LFZ (Deluxe Vinyl LP) from Stimulus Progression

LFZ (Deluxe Vinyl LP)

from Stimulus Progression

“Sonic spaces morph seamlessly from cosmic floating fields to pulsating jet streams, and intrepid wonder to pensive hallucinatory explorations.”

–AQUARIUS RECORDS

“LFZ” is the current musical endeavor of guitarist Sean Smith and the debut release and mission statement for STIMULUS PROGRESSION. Guitar is at the heart and synthesizers come into play at times, all manipulated by a vast array of analog and digital devices. The music is emotionally driven and rides the line between composition and improvisation. There is a deep experimentalism captured in the music of LFZ -all executed by tangible means. LFZ is exploratory of sights, sounds and the phenomenological. Fripp & Eno, Terry Riley, and Michael Rother are some referential touchstones, yet, LFZ does not set out to mimic or cash in on its predecessors.

“My intention for the work is that some kind of truth is uncovered through abstraction. I am deeply committed to the development of timbre, tone, and content and how these all come together to tell some kind of story or evoke some image. In the channeling, creation and performance of my music, visions and emotions occupy space in my consciousness that is otherwise impossible to reach. I do not seek to name the un-nameable, but to bring it closer to the surface - even if it’s fleeting. It’s these experiences that reveal truth and allow for growth and progression. I am always working to deepen these experiences and to express authenticity. I can only hope to provide that kind of experience for my listeners.”

The first album from LFZ is two extended pieces for guitar and a plethora of analog and digital effects. As with all of Smith's work, the music is instrumental but refers heavily to personal subject matter and concepts. It was composed, improvised, and recorded at the end of a decade long residence in San Francisco.

"Fair Winds & Following Seas," a multi-movement composition, is an abstract journey through the intangible phenomena of life and void, nature and spirit. The completely improvised b-side, "Infinite Regress," delves colder depths by way of repetition and random chaos. Both pieces, almost opposite in approach compliment each other to form a cohesive whole.

Recorded at the LFZ Studio, San Francisco

Mixed with James Finch at Panoramic House, Stinson Beach

Mastered by Blake Bickel, Dynamic Sound Service, Seattle

Vinyl Cut by John Golden

Plated and Pressed at RTI