES
'Y.V.' by Johann Wlight was initially released on Evelyn Records as a limited CD-R only release in 2004.

'thunderthighbonetrumpet' TRACKLISTING

The Colours Being So Quiet
*
Untitled
**
Aube
***
Lead/Kindly/Lead

CREDITS
Music by Johann Wlight.

Mastered by Fraser McGowan in 2017.

RELEASE NOTES

'thunderthighbonetrumpet' was recorded in 2005 and is previously unreleased.

ARTWORK

REVIEWS

One of the joys of reviewing for Terrascope Online is when a hand-made package comes in showing that real attention has been paid to presentation. "a.y." by itdreamedtome (one Johann Wlight, noted of the '90s/'00s underground UK electronic scene) is one such, housed in a recycled card box with more goodies inside. It's a real piece of art! The music is again meditative and drone-like, meant to be experienced over a much longer time scale than other music. The synth and keyboard work on this album is outstanding, making a very good release. Recommended for all ambient heads. - Terrascope Online

A.Y. by itdreamedtome was slipped out in an understated but handsome package by no-audience underground veteran Chris Gowers on his label Trome Records. A new release from Chris is always cause for celebration but, as it turned out that itdreamedtome was none other than Johann Wlight breaking a decade long silence, I couldn’t log in to Paypal fast enough. Chris tells the story of JW’s work, influence and disappearance eloquently in the notes on the album’s Bandcamp page so you can catch up there. I’ll just say that these pieces have a rare poise, an intricate delicacy that overlays much sub-surface activity. Like paddling in the waters of a moonlit bay and feeling something large and scaly brush against your ankles. His touch is as deft as it ever was – what a joy to have him back.
- Rob Galpin, radiofreemidwich

The word Trome, as in Trome Records, is an acronym that stands for The Remains Of My Estate and Itdreamtome is Johann Wlight from the UK. Trome kindly informs me that I wrote about him before, Vital Weekly 388, 415 and 607 and it is good thing they do so, as I wouldn’t have easily remembered. I now learn that in those years, 1990s and 2000s he was quite active with releases on such labels as Evelyn, Sijis, Larkfall and Matching Head, and his last recording was the first as Itdreamedtome. After 2005 he was silent for nearly a decade but now is back, still with that oddly moniker. This new release comes in a carton box, with a booklet, matchbox (including an iron pyrite) and it looks austere and great. Like before there is a bit of esoteric symbolism, which seems to be part of the deal with his music. You might not be surprised to learn that I re-read those old reviews, but to be honest after all those years I don’t remember the music very well. It was, as I judge now, very atmospheric and perhaps being made with the use of field recordings or hiss. Of this new release I am told he uses much of the same; field recordings, found sounds and tape samples, but it could very well be also guitars and sound effects. There are three long pieces here, from ten to twenty minutes, of shimmering moody pieces. Today I have used the words ‘moody’ and ‘atmospheric’ quite a bit, and the day ain’t over yet, but this surely is by far the quietest of music I hear all day. Slow music, like time taking simply more time, minimal music as in ‘as there any developments, or is this it’ (the answer is: no, there is a bit more than that) and a careful build up if ever it needed one. I thought this was a great release; every time I played it in the last week I grew further and further.
- Vital Weekly

Torna a manifestarsi in forme e contenuti diversi Johann Wlight, musicista attivo sulla sotterranea scena lo-fi inglese dagli anni Novanta e ora al debutto sotto il nuovo alias itdreamedtome. Fin dalla denominazione, Wlight non rinuncia a un approccio enigmatico e di basso profilo, che trova corrispettivo nelle tre lunghe tracce di “A.Y.”, costruite a partire da field recordings e samples di suoni concreti, processati fino a diluirne l’identità originaria nelle persistenze di un’ambience dispiegata su lunghe durate.
Il monolite di quasi venti minuti “The Pensive Delicate Ship” apre infatti il lavoro, costituendone quasi la metà, all’insegna di una sequenza di oscillazioni di frequenze basse, che rispecchia l’immaginario marino suggerito dai titoli dei brani e in seguito rispecchiato tanto dalle spettrali iterazioni di “Had Somewhere To Get To” quanto dalla sorprendente placidità della conclusiva “& Sailed Calmly On”. È in particolare quest’ultima a rivelare l’accuratezza di Wlight nel ricavare dalle sue fonti sonore originarie avvolgenti contenuti ambientali, proiettati in una visionaria deriva fisica e mentale.
- Music Won't Save You

I first discovered the sound explorations and artistry of my friend Johann Wlight, aka itdreamedtome, through my research into underground experimental music. One of my passions is finding the most interesting music made by artists who cannot be neatly categorized into any specific genre. I came across Johann’s latest work, “A.Y.”, recorded under his current alias, “itdreamedtome” on Trome Records out of England. Trome is an independent label who releases music by artists working in the area of drones and minimalistic soundscapes. They specialize in high quality, limited edition releases of underground artists, which is what I search for and really appreciate.
I listened to the A.Y. album, and immediately realized I was dealing with a work of the highest level of experimental music and exploratory sound. I was instantly drawn to the frequency of the music and how it made me feel. The depth and subtlety of the music was evident, and far beyond the majority of most ambient/drone/experimental music I explore. Obviously this was a piece of art that was made with the utmost care and sophistication. The soundscapes brought me to a state of mind that I am always searching for through this type of music, yet rarely achieve. I felt myself stretched out, entering deeper areas of myself, relaxed yet alert, with feelings of both emptiness and fullness, mystery, and moments of sublime beauty. I was instantly hooked, and I wanted more.
Luckily I ordered the physical copy of A.Y. before it sold out; a limited edition of 50 CDr copies in a hand made Fluxus-style assemblage box, with 12 page booklet with art by Johann and matchbox containing iron pyrite! The presentation was a work of art itself, even without the music. I learned that this release was the first in a decade from Johann, and I knew I needed to explore as much of his work I could get my hands on.
Johann was very active and well ahead of his time in the UK underground tape/CDr scene in the late 90’s and 2000’s. His recordings began as a series of obscure, beautifully crafted CDr’s mailed to friends and correspondences. He also curated his own label, “Nidnod”, releasing music that he liked from kindred spirits. As I attempted to track these artifacts down, I discovered they were nearly impossible to find.
Not to be dismayed, I attempted to contact Johann himself, to see if I could get the music directly from the source. Months later to my surprise I received a reply, and began a friendship and correspondence that continues to this day. Johann lives in a stone cottage in the Welsh countryside, on ancient land with bronze age burial sites nearby. This landscape is reflected in his music…it’s soaked with deep, ancient feeling, and it’s easy to feel that there is true magic in what he does. Johann did not have any of his own CDs left (!) but offered to make me a cassette of selections from throughout his career. I was grateful for the offer, and excited to hear more of his work.
When the cassette arrived, and I opened it, I held in my hands an assemblage art piece so wonderful I didn’t want to open it! Wrapped in shimmering gold paper and sealed with twine and a local “hag stone” Johann found on the land, the cassette itself painted shimmering gold, I held in my hands the Grail of my experimental music collection! After several days I forced myself to open and listen to it, and I’m glad I did, as it offered me a window into the mind and work of one of the most enigmatic and special sound artists of his generation, and was packed with beautiful music. Since then, through some hard work and treasure hunting, I have been able to track down several of his CDr’s, and am building my collection, but my search will undoubtedly continue for years to come.
His music, for me, continues to reveal layer after layer of subtlety, beauty and depth. Our correspondence has revealed similar interests and lively conversation, and I am lucky and happy to consider Johann a friend.
- Peter Irish, Second Triangle