O'MALLEY, STEPHEN — But remember what you have had

With But remember what you have had, Stephen O�Malley continues and expands his musical approach by transposing it to multiphonic electroacoustic writing and acousmatic listening. Drawing not only on his extensive experience as a composer and live instrumentalist, but also on the countless studio production and mixing sessions he has taken part in the course of his many projects (in solo, with SUNN O))) or KTL, to name but a few), Stephen O�Malley�s work on this new piece is ambitious, engaging in an inspired research that delves into the deep intricacies between polyphony, intonation and timbrality, enhanced by melodic motifs. To do this, O�Malley summons up his own very personal sound universe, constellated with amplified textures, instrumental sustained tones and raw energy, in order to diffract them into wavefronts, waves and blows that weave a complex, rich and fascinating matter. But remember what you have had stands out as an important work in Stephen O�Malley�s repertoire: it brings together the multiplicity of his musical approach in an exemplary way, while laying the foundations and promises for the future of an already extraordinary journey.

Composed by Stephen O�Malley / Mixed & arranged at GRM studios, Paris, 2022-2024 / Commissioned by INA grm

Electric guitars performed by Stephen O�Malley / Recorded at Applehead Studio, Woodstock by Randall Dunn, September 2022
Winds performed by Hans Teuber (bfl, fl, bcl, cl, tpt) & Stephen Moore (tbn) / Recorded at Studio Litho, Seattle by Floyd Reitsma, September 2022 / Arrangement assistance & conduction by Kali Malone
Premix at La Fugitive, Paris with Fran�ois-Xavier Gilles & Tristan Mazire, February 2023 / Final stereo mix at GRM studios, Paris with Emmanuel Richier, May & October 2024
Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi, October 2024 / Cut by Andreas Kauffelt at Schnittstelle, October 2024

Portrait by Jamie Hawkesworth, London, November 2024 / Back cover photo by Cahyo Ramadhani �Hand prints in Pettakere Cave at Leang-Leang Prehistoric Site, Maros�

Special thanks to Fran�ois Bonnet, Kali Malone, Emmanuel Richier, Philippe Dao, Jules N�grier, Bardor Tulku Rinpoche, Virginia Woolf, Michael Birnbaum & Neal Ostberg/Sound City Amplification

(In memory of Peter Rehberg)

℗ 2023 INA grm
� 2025 Portraits GRM
Released in association with Shelter Press


https://stephenomalley.bandcamp.com/album/but-remember-what-you-have-had


Mit "But remember what you have had" setzt Stephen O'Malley seinen musikalischen Ansatz fort und erweitert ihn auf multiphonisches elektroakustisches Schreiben und akusmatisches H�ren. Stephen O'Malley sch�pft nicht nur aus seiner umfangreichen Erfahrung als Komponist und Live-Instrumentalist, sondern auch aus den zahllosen Studioproduktions- und Mixing-Sessions, an denen er im Laufe seiner vielen Projekte (solo, mit SUNN O))) oder KTL, um nur einige zu nennen) teilgenommen hat. Die Arbeit von Stephen O'Malley an diesem neuen St�ck ist ehrgeizig, eine inspirierte Forschung, die sich mit den tiefen Verwicklungen zwischen Polyphonie, Intonation und Timbralit�t besch�ftigt, die durch melodische Motive verst�rkt werden. Dazu beschw�rt O'Malley sein ganz pers�nliches Klanguniversum herauf, das sich aus verst�rkten Texturen, instrumentalen Dauert�nen und roher Energie zusammensetzt, um sie in Wellenfronten, Wellen und Schl�gen zu brechen, die eine komplexe, reiche und faszinierende Materie weben. "But remember what you have had" ragt als wichtiges Werk in Stephen O'Malleys Repertoire heraus: Es vereint die Vielfalt seines musikalischen Ansatzes auf beispielhafte Weise und legt gleichzeitig die Grundlagen und Versprechen f�r die Zukunft einer bereits au�ergew�hnlichen Reise.



"Stephen O�Malley is a guitarist, composer, and producer best known as a founding member of Sunn O))), the drone-metal outfit that helped redefine heavy music in both a more spiritual and more academic manner. In addition to earth-shaking doom-guitar minimalism, he has collaborated with avant-garde composers, free improvisers, and noise artists.

But remember what you have had is his latest solo album, a single track just shy of 33 minutes that is a logical extension to the Sunn O))) aesthetic. He is joined by Hans Teuber on bass flute, flute, bass clarinet, clarinet, and trumpet, and Stephen Moore on trombone. Each provides sustained tones that weave through O�Malley�s sparse, overdriven guitar figures.

Indeed, that guitar is the central focus of this effort, with strong attacks and extended feedback. The tone is higher-pitched and lacks the chugging riffs of some of his earlier works. The wind instruments function less as harmonic counterpoint and more as a shifting field of resonance, enriching O�Malley�s walls of noise without diluting their intensity.

While it unclear from the liner notes, it seems that the album is at least modestly overdubbed, with subtle layering and/or studio treatments. These characteristics don�t quite lend the piece an acousmatic quality but put it in that ballpark.

Overall, a great listen. But remember what you have had will be released on June 27 by Portraits GRM." [Mike, Avant Music News]