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[09 DEC 08] I HEAR A NEW WORLD
As a thank you to friends and relations of Tonefloat, a limited (and promotion only) one-sided 7inch was recorded by The Use Of Ashes, containing a beautiful version of Joe Meek's I Hear A New World. It can be listened to on The Use Of Ashes' myspace page.
[24 JUL 08] WHITE NIGHTS: THE HAND OF TZAFKIEL
White Nights: The Hand Of Tzafkiël is the 4th official studio album by The Use Of Ashes in twenty years. Not only is the album the first to feature Simon Van Vliet since 1988s The Castle Of Fair Welcome, White Nights: The Hand Of Tzafkiël sees The Use Of Ashes return to darker terroritories, which is a reflection to the band's current state of mind. Collecting intimate and sometimes fragile songs, the widely arranged use of acoustic guitars, as well synths, psalter, zither, bassbow and sounds, White Nights: The Hand Of Tzafkiël is most and for all The Use Of Ashes in it's purest form to date. The album is out as a 180 grams black vinyl lp in heavy picture sleeve with innerbag, and can be ordered from the tonefloat store. A special site has been created on the album, which can be found here.
[10 MAY 08] UNTITLED
Shortly after releasing the mini album Albion Moonlight, The Use Of Ashes started writing and recording for a new full length album. A first version of the album, back then simply entitled »Ice«, ended up on our decks in the spring of 2000. A superb mellotron drenched beat driven version of the title track was something hit us right in the face immediately. However, The Use Of Ashes felt the version didn't go well with the other tracks on the album. When the album was finally released in 2004, a completely different and much lighter version of the song opened the album, retitled Ice 67.
less than twelve months later, The Use Of Ashes returned with a vinyl only offering on tonefloat/c, the beautiful and enigmatic The Mousehill Daydream which received rave reviews from everyone. in january 2006 we asked Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree, Bass Communion) to rework the takes from the album, and he replied with a beautiful ten minute Bass Communion Reconstruction entitled »Mousehill«. With the band finalising works on White Nights: The Hand Of Tzafkiël, out on Tonefloat in June, we thought it'd be a good idea to release a 10inch that brings together the original demo version of »Ice« and the Bass Communion Reconstruction »Mousehill«.
The 10inch comes in a pvc sleeve and will be pressed on orange vinyl (250 copies only), blue vinyl (250 copies only) and clear vinyl (100 copies only). Untitled can be ordered from the tonefloat store, but please note that the clear vinyl edition has sold out.
[17 JUL 07] NEWS UPDATE
Apologies for all of those who thought The Use Of Ashes have vanished again in a five year time lapse. None of that is true. FireTree has been rereleased on vinyl by Psychout in Italy. This is editionis numbered and limited to 300 copies only, and includes the previously unreleased 19m25s bonus track The Sun Is A She. The original album has been remastered for this superb release. Click here for details on this beautiful release. In meantime, the band is working on a new vinyl album called White Nights, which is scheduled for release this upcoming winter. Some images for the upcoming release as well as other Use Of Ashes images can be found on the wonderful site of Baselice.
[29 MAR 06] SPACELANE MP3
A newly recorded song called Spacelane is available for download here.
[14 MAR 06] NEW ALBUM, FIRETREE REISSUE
The Use Of Ashes have started work on what could result in two simultaneously released albums in the winter of 2006/7. Some of the songs have a more ambient flow, the other ones are in a more electronic vein. In the meantime, Firetree will see a second vinyl release on the Italian PsychOut label. The issue will differ from the extremely limited one on Tonefloat with bonus side Under The Black Sun being replaced by a new selection of outtakes from the period in which Use Of Ashes was a one man project. More details on this shortly.
[20 DEC 05] NEWS UPDATE
Added some (favourable) reviews of Castle Of Fair Welcome and The Mousehill Daydream to the site.
[25 OCT 05] USE OF ASHES ON US RADIO SHOW
The Use Of Ashes have been aired on US radioshow ProgPositivity. Please check into http://progpositivity.blogspot.com to have a listen. Thanks for John M DeLorso for connecting the strings.
[04 OCT 05] NEW LP 'THE MOUSEHILL DAYDREAM' BY THE USE OF ASHES
A series of LPs has been issued 1 October on a new tonefloat imprint dedicated to experimental releases called "C". "C" is launched with LPs by Bass Communion, The Use Of Ashes and In-Existence. The releases will be pressed in strictly limited editions of 300 copies, released in separate printings of 100 copies, housed in custom handmade sleeves. The Use Of Ashes release their first offering since 2004's Ice 67 in the form of an LP called The Mousehill Daydream (TFC103) with two compositions (Lakeside and Townside) that each fill up a whole side, and can be regarded as counterparts, built around hurdy gurdy based and heavily and heavenly layered drones. The Use Of Ashes combine their well known organic atmospherics with a subtile electronic touch also found on their acclaimed Ice 67 album, in a far more abstract form. The album is written and produced by Peter van Vliet (guitars, vocals), features contributions from Pascal van de Pol (bass) and Ronny van de Pol (hurdy gurdy). The Mousehill Daydream can be ordered from the ToneFloat site.
[04 SEP 05] CASTLE OF FAIR WELCOME CD OUT NOW
With apologies for the delay in releasing the album, ToneFloat is proud to announce the first installment of a series of CD releases from archives of The Use Of Ashes and Mekanik Kommando. The series starts off with The Castle Of Fair Welcome. The 1988 album marked the transition from Mekanik Kommando to The Use Of Ashes and is a classic psych folk album that originally came out on the band owned Rosebud Records. The Castle Of Fair Welcome has been carefully remastered from the original masters and is out now at a friendly price of Euro 12 (Europe, including airmail postage) or Euro 15 (Americas / Japan / Australia, including airmail postage). The CD can be ordered from from the ToneFloat site.
[28 MAR 05] USE OF ASHES STORE ONLINE
New and some out of print Use Of Ashes items can now be ordered online from dizq.com, the online store that is hosted by Crazy Diamond.
[10 JAN 05] USE OF ASHES REMIXES
Producer/DJ Maarten van der Vleuten has delivered superb slices of UoA remixes. Two of them, Snowman Snowman (Come Together Mix) and Technicoloured Snowflakes (Meltdown Mix) have been pressed on two one-sided white label 12inches for DJ's. We have a few 12inch sets available for sale. Please contact us for details. A radio edit will be send to radio stations shortly 2005 and is available for download here. We welcome feedback in our guestbook.
[10 JAN 05] ICE 67 REVIEWS We have gathered together some reviews for Ice 67 in a special reviews section.
Please click here to see last year's news updates. |
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