Arms and Sleepers
Encyclopedia
Arms and Sleepers is an ambient
/trip-hop duo consisting of Max Lewis (Boston
, MA
) and Mirza Ramic (Portland
, ME
). The band was formed in 2006 and has since released a handful of albums and EPs, most notably the Bliss Was It In That Dawn To Be Alive
EP from 2006, the well-received album Black Paris 86
released in 2007, and most recently the group's latest full-length album, Matador, which was released in November 2009.
The band gives a cinematic experience when performing live, backing their music up with synchronised visuals created by Dado Ramadani, an artist from Boston, MA.
band local to Brunswick, Maine
. The band eventually split up in 2006 after being together for three years, and Arms and Sleepers was started by Lewis and Ramic as a result. Ramic explained that the band name "is the meaning of so much of the world today and in the past, and probably the future. While so many are fighting and killing ("arms"), others are ignoring it all (the "sleepers")."
The first release from Arms and Sleepers was the Bliss Was It In That Dawn To Be Alive
EP, which was put out on Fake Chapter Records
in November 2006. The EP was positively received, and featured some tracks that would end up on the band's first full-length release. This was followed up with the self-titled EP which was released on Milkweed Records. The next two releases by the band, Cinématique
and Lautlos EP, were limited and self-released by the band. The group's first full-length album, Black Paris 86
, was released in 2007 on both CD (Expect Candy Records) and 2x12" vinyl (Ericrock), and received a lot of praise in reviews.
), Europe (Expect Candy), and Japan (Friend of Mine Records). Like the band's previous full-length, Matador was also released on 12" vinyl. The album was well-received, and was noted for being more vocal-centric than previous releases.
Arms and Sleepers also released a split EP with The American Dollar
, entitled From The Inland Sea. The EP was released digitally in December 2009, with a vinyl release in early 2011. Both bands released three new songs each on the split EP, and a 7th bonus track which both Arms and Sleepers and The American Dollar collaborated on will be released exclusively on the vinyl. Arms and Sleepers have since then released two EPs. The first, Matador Alternate Versions/B-Sides, was released on the European tour December 2009, Instrumentals I was released on CD in March 2010. The full length vinyl only Remix album Matador Remixed came out in May 2010 (Expect Candy).
.
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
/trip-hop duo consisting of Max Lewis (Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, MA
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
) and Mirza Ramic (Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, ME
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
). The band was formed in 2006 and has since released a handful of albums and EPs, most notably the Bliss Was It In That Dawn To Be Alive
Bliss Was It In That Dawn To Be Alive
Bliss Was It In That Dawn To Be Alive is the first release by ambient/trip-hop duo Arms and Sleepers, and was positively received. The album was released on CD in December 2006 on Fake Chapter Records.- Track listing :...
EP from 2006, the well-received album Black Paris 86
Black Paris 86
Black Paris 86 is the first full-length album by ambient/trip-hop duo Arms and Sleepers, and their fifth release overall. The album was released on CD in November 2007, and on vinyl in October 2008.- Trivia :...
released in 2007, and most recently the group's latest full-length album, Matador, which was released in November 2009.
The band gives a cinematic experience when performing live, backing their music up with synchronised visuals created by Dado Ramadani, an artist from Boston, MA.
Formation and Black Paris 86 (2006–2008)
Both Max Lewis and Mirza Ramic were members of The List Exists, a post-rockPost-rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...
band local to Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...
. The band eventually split up in 2006 after being together for three years, and Arms and Sleepers was started by Lewis and Ramic as a result. Ramic explained that the band name "is the meaning of so much of the world today and in the past, and probably the future. While so many are fighting and killing ("arms"), others are ignoring it all (the "sleepers")."
The first release from Arms and Sleepers was the Bliss Was It In That Dawn To Be Alive
Bliss Was It In That Dawn To Be Alive
Bliss Was It In That Dawn To Be Alive is the first release by ambient/trip-hop duo Arms and Sleepers, and was positively received. The album was released on CD in December 2006 on Fake Chapter Records.- Track listing :...
EP, which was put out on Fake Chapter Records
Fake Chapter Records
Fake Chapter Records is a US independent record label based in Maywood, New Jersey.The label was founded by Michael Gilligan in 1996 under the name Chapter 11 Records...
in November 2006. The EP was positively received, and featured some tracks that would end up on the band's first full-length release. This was followed up with the self-titled EP which was released on Milkweed Records. The next two releases by the band, Cinématique
Cinematique
Cinematique is the first of three in a series of albums by Paul Haig, subtitled "Themes to Unknown Films". The album, which is divided into three "suites", was released by LTM in 1991.The suites are: City Of Fun, Lagondola and Flashback....
and Lautlos EP, were limited and self-released by the band. The group's first full-length album, Black Paris 86
Black Paris 86
Black Paris 86 is the first full-length album by ambient/trip-hop duo Arms and Sleepers, and their fifth release overall. The album was released on CD in November 2007, and on vinyl in October 2008.- Trivia :...
, was released in 2007 on both CD (Expect Candy Records) and 2x12" vinyl (Ericrock), and received a lot of praise in reviews.
Matador (2009–2010)
The band followed up their album with another self-released EP in early 2009, entitled The Motorist. Shortly after, the duo began work on their second LP, Matador. Matador was released in the USA (Fake Chapter RecordsFake Chapter Records
Fake Chapter Records is a US independent record label based in Maywood, New Jersey.The label was founded by Michael Gilligan in 1996 under the name Chapter 11 Records...
), Europe (Expect Candy), and Japan (Friend of Mine Records). Like the band's previous full-length, Matador was also released on 12" vinyl. The album was well-received, and was noted for being more vocal-centric than previous releases.
Arms and Sleepers also released a split EP with The American Dollar
The American Dollar (band)
The American Dollar is an American post rock/ambient band, formed in 2005 in Queens, New York. The band consists of drummer John Emanuele and guitarist Richard Cupolo, They have released four studio albums, the latest of which, entitled Atlas, was released by Yesh Music on January 1, 2010.-Studio...
, entitled From The Inland Sea. The EP was released digitally in December 2009, with a vinyl release in early 2011. Both bands released three new songs each on the split EP, and a 7th bonus track which both Arms and Sleepers and The American Dollar collaborated on will be released exclusively on the vinyl. Arms and Sleepers have since then released two EPs. The first, Matador Alternate Versions/B-Sides, was released on the European tour December 2009, Instrumentals I was released on CD in March 2010. The full length vinyl only Remix album Matador Remixed came out in May 2010 (Expect Candy).
The Organ Hearts (2011-present)
The band released its third album in May 2011, exclusively on Expect Candy. Once again the album features several collaborations with Ben Shepard of Uzi and AriUzi and Ari
Uzi and Ari is an American indie rock band based in Salt Lake City, Utah that has received favorable comparisons to artists such as Thom Yorke, Mogwai, The Postal Service, and The Album Leaf. Founded by Ben Shepard in 2003, Uzi and Ari has seen many changes in its lineup...
.
Albums
- Black Paris 86Black Paris 86Black Paris 86 is the first full-length album by ambient/trip-hop duo Arms and Sleepers, and their fifth release overall. The album was released on CD in November 2007, and on vinyl in October 2008.- Trivia :...
(2007, CD Expect Candy Records, 2x12" Ericrock) - Matador (2009, CD & 12" Fake Chapter RecordsFake Chapter RecordsFake Chapter Records is a US independent record label based in Maywood, New Jersey.The label was founded by Michael Gilligan in 1996 under the name Chapter 11 Records...
(USA), CD Expect Candy (EU), CD Friend of Mine Records (Japan)) - Nostalgia for the Absolute (2011, Download, Expect Candy)
- The Organ Hearts (2011, CD Expect Candy)
EPs
- Bliss Was It In That Dawn To Be AliveBliss Was It In That Dawn To Be AliveBliss Was It In That Dawn To Be Alive is the first release by ambient/trip-hop duo Arms and Sleepers, and was positively received. The album was released on CD in December 2006 on Fake Chapter Records.- Track listing :...
(2006, CD Fake Chapter RecordsFake Chapter RecordsFake Chapter Records is a US independent record label based in Maywood, New Jersey.The label was founded by Michael Gilligan in 1996 under the name Chapter 11 Records...
) - Arms and Sleepers (2007, CD Milkweed Records)
- CinématiqueCinematiqueCinematique is the first of three in a series of albums by Paul Haig, subtitled "Themes to Unknown Films". The album, which is divided into three "suites", was released by LTM in 1991.The suites are: City Of Fun, Lagondola and Flashback....
(2007, CD Self-released) - Lautlos EP (2007, CD Self-released, tour-only CD)
- The Motorist (2009, CD Self-released)
- From The Inland Sea (2009, Split with The American DollarThe American Dollar (band)The American Dollar is an American post rock/ambient band, formed in 2005 in Queens, New York. The band consists of drummer John Emanuele and guitarist Richard Cupolo, They have released four studio albums, the latest of which, entitled Atlas, was released by Yesh Music on January 1, 2010.-Studio...
, 12" Self-released) - Matador Alternate Versions/B-Sides (December 2009, CD Self-released)
- Instrumentals I (March 2010, CD)
- A Man, A Plan, A Canal: Panama (August 2011, Self-released/Expect Candy Download only)