{"title":"Maston","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMulti-instrumentalist Frank Maston grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles, soaking in both the summery atmosphere and the musical and cultural history of his surroundings. Early on, Maston developed a love for the sunny chamber pop of Van Dyke Parks and Brian Wilson, as well as more California-inspired moments of rock magic from Harry Nilsson and Phil Spector. He eventually sculpted these influences into what would become his own music, a completely self-sufficient menagerie of dark pop sounds informed by '60s and '70s studio magicians and loner geniuses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2011, *Maston* put out a series of cassette albums under his own name. The following year, he signed to Chicago label Trouble in Mind, which released his proper full-length debut album called Shadows. During this time, he also played keyboards for Jacco Gardner while spending extended periods in the Netherlands. These experiences touring and living abroad lent a European influence to his second album Tulips, which was released on his own Phonoscope label in 2017. Drawing inspiration from French and Italian film music composers like Morricone and Legrand, *Maston* adjusted his focus from Wilson and Spector to create an entirely unique sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e*Maston's* music can be likened to other artists such as Dumbo Gets Mad, Orions Belte, Monster Rally, PAINT,and L'éclair among others. His distinctive blend of\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"darkland","title":"Darkland","description":"\u003cp\u003eMaston’s\u003ci\u003e Darkland\u003c\/i\u003e is a breezy collection of the material from the \u003ci\u003eTulips \u003c\/i\u003esessions that didn’t make it onto the original LP. Originally a digital-only release for those in the know in the autumn of 2018, after re-issuing\u003ci\u003e Tulips\u003c\/i\u003e in 2020 it made too much sense for Be With to give \u003ci\u003eDarkland \u003c\/i\u003ea vinyl release.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLike \u003ci\u003eTulips, Darkland \u003c\/i\u003ewas recorded mostly in Hoorn, in the Netherlands, between 2015-2017 during downtime from Frank’s touring duties with Jacco Gardner’s band. Bits were also done in Los Angeles on some extended trips back home.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe collection plays like an alternate view of Maston’s instant modern classic\u003ci\u003e Tulips\u003c\/i\u003e; a companion piece to the LP proper with similar mixture of shorter themes and more full length tracks. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eDarkland\u003c\/i\u003e opens with its ornate 39 second title-track before striding into “Tulips”, that full-length title-track that never was. It’s a real head-nod, percussive-rich electric piano stunner that would’ve been a comfortable standout on the album proper. But now this “downlifting” gem is given ample room to shine on this record.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe funky organ-led bass and drums workout “Immaculate Conception” will keep your neck gently snapping while MPC fiends go reaching for their sampler. And that’s gospel. “Love Theme No 3” cuts a breathtakingly stylish vibra-slapped swathe through the middle of the opening side before we’re startled by the pronounced bass and twinkling percussion of “The Owl In Daylight”. Charming digi-drums underpin the wonky synth (quiet-)banger “Innovative Patterns” which has a lovely melodic switch-up in the final third before the tempo (and hairs on your neck) rise on the faintly creepy yet imminently groovy “Osiris”. The gorgeously soft-focus “Groove Experiment No 3” closes out the first half in slow-mo wonderment.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe lushly melancholic “Raincloud” ushers in side B before the emotionally-stirring “Phonic” taps at the door, coming on like the long lost sister to Pet Sounds’ “Let’s Go Away For A While”. Next up, the swooning beauty “Love Theme No 2” keenly sways in front of you, growing ever more insistent and hypnotic. The too-short\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Italian Summer” conjures the same flirtatious imagery as the title hints at whilst “Endless” is a fascinating “piano-pella” alternative version to “Rain Dance” from Tulips. “Wonder Theme” has a nostalgic, exotic 60s swing and album closer “Willow” is a hushed, campfire folk gem. The gently circular strumming is just magical.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJust like\u003ci\u003e Tulips\u003c\/i\u003e before it, Simon Francis’s vinyl mastering for \u003ci\u003eDarkland\u003c\/i\u003e has been cut at 45rpm so you can trip out to this as well at a woozy 33 1\/3. The artwork too has been designed by Frank himself as a literal visual continuation of the Tulips cover.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Be With Records","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50427851997515,"sku":"1117436","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/edf75c39-7185-44db-9dcb-bc83238249fd_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726828007"},{"product_id":"tulips-1","title":"Tulips","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrank Maston’s \u003ci\u003eTulips \u003c\/i\u003eis a sample-ready film score to the best 70s movie never made. Originally a super- limited self-release on his Phonoscope label in late 2017, \u003ci\u003eTulips\u003c\/i\u003e has already become incredibly sought-after. Be With were introduced to Maston by mutual friends Aquarium Drunkard and it didn’t take long before They decided this modern classic deserved a reissue.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInspired by the deep-grooving soundtracks of Italian cinema - think Morricone, Umiliani and Alessandroni - Maston conceived the entire\u003ci\u003e Tulips\u003c\/i\u003e project as a continuation of these revered works. Frank designed the artwork and made two 16mm films to accompany the music\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Be With Records","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50430200774987,"sku":"1093105","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/fa967806-5688-4a74-ac32-d005a4084b4a_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726845527"},{"product_id":"souvenir","title":"Souvenir","description":"\u003cp\u003eMaston's earlier works \u003ci\u003eShadows\u003c\/i\u003e (2013) and \u003ci\u003eTulips\u003c\/i\u003e (2017) have garnered comparisons to some of the most acclaimed composers, including Ennio Morricone, Sven Libaek, \u0026amp; Piero Umiliani., and were released on KPM and Be With Records. He has also collaborated and toured with artists such as Allah Las, PAINT, and Altin Gün. To fulfil his vision for a lively, full-band effort on \u003ci\u003eSouvenir\u003c\/i\u003e, Maston enlisted a young quintet from Geneva in Switzerland: L’éclair. L’éclair’s first two albums, Polymood and Sauropoda, garnered high praise in Europe’s underground circles for its air tight grooves and their wise-beyond-their-years chops. You have to respect a musician willing to leave his comfort zone and try something new. The result is an album as unpredictable as it is flawlessly executed, a delightful and deliriously joyous new project born from an ambitious idea, pursued to perfection.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Calico Discos","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50461411213643,"sku":"1130866","price":21.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50461412163915,"sku":"1130867","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/b5bc99b2-5f5d-44aa-a00e-52ac26b97f1e_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727247984"},{"product_id":"panorama-1","title":"Panorama","description":"\u003cp\u003eNewly commissioned music, mastered for vinyl under the supervision of Frank Maston. With \u003ci\u003ePanorama\u003c\/i\u003e, Frank Maston pays homage to the classic era of library records and Italian soundtracks of the 70s. A blissed-out, grooving collection of filmic cues, it continues the unique brilliance of Tulips and Darkland. Elegant and easy, subtle and stylish, breezy and beautiful; this is his Maston-piece. Commissioned by legendary label KPM, \u003ci\u003ePanorama \u003c\/i\u003ecements Maston as a master of modern classics and the most mesmeric of contemporary composers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Be With Records","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50486495609163,"sku":"1160639","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/e4eaaea1-4a7c-446e-88e6-e9bac633934d_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727610168"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_c63e1b5a_thumbnail_4096_81f382ba-06e9-4916-9f82-e58864f12198.jpg?v=1726827984","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/collections\/maston.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}