Still Life (excerpt) from Still Life on Vimeo.

Happy New Year dudes!!

Above is an excerpt from the excellent documentary Still Life, one of two documentaries I’ve mixed recently.  Still Life follows expert taxidermist Frank Newmeyer as he prepares a jaw dropping new piece and reflects upon his life and past work.  It was created by Masie Cochran and Duncan Skiles, and should be premiering in the near future.

The other documentary I worked on was called Married and Counting, by Allan Piper.  It’s about a homosexual couple who celebrate their 25th anniversary by traveling to the different states in which same-sex marriage is legal.  You can read more about it and view some (pre-mixed) clips of it on the film’s blog.  It should also be premiering some time soon.

I’ve also done a couple mastering projects for some Chicago homies recently.  The astoundingly awesome Unmanned Ship recorded their new album at Electrical Audio, and will be releasing it on Rotten Tooth Recordings.  It sounds absolutely incredible, make sure to check out this trippy bruiser of a record ASAP!  I also worked on the full length by garage rockers Dumpster Babies for Slow Fizz Records… it’s a cool record with tons of fuzzy hooks and interesting musical detours.  Both will hopefully be out very soon!

Lots of cool stuff coming up too, so stop back soon and feel free to get in touch!  jonathan [dot] schenke [at] gmail [dot] com

Pterodactyl‘s new album Spills Out is out today on Brah Records!  I worked closely with the band over a few months earlier this year to craft and refine the album, so it’s really really really exciting to see it out in the world.  Check out this streaming player and brief interview with Joe K from the band at Spin Magazine(!): http://www.spin.com/articles/first-spin-tales-behind-pterodactyls-spills-out

In other Pterodactyl news, I recently remastered and rereleased their 2010 mini-album Arnold’s Park on SOUNGS.  It’s available as a limited-edition cassette (with silk-screened artwork and a download code) and as a digital download.  It’s a badass record that didn’t get much play the first time around, and you can stream the whole thing at the SOUNGS Bandcamp page:  http://soungs.bandcamp.com/album/arnolds-park

I just wrapped up a week and half of recording with Fergus & Geromino at Seaside Lounge.  It was an awesome experience – the studio is great, the band was creative and on-point, and everyone had a blast making this tunes.  They’re mixing this week, and the record should be out in the spring on Hardly Art.  Expect to hear a lot more about this record!

Lots of other things brewing right now, more info soon…. feel free to get in touch – jonathan[dot]schenke[at]gmail[dot]com – and thanks for stopping by!

My boy Daniel Francis Doyle has a new single out now on Monofonus Press.  We recorded the song “Debbie” at his place earlier this year, and I’m thrilled to see it out!  It’s a one-sided split single, also featuring music by the Dikes of Holland, and artwork by Tim Doyle on the flip side.  Check out a brief performance of the song above, followed by a stream of the single version.  You can pick up one of these lovely copies at the Monofonus store.

Also, my friends in No Fun posted two songs we recorded in their practice space early this year on their Bandcamp page.  Check it out!

I spent last week doing sound around NYC for CMJ Festival.  It was a hustle, for sure, but I’m glad to have done it.  The Cantora Labs / Smart Lounge party was pretty cool.

This week, I’m working on the master for the upcoming Unmanned Ship album on Rotted Tooth Recordings, and putting together the finishing touches on the reissue of Pterodactyl‘s Arnold’s Park album on my own SOUNGS Label.  WOOT!

Thanks for checking this out – hit me up if you want!  jonathan [dot] schenke [at] gmail [dot] com

I ended up returning to Montreal with Alex & the Dirty Beaches gang after the tour to do some recording for an upcoming EP.  If you saw any of these dates recently, then you probably have an idea of what to expect – dark, loop-based mutant funk, accented with poly-rhythmic percussion and effected sax skronk & drones.  If you didn’t get a chance to check out the set, think of the new Lone Runner single, but wilder.  We banged out 6+ songs in one marathon all-nigher session, and we’re all excited to see what comes of them.

The debut album by Natural Harbors, called The Most Vernal of Equinoxes, is available now for download on his Bandcamp page (that’s the album art above).  I mastered this album earlier this year, and am thrilled to see that it’s out in the world.  It’s a really engaging collection of electro/acoustic pop songs with wildly inventive arrangements and production.  A limited-edition lathe-cut LP will be available via Positive Beat Recordings later this year.

In other news, I’m mastering a couple records some of my favorite Chicago bands (Cacaw and Unmanned Ship), finishing a compilation for my SOUNGS Label, and scouting out studio spaces with Ben Greenberg (who operated Python Patrol Studios).  Exciting shit!!

Thanks for stopping by!  Hit me up if you want to chat: jonathan[dot]schenke[at]gmail[dot]com

Two new releases I’ve had the pleasure to work on come out today (8/23).  The first is Avos, the acoustic guitar duet record by James Elkington and Nathan Salsburg.  It’s being released on LP by Tompkins Square Records, and has already been garnering some great praise.  Check out this in depth article/review here:  http://workandworry.com/?p=3186

The other new release is the digital version of Junk Culture‘s Hang Roxy single on Illegal Art.  The A-Side features vocals by Jana Hunter (of Lower Dens and her own bad self), while “Chippewa Kids” has vocal contributions from Sarah Barthel (of Phantogram).  Altered Zone had some kind words for it, check it out: http://alteredzones.com/posts/1822/junk-culture-hang-roxy-feat-jana-hunter/

Thanks for taking a look, dudes.  Feel free to get in touch!

I’ve been talking about this stuff for a while, and now there’s stuff to share!

“School Glue”, the first song from the new Pterodactyl album Spills Out debuted yesterday on Pitchfork.  Check it out: http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/16176-school-glue/

Spills Out will be released November 15th on Brah / Jagjaguwar.  I handled the bulk of the recording duties, spent some time on the mixing, and mastered the record.  People seem to be digging it, which rules – coz I really like it!

Avos, the album by James Elktington and Nathan Salsburg, comes out on Tompkins Square August 23rd.  It was recorded in a few sessions in my old living room, and mixed earlier this year.  My grandma heard it and loved it!  You can stream the album in its entirity on Fretboard Journal:  http://www.fretboardjournal.com/audio/album-preview-james-elkington-nathan-salsburgs-avos

Hope you guys like this stuff too!  Thanks for checking it out.

I recently mastered the upcoming ‘Hang Roxy’ single by Junk Culture for Illegal Art.  Both “Hang Roxy” and “Chippewa Kids” (the b-side) are super catchy electronic pop tunes built on glitchy hip-hop beats and irresistible melodies.  I highly recommend picking up the 7″ (or the mp3s) when it comes out this Fall!

Also of note, I recently upgraded my interface to an Apogee Ensemble!  The MOTU had served me well, but it was time to step up my game – pro gear, pro attitude.  I’m setting it up today, can’t wait to get into it…

Thanks for stopping by to read this!  Feel free to reach out: jonathan[dot]schenke[at]gmail[dot]com

Mindreading, the long-delayed second album by Singer, is out now on Drag City.  This was recorded in 2009 after Todd Rittmann left to form D(ead) Rider (which is particularly awesome live), and the results are more synth-oriented than Unhistories, and even more abstract.  I assisted the band in the recording (setting up mics and getting sounds for the group to build upon), and it was mixed by Randall Dunn (who has previously worked on releases by Sunn 0))), Earth, and Black Mountain).

I think Drag City sums it up best: “Democracy in motion…slow motion. Drifting into and through an amoebic evolution in sound, Mindreading discerns a new form of pop music. Paranormal or supernatural – take your pick!”

In other news, the upcoming Pterodactyl record Spills Out is finished!!  It turned out amazing, we’re all super-psyched on the outcome, and the early artwork looks fantastic.  Look out for it this Fall on Brah/Jagjaguwar.

Also, I just returned from another year working at Pitchfork Music Festival.  Shabazz Palaces, Kylessa, James Blake, and OFF! were definitely the highlights on my stage.  As always, it was a marathon weekend, but my friends and co-workers on the staff made it all run well, and it was awesome to see my Chicago folk again.  Big shout out to Matt, the Ice Cream Man!

Sound Design & Mix Demo Reel (2011) from Jonathan Schenke on Vimeo.