Sufjan Stevens has announced a new album called Aporia. Due out March 27th, the project is a collaboration with Lowell Brams, Stevens’ stepfather and fellow co-founder of the Asthmatic Kitty record label.
Brams, himself and an experimental musician for the last few decades, married Stevens’ late mother Carrie in the ’80s. After forming a strong bond, the two decided to launch Asthmatic Kitty together in 1999. Their chemistry eventually manifested in the studio, when they worked on the joint 2008 project Music for Insomnia. Most recently, Stevens’ last proper solo record, 2015’s Carrie & Lowell, was in remembrance of his late mother as seen through the context of her marriage to Brams.
As for Brams and Stevens’ new collaborative effort, it was recorded over the course of several years at Stevens’ New York residence. Aporia is said to be of the New Age variety, and although it consists of 21 (!) songs, it represents just a fraction of the “hours upon hours of music” the pair actually tracked in the studio.
“You know how it is with jamming: ninety percent of it is absolutely horrible, but if you’re just lucky enough, ten percent is magic. I just kept pulling out these little magical moments,” Stevens commented in a statement.
The two were assisted by a handful of guest musicians and longtime Asthmatic Kitty friends, including Thomas Bartlett (Doveman), D.M. Stith, Nick Berry (Dots Will Echo), and John Ringhofer (Half-handed Cloud). Drummer James McAlister, keyboardist and trombonist Steve Moore (Sunn O)))), guitarist Yuuki Matthews (The Shins) and vocalist Cat Martino also pitched in on the record.
As a first preview, Stevens and Brams are sharing “The Unlimited” and its corresponding music video. Watch below, and then pre-order Aporia here.
Since Carrie & Lowell, Stevens has scored the ballet The Decalogue and Call Me By Your Name. The Grammy-nominated composer also dropped a double single, “Love Yourself” and “With My Whole Heart”, last May.
Aporia Artwork:
Aporia Tracklist:
01. Ousia
02. What It Takes
03. Disinheritance
04. Agathon
05. Determined Outcome
06. Misology
07. Afterworld Alliance
08. Palinodes
09. Backhanded Cloud
10. Glorious You
11. For Raymond Scott
12. Matronymic
13. The Red Desert
14. Conciliation
15. Ataraxia
16. The Unlimited
17. The Runaround
18. Climb That Mountain
19. Captain Praxis
20. Eudaimonia
21. The Lydian Ring
Also hear an Aporia-themed playlist curated by Stevens.
