Prophecy is the second single from The Risk of Hyperbole Vol. 2. The song leaves a lingering feeling of being on the cusp of a journey.
The second instalment in The Risk Of Hyperbole trilogy, Vol.2 – Object showcases Prest’s penchant for sub bass drones, tape delay atmospheres and shimmering verbed out electronics. These immaculately produced sonics are elevated through improvisations by a chamber ensemble of top Australian classical and jazz musicians. Fans of the electro-acoustic work of; Nils Frahm, Floating Points, Jon Hopkins, Belle Orchestre, Bjork, will appreciate the attention Prest places on feeling and stylistic experimentation, shifting elegantly over the course of the record.
This album emerged while Prest was composing the score for his debut interdisciplinary performance work. Also titled The Risk Of Hyperbole, it premiered in a sold out season at the trend-setting Phoenix Central Park in late 2021. To create the score Prest spent a week working in a top flight recording studio with musicians; Claire Edwardes, Jason Noble and Freya Schack-Arnott (Ensemble Offspring), Dave Rodriguez (Godtet/Sampa The Great), Benjamin Freeman (Jonti, Dieyoungs), Nicholas Meredith (KCIN) and Jerrol Renaud (The Goods, Tones and I).
Prest used guided improvisations and graphic scores to conduct this amazing troupe of musicians, capturing them in full flight over the top of his electronic compositions. Prest then took these recordings and crafted them into the final form presented here.
“It was one of the most special recording sessions I’ve ever been a part of… we ended up with around 30-40 compositions that were all amazing. And I knew I had way too much material now for an hour long performance… But I wanted it all to have a life and didn’t want to put something in the show just because I loved it as a piece of music. So I ended up with 3 albums!”
“It’s like the extended version of the story, going further with all the ideas and moods that are in the show. Vol.1 was for all the sound art vibes, Vol.2 dives deep on ambient and contemporary classical and Vol.3 is all the experimental club music… Along with the performance work, I see it all as one interdisciplinary artwork, one conceptual whole.” – Jack Prest
Simmering and ambient, Prophecy is the second single from The Risk of Hyperbole Vol. 2. The track takes piano work which interjects and builds across the track, set around music that feels as if it were scoring a sci-fi/space film. The song leaves a lingering feeling of being on the cusp of a journey – a place where space-style sounds meet a clean, dignified optimism.
“This track was created in a similar way to Residue,” begins Prest. “I had the ambient synth bed and worked into the studio with Claire Edwardes OAM, Jason Nobel and Freya Schack-Arnott (all members of Ensemble Offspring) and Benjamin Freeman (keyboard player for Jonti/Setwun) performing improvisations based off graphic scores I had created. The synthesizer bed was created through a stream of consciousness working in a very intuitive compositional style working with electronics. The concept was to create a piece that would allow the listener to engage in deeper listening, moving past a surface level listening experience.”
Over the last decade, Prest has explored electronic dance music and DJ culture, sound design, experimental composition, avant-garde theatre and dance choreography. In the process, he has composed original scores for works shown at Sydney Opera House, Artshouse, Sydney Festival, Adelaide Festival, Carriageworks, Sadlers Wells, Tanz Im August, Sziget Festival. His interdisciplinary practice has been supported by the Australia Council, New Weird Australia, Foxy Digitalis, Dublab, Create NSW, Bundanon Trust and the Art Gallery of NSW. Alongside his art practices, Prest works as a senior recording engineer at Studios 301, Australia’s largest studio facility. There, he has recorded for a who’s who of contemporary labels including Stones Throw, Wondercore Island, Future Classic and Kitsune for artists such as Godtet, JK Group, e4444e, Sampa The Great, Jonti, Nardean, Tasman Keith, Donatachi, Ijale, Santpoort and many more.
“This my first real foray into working as the lead artist in a project after many years working as a facilitator for other artists as either composer, engineer, producer or collaborator.” Says Prest.
Given Prest’s extensive career behind the boards and the wealth of talent in his collaborative team, the craftsmanship on Vol.2 – Object is second to none. Prest has created recordings at the highest levels translated into perfectly crafted finished works. Be assured of Prest’s production, compositional and ambient mastery as The Risk of Hyperbole – Vol.2 – Object guides you past a surface-level listening experience towards a deeper journey into yourself.
Jack Prest’s The Risk Of Hyperbole Vol. 2 is out 31 March 2023 on Art As Catharsis. His new single, Prophecy is out now.
