Pivot, by Amoeba

Pivot

by Amoeba

supported by

tamahome I'm a Robert Rich fan, for his more active JI stuff. I like the unique sound textures in this album. I like No Empty Promises as well. Bandcamp should make it easier to review albums. Favorite track: Underground.

AlexB Because Robert Rich has an awesome voice! I didn't know until he told me!!! Favorite track: No Empty Promises.

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Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
This album came out originally on the Release/Relapse label in 2000, and we purchased back all of the remaining inventory when the label decided to trim their catalog. Currently we have about 300 remaining (as of 2019), and we will not reprint them when they eventually sell out. If you want an autograph, please request it at the time of purchase.

Includes unlimited streaming of Pivot via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 5 days

Purchasable with gift card

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1.	Fireflies 03:49	buy track
2.	No Empty Promises 04:35	buy track
3.	Traces 04:42	buy track
4.	Pivot 04:26	buy track
5.	Moonlight Flowers 03:39	buy track
6.	House of Rust 01:24	buy track
7.	Harvest 04:45	buy track
8.	Miniature 02:10	buy track
9.	Seasons Passing 04:59	buy track
10.	Underground 05:40	buy track
11.	Sparks 04:32	buy track
12.	To Other Days 04:21	buy track

about

Pivot's subdued, minimalist dark pop furthers Amoeba's exploration of subtle shades of space and melody.

In some ways, Amoeba has been a work in progress for over 20 years. Robert Rich and Rick Davies have worked together since 1980 on projects as obscure as the glurp-trio, Urdu, and the compellingly unlistenable Quote Unquote. On each project they found new timbres and common ideas, but their vastly different trajectories made it difficult for them to focus their efforts into a coherent recording.

As Rich's solo recording career took flight in the mid-eighties, they parted ways. Davies indulged in several bands including the Calm (with ex-Swell drummer, Sean Kirkpatrick), Truth In Advertising, and the Los Angeles-based ambient group, The Telling.

In 1992 Rich formed the first incarnation of Amoeba with David Hahn (guitar), Matt Isaacson (drums), and another Urdu survivor, Andrew McGowan (bass). In this configuration Amoeba recorded the 4-song EP-CD, Eye Catching, which Rich released through his company, Soundscape Productions. Unfortunately, the band never developed as a performing unit and it disbanded in 1993.

In 1994, Davies described his work on an album of slow-motion ambient folk songs to Rich, who suggested forming a new Amoeba as a platform for a new collaboration. Over bowls of pho', Rich and Davies worked out a plan and recordings commenced in March.

The new songs had little in common with those of 1992's 4-piece Amoeba. The new tracks evolved from a core of Rich's home-brewed percussion and flute loops and layers of Davies' bare-bones guitar. Although the new Amoeba's musical roots were acoustic, the production included hundreds of hours of sequencing, digital sampling and mangling using a hybrid of direct-to-disk and linear tape recording techniques. After completing the basic tracks, Rich brought in cellist Hans Christian, Telling percussionist Don Swanson, and saxophonist Scott Wright to complete the spectrum.

Finally, in November of 1995, Rich mixed the 11-song Watchful and the search for a compatible label began. They decided to work with a new label based in Durham NC called Lektronic Soundscapes. In April of 1997, Lektronic Soundscapes released Watchful . After some glitches in distribution, Amoeba moved the album over to Release Records, which re-issued Watchful, as well as Robert's early Trances/Drones.

Amoeba began working on a new set of songs in 1998, after Robert completed some more solo work. They finished the work for their latest CD, Pivot, in the Summer of 1999. Pivot is now available on Release Records.

credits

released April 1, 2000

Personnel:
Robert Rich - voice, piano, harmonium, synths, steel guitar, flutes.
Rick Davies - electric and acoustic guitars.

with:
Don Swanson - drums
Andrew McGowan - bass
Hans Christian - cello
BobDog Catlin - megaptera vina (Underground)
Forrest Fang - violin (Sparks)
Tom Heasley - Tuba (Traces, Sparks)

©1999 by Robert Rich and Rick Davies, Lyrics by Robert Rich.
Published by Amoeba music, BMI and R. Davies, BMI.
Recorded at Soundscape, Mountain View, 1998-99.
Produced and Mixed by Robert Rich.

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about

Robert Rich California

Robert Rich has helped define ambient and electronic music, with over 50 albums across five decades. Rich began building his own analog modular synthesizers in 1976, when he was 13, and later studied computer music at Stanford's CCRMA while researching lucid dreaming. Rich performs and lectures worldwide. His all-night Sleep Concerts have become legendary. ... more

robertrich.com

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