One of the more intriguing side projects to emerge from OSEES‘ founder John Dwyer‘s distortion-addled mind in recent years has been Bent Arcana. First introduced in 2020, the experimental ensemble also features members of TV On The Radio, Flying Lotus, OSEES, and more. After releasing its self-titled debut in 2020 during the height of COVID lockdowns, the band followed it up the next year with Moon Drenched. Now, Bent Arcana is back with a new live album, Live Zebulon, out on September 6th via Castle Face.
Live Zebulon was recorded at a concert at Zebulon in Los Angeles back in 2020 following the release of the band’s first album. Dwyer wrote about the recording,
Recorded at Zebulon in Los Angeles as a warm up show for a show I had booked in Holland.
What was meant to be a jumping point for the ‘first show’ ended up being a real burning set.
A slightly more stripped down version on the 10 piece band (for sake of ease) keeps it nice and concise.
Nerves sometimes bring out these little lost jewels of which this recording is full of…gotta love improvisation for fleeting moments.
Recorded super hot by none other than our sound person Liza Boldyreva.
Selections of songs from “Bent Arcana” & “Moon Drenched”
Cockpit stoned space jazz here you come.
Mixed by John Dwyer and mastered by JJ Golden.
This hunky double disk sports a zoetropic screen-printed animation of the Death’s Head moth circling on its D side that works
with a strobe light off yer phone….
fucking cool
fucking hot
Related: Listen To Two Jammed-Out Tracks From OSEES’ Upcoming ‘The Chapel, SF’ Live Album [Audio]
Along with news of the album, which was announced on Thursday via Brooklyn Vegan, the band also shared a cut of “Misanthrope Gets Lunch”. With each Bent Arcana release, the band further hones its experimental improvisational skills, gradually distancing itself from the chaotic noise that defined the group’s inception.
Listen to “Misanthrope Gets Lunch” from the upcoming Bent Arcana album, Live Zebulon.
Bent Arcana – “Misanthrope Gets Lunch” (Live)
