Numero Group (Ambient sounds releases 'Environments' now an app!)

Cafe Society
1

Older folks might remember a series of albums released in 1969 and throughout the 1970’s called Environments. They were ambient nature sounds (gentle rain, lapping waves, crickets) that surprisingly became wildly popular. All the albums released are now in an app by Numero Group, a reissue record label in Chicago. They can also be bought as mp3s, but the app is much cheaper and way better.

From the Numero web site:

An article about the app.

Environments’

.

I wish I could say how cool this is from personal experience, but alas, right now the app is only available for the iPhone and iPad, and I have an Android. They have said on social media that they’re working on an Android version, and I will get it when it’s released.

I have a big crush on Numero Group, and I listened to some of the Environments records back in the day, so I’m looking forward to this.

2

I was trying to edit that Wikipedia page link when I ran out of time. Because the link is screwed up. Damn.

3

I liked to listen to Tintinnabulation. But I listened to it so much I started to remember the most notable sequences.

But what I’d really like is an app that generates those random bells. I never learned enough to even start coding my own app for that, let along generating the tones.

Here’s a site that does that for a limited number of tones. https://mynoise.net/NoiseMachines/singingBowlsDroneGenerator.php

There must be over 100 other presets for different sounds. The natural sounds are samples, of course.

4

I’m a huge fan of Brian Eno’s app, Scape. You arrange different shapes and patterns to create ambient music (there’s a section of bell sounds, as well as drones, synth noises, piano notes, and other electronic effects). Each element varies the sound it makes depending on where you’ve placed it on the screen, what other elements are near it, which background you’re using, and other factors. The combinations are endless, and it’s nearly impossible to make something that isn’t beautiful.

5

Thanks for the head-up; I had a couple of these growing up. $3 for access to ALL of them is a bargain I can’t pass up.

6

You’re welcome. Thanks for responding (and also to rowrrbazzle and Egnu Cledge). I’ll bump this when the Android version is released.

I was wondering if there were any Numero Group fans here, but I did a search and didn’t find anything. They’re very awesome. They were the ones who found this previously unreleased demo “You and Me” by Penny & the Quarters and reissued it. It was discovered by Ryan Gosling and then used to wonderful effect in the movie Blue Valentine, with Gosling and Michelle Williams. It’s a great story. The song was found on a dubbed (not pre-recorded) cassette in an estate sale but no one knew who “Penny & the Quarters” were. Numero wanted to find someone involved so they could pass along the royalties earned (Numero is very conscientious about taking care of the artists). Gradually more information was unearthed and they found out who the songwriter was, Jay Robinson. He was deceased though and his widow didn’t know who “Penny” was. Through a series of wild coincidences, they finally found Penny, 62-year old Nannie Sharpe. The Quarters were her brothers.

7

That’s a very cool story.

Curiously, I recently posted a similar story in the SDMAS thread; I think you’ll enjoy the website linked at the end of the post:

8

:eek: That’s fantastic! I haven’t watched the TED Talk yet but I will. I love stories like that. That YouTube link led me to this, henri’s boogie, in the Related Videos. Wow. I was enthralled! I’ve always loved Ragtime and Boogie, and that guy is a real gem.

I’m new to the “crate digging” world. I only recently discovered Numero Group (Wikipedia link, with discography), and they have some great releases they’ve rescued from obscurity, such as Jackie Shane an American who had a couple of modest hits in Canada then disappeared. “Any Other Way” (audio only), “Walking The Dog” (video), “Money” (audio only).

Here’s a fun 43-second video showing what the Numero Jackie Shane release is like.

Other “Unboxing” short videos are even more elaborate, such as the box of Husker Dü’s early works, Savage Young Dü, or Purple Snow: Forecasting The Minneapolis Sound, or Bobo Yéyé: Belle Époque in Upper Volta (which got them their 10th Grammy nomination), Ork Records: New York, New York (LPs) and (singles). On and on. Those booklets are insane!

9

I’m so glad you liked his work! I was really blown away by that opening staccato riff that trails into the quick two note denouement; I just was not anticipating that AT ALL.

That Jackie Shane set is fantastic; I added it to my list to check out more. Thanks!

And hey, as always, please consider bookmarking and participating in the Straight Dope Music Appreciation Society thread (also linked above). It has a great format even tho it moves slowly most of the time and there are hundreds of songs from hundreds of artists already posted there.

10

I love the Environments series! I have a bunch of them on vinyl. My favorite is Gentle Rain in a Pine Forest, the “synthetic silence” track. The liner notes are priceless. They treat the album like a panacea for all the ills of the world. Maybe they’re right. Too bad the app isn’t available for Android or I’d snap it up.

Numerous Group’s obscure soul comps are great and they get props for reissuing Unwound’s catalogue.

11

Sounds like a great app, but surely someone else has recorded this kind thing since then. I’d be truly surprised no one has done something equivalent to Environments since the 1970s.

12

Then go ahead and be surprised; no one has, AFAIK. The difference is in the length of the recording. Teibel’s recordings were looooooooong, not just 4 minutes looped over and over. Also, the processing he did was fantastic. I’m not sure why you’d need or want to redo what is essentially already perfect. You’re not going to invent a better spoon.