Giles Corey (band)

Giles Corey is a musical project formed by Have a Nice Life member Dan Barrett. As of 2021, Barrett has released one studio album, two EPs and one live album under the Giles Corey name.

Giles Corey
Principal member, Dan Barrett performing a show in 2019.
Background information
OriginMiddletown, Connecticut, United States
GenresSlowcore
Years active2011–present
LabelsEnemies List Home Recordings, The Flenser
Associated actsHave a Nice Life, GATE, The Flowers of St. Francis, Black Wing, Nahvalr
MembersDan Barrett

History

When speaking of his plans for the debut album, Barrett said "Giles Corey as a project started off very differently from where it ended. Initially, I was just wondering if I could write country and western songs, and sort of turn folk music into something that sounded like it came from me. I put restrictions on the kinds of instruments I could use, and so on. That kind of faded away as the record took on a life of its own" as well as "Giles Corey was meant to have no electronic instruments (though I broke that rule) and to be influenced by country music, and the songwriting style grew out of that".[1][2] Barrett makes frequent use of sampling in the project.[3]

The self-titled album, Giles Corey, was released on March 1st, 2011 to critical acclaim[4][5][6] and is a favourite amongst fans of Barrett's work.[7] The album has been described as "a deeply, intensely dark album of inner turmoil".[8] Alongside it a book was released of the same name. It is an exploration of cult leader Robert Voor and Barrett's own stories of depression and suicide. It continues the story of the accompanying book to Deathconsciousness.[1] It was described by Barrett as "an intensely personal, intimate portrait of depression".[9]

Opening track "The Haunting Presence" features piano and the sound of static and screams.[10] The song "Empty Churches" features a sample of a documentary monologue discussing ghosts and radio transmissions.[3] According to Samuel Rosean of Drowned In Sound the album was "highly indicative of the more lo-fi and emotional centric design of modern slowcore, predicting an almost full decade of spilling, unpretentious slowcore that was to come".[10]

On August 25, 2012, they released their first extended play (EP), Deconstructionist. The EP, unlike the previous, was solely ambient music, described by Barrett as "designed to induce trances, possession states, and out-of-body experiences".[11] Barrett was inspired by "ritual trance" while making the EP.[12] Musically, the EP is composed of binaural beats.[12] Phill Cameron described the EP as "disconcerting racket" that "instead of feeling claustrophobic" feels "almost lonely; every sound echoes, as if in a huge space, and the constant pressure of electronic beats adds a sense of desperate urgency to the music. It's unsettling and uncomfortable."[12] The EP was accompanied by a thirty-page primer.[12] The second song, "Infinite Death" features a pitch shifted sample of Yale philosophy professor Shelly Kagan and discusses "our inability to properly imagine our own deaths." It was chosen by the Independent as the fourth most chilling song of all time.[13]

It was followed by their second extended play (EP) released on 21 February 2013 titled Hinterkaifeck.[14]

Lastly, it was followed by a live album, Live in the Middle of Nowhere, released February 27th, 2013. The album was recorded at the Enemies List Home Recordings Warehouse in Meriden, CT and features accompaniment from Flenser labelmate Thom Wasluck, who played the keyboard on "Earthmover".[15]

In 2020, Barret was set to perform at the Roadburn Festival in Tilburg, Netherlands as Giles Corey in celebration of The Flenser's 10th anniversary. This performance would have been the first time project had been played as a full-band with Have a Nice Life band member Tim Macuga accompanying him.[16] Due to the coronavirus outbreak the show was cancelled with much of the program being postponed until 2021.[17]

Discography

Studio Albums

  • Giles Corey (2011)

Extended play

  • Deconstructionist (2012)
  • Hinterkaifeck (2013)

Live album

  • Live in the Middle of Nowhere (2013)

References

  1. "Interviews: Giles Corey". scenepointblank. 2 November 2011. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  2. "Interview Dan Barrett (Have a Nice Life, Giles Corey, Nahvalr)". mithratemplezine. 3 January 2018. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  3. Smith, Robin (February 12, 2014). "The Quietus | Reviews | Have a Nice Life". The Quietus. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  4. "Giles Corey". bandcamp. 2 March 2011. Archived from the original on 13 May 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  5. "Giles Corey". Spunitkmusic. 4 July 2011. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  6. Finlayson, Ray (November 30, 2011). "ALBUM REVIEW: GILES COREY – GILES COREY". Beats Per Minute. Archived from the original on 17 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  7. "Giles Corey". Archived from the original on March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  8. Schmitz, Ben (May 1, 2017). "CT Recommends: Dan Barrett". Campus Times. Archived from the original on March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  9. "GILES COREY "S/T" DLP+BOOK, HINTERKAIFECK LP". The Flenser. March 13, 2020. Archived from the original on March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  10. Rosean, Samuel (January 31, 2020). "The Beginner's Guide To: Slowcore". Drowned In Sound. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  11. "Deconstructionist". bandcamp. 25 August 2012. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  12. Cameron, Phill (March 23, 2013). "Binaural beats EP designed to send listeners into 'altered states of consciousness'". Wired. Archived from the original on January 17, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  13. Hayes, Mark (October 29, 2019). "Halloween playlist: Top five most chilling songs of all time". Independent. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  14. "Hinterkaifeck". bandcamp. 21 February 2013. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  15. "Live in the Middle of Nowhere". bandcamp. 27 February 2013. Archived from the original on 19 August 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  16. Desk, TV News (November 14, 2019). "The Flenser Announces 10 Year Anniversary Showcase At Roadburn 2020". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  17. "Roadburn 2020 postponed to 15-18 April, 2021 – Roadburn Festival". Retrieved Apr 30, 2020.
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