News of the new album from Chaira Oscuro.

Chiara Oscuro, the San Francisco drone/ethereal artist uniting all the best qualities of SunnO))) and Diamanda Galas, releases Rancor:Succor, available on Nefarious Industries on September 29, 2023.

The album’s genesis was a transformative experience, emerging as an evolution of her artistic expression during rehearsals for shows to promote her first EP. As older layers shed and newer ideas surfaced, a distinct direction unfolded.

The creation of each album is seen as an initiatory process that allows her to explore new dimensions of her craft. “Each time that I’ve worked on an album, it has taught me so much about so many things—songcraft, technique, production, acoustics, aesthetics,” explains the vocalist. 

The improvisational nature of her songwriting allows the vocal parts to shape themselves organically as she weaves a tapestry of refined and raw vocal sounds, adding depth and contrast to her compositions. One of the recording locations for Rancor:Succor also plays a vital role in the album’s distinctive sound: The TANK, the renowned 7-story steel water tank turned recording space in rural Colorado. “One of the most striking aspects of The TANK is that it really becomes a collaborator,” she says. “It’s not just a space, it’s an instrument all unto itself. Besides the otherworldly reverb, the floor’s curve created by the shale in the earth below affects pitch in some interesting ways.”

The official album trailer for Rancor:Succor, shot by Bobby Cochran and edited by Alexandra Banhazl, is a short experimental film that features some selected songs from the album. Trailer audio mixed by Kevin Friedrichsen at The Grey Room.

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