Off Land - Microcosm
July 10th 2011
Jerky Oats Records (joat030)

The microcosm is part of the philosophical concept that similar patterns can be found, scaling in size, throughout the entirety of the universe. The grand structure of the cosmic stage can be found within microscopic particles and on the sub-atomic level. Scaling by default becomes fractal in design. Microcosm is a collection of early ambient works spanning release between 2003 and 2004. These works were originally released as Microvast, under the one time alias X:F System. Microcosm takes Microvast as a starting point; completely re-working, remixing, and ushering this era of recordings to a place that is decidedly Off Land. The end result is something that is both familiar and unfamiliar. Microcosm is a nod to Microvast and early Off Land releases, as much as it a progression of the more cinematic side of Off Land. The concept with Microcosm is to create an album of music that both microscopic and cosmic in scale. Like a microcosm, the album is a confined, enclosed ecosystem of sound. Like a macrocosm is an ever-spanning journey. On a metaphysical level, I wish to convey through music that they are indeed the same.

Remarks from Jerky Oats: Originally released as Microvast on the Jerky Oats predecessor Second Thought Records by Tim Dwyer's pre-Off Land project The X:F System, Dwyer has reworked and re-recorded the album exclusively for Jerky Oats. Microcosm contains some of the most moving and dramatic work in the Off Land catalogue, based around the artist's signature blend of subtle synths and altered acoustics. The re-recording brings the album up to date and improves on the original's cinematic ambient stylings.

01. Charon
02. Post Meridiem
03. Wander
04. Demiurge
05. Orchard
06. Concrete
07. Maroon
08. Void
09. In Eight
10. Spectral
11. Others
12. Solar
13. Dual