PANTALEIMON (pan-ta-lay-mon) is the pseudonym of English musician and songwriter Andria Degens (dee-jens). The use of the name Pantaleimon was inspired by Lyra's dæmon portrayed in the 'Northern Lights' trilogy by Philip Pullman. Her records are "Trees Hold Time" (1999), "Change My World" (2002), "Cloudburst"(2005), "Mercy Oceans"(2007), "Heart Of The Sun" (2008), "Tall Trees" (2008), 'Live In Barcelona' (2009).
Pantaleimon create simple, haunting and beautiful music, somewhere between meditative and psychedelic. The first album, 'Trees Hold Time', was directly inspired by Andria's experiences during the two and half years she spent travelling throughout South East Asia and is mostly instrumental. The experience of singing was too traumatic at the time.
However, by her second album 'Mercy Oceans', 5 years later Andria found her voice. Andria says "after 'Trees Hold Time' I felt I had nothing else to give to the world musically, but then in 2005 the channel opened again and out came the material for 'Cloudburst' and 'Mercy Oceans' ". Since that time Pantaleimon have been relatively prolific in their releases.
Andria Degens has contributed to and collaborated with Hugo Race, Jeff Zentner, Current 93 ('Aleph at Hallucinatory Mountain' & 'Black Ships Ate The Sky'), Strings of Consciousness, Susan Stenger's (Band of Susans) 'Soundtrack For An Exhibition', Irr. App. (Ext.), Nurse With Wound and Marc Pilley's Hobotalk. And a long time ago Andria appeared with the band Wire (live at the Clapham Grand, 1992), and on The Dirty Three's 'Horse Stories' album in 1996. Pantaleimon have contributed music to Cam Archer's film 'Wild Tigers I Have Known' and Andria has just recently narrated a short film for Cam (which featured on the Cinemad Almanac 2009 DVD). Electronic Voice Phenomenon voted Pantaleimon's 'We Love' video by Cam Archer as their 'Video of the Week'.
Pantaleimon have performed throughout Europe at shows with Antony & the Johnsons, Baby Dee, Lightning Bolt, James Blackshaw, Six Organs Of Admittance, Current 93, 16 Horsepower, Matt Sweeney and Bonnie "Prince" Billy.
'Heart of the Sun', released in 2008 features remixes of all the songs from 'Mercy Oceans' by artists such as Andrew WK, Stephen O'Malley, CarterTutti, Lilum, and Fovea Hex as well as many others. 'Heart of the Sun' also includes four exclusive tracks, one of which is a collaboration with the band Strings of Consciousness, and another is a cover of Bonnie "Prince" Billy's 'Even If Love'.
A limited edition CD EP, entitled 'Tall Trees', is available from Abaton Book Company. Recorded in the summer of 2007 and released in 2008, A beautiful and other-wordly 10 minute vignette featuring guests Michael Tanner (Plinth) and Nick Palmer (Directorsound).
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Andria Degens is presently writing for the new Pantaleimon record, in a summerhouse at the end of a garden.
Reviews
Heart of the Sun
We loved Pantalimon's ep Cloudburst from last year but somehow we managed to miss the full length that followed, Mercy Oceans. We will for sure make sure to try to track that down but for now on Heart of the Sun, we get to hear many of those songs retouched, reworked, remixed. The sparse, delicate hazy folk of Pantaleimon remixed? Don't worry there are no cheesy beats, awkward turntables or sloppy hands on any of these songs. In fact the first time we listened we had no idea that any of these songs were in fact remixes. Maybe it's because we hadn't heard any of these songs in their first incarnation. But wow, we were drawn in immediately. Andria Degens is making such beautiful and haunting music as Pantalimon that we almost hesitate to mention that she's married to David Tibet of Current 93, as her own music more then stands on its own. But if folks who haven't heard her before and are C93 fans check this out then the more ears that hear Pantaleimon the better!
While the sound is similar to the music of folks like Fursaxa, Grouper and Christina Carter, there is much more immediacy, focus and a connection to folk history in the songs of Pantaleimon. While less hazy then some of her peers there is a seemingly sonic mist hanging over her songs which stops you in your tracks. There is also a rustic quality in these stripped down songs that makes us think of Bridget St. John and Hala Strana recording a record together. Plenty of folks help out by adding sounds and ambience but all do so with much subtly and respect. Who knew Andrew W.K. could be so subtle, his tasteful keyboards are heard on the record's opener, and the list of other contributors/remixers reads like a who's who of the musical underground (Colin Potter, Andrew Lilies, Stephen O'Malley, Fovea Hex, Lilium, etc). Heart Of The Sun is becoming the record we listen to both early in the morning and then late at night as we surrender to sleep. So beautiful! - AQUARIUS RECORDS, USA
Heart Of The Sun is a remix album based on original Pantaleimon material from Andria Degens' 2007 album Mercy Oceans. The list of remixers ranges from the extremely well known to the downright obscure, but all contributors manage to preserve the essence of the original music to some extent, even if structurally the songs themselves might be radically re-imagined or thoroughly overhauled. Former Wolf Eyes member and present-day stadium rocker Andrew WK kicks off the album with a reworking of 'At Dawn (Vogel)'. In every respect it's a long, long way away from 'Party Hard'. Staying very much within the parameters of Pantaleimon's droning doom-folk sound, he weaves a blend of ominous synth tones and soft, layered vocals. Next Colin Potter delivers a fresh take on 'The Sun Came Out (Dawn Porous)', sounding all very harmonious and almost Cocteau Twins-like, only for fellow Nurse With Wound contributor Andrew Liles to opt for a slightly more minimal approach on 'All The Birds (Melting Canvas)', resulting in a sparse, very aloof and detached sounding ambience. Other highlights come from Stephen O'Malley, Fovea Hex, Plinth and CarterTutti, all of whom stay within the parameters established by Pantaleimon's own mixes – two of which ('Today For Shore' and 'Another Day Tomorrow') appear here. - Boomkat
"Heart of the Sun" turns out to be more than just "Pantaleimon Remixed and Realised" as the subtitle suggests. Project came about when Clodagh Simonds [Fovea Hex] asked Andria Degens if she could remix one of the tracks from "Mercy Oceans". Result was a shimmering remix of "Under the Water", which sparkles with haunting stillness. The project also involved a new track – Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's "Even If We Love" – which was altered by Band of Susans' Susan Stenger. There's an inclusion of some new tracks especially crafted for the project. One of these is "Heart of the Sun (Shimmering)", which was a collaboration between Degens and Strings of Consciousness. Its delicate start builds up to orgasmic guitar-harp-keyboard-laptop proportions, only to be pulled down again into a sea of string ether. Another surprising remix is one by Stephen O'Malley. His edge-sharp drone starts off rough, then stops for a couple of minutes to allow Degens' vocal magic to filter through, only to break-out again in blistering fury. Larsen re-interprets "We Love" with much precision and care, while Lilium churn out a mesmerizing take of "I Am". With each track, there is fresh beauty that is waiting to be unwrapped".
– Tom Sekowski
Heart of the Sun
DURTRO JNANA 008 CD
Released: 30 Jun 2008
1. At Dawn (Vogel) (4:15)
Andrew W.K: Additional Keyboards. Produced & Remixed By Andrew W.K At: Skyscraper Studios For Skyscraper Music Maker.
2. The Sun Came Out (Dawn Porous) (5:13)
Re-Structured By Colin Potter At IC Studios, 2007
3. Under The Water (Iridescence) (3:47)
Additional Recordings: Laura Sheeran (voices), Cora Venus Lunny (violin), And Clodagh Simonds (bells, celeste, glass, voices, various etheric sounds). Arranged And Remixed By Fovea Hex www.janetrecords.com
4. All The Birds (Melting Canvas) (3:47)
Andrew Liles: Additional Instrumentation. Produced & Remixed By Mr. Liles At The Bear Den, Brighton, 2007. www.andrewliles.com
5. Today For Shore (2:10)
Andria Degens: Appalachian Dulcimer. Mixed By Pantaleimon
6. Storm And Thunder (Toxoplasmosis) (2:25)
Arranged And Remixed By The Bricoleur. www.myspace.com/lebricoleur
7. Bourne (Somnialescent)(5:15)
Stephen O'Malley: Additional Recordings. Produced & Remixed By Stephen O’Malley In Kyoto, Japan, September 07. www.ideologic.org
8. Even If Love (Eclipse) (6:22)
Andria Degens: Vocals. Susan Stenger: Bells, Drones, Celeste, Drum And Electric Bass. Arranged And Mixed By Susan Stenger. www.susanstenger.co.uk
9. Raw Heart (Cloisters) (3:15)
Michael Tanner: Additional Recordings. Arranged And Remixed By Plinth.
10. Heart Of The Sun (Shimmering) (7:16)
Strings Of Consciousness & Pantaleimon. Andria Degens: Vocals, Raphaelle Rinaudo: Electric Harp, Hervé Vincenti: Guitars/Keyboards, Philippe Petit: Laptop.
11. We Love (Pink Light Mix) (3:12)
Produced And Remixed By Fabrizio Modonese Palumbo. Engineered By Marco Milanesio @ O.F.F., Torino, Italy, 2007. www.deathtripper.com & www.off.to.it
12. High Star (Celestial Voices) (3:31)
Chris Carter & Cosey Fanni Tutti: Additional Instrumentation. Produced And Remixed By Cartertutti. www.cartertutti.com, www.myspace.com/cartertutti
13. I Am (Solar Dust) (5:29)
Pascal Humbert: Additional Recordings (Bowed Basses, Piano, Electric Guitars). Arranged And Remixed By Lilium At The Dust Bowl Sound Factory, Western Colorado. www.myspace.com/liliummusic
14. Another Day Tomorrow (3:16)
Andria Degens: Dulcimer & Drones. Mixed By: Pantaleimon
All Songs © 2007/2008 Andria Degens, Except For “Even If Love” Will Oldham, © Royal Stable Music (Ascap) And ‘Heart Of The Sun’ Composed By: Degens/Rinaudo/Vincenti/Petit.
All Original Versions Of The Songs Can Be Found On “Mercy Oceans’ With The Exception Of Tracks: 5,8,10,14, Which Are Exclusive To This Release. Front Cover Artwork: Beth Carter (www.bethcarter.co.uk). Photography "Symphony of Dreams" Yolanda Reeves ©2008 (www.yolandareeves.org). Mastered By Denis Blackham At Syke Mastering. Layout And Design: Paul Jackson
Notes: "Heart of the Sun" is a collection of remixes and re-imaginings of Pantaleimon's album "Mercy Oceans", except for tracks 5, 8, 10 and 14, which are previously unreleased.
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