{"title":"Ben Lukas Boysen","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBen Lukas Boysen is a highly acclaimed artist known for his unique blend of electronic and classical music. With a background in sound design, he has developed a distinct style that combines intricate melodies with atmospheric textures. His compositions have been described as emotive and cinematic, creating immersive sonic landscapes that captivate listeners.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eInfluenced by artists such as *Ocoeur*, *36*, and *Subheim*, Boysen's music takes listeners on a journey through various moods and emotions. Drawing inspiration from both the natural world and the human experience, his tracks are rich in depth and complexity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCollaborating with renowned performers like *Rival Consoles* and *A Winged Victory for the Sullen*, Boysen has garnered critical acclaim for his ability to seamlessly merge different musical elements. His work has been featured in films, commercials, and contemporary dance performances, further solidifying his reputation as an innovative composer.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"mirage-5","title":"Mirage","description":"\u003cp\u003eBerlin based composer and producer Ben Lukas Boysen returns with his most progressive and shape-shifting work to date, the long awaited \u003ci\u003eMirage\u003c\/i\u003e, on Erased Tapes. The third album to be penned under his own name proceeding his Hecq moniker, \u003ci\u003eMirage \u003c\/i\u003efollows 2013’s \u003ci\u003eGravity \u003c\/i\u003eand the acclaimed 2016 full length \u003ci\u003eSpells\u003c\/i\u003e, a record as much admired by his peers as it was loved by fans that not only yielded remixes from Max Cooper and Tim Hecker, but also opened Jon Hopkins’ \u003ci\u003eLate Night Tales \u003c\/i\u003ecompilation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs with \u003ci\u003eGravity \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eSpells\u003c\/i\u003e, Ben has an array of musical guests adorning \u003ci\u003eMirage\u003c\/i\u003e, including long time collaborator, Berlin based cellist and composer Anne Müller as well as Australian saxophonist and composer Daniel Thorne — for whom Ben wrote parts specifically, having heard his 2019 solo debut \u003ci\u003eLines of Sight\u003c\/i\u003e. Lead track \u003ci\u003eMedela \u003c\/i\u003efeatures both and takes the listener on a kaleidoscopic journey that slides with ease across sonic terrains. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eMirage\u003c\/i\u003e, like its title suggests, feels like a sonic optical illusion — each piece containing sounds and techniques bent and processed to make them seem overexposed; the overly felt-y piano on \u003ci\u003eClarion\u003c\/i\u003e, Daniel Thorne’s saxophone on \u003ci\u003eMedela\u003c\/i\u003e, the single note voice of Lisa Morgenstern splitting into different chords on \u003ci\u003eEmpyrean\u003c\/i\u003e. It is detectable but also easily missed, like the double piano on \u003ci\u003eKenotaph \u003c\/i\u003ethat could be perceived as one, but is actually two pianos in two different rooms, separate countries even — one is digital while the other is acoustic.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile on \u003ci\u003eSpells \u003c\/i\u003eBen made programmed pieces sound indistinguishable from human playing, with \u003ci\u003eMirage \u003c\/i\u003ehe set out to do the opposite and make the human touch unrecognisable, creating something of a mystery or a mirage.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Erased Tapes","offers":[{"title":"Clear | LP","offer_id":50456715755851,"sku":"1090903","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50456716673355,"sku":"1090902","price":22.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50456717328715,"sku":"1092126","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50456718803275,"sku":"1090901","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/8d22e90f-2d40-4fd4-a8f1-13daa737d651_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727200545"},{"product_id":"gravity","title":"Gravity","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn celebration of their latest signing, Erased Tapes are set to re-issue Ben Lukas Boysen's compelling debut album 'Gravity', alongside new album 'Spells'. 'Gravity' was the first album Ben recorded under his own name, merging programmed piano pieces with live instruments, combining the controllable technical world and the often unpredictable aspects of live improvisation. From 'Only In The Dark' to the two movements of 'Nocturne', it's a serious, solemn listen. And yet, with pieces like 'To The Hills' and 'Eos', 'Gravity' is an exploration of heights, cliffs and vertigoes. With piano lines and choir-like drones, this record suits its title in all its meanings, as the magnetic force takes us deeper towards the core. Marking a new beginning, this debut reveals a touching, and more melodic side to Ben's body of work, which he previously only hinted at as HECQ. Friend and fellow Erased Tapes artist Nils Frahm mixed and mastered the album.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Erased Tapes","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50467742351691,"sku":"402451","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50467743334731,"sku":"402450","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/b1f00372-23c0-42c0-88da-2ce764ea90a4_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727341318"},{"product_id":"spells-1","title":"Spells","description":"\u003cp\u003eComposer, producer, and sound designer Ben Lukas Boysen makes stunning ambient music, plain and simple. The German musical savant has been creating gorgeous arrangements for over a decade since moving to Berlin and setting up his project studio, HECQ Audio, for custom sound design and composition, creating scores for commercials and feature films and working on personal projects. He now graces us with his latest album 'Spells' - a beautiful, tender offering. Grand piano chords, winding, elongated violin strokes, mellow, bubbling synths, and atmospheric sweeps meld seamlessly and oscillate with a subtle, pulsing energy. With this as the soundtrack, anything would seem epic and immense.LP - Black Vinyl.LP+ - Limited Clear Vinyl. 500 Copies Only.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Erased Tapes","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50467744448843,"sku":"402448","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50467746152779,"sku":"402447","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/59d83033-42d0-4b2e-8314-b8204cf25677_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727341358"},{"product_id":"alta-ripa","title":"Alta Ripa","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBen Lukas Boysen’s\u003c\/strong\u003e new album, \u003cem\u003eAlta Ripa\u003c\/em\u003e, signifies a seismic shift in his artistic journey. It revisits the foundational impulses of his youth, shaped amidst the serene beauty of rural Germany—a bucolic backdrop where his creative palette flourished.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, it was his move to Berlin in the early 2000s that electrified his sound, infusing it with the city’s pulsating energy and diverse cultural influences. \u003cem\u003eAlta Ripa\u003c\/em\u003e captures this transformative experience, blending the introspective melodies of his rural beginnings with the bold, experimental tones born from Berlin’s vibrant electronic music scene.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis album is a testament to Boysen’s evolution, showcasing how geographical shifts can profoundly shape artistic expression. Boysen’s fourth studio album under his own name, \u003cem\u003eAlta Ripa\u003c\/em\u003e is a nod to his beginnings as much as a hint to his future, and as a work, it’s almost contradictory in its boldness and humility.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHe invites the listener on a journey of self-discovery; both for himself and for them, describing the music as “something the 15-year-old in me would have liked to hear but only the grown-up version of myself can write.” His last two albums involved working closely with other musicians, including cellist Anne Müller, flugelhorn player Steffen Zimmer, and drummer Achim Färber.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, inspired in part by a recent return to live performance, \u003cem\u003eAlta Ripa\u003c\/em\u003e sees Boysen circling back to his passion for pure computer music. For Boysen, the return to his youthful musical language marks a major turning point in his career. It represents a departure from his roots in classical music – his mother was an opera singer and his father an actor with an appreciation for Wagner, Arvo Pärt, Keith Jarrett, and Stockhausen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough these are still important influences, \u003cem\u003eAlta Ripa\u003c\/em\u003e encapsulates a new, exploratory interplay between Boysen’s careful craft and his ability to let go of some of the process. The album’s title comes from the original Roman name of the town that Boysen grew up in, Altrip, where he lived until his early twenties.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis formative period is central to the ideas behind this album, from Boysen’s parental ‘schooling’ in classical music through to his sonic journeys through drum and bass, Aphex Twin, and Autechre — all of which changed his idea of what music could be. For Boysen, this time of his musical development also involved knocking down the pillars that he previously thought had carried his world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOn \u003cem\u003eAlta Ripa\u003c\/em\u003e, he intentionally embraces a spirit of controlled chaos, churning out sonic ideas to see what sticks. One of Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategy cards contains the phrase “gardening, not architecture”, and the trajectory of Boysen’s creative path reflects this metaphor. In much of his previous work he followed a sort of Brutalist architect’s approach; here, he was fully responsible for the tracks’ austere structures and planned them with deliberate care.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut by sacrificing some of that control on \u003cem\u003eAlta Ripa\u003c\/em\u003e, he sets the right conditions for a dark and unpredictable, organic growth. It’s a push forward into a new world.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Erased Tapes","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50531184148811,"sku":"2218929","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Clear LP","offer_id":50531184247115,"sku":"2218930","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50531183984971,"sku":"2218928","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/4953fdb1-e532-c5b2-c393-546a8b6dede8_0e04cc26_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1728097624"},{"product_id":"clarion","title":"Clarion","description":"\u003cp\u003eBen Lukas Boysen expands on 2020’s album \u003ci\u003eMirage\u003c\/i\u003e with his brand new follow-up EP Clarion featuring a rare Kiasmos remix. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eContaining two brand new tracks from the Berlin-based electronic composer and producer, plus three very special remixes ranging as wide as from Hyperdub producer Foodman to Scottish post rock legends Mogwai, \u003ci\u003eClarion \u003c\/i\u003epicks up where Mirage left off. The first single arrives in the shape of a rare Kiasmos remix of the title track, crafted by the Icelandic techno duo and Erased Tapes label mates Janus Rasmussen and Ólafur Arnalds. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Hearing how Kiasmos tamed the somewhat rough nature of \u003ci\u003eClarion\u003c\/i\u003e and elevated it to a focussed and highly energised dream-like state made my day when I first heard the remix. The floating and driving rhythm of this version distils the original into a luxurious percussive meditation,” Boysen says. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbout the making of, Janus Rasmussen explains: “Sometimes remixes can be a joy to work on, especially when the original material is as strong as this one. Immediately after hearing the stems, the idea of the remix was so apparent. It was almost as if the song had already existed in this remixed form. The main melody is so catchy yet intriguing that it's a perfect fit for a Kiasmos remix.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe new material on this 6-track EP expands on themes of Ben’s 2020 album. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Mirage was about the diffusion and change of weight of elements within a piece as well as giving the instrumentalists featured, such as cellist Anne Müller, a different function and meaning. Lux and Plexus revisit this mindset, diving into granular, resyncing patterns and harmonic studies,” he adds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Erased Tapes","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50758809977163,"sku":"1142457","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/75e3578c-1f40-4d48-a0b9-f2fe8be5650f_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1730806419"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_919c2d34_thumbnail_4096_dfacb3d2-217c-4dc5-9958-271970da213f.jpg?v=1727200487","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/collections\/ben-lukas-boysen.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}