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Ruth Goller
SKYLLUMINA

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IARC0078:

Ruth Goller
SKYLLUMINA

Out March 1, 2024

SKYLLUMINA represents a new evolution of London-based, Italian-born composer, bassist, and vocalist Ruth Goller.

Goller is known for her bass and vocal work with Alabaster DePlume, whose music she elevates in live contexts with her genre-less improvisational intuition. She's also known for work with Bex Burch's Vula Viel, whose DIY label released Goller's solo debut Skylla in 2021. And she is known to creative musicians far and wide, with an incredibly diverse CV that includes performance and recording with Shabaka Hutchings, Rokia Traore, Melt Yourself Down, Sam Amidon, Damon Albarn, and many more.

Expanding on the wholly original sound Goller established with her solo work on Skylla – i.e. compositions of detuned bass under a spectra of soprano voices she arranged and overdubbed herself – SKYLLUMINA complicates matters as she augments every piece with a different drummer. “As a bass-player, I love playing with drummers and I decided to focus on my close connection to that instrument and to the amazing people I met in my life who play it,” says Goller. Her accompanists on the album include International Anthem labelmates Bex Burch, Tom Skinner, and Frank Rosaly, as well as prolific British player Sebastian Rochford and longtime Vula Viel collaborator Jim Hart. But more importantly: this music is an immersive hyperfocus for Goller and her patently distinct, singular compositional vision.

SKYLLUMINA, despite its highly conceptual origins, is heavy with human emotion. Its dark washes of melody and contrapuntal percussion could fit easily into a mixtape with indie downbeat / ennui royalty like Grouper or Low, while also being right at home next a Cage-Tudor prepared piano piece. And the piercing, sibilant ice age siren song heard in Goller's powerfully feminine vocal arrangements find her in an otherworld only occasionally inhabited by the likes of Björk and The Knife.

Goller says: “This record is deep insight into my soul and my recent life. It’s coming through a meteor storm and grasping the first light... out of a very unexpected tumultuous time... there are feelings of grief, loss, hope, purest of love, connection to my home, death, and new configurations... as well as self-discovery.”

Selected Press

The Fader
Songs You Need In Your Life: January 2024

Aquarium Drunkard
Ruth Goller - SKYLLUMINA

Twisted Soul
Ruth Goller’s ethereal odyssey unveiled in ‘Below My Skin,’ a glimpse into SKYLLUMINA

Retail Locations

Aachen, DE - Tam Tam
Akron, OH - Square Records
Amsterdam, NL - Concerto Recordstore Amsterdam
Ancaster, Ontario - Sunrise Records
Antwerp, BE - Sugar Pie Records
Athens, GR - Lofi Concept
Austin, TX - Waterloo
Baltimore, MD - Sound Garden
Belfast, Northern Ireland - Sound Advice
Berkeley, CA - Amoeba Music Berkeley
Berlin, DE - HHV
Berlin, DE - Decks
Bloomington, IN - Landlocked Music
Bremen, DE - Black Plasti
Brighton, UK - Family Store
Bristol, UK - Rough Trade Bristol
Bucuresti, RO - Barul Tonal SRL
Burlington, NC - The Record Booth 93 at Granddaddy's
Calgary, AB - Blackbyrd Myoozik
Calgary, AB - Melodiya Records
Carp, ON - Birdman Sound
Charlotte, NC - Lunchbox Records
Cheltenham, UK - Badlands
Chicago, IL - Dusty Groove Inc.
Chicago, IL - Laurie's Planet of Sound
Chicago, IL - Reckless Records
Chicago, IL - Tone Deaf Records
Coventry, UK - Just Dropped
Davenport, IA - Ragged Records
Dearborn, MI - Dearborn Music
Delft, NL - Sounds
Denver, CO - Twist & Shout
Denver, CO - Wax Trax
Dresden, DE - Sweetwater
Dublin, IE - Spindizzy
Durham, NC - Chaz's Bull City Records
Düsseldorf, DE - A&O
Edinburgh, UK - Underground Solutions
Edinburgh, UK - Good Vibes
Edmonton, AB - Blackbyrd Myoozik
Edmonton, AB - Listen Records
Encinitas, CA - Lou's Records
Frome, UK - Raves from the Grave
Fulda, DE - Marleen
Glasgow, UK - Monorail
Glasgow, UK - Some Great Reward
Grand Rapids, MI - Quality Vintage Collectibles
Grand Rapids, MI - Vertigo Music
Hamburg, DE - Zardoz
Hamburg, DE - Michelle
Houston, TX - Cactus Music
Indianapolis, IN - Indy CD and Vinyl
Iowa City, IA - Record Collector Inc
Japan - Momma Masayoshi
Kansas City, MO - Mills Record Company
Kitchener, ON - Encore Records
Köln, DE - Hauptsache Musik
Lawrence, KS - Love Garden Sounds
Leeds, UK - Crash Records
Leeds, UK - Norman Records
Livingston Manor, NY - Jitterbug Sights & Sounds
London, UK - Rough Trade West
London, UK - HMV
London, UK - Phonica
London, UK - Dreamhouse Records
London, UK - World of Echo
London, UK - Rough Trade East
Loveland, OH - Plaid Room Records
Madison, WI - B-Side
Madison, WI - Strictly Discs
Manchester, UK - Piccadilly Records
Manchester, UK - Limited Edition Records
Marlborough, UK - Sound Knowledge
Medford, OR - Biscuits & Vinyl
Milan, IT - XTCR
Milan, IT - Serendeepity
Montreal, QC - Atom Heart
München, DE - Echt Optimal!
Nashville, TN - Grimey's
Norridge, IL - Rolling Stones Record Store
Norwich, UK - Venus Vinyl
Nottingham, UK - Rough Trade Nottingham
Hottingham, UK - Gringo Records
Orlando, FL - Park Ave. CD's
Phoenix, AZ - Stinkweeds
Pittsburgh, PA - The Government Center
Portland, OR - 2nd Avenue Records
Portland, OR - Commercial Astoria
Portland, OR - Everyday Music
Portland, OR - Jackpot Records
Portland, OR - Music Millennium
Québec, QC - Explosive Groove Disquaire
Rennes, FR - Blind Spot
Rosenheim, DE - Bebop
Saint Paul, MN - Cheapo Discs
San Diego, CA - Folk Arts Rare Records
San Francisco, CA - Amoeba Music San Fran
San Francisco, CA - Stranded Music
San Luis Obispo, CA - Boo Boo Records
Seattle, WA - Hex Enduction Records & Books
Seattle, WA - Nellis Records
Seattle, WA - Silver Platters
Seattle, WA - Sonic Boom Records
Sheffield, UK - Bear Tree
Stroud, UK - Sound Records
Taylorsville, UT - Graywhale
The Hague, NL - 334
Thessaloniki, GR - Father Coffe & Vinyl
Toronto, ON - Sonic Boom
Tourhout, BE - Topdisc
Vancouver, BC - Audiopile Records
Vancouver, BC - Neptoon Records
Wallingford, CT - Redscroll Records
Winchester, UK - Elephant Records

Notes

All music composed and produced by Ruth Goller.

Mixed by Dave Vettraino.
Mastered by David Allen.
Masks by wintercroft.com
Artwork by Zak Watson
Poem by Alabaster DePlume
Design by Craig Hansen

Thank you: Scottie McNiece, Dave Vettraino, David Allen, Alejandro Ayala and everyone at International Anthem, Alice Grant, Lauren Kinsella and all the amazing musicians who have contributed to this record, Bex Burch and Vula Viel records, Barbara, Peter, Pedro Velasco and Nell Greco.