ENS

On November 9th, 2018, Koen Holkamp (of Mountains) will?release his Thrill Jockey debut as BEAST, entitled Ens. Crafted?leading up to and after the birth of Koen's first child, Ens is a?profoundly intimate and heartfelt journey into the composer's?psyche. BEAST reins in his sprawling sound with new resolve,?crafting tightly constructed pieces of engaging and ecstatic beauty.?BEAST's initial releases simply titled Vol 1 & Vol 2 were?performance-centric limited editions and were directly linked?to a series of visual environments Holtkamp created with 3D?laser projections. As a purely studio project, Ens takes on a more?precise and contemplative approach, utilizing finely tuned virtual?instruments to create a wealth of beautiful, idyllic textures. The?simple beauty of Holtkamp's music explains the recent surge in interest of both his solo material and Mountains' albums, via?popular ambient and electronic playlists.?As BEAST, Holtkamp has nimbly altered his process of creating dense, immersive music. Ens stands as not only the culmination?of his newfound methods, but also a deeply personal moment. In?crafting the graceful and passionate sonic tapestries into compact?compositions, BEAST's Ens masterfully melds the earthbound and the ethereal.??TRACK LISTING:?1. Paprika Shorts?2. Color Feel?3. Boketto?4. Edb?5. Staren?6. Miniature?7. For Otto??BEAST is Koen Holtkamp of Mountains, his duo with?fellow Thrill Jockey Artist, Brendan Anderegg?Ens is Beast's Thrill Jockey debut, a visually inspired?ensemble of rhythmic, electronic pieces?Beast previous LPs Vol 1 and Vol 2 were extremely limited?and quickly sold out?LP version pressed on virgin vinyl and packaged with free?download coupon. Limited quantities pressed on clear?vinyl. CD version packaged in mini-LP style envelope.?Holtkamp and Anderegg deliver a kind of 21st century?folk music - one that's immersed in the aesthetics of?modern technology yet retains a very natural, very?approachable sound. Absolutely gorgeous music and a?massive recommendation. - Boomkat?[Koen Holtkamp] shows that one can create process live?or in the studio and the results point to the same thing:?a world worth listening to. At the very least, Holtkamp's?world certainly is. So get to it. (But take your time once?you get there.) - Line of Best Fit?Koen Holtkamp's primary directive is to make your?journey through inner space both safe and enlightening.?- Ad Hoc