- Ephemera of: Brooke Manning
- Existing during the recording of: LOOM's Epyllion
- Toronto, ON
- ::web/sounds::
- Photos by: Brad Casey
From Brad Casey:
There is something incredibly delicate at the core of the music made by LOOM, like the ache that follows falling in love or the floating feeling of falling out of it. Brooke Manning, who is the main songwriter and driving force of LOOM, released a quiet, swirling EP in 2009. It was recorded in her living room with Thom Gill as well as Dan and Matt Pencer who improvised behind the songs on subtle, sweet keyboards and horns. A meditative collection with a strong focus on songwriting, it laid the foundation for what would become her full length, Epyllion, recorded on Toronto Islands. Made up of new songs and reworked songs from her EP, Epyllion featured a heavier, darker side of LOOM brought out with tunnel-reverb harps, frightening, distortion soaked synths and, at times, war-like percussion. Since Epyllion’s release LOOM has expanded into a backing band with members of Silver Pools and Gates to work on a follow up. LOOM’s words, her slow ease into a vibe, create a settling. Sit and breathe. Weird Canada asked Brooke to show us objects that she holds sacred. She allowed us into her Toronto home and showed us things nostalgic, painful and held dear, all of which contribute to the words and music made by her slow and gentle hand. Feel free to listen to these two songs from Epyllion as you view these photos. All words were dictated by Brooke, recorded and transcribed by Brad Casey.Loom - There is Blood in My Body
Shruti box
Sometimes if I’m feeling a block I sit with this for a while. It’s like a drone machine. I bought it at the Musideum in the Richmond building back in 2008. A friend also gave me another one in different key 5 months ago. I find them really nice to sing to.
Uninhibitors
When I’m writing, if I feel nervous, I have some smokables and some wine. I don’t have any wine right now but I drink it out of this cup.
Journals
If I’m having problems lyrically, which rarely happens, I flip through old journals and old books of poetry that I wrote. I try to channel what’s happening in that moment but sometimes if I’m wishing to speak about a certain moment or thing or cause or idea and I can’t get there I’ll go to my books.
Tinctures
Sometimes my anxiety gets in the way. It used to more when I was younger. I had a hard time performing knowing that someone was in my house, like my Mom or roommates, so I’d cloister myself in small spaces. Now things are better but when my anxiety comes back I take these tinctures and I swear they work. I know this older woman, she’s this amazing mystic, she makes this tulsi tincture for women.
Deaf Recordings
A teacher of mine gave me these tapes. They’re recordings of her daughter, who is deaf, just being around the house playing. They were part of a project she did and she thought I could use these. I grew up around a lot of deaf people because my parents worked at a school for the deaf. I went to kindergarten with a lot of deaf kids. I feel like there’s a different, more mindful way of listening to them. I use these tapes for inspiration. It’s good to hear that sense of silence when you’re trying to create something with sound.
Love Letters
This is a box of notes from friends, family, lovers and people who have deeply influenced me. Sometimes I look through it but very rarely.
Books
These are my favourite books. Sometimes I open it up and read a page and try to place myself on that page, with the idea. I try to envision what’s written about and it sets the tone for awareness in my body. It’s a great thing for visualizing.
Jar of Souls
This is something I’ve had since I started playing and I’d bring it to shows. I did this funny project where I’d ask people if they could imagine their soul as something in a vessel, what would it be? I put an ad on craigslist and I got people to send them to me, these pieces of paper, and held them for a year and cared for them. I was never allowed to open the vessels because the vessels would release the soul. I’ve never opened it.
Live Slow Knife
This was my Grandpa’s. Right before he died he was watching boats and I think he knew he was going to pass away. There a boat that kept travelling back and forth past the harbour and he would call me whenever he saw it and on the back it said ‘Live Slow.’ We had a lot of conversations then about what it meant to live slow and how he wished he had lived slower. Sometimes I lose it but it always gets sent back to me.De Brad Casey: (Traduit par Chantale Renée)
Il y a quelque chose d’incroyablement délicat au cœur de la musique de LOOM, comme la douleur qui suit le sentiment de tomber en amour ou la sensation de flottement lorsqu’on ne l’est plus. Brooke Manning, compositrice et force motrice de LOOM, a publié un EP calme et tourbillonnant en 2009. Il a été enregistré dans son salon avec Thom Gill ainsi que Dan et Matt Pencer, qui ont improvisé derrière les chansons avec des claviers subtiles et de douces cornes. Une collection méditative avec un fort accent mis sur l’écriture, il a jeté les bases de ce qui allait devenir son album, Epyllion, enregistré sur les îles de Toronto. En constituant de nouvelles chansons et des chansons retravaillées de son EP, Epyllion présente un côté plus lourd et sombre que LOOM, avec des réverbérations de harpes, des synthés imbibés de distorsion, et, parfois, des percussions aussi effrayantes que la guerre. Depuis la sortie d’Epyllion, LOOM est devenu un back up band avec des membres de Silver Pools et Gates pour travailler sur un autre album. Les mots de LOOM, ainsi que sa facilité à créer une atmosphère, vous convient de vous Asseoir et de Respirer. Weird Canada a demandé à Brooke de nous montrer des objets qui lui sont sacrés. Elle nous a permis de la rencontrer dans sa maison de Toronto et nous a presenté des choses qui pour elle sont nostalgiques et douloureuses, des objets qui lui tiennent à cœur et qui contribuent aux paroles et à la musique établi par sa tendresse. N’hésitez pas à écouter les deux chansons de Epyllion pendant que vous regardez ces photos. Ce texte a été dicté par Brooke, et enregistré et transcrit par Brad Casey.
Boite Shruti
Parfois, si je me sens comme un bloc, je m’assois avec ça pour un moment . C’est comme une machine de drone. Je l’ai acheté au Musideum dans le bâtiment Richmond en 2008. Un ami m’en a aussi donné un autre, il y a cinq mois. Ils sont vraiment agréables à utiliser en chantant.
Uninhibitors
Quand j’écris, si je me sens nerveuse, je fume quelques cigarettes et bois du vin. Je n’ai pas de vin en ce moment, mais je le bois de cette tasse.
Journals
Si j’ai des problèmes à trouver des paroles, ce qui arrive rarement, je feuillette mes anciens journaux et vieux livres de poésie. J’essaie de canaliser ce qui se passe dans ce moment précis, mais parfois si je désire parler d’un certain moment, d’un objet, d’une cause ou d’une idée et que je ne peux pas y arriver, je retourne à mes livres.
Tinctures
Parfois, mon anxiété prend trop de place. Elle était souvent présente quand j’étais plus jeune. C’était difficile de pratiquer sachant que quelqu’un était dans la maison, soit ma mère ou mes colocataires, donc je me cloitrais dans des petites espaces. Maintenant, les choses vont mieux, mais quand mon anxiété fait surface, je prends ces teintures et je jure qu’elles fonctionnent. Je connais une femme plus âgée, elle est incroyable et mystique, elle fabrique cette teinture Tulsi pour les femmes.
Deaf Recordings
Ceci appartenait à mon grand-père. Juste avant sa mort, il regardait attentivement des bateaux et j’imagine qu’il se doutait que sa vie s’achevait. Il y avait un bateau en particulier qui passait souvent dans le port. À l’arrière du bateau, on pouvait lire les mots “Vivez Lentement”. Nous avons eu beaucoup de discussions à ce sujet, car mon grand-père souhaitait avoir pris plus son temps pour vivre. Parfois, je perds cet objet, mais il me revient toujours de nouveau.