PROCESS: DRAGON TURTLE ALMANAC

Dragon Turtle Almanac -  LSE 015 cd/lp 

Release Date: Nov. 10 2009

Stream Album/Order: Here

As with the recorded material, the artwork for Almanac was an ambitious affair. While pouring through Robert Smithson books and obsessing with art that evokes a sort of entropy, team turtle decided to create a double helix staircase made up of books, then setting the sculpture on fire, using this as the basis for the cover of the album. Results proved far greater than imagined. The process itself is central to the 

art.

the sculpture

The flame-bound double helix inspired by Smithson's Piece Island of Broken Glass (also a track title on Almanac)

spiral on fire

words and ashes

Tom and Brian dropping the scanner directly into the ashes and scanning away. Another happy accident, the scans ended up producing what almost looked like topographic maps.

*you may view more photos at our flickr page.

CMJ - OCT 24 - BRUAR FALLS - BROOKLYN

Being that LA-SOC HQ is under two hours from the big apple, we decided to get out off the moss and bite it. It's a call to arms, a gathering of our friendly and familial forces: Soltero, Strand of Oaks, Lewis & Clarke, Dragon Turtle, and Matt Bauer! Special thanks to Mr. Bill Orner for this amazing poster/concept.

Dragon Turtle / Spill Out the Night

The original 'Spill Out the Night' track was recorded some years ago, forgotten, then brought back and merged rather organically into 'Grotto' during live performances in the Summer of '08. Recordings then continued through the fall and winter of '08. 'Spill out the Night' would find much inspiration from the above pictured journey with friends into the night along the Atlantic Ocean. through the adventures of all night campfires, boats lost at sea, skunk gods, Dunevisions, infinite numbers of stars, and the epiphanies found in the natural world with a group of total homies, Dragon Turtle had a palette of experience to draw from in articulating what exactly it is to 'spill out the night'.

Dragon Turtle / Goodnight Stars Goodnight Air Split 12": The Process Continues

supersonic night sounds, december spider creature, last bus out of the city, track pile-up:

Dragon Turtle / Goodnight Stars Goodnight Air - Split 12" Recording Process

Some scenes from One Forest Studio in Mountain Home, PA taken during the winter of '08...

Dave laying down the deep space jams, while Tom discovers his spirit animal:

In Memory of Shadow 1995 - 2009

(Shadow with Dave Kresge during the recording of Dragon Turtle Almanac)

Shadow was the second engineer of One Forest Studio. You can hear his work on half of the La Soc releases from both sides of the Strand of Oaks / Dragon Turtle 7" to Blasts of Holy Birth to Dragon Turtle Almanac. Below is a video of the recording of Shadow's part in "Spill Out the Night" on the DT /GSGA Split 12". It starts out raw, then effected. We are going to miss you.