HOWALD

Amnis Alsace (Sept 15th)

Release: Sept 15th 2021

With international travel largely on hold in mid-2020, Swiss guitarist Dimitri Howald and two filmmaker friends took a contemplative road trip along the Rhine and through the local Alsatian countryside.

In the trunk of the bright red Volvo 240 there’s space for film rolls, lenses and boy’s chatter.

The quest? To capture in the sights and sounds of the landscape that inspired Howald’s filmic album Amnis Alsace.

Locked down with a mind full of rhythms and melodies the music is, perhaps surprisingly on first listen, a solo album; aside from a few special guest appearances, Howald plays not only his trademark guitar, but drums, bass, electronics, piano and even vocals.

“I feel that it’s a very honest and rough album because I didn’t want to edit all the ‘mistakes’ and over-produce it”

Like a good road trip mixtape, it brings together his unique blend of influences. Jazz, of course, but also everything from 80s New Wave and drum machines to Brazilian Music and Icelandic bassist Skuli Sverrisson.

Recorded from his home studio, Amnis Alsace is at times poignant, at others joyous. Acoustic piano and guitar offset by a relentless drum machine. But it always retains a rawness which keeps the listener hooked, especially when paired with the cinematic footage of the road-trip.

Like its cinematic companion, the music is immersed in technicolor: the rhythms are light with the distortion pedal discreetly screwed back and, every now and then, the cool breath of air-conditioned Afro-Brazilian music and jazz guitar slip seductively through.

Dimitri Howald | Guitars, Vocals, Bass, Bow, Piano, Organ, Drums, Drum-Machines

Guests: Luzius Schuler | piano (The Flight), Organ ( Joran) Sebastian Lötscher | violin (Diver)
Tobias Schmid | drums (Joran, Diver)

Format: LP / Digital

Track Listing

1. Rio
2. Joran
3. Interlace
4. The Flight
5. Silhouette
6. Amnis
7. Red Desire
8. Arco
9. Diver
10. Objects In The Mirror
11. Blue Circle