Jefre Cantu-Ledesma. Shining Skull Breath

With the release of last year's "Love is a Stream," the solo work of Bay Area stalwart Jefre Cantu-Ledesma (The Alps/Tarentel/Root Strata) leapt into public consciousness, garnishing accolades for its transfixing melding of shoegaze pop with drone, ambient and noise sensibilities. Originally released in 2007 as part of our limited run CDR series, "Shining Skull Breath" finds Cantu mining similarly rich sonic territory with enchanting results. Throughout the album he submerges delicate, drifting guitar passages in constantly shifting webs of sound, creating buried melodies which snake and hover through a haze of tape noise. If the emphasis in "Love is a Stream" was on the subtle subversion and appropriation of shoegaze tropes, on "Shining Skull Breath" Cantu's compositions seem a bit more opaque and mysterious, but no less moving. He invites the listener to accompany him through this beautiful fog and, in the process, offers a glimpse of rare and radiant beauty. This definitive edition has been remastered by James Plotkin and features two new tracks not included on the original release. Limited to 500 copies. Includes digital download coupon.

Cat.no.: SOD85
Format: LP

Tracklisting
1. Distant Star (for Pete Swanson)
2. Cannibal Hymn
3. Shining Skull Breath
4. Tigris And Euphrates, Moon Of Blood
5. Diamond Star
6. The Honeybees In My Heart
7. The First Time I Saw Your Face I Thought It Was A Dying Star
8. Beautiful Thunderbolt (Moon Gazing In Your Skull)
9. Witch Head Nebula
10. Tender Radiance

Release Dates:
May 02, 2011 (Worldwide)