With Love From… her & her | CD + Digital Download

The exciting debut album ‘With Love From… her & her’ from experimental multi-instrumentalists Cydnei B and Catherine Shrubshall aka: her&her, in collaboration with composer/producer Richard Kett (‘him’)

Together they draw on ‘comprovisation’ (a mix of composing and improvisation) to create a collage of soundscapes, textures and melodic lines using the esoteric ‘her&her’ orchestra of voices, clarinets, himalayan singing bowls, wha wha, drums, bells, koshi chimes, conch shells, sansulas, saxophones, eagle bone whistles, pitch pipes, xylophone – plus anything they can beg steal or borrow to blow, hit or lay their hands on.

Their freely improvised and imaginative ‘otherworldly’ music encourages deep listening, mindfulness and meditation, taking the listener on a musically resonant and replenishing journey, drawing on influences from around the world and beyond…through meditative mantra grooves, soulful siren songs and drum fuelled tribal trancing, and much much more!

Yes – all that wonderful layered sound really is just Cydnei and Catherine, with some wizard sound design and live axe attitude from Richard!

Track Listing

1. Purification (Vajrasattva Mantra) 7:01

A mesmerising ‘her&her’ take on ‘Om Vajra Sattva Hum’. It is repeated 108 times, and can be used for meditation and chanting with…or just good old relaxing to! The aim of this arrangement is to settle and open the listener to a place of calm and stillness, alongside mindful awareness.

her & her top tip: you may like to envisage a purifying light entering the crown of your head, filling the space of your body with peace and tranquillity

2. Purrrfect 5:21

A dream-like meditation track for chilling to, bringing a sense of comfort and nurture, and featuring Dave the gorgeous calico cat! The accompanying video can be viewed on youtube, telling the story of getting Dave’s enormous purr on the track, and the lengths we had to go to coerce her! The bass clarinet and pocket saxophone layer up with Dave’s vocals purrrfectly! (ouch!)

3. La La Lullaby 9:16

An evocative soothing soundscape of a three-dimensional world and a mother’s love, keening to her child. Here the music soothes whilst representing “rupture and repair”. Calming, nurturing and womb-like…honouring the mother and child. A warm virtual hug. The world is a safe place.

4. Slumber 2:52

Deep pranayama (control of breath) giving way to a dreamlike altered state of consciousness. Making way for rest and sleep…making way for something new….

5. Conch 2:04

The ancients are journeying, with the soul’s arrival being announced by the conch…accompanied by a soundscape that is mystical, magical, and spiritual…representing arrival and the veil in-between.

6. Sirens 6:05

Luring the soul that has been delivered by the conch – a battle ensues with the sirens beckoning the newly freed soul. However, the pure soul wins through ‘transcendence of the soul’.

Intention for the listener: the haunting clarinet melody representing the soul’s delivery to the other world.

7. Tribal Trance 6:01

Freedom and spiritual awakening. Deeply connecting with the many layers. The dark and light worlds collide. Get with the groove and move your body! (see the video of 83 year old Janet – Catherine’s mum – shaking her booty to this with ‘her&her’ – the shamauri shake!)

8. Purification (Bazaar Mix) 13:26

Traversing different continents with a hint at Arabian folklore. Connecting to our nomadic ancient past and roaming through vast deserts, sunburned dunes and valleys. The track invites the listener to move and dance …serving up a grand finale to the album – a platform for extended solos and full-on fun… including live axe attitude from Richard!

All Music Composed, Arranged & Performed by Catherine Shrubshall, Cydnei B (aka Fiona Baines) and Richard Kett. Artwork: Sam Hash Album Cover Creator: Olivia Wild Engineering and Production: Richard Kett

 

Beauty Beneath: essence of calm | Digital Download

Recorded in a deep underground space, a once watery vault beneath a retired Victorian pumping station in Nottinghamshire. Multi-instrumentalists ‘her&her’ bring their orchestra of weird and wonderful instruments down to this dark, resonant environment and improvise with the beauty beneath… imparting its mysteries and magnificence to the earth above. The music is full of solace, rawness and emotional connection to another world

The original reservoir improvisations have been sensitively overlaid in the studio with additional scoring and atmospheric sound design

‘essence of calm’ is the first EP in the Beauty Beneath series.

Track Listing

1. Tuning into the Ambience (52s)

Settle in to absorb restorative, underground sounds as ‘her&her’ attune to the cool, dark space. Candles flicker as the only light, setting the scene for the duo to explore the world of slow resonance and vibration

2.  Fragile Darkness  (3m 54s)

Colourful whirly tubes warm the air and hum an invitation…haunting saxophone and vocal notes surface in the dimly lit arena. The improvisation unfolds as the musicians begin to trust their new creative journey…a collaboration of sound and space

 3. Other Worldly (32s)

Singing bowls and chanting undulate together. A sense of retreating…gently floating in the water that once filled this enchanting underworld

4. Echoes of Memory (2m 03s)

Melodic shapes and shades appear in the darkness and bounce slowly around the damp, cavernous void. Ethereal woodwind and vocals expressing moments of warmth, tenderness and intimacy

5. Dueting in the Darkness (23s)

Clarinets converse in mysterious antiphonal tones, descending amongst the dancing shadows. Step in to solitude and contemplation, embracing your whole self

6. Singing Vaults (3m 01s)

The exquisite cathedral-like resonance invites playful exploration of echoes created by a single voice. Accompanying this extemporisation is the celestial purity of a harp, and the holding reassurance of a low woodwind drone

7. Reflective Breath (29s)

Conch and chalumeau join forces and resonate together, reminding us of our ancestral beginnings. Breathing life from the earth beneath that sustains us all

8. Droplets of Time (3m 31s)

A mellow bass clarinet groove warms the space, enticing a melodic journey to emerge…accompanied by the spirit of the reservoir, adding an occasional ‘splat-split’ of dripping water from the great arches

9. Awaken…to a nice cup of tea (15s)

Spoken voice, laughter and the universal sound of peace call us back to the light