AmethYst (2023)

Audio-visual album of newly commissioned music for violin, voice, and electronics
Performed and recorded by Yaz Lancaster
Released April 7, 2023 on people places records

This collection of collaborations presents meditation on time as a process to be beheld, whether the time be the early hours of the morning as a party wanes or the time before we can be together again. Begun in 2019 with Keaton Garrett’s “come as you are”, the full-length audiovisual album of commissions and collaborations unfolded. In addition to self-composed interludes, AmethYst features pieces by BAKUDI SCREAM, Amanda Berlind, Gramm Drennen, Keaton Garrett, Lancaster, Andrew Noseworthy, and Phonodelica, with a bonus track by Leilehua Lanzilotti. Each piece on the album – with the exception of the interludes – is accompanied by videos by Berlind, Tanea Hynes, Jasiel Lampkin, Lancaster, Dan Tapper, and Theo Woodward. The self-composed intro & interludes, “Y”, “X” and “XY” feature Connie Li, Dorothy Carlos, Seb Zel, and Meara O’Reilly, who contribute violin, electric cello, (beat) production, and voice respectively.

“Vital, individual music that takes risks and asks questions… rich, beguiling stuff [that] doesn’t fit neatly into any box or category.”
– Steve Smith (WNYC, Gothamist)