*announcing* Carlos Niño & Friends - (I'm just) Chillin', on Fire /// 2xLP, 2xCD, Cassette, Digital album out September 15th
*announcing* IARC0067
Carlos Niño & Friends
(I'm just) Chillin', on Fire
2xLP, 2xCD, Cassette & Digital album out September 15th, 2023
Culminating several years of several releases by Carlos Niño (starting with 2020's Chicago Waves) & Friends (starting with 2021's More Energy Fields, Current) on IARC, we are thrilled today to share the first sounds from a deep new collection that the cosmic communicator himself considers his finest album yet.
((( photo by Todd Weaver )))
An evolved, ecosystemic expression of Niño’s self-described “Spiritual, Improvisational, Space, Collage” sound – (I’m just) Chillin’, on Fire presents the prolific percussionist/producer’s most singular, intentional work and features the most vibrant, abundant gathering of Friends he’s included on record to date. Featured artists across 80+ minutes of music include LA-based synth/guitarist Nate Mercereau (who appears on most of the album's tracks), keyboardist and Alice Coltrane protégé Surya Botofasina, AACM-affiliated creative music legend Maia, bubbling violinist/vocalist V.C.R, saxophone titan Kamasi Washington, ambient/dance music innovator Photay, prodigious rhythmist Deantoni Parks, plus Dntel, Laraaji, Aaron Shaw, Diego Gaeta, Adam Rudolph, Josh Johnson, Jamire Williams, Woo, and more, including André 3000, who makes an appearance on flutes.
For such a magnificent convergence of sonic journeyers and such a masterful presentation of sounds – all of which is hugged together by Niño’s lucid post-productive guidance, as he makes Q-Tip/DJ Premier-like architectures out of fluid explorations and minimalist musical atmospheres – the undersold title “(I’m just) Chillin’, on Fire” is both humorous and totally appropriate for anyone who is open to understanding what this artist is all about.
Music writer Marcus J. Moore contributed digital liner notes for the album, in which he says: “By creating music with tender messages and leisurely pacing, Niño nudges listeners to slow down and appreciate life’s natural wonders, to savor the journey and not rush so quickly to the destination. In turn, his art conjures pastoral images — endless fields, boundless oceans, ripples crashing along the shoreline. It urges you to simply look up: notice the wind rustling through the trees, listen to the birds sing a glorious song. This is real life, the stuff you can’t quite capture with a smartphone camera.”
"Taaaud"
Today’s lead single “Taaaud,” which comes via kaleidoscopic video by Azul Niño, features the otherworldly wordless vocals of South African singer Sibusile Xaba over looped piano chords from Jamael Dean (Stones Throw, Pan Afrikan People's Arkestra), with synthesized ambience from Mercereau and splashes of organ and organic percussion by Niño.
About the track, Xaba says: “What a joy it was to explore this music. I found it very welcoming, open and full of wonder. I believe these sonic vibrations will bring joy to all who listen to it." And Mercereau adds: “I would personally call this one A True Carlos Niño Space Collage! I love this piece....so many meaningful moments that I was invited to highlight and magnify… a beautiful and wide representation of all that Carlos shares as a musician, artist, producer, collagist and creator.”
*Deluxe Vinyl Package*
Etheric Pink color vinyl
(I'm just) Chillin', on Fire comes on two 140-gram vinyl LPs (pressed by Pallas in Germany, with lacquers cut by Daniel K at SST) inside a heavyweight matte jacket, with IARC obi strip, insert booklet and dome-patterned inner-sleeves.
And, as always, we have a limited edition color vinyl option for the first pressing only, available via our Bandcamp page only, which is 555 copies of *Etheric Pink* color vinyl.
For fervent collectors of our catalog...
Including today's (I'm just) Chillin', on Fire and the recently-announced Damon Locks & Rob Mazurek album New Future City Radio, by early August we'll have announced a total of six new albums on IARC across Summer 2023. As an experiment aimed for those of you who collect the whole catalog and have been asking about some sort of subscription offering for ease of ordering / savings on shipments... we are offering this SUMMER MONDO BUNDLE which collects all six of our upcoming albums into a single parcel. Save money on shipping PLUS an additional 10% on the retail value of the albums as an extra *thank you* for your faith in our output. Bundles come in color vinyl, black vinyl, and CD (no mix and match, sorry).
More info and details on the bundles via order links below >>>
Order the Summer Mondo Bundle on limited edition color vinyl here.
Order the Summer Mondo Bundle on classic black vinyl here.
Order the Summer Mondo Bundle on compact disc here.
Distribution via RedEye for US, Canada, North & South America
This album will also be available on CD, Cassette, and Classic Black Vinyl (same package specs as listed above).
Retailers in the United States or Canada or anywhere else inside of North, South and Central America... Please reach out to your sales rep at RedEye Worldwide if you are interested in making wholesale purchases of this album, or any other album in our catalog. Don't yet have a RedEye rep? Please just reach out to us and we'll get you hooked up!
Distribution via !K7 for Europe, UK, Japan, Australia, and ROW
This album will be distributed by our good friends at !K7 and their various territory partners in Europe, UK, Japan, Australia, and everywhere else in the world outside of North & South America.
If you are a retailer or store with questions about wholesale or are just looking to get some of our records... we'd like to make things as easy for you as possible, please do not hesitate to reach out!!!
