FROM THE COMPOSER

In 2020 I released my ambient electronic album Adjacent Room under my artist name Isolation Arcade. That album opens with a piece called “Prelude”, which was inspired by some sketches I made while working on a meditation web app project. During the covid lockdowns, Adjacent Room became a creative distraction from cancelled shows and postponed events, and I realized that there was a possibility to take the project a little bit further than just my studio.

Clara Kim is one of my greatest musical friends, and she agreed to collaborate on creating a version of Prelude for her violin and piano duo 48 St, Stephen (with Angela Kim). I drew up some sheet music for the work (more like a roadmap than a traditional score); Clara recorded several takes of improvisations over my chord progressions, while Angela brought the gentle roles of the piano and quarter-tone piano to life. I mixed their recordings, and added some new elements, into this EP, Prelude to the Self. - Patrick O’Malley

PRELUDE TO THE SELF

for violin, piano, qarter-tone piano, and electronics

performed by 48 St. Stephen

available from Two Chasm Records, 2023

composed, produced and mixed by Patrick O’Malley

violin - Clara Kim

pianos - Angela Kim

cover artwork by Angela Bermúdez