Brooklyn Experimental Quartet altopalo Share Active Child Rework of “mud”
December 10, 2021 BY Nettwerk
altopalo today share a rework of one of their fan-favorite tracks, “mud,” by Active Child from their latest critically praised album, farwayfromeveryoneyouknow. Listen to how Pat Grossi (aka Active Child) stretches and twists their original track into a cinematic anthem HERE.
Says altopalo on collaborating with Active Child, “There’s an email in my archives from september 30 2013 that simply has the subject line ‘active child’ and identical body text. no other words. i wrote it to myself as a reminder to check out their music, years before i could imagine that the same artist would take our music to the wild place that the remix of our piece ‘mud’ goes to. it’s a wild collision of worlds. ‘mud’ was the first song on farawayfromeveryoneyouknow to find itself and come into formation. hearing active child’s take on the piece from this record that has been situated and sure of itself the longest is so refreshing and exciting.”
The “mud (Active Child Remix)” out today is the second to be lifted from their forthcoming new collection, farawayfromeveryoneyouknow (but wait—there’s more!), out January 21st via Nettwerk. Following Kiah Victoria’s take on “nocturne,” the package will also include reimaginations of their tracks by Ian Chang, Beshken, as well as a previously unreleased altopalo bonus track from their farawayfromeveryoneyouknow sessions.
Veterans of the New York underground scene, the four members of altopalo – lead singer Rahm Silverglade, guitarist Mike Haldeman, bassist Jesse Bielenberg and drummer Dillon Treacy – disintegrate the boundaries of genre, folding in elements of R&B, electronica, ambient and jazz through their deconstructionist approach to guitar-driven music reminiscent of artists such as Bon Iver, Moses Sumney and Black Midi.
2020’s farawayfromeveryoneyouknow opened up new avenues for their music, from the languid indie rock of lead single “honey” to the deep, danceable grooves of “nocturne”, the chopped-up soul of “lub” and the gleaming, evocative intimacy of instrumental closer “now that youre here…”. The band’s idiosyncratic recording process, made up of long improvisations, recorded in full before being whittled down into different loops, progressions and fragments, is likened by Treacy as altopalo creating, pulling apart and then trying to piece a jigsaw puzzle back together again.
“mud (Active Child remix)” by altopalo is out now, buy/stream it here.
Media Praise For altopalo:
““…a blend of ambient, indie rock, and R&B that recalls the work of genre-less auteurs like Justin Vernon or James Blake.” –Pitchfork
“…pretty synths collide with abrasive elements suggesting they’ve been listening to SOPHIE while Rahm Silvergade’s vocals shift in pitch and tone throughout, adding to the alien vibe of the music.” –The FADER
“…with the tinges of R&B, soul and pop filling out the meticulously constructed, cavernous rock soundscapes.” –Billboard
“the junk drawer in your house if it was music: bewildering and wondrous” –NYLON
“…an auditory experience that’s both enjoyable and studied, equally erudite and playful.” –Vinyl Me Please
“We promise you this: altopalo are unlike any other band you’ve heard…” –Atwood Magazine
