Exclusive track premiere of ‘As If’ by Los Angeles-based Ivory Fields, taken from the upcoming self-titled album, out October 28th via Simballrec / Office of Analogue and Digital.

The album consists of ten-songs from this Los Angeles-based duo of Mahadev (fka Matt Gangi) (GANGI, Current Pathways) and Alejandro Cohen (Pharaohs, Languis). In their own words, Ivory Fields “combusts layers of synths, drum machines and guitar over songs composed more around sonic imagery than chord progressions”.

The description is as accurate as it is mysterious. Indeed, the music here often feels like it is both floating just out of grasp, and overwhelming and omnipresent at the same time. Even so, Mahadev reminds that the record is grounded in a “flare for pop context in its songwriting and production”. Cohen concurs, saying, “Ivory Fields mixes a desire for pop songs, dance production values, and experimental influences”.

The album’s upcoming singles – the electro-goth inspired ‘As If’ and the danceable glow of ‘Blasted’ – contain these musical multitudes. Catchy and eluding capture. In reality, this music was dormant for some time, which belies how relevant and modern it sounds in its reverence for contemporaries (Animal Collective, Geneva Jacuzzi) and classic artists of the genre (Psychic TV, Wire).

Cohen elaborates on the latter, explaining that Ivory Fields actually began “as a loose tribute to Dome –the experimental side project by members of Wire”.

Mahadev adds another touchstone, saying, “My friend, David Chaim Cohen (who mastered this album) said he heard The Legendary Pink Dots in the record. That made me happy, since I was actually listening to their album ‘Brighter Now’ quite a bit at that time”. “That time” was many years ago. “Ivory Fields has been years in the making”, Mahadev says. Many of the synths and vocals on the record were tracked between 2010 and 2012 in what Mahadev describes as “a slow-burning collaboration”.

This scenario is similar to Mahadev’s other recent release as one-half of GANGI. That duo’s ‘As Fake Estates’ EP is also composed of songs created many years prior to being shown to the public. Somehow, in both cases, it feels right that these compositions have had the time to silently evolve.

“The album wasn’t completed sooner, not because of lack of inspiration or too much time in the studio”, Mahadev explains. “We took our time to let it smolder, and either because of what was brought to light through the burning of time, or because of the process of completion we achieved by looking back into the fire, Ivory Fields is work we are very proud of”.

Ivory Fields Facebook
Mahadev Instagram / Twitter
Alejandro Cohen Instagram
Office of Analogue and Digital Official Website / Bandcamp / YouTube
Simballrec Bandcamp