why we love this

Effervescent electronic melodies bubble through fluid arrangements, creating metallic shimmers that disperse like slow-moving ripples.

about the record

In Arc, Yorkshire-born artist Kirk Barley explores alternative tunings and off-grid sequencing to shape fluid rhythmic and melodic systems that unfold into rich harmonic forms. His fourth album under his own name and debut for Marionette continues his exploration of just intonation through a sparse but finely detailed palette of organic atmospheres, metallic shimmer, and off-kilter rhythms. Across the record, glassy pads, gamelan metallophones, clarinet, and guitar dissolve into fluid, dreamlike forms, suggesting vast coastal landscapes, charged air, and the stillness that follows turbulence.

Drawing on the feel of sample-based hip-hop, the minimalism of Terry Riley and Jon Hassell, as well as dub techno and post-rock, Kirk brings together a range of influences in a sound that feels both intimate and expansive. After first hearing Terry Riley’s Shri Camel as a teenager, he became captivated by just intonation and microtuning. These inspirations have shaped his work ever since, from his earliest Bambooman releases to his solo work and his collaborations as Church Andrews & Matt Davies. Arc is his first record to be fully rooted in alternative tunings from start to finish. Longtime friend and collaborator Matt Davies appears on Ion, Sundry, Ecstatic, and Fret (Haar), where his finely detailed, ASMR-like muted percussion deepens the dialogue between tactile acoustic sound and Kirk’s luminous electronic palette.