The [PIAS] Store

Arone Dyer x s t a r g a z e was recorded at Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum, Netherlands by Sam Jones & Ira Helfferich, and the vocals were recorded at Polyphonic Workshop in Hudson, NY, by Aron Sanchez, a longtime collaborator and bandmate in Buke and Gase.

The album is a smattering of work that Alec Bemis started writing as far back as 2016; little pieces here and there, and with the pandemic came the space and encouragement to compile this work, along with pieces from his other projects, Buke and Gase, and Mistresses.

“For me, the fact that the instrumentation is comprised of unamplified analogue one-to-one-human-powered instruments traditionally reserved for classical music, plus the occasional electronic balustrade, is theme enough for me. Lyrically, my context is all over the place as I compiled work from 2016-2021, and have had many personal ups and downs through that time.

The cover artwork, a piece by Lily Morris, felt appropriate as the songs alternately make me feel strong, sturdy, and capable, while also piled-upon with intended meaning and purpose. I’m not entirely sure I was successful at conveying what I wanted to, yet each song brings me to a very specific mind-set, or an incredibly personal moment. Since the music was completed without audience participation, in other words, since I’ve rarely performed these tunes in public, it has been impossible to separate these juxtaposed sentiments. I hope to find the overarching motif through the process of performing and adapting to it in the coming year.” Alec said about the album’s themes.