softwar s/t cd $12
What could these musicians do after collectively playing on a million records, releasing a million more, and nurturing a scene that is both international and inner-visionary? Why not release a record that is so stunning in its scope and so well executed in its manner that it defies simple comparisons. Such is the story of Softwar and this lushly presented gift to our eyes and ears. Focusing on what could be called more "traditional" rhythm structures, the songs merely lull you into a false security before melting your brain with some heavy layers of tone, provided by multiple organs and keyboards.

Softwar is comprised of four essential members of the Jewelled Antler treehouse. Loren Chasse, fresh from his blistering noise work on Kyrgyz, shows us a softer but deeper side with these swirling opium-induced gems. Playing with him are the equally talented Christine Boepple (also a key part of the Jewelled Antler sound, as well as Kyrgyz and Whysp), Kerry McLaughlin (who is not only a key contributor to Franciscan Hobbies & the amazing but somewhat obscure Buried Civilizations, but also a supporting member of Jason Honea's Shitty Listener and previously played w/ The Skygreen Leopards) and last, but certainly not least, Franciscan Hobbyist and Shitty Listener, Geoff Koops. This foursome certainly keeps busy, but all their other works only help to increase Softwar's magic.

For fans of Thuja and Jewelled Antler (obviously), but also for those who love the out-there ragas of MV+EE (you’ll just crack a tooth from smiling over the opener ‘Psychic Shake” or the twisted noise-hop of Jackie-O Motherfucker, found buried deep in “Immul (the Children’s Crusade)”. Conceived in a redwood think tank, born in Golden Gate Park, Prui begins March 2007. Softwar is a thick slab of fractured voices in harmony and almost unidentifiable sounds, slipping slowly through the rabbit hole and back out the other side of the sun.

tracklist:
1. psychic shake (audio sample)
2. hagoo (the victory over moods)
3. the softwar
4. fraha
5. earth volley
6. immul (the children's crusade) ---> or, the unplumbed potential
7. the human spring
8. soft love
9. sightless sculpture
10. prui

Praise for Softwar-related projects:
"Chasse invokes the idea of the diorama to describe his processes. Just as a diorama presents a wider environment in minautre form, his work suggests the experience of actually being in the environment, of listening to it breath." - Keith Molina, The Wire

"...the two play together with such imagination and intuitive ease that the results are rarely less than captivating." - Matthew Murphy, Pitchfork Media

"Glenn Donaldson and Loren Chasse – head honchos of freeform Cali collective Jewelled Antler – specialize in shimmering music that invokes the subtle shifts of nature and tiny reverberations of a growing world." - Ethan Covey, Dusted

"If you ever wondered what would happen if Charalamabides shared a stage with members of the Jeweled Antler collective and this release is for you, though it is clear that Horton's noisier free-jazz leanings had the deciding vote, and consequently be prepared for things to erupt here and there in unpredictable fashion." - Tony Dale, Terrascope Online