...Northern Valentine inhabit an astral space that moves beyond the eardrum and sets its controls for the heart of the cerebral cortex. Their music goes beyond the temporal to peak at the eternal. Despite the psychedelic tinges of collective nostalgia, the experience of listening to a Northern Valentine record is deeply personal. You can hear the memories carved into each track and relate them to your own as well... ~ Timothy Gabriele, Origivation Magazine
a brief introduction to northern valentine
Northern Valentine is husband & wife Robert & Amy Brown along with friends who join them from time to time. They have been writing & recording music since 1997 & have released material previously on acclaimed label Gears of Sand as well as on their own label Baresound.  We are glad to have them added to the Silber roster. They are from Philadephia, Pennsylvania & they love to play live shows. Depending on the performers, live shows can range from quiet and meditative drones to loud & fuzzy instrumental post rock, often within the same set.

They have also been known to take recording “field trips”, with portable equipment bussed out to remote & natural settings; from abandoned buildings & ruins to fields & forests... so if you have a unique location in mind, please let them know.

Their music has drawn comparisons to other artists, ranging from Labradford, Windy & Carl, Ennio Morricone, & Eluvium to Mogwai, Seefeel, Earth, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, & Spacemen 3.
 

northern valentine discography
slicnaton/remora/northern valentine - clear field northern valentine / slicnaton / remora
clear field
MP3 Album 2008 | Silber 072
3 tracks, 44 minutes
download zip file | Archive.org page

The clear field recordings are a unique combination of elements of all three projects. You hear the loops & aggression of Remora’s guitar work, Northern Valentine’s ambient shimmering glacial guitars, & slicnaton’s orchestrated glitch & deep bass tones. While hearing all three individual musicians, it still is clearly a collaboration of the three rather than one of the projects with two special guests; it is a unique sound of its own.

: Press release


Northern Valentine: stars whisper stars whisper
MP3 EP 2008 | Silber 070
3 tracks, 21 minutes
download zip file | Archive.org page

Stars Whisper is a collection of three live songs from Northern Valentine, recorded in their hometown of Philadelphia with a line-up of Robert Brown, Amy Brown, Jeffrey Bumiller, & Marc Carazo. The individual tracks were recorded at The Fire & The Rotunda (as part of “Gate”, an experimental music series).

: Press release
: Reviews


the distance brings us closer
CD 2008 | Silber 068
5 tracks, 46 minutes
$12 ($14 international, $5 download (256 kbps, ~135 megs))

This recording features improvised, dark drones & gentle noises drifting over a psychedelic journey, in collaboration with their friend and newest sound collaborator to the northern valentine "family", Ben Fleury-Steiner.
: Listen to the track Dimanche
: Press release
: Reviews


Adrift (Live 2007-2008)
CD-R 2008 | Baresound 008
10 tracks, 50 minutes

Adrift contains live recordings from some sessions & shows in 2007-2008. This recording was performed by Amy, Robert, Marc, &, for the first time, Jeffrey. It was released in an edition of 50 hand-stamped cd-rs in recycled chipboard packaging.  Adrift was only available only in March 2008 in the US, & in June 2008 in Iceland, in honor of their tour with the Icelandic band, For a Minor Reflection. It is currently out of print.


Arasapha (Live 2006-2007) 
CD-R 2007 | Baresound 07
7 tracks, 58 minutes

Arasapha features live recordings from their Winter Tour 2007 & some live material from 2006.  It features Amy, Robert, & Matt in fine form; performing two live versions of songs from previous albums, some new songs, & a few improvisations, including the 21-minute title track, "arasapha".  This recording documents their live sound very well and catches some fine moments in time.


The Unblinking Eye
CD-R 2006 | Baresound 06
2 tracks, 61 minutes

Recorded over two days in the summer of 2006, The Unblinking Eye features two solo guitar explorations by Robert. Layers of electric guitar, echo, & ebow give way to ambient & natural sounds.
 
 


Rusted Gates (Volume 1) "Leopard's Mouth"
CD-R 2005/2008 | Baresound 04 / Gears of Sand
13 tracks, 60 minutes

This is the first release in their "Rusted Gates" field recording series. The material on this release is from several 2004-2005 sessions in basements, hallways and an abandoned sanitarium. The story of the music centers around an everyman, named Leopard.  This was re-released in 2008 on Gears of Sand Recordings in a limited run of 100 copies, with recycled chipboard packaging & some new, beautiful artwork that was created using hand engraved dies & a genuine letter press.


Forest In the Sky
CD-R 2005 | Baresound 03
10 tracks, 48 minutes

This is a combination of their first two eps (both out of print). It features material that was recorded in their home studio between 2003-2005, as well as some earlier works from 1998-2000. This release features distinct musical segments that share tribal, natural, & Native American themes. It features 48 minutes of instrumental music (as well as a few voices here & there).
 


Pictures From The Lake
CD-R 2003 | Baresound 01
6 tracks, 46 minutes

Their debut album, which features ambitious pieces from their first recording sessions at their home studio, as well as some of their early "dialogue music", which provides instrumentation to conversations, & a few old recordings from the early days of the group, recorded between 1997-2003.


northern valentine links
northern valentine on myspace