Avalon

Dokuro is the artistic maelstrom formed by the duo of Agnes Szelag and The Norman Conquest. As an improvisational duo their love for song-form and noise unveils itself during their intense live performances. As they delve into layers of sound they commit themselves to the compositional surprises each one presents, reacting, and in turn creating unexpected transitions that unfold into the next exploration. These intersections and song-like clusters, along with their abstract and textural videos, create a space for listeners to dream. The two met while working toward their Master's degrees in Electronic Music and Recording Media at Mills College in Oakland, CA; they started playing music and making art together in 2006. The Wire described their 2008 debut, The Black Room, as discreetly sculpted... extremist fare that blasts away the earwax without leaving you feeling pointlessly bludgeoned. In creating their second album, AVALON, the duo moves in a more transcendental and reverential direction while continuing their penchant for electronics, synthesizers, voices, cello, and noise. The mood of AVALON is at times dark and pensive, yet at other times uplifts the listener into a delicate trance. AVALON was recorded live in various venues in Europe in the spring of 2012.