Balmorhea (band)


Balmorhea is an American minimalist instrumental duo from Austin, Texas, formed in 2006 by Rob Lowe and Michael Muller. Throughout the project's history, numerous musicians have rotated through its ranks, leading to a diverse range of sounds. Balmorhea have been influenced by William Ackerman, the Six Parts Seven, Tortoise, Rachel's, Gillian Welch, Max Richter, Arvo Pärt, and John Cage.
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History

The band independently released their debut, self-titled album in April 2007, and their second, Rivers Arms, in February 2008. They also issued a limited-edition tour EP the same year. Their third full-length album, All is Wild, All is Silent, was published on Western Vinyl in 2009. Their fourth record, Constellations, was issued in February 2010, and their fifth, Stranger, came out in October 2012.
In 2017, after a period of five years, Balmorhea returned as the original duo with their sixth studio album, Clear Language. In 2021, the band issued a series of singles under Deutsche Grammophon, several of which were later re-released on their next album, The Wind. Their 2023 record, Pendant World, followed a similar pattern of releases. As a duo once more, this era of their music is marked by a turn to more minimalistic and experimental works, in contrast to their previous material.
The song "Bowsprit", from the album Constellations, was used as the opening theme for the SundanceTV television series Rectify, and "Remembrance", from All Is Wild, All Is Silent, was featured within the 2015 Turkish film Delibal. Their 2018 single Clouds was composed for the French film Un homme pressé, which also featured the song "Remembrance".
Balmorhea, called "an exemplary experiment in restraint" by The New Yorker, have toured the US and Europe and performed with such musicians as Tortoise, Thurston Moore, Fleet Foxes, Mono, CocoRosie, Sharon Van Etten, Damien Jurado, Efterklang, This Will Destroy You. They have appeared at Austin City Limits Music Festival, SXSW, and Fun Fun Fun Fest, among others. Their music has been featured and reviewed by Pitchfork, the BBC, Paste, Interview Magazine, NME, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, The Atlantic, and many more.

Band members

Current
  • Rob Lowe – guitar, piano
  • Michael Muller – guitar, bass guitar
Past

Discography

Studio albums

Balmorhea Rivers Arms All Is Wild, All Is Silent Constellations Stranger Clear Language The Wind
  • ''Pendant World''

EPs

  • ''Tour EP''

Live albums

Live at Sint-Elisabethkerk
  • ''The Wind – Live in Marfa''

Soundtrack albums

Guest Room
  • ''The Trap''

Remix albums

All Is Wild, All Is Silent Remixes Candor / Clamor Remixes
  • ''Clear Language Reworked''

Singles

  • "Candor / Clamor"
  • "Heir"
  • "Chime / Shone"
  • "The Most Fleeting"
  • "Clouds" – soundtrack for Un homme pressé
  • "Time in the Hand"
  • "Coventry Carol"
  • "Solanales"
  • "Of Hopeful Green Woven"
  • "Before Barbed Wire"