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Darkest Before Dawn

by Dark Day

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in jacket featuring illustrations from Thomas Bewick’s ‘Vignettes’ and includes a double sided insert with photos and notes.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Darkest Before Dawn via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 5 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      $16 USD or more 

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 4 Dark Day releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Darkest Before Dawn, Exterminating Angel, Hands In The Dark, and Window. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      $18.85 USD or more (35% OFF)

     

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about

Dark Day is the brainchild of Robin Crutchfield, a New York City based musician, performance artist, and writer. Robin’s musical path began in 1977 when he formed the no wave group DNA with Arto Lindsay and Ikue Mori. In 1979 Crutchfield left DNA to pursue his more synthesizer-based solo project. He released the ‘Hands In The Dark’ 7” followed by two albums, ‘Exterminating Angel’ in 1980 and ‘Window’ in 1982. In 1984 he re-launched Dark Day as an acoustic chamber ensemble performing ethereal soundscapes and self-released two cassette albums “Obsession” and “Beyond The Pale”.
‘Darkest Before Dawn' is a collection of 13 songs recorded between 1985-86, released on CD in 1989 that have never been pressed to vinyl before. The album is a lost medieval collection of pagan tunes for private ceremonies. Played on echoey pipe organ backed by saw-like rhythmic cello lines and melodic woodwind recorder, driven by the beats of rattles, bells, and drums. These simple, cyclical layered instrumental rounds owe much to the inspiration of Moondog as well as the efforts of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra and Dead Can Dance. The original press release stated, “Serious gothic organ works which cross Captain Nemo's Nautilus pipe organ with the standing stones of Stonehenge and reminisce Babylonian battle hymns and Egyptian burial ceremonies.” All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in jacket featuring illustrations from Thomas Bewick’s ‘Vignettes’ and includes a double sided insert with photos and notes.

credits

released November 22, 2019

© 2019 Dark Entries Records
℗ 1989 Taedium Vitae
Robin Lee Crutchtfield - keyboards, cavernette, bass keys, bowed psaltery, dumbek, rattles, bells, tambourine, tom-tom, guitar drum
Brian Bendlin - bongos, tom-tom, dumbek, box drum, rattles, bell chain, cymbal
Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer - amplified cello
Shawn McQuate - xylophone, recorder, keyboards, soprano recorder, bass keys, chromatic bells
Bill Sack - spirit guitars

All material composed & arranged by Robin Lee Crutchtfield
(except 1a, traditional)
Thanks to Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer for help with the arrangement of 4 and to Bill Sack for 12.
Recorded November 1985- January 1986
Produced by Robin Lee Crutchtfield & Brian Bendlin
1-6 engineered by Wharton Tiers, 7-8 engineered by Yoram Vassan, 9-13 engineered and mixed by Brian Bendlin
Remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios, June 2019
Cover photograph of Mercury by Douglas Rollins
Cover design by Robin Lee Crutchtfield
Layout Production by Eloise Leigh
Special thanks to Moondog and the inventor of the wheel

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Dark Day New York, New York

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