"The best live albums capture performances at the ragged edge of flying apart but never stepping over that precipice. That’s exactly the sweet spot the duo ride here." – The Quietus
"Sounds like a Hindu raga fired on the London cobblestones" – Trybuna Muzyki Spontanicznej
The Skull Mask comes from a place only inhabited by dreams. Flows as a stream of consciousness from the guitar driven sounds in the mind of Miguel Pérez. Since 2007 the explorations and improvisations evolved into forms and colors of its own created as instant compositions. These instant compositions has taken place live in several places like the desert in north Mexico, USA and UK since 2007.
After a trip for a series of shows in 2022 as part of Staraya Derevnya doing guitar duties in the UK, Miguel was joined by Gosha Hniu (Staraya Derevnya) on wheel lyre to open the shows as Skull Mask. The resulting collaboration was captured live during their Café Oto and Supernormal Fest shows.
Here is presented so everyone can hear the results of a genuine amalgam of hypnotizing sounds bound to take the listener to places not from this dimension. To convert itself into the elemental... morecredits
released May 18, 2023
Miguel Pérez: guitar
Gosha Hniu: wheel lyre
Iká 1 was recorded on 10 August 2022 at Café Oto, London by Billy Steiger. It was mixed and mastered by Hniu.
Iká 2 was recorded and mixed on 13 August 2022 at Supernormal Festival by James King and mastered by Hniu.
Design and artwork by Maya Pik.
Map collage based on segments from ACMLA scan 1881 Winnipeg Manitoba bird's eye view, National Archives of Canada.