Aphelion releases atmospheric debut on Glasgow’s Alumni Records

Glasgow-based DJ and producer Aphelion has today released his gorgeous debut single, Bora via Alumni Records. A beautifully slow-evolving piece of atmospheric house, Bora affirms Aphelion as one of the most exciting producers working in Glasgow right now. 

Since a young age Aphelion has been involved with numerous bands playing drums and synths, until 2019 when he decided to pursue a new sound with Scotland’s subSine | Academy electronic music school. Inspired by artists such as Nils Frahm and Max Cooper, to the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Aphelion has honed a passion for melody, distilling it with intricate rhythms derived from his years as a drummer, to create a sound that is entirely his own.

Simultaneously mellow and uplifting; Bora is a track packed with emotion, immersing the listener and leaving them mesmerised by the track’s dynamic ebb and flow. Pulsing synths carry the record as it builds within itself into a blissful, awe-inspiring climax. Listen to the single here

Aphelion said on the track: “During the creation of Bora, I wanted to blend the boundaries between Electronic and Orchestral/Organic Live instruments, and wanted to take this theme further with the production of a custom video. I spent a lot of time trying to curate a sound that seemed both fresh, yet familiar, and to draw inspiration from many of my favourite artists spanning several genres. I used some clever sampling engines in this track to take some live string sections, and to mangle them into some ethereal pads – used in conjunction with sounds from my staple workhorse, my Novation Summit. The title of the track also means a strong north-east wind, and a lot of the original footage reflects this, being captured in various parts of Scotland.”

The single is accompanied by a gorgeous video directed by Edinburgh-based director and filmmaker Nicol Craig.

Nicol Craig said on the video: “I wanted to portray elements from the record, which blend organic sounds and textures, but synthesised in an electronic music setting. I tried to do this visually with a juxtaposition of the natural world contrasting with the synthetic. We have a lot of familiar Scottish landscapes and scenes, but man-made to be more abstract, using mirroring and reversing techniques. I tried to make it familiar yet exotic.”

Based in Glasgow, Alumni Records is subSine | Academy’s own label, showcasing the depth of incredible talent fostered within its classrooms.