Released: 28/08/26
Avæken by Stephen O’Malley, released through Dais Records, is a vast and immersive two-part composition that explores the space between presence and absence, life and loss. Originally presented as part of Banks Violette’s Wish You Were Here exhibition at Antwerp’s TICK TACK, the work continues a long-running collaboration between O’Malley and Violette across sound, sculpture, and space.
Built around deep oscillations, low-frequency vibrations, and phase-shifting textures, Avæken creates a powerful physical listening experience. The piece began in 2020 as a commission for Belgium’s ZWERM electric guitar quartet and was written for four standard electric guitars, using ebows and slides to create sustained microtonal harmonies before being recorded with O’Malley at Muziekcentrum De Bijloke in Ghent.