1996 RR-10
Transparent green vinyl EP released by Robot Records.
30-voice choir directed by Duncan.
PSYCHONAUT recorded at FLARE, Amsterdam.
Mixed at the Sweelink Academy Electronic Music Studio, Amsterdam.
In the winter of 1992, Ruud Ekelhof travelled to Estonia to join friends there for a one-day trek across the frozen Gulf of Finland to Helsinki. Soon after they started out, the more experienced local hikers noticed that the ice was cracking under their weight and the group decided to turn back. Determined to go forward, Ruud refused to join them and went ahead on his own. Six months later, his body was discovered floating in Helsinki Harbor. Within days of this news, Ruud’s closest friend Arkadi was found dead with his girlfriend, esphixiated in a household accident.
During the preparation of a joint memorial planned for Ruud and Arkadi, a set of notebooks were discovered where Ruud kept his writings, including texts he’d written in a secret language that he and Arkadi had developed. I copied the complete text of these notebooks for a 30-voice choir, giving each member one page that was unique, one page that was shared by at least one other choir member, and one page that was shared by all.
This recording was made at a live performance held during the all-night memorial service held August 1993. Texts from the secret language are spoken by Peat Moss.