Projects
“Napping In Paradise” a Low Key Trampoline album
Releases March 20, 2023
“Napping In Paradise” is a full length solo album from Low Key Trampoline, producer-artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Most known for his collaborations with various artists from around the world – Portugal, Spain, Germany, Australia, Sweden, France, Japan, Ireland, South Africa and the U.S. – this is his first solo project since 2021’s “Yellow String Memory EP” with the Ambient & Lofi record label, Tsunami Sounds.
“Napping In Paradise” is an Ambient / Minimalist exploration of melodic folk ideas from late 2022, threaded together with impressionistic piano vignettes.
Brian Eno meets Keith Jarret.
Low Key Trampoline (Mark Schirmacher) creates an atmospheric & moody pastiche of melodic concepts painted by natural grand piano recordings which are augmented by bass guitar and banjo, two seemingly disparate influences that evoke a folksy, nu-classical feel that leaves the listener part curious and partly heartbroken.
These brief piano-driven “interludes” thread throughout the record, appearing in between longer-form songs that are solidly “ambient” in their genre, bearing the hallmarks of Low Key Trampoline’s solo ambient work: reverb-laden electric guitar phrases, watery synth pads, defined melodic sensibilities, and sophisticated interplay between sparse, intentional instrumentation.
Of the vibe of the record, Low Key Trampoline elucidates:
Napping In Paradise is meant to evoke the feeling of light sleep, those moments when you think you might be drifting away, but some internal disturbance of the mind & soul or external irritation pulls you out before complete sleep immersion can occur. The album is a complete artistic statement, made with 9-songs over a brief 17+ minute listening length. It should be listened to at once, the arc of the storytelling being completed and best digested in a single sitting.
As for the title, I’m commenting on the fact that I’ve been blessed with a wonderful life – family, music, purpose – but I don’t always live into that, day-to-day. Sometimes it feels as though I’m ‘napping in paradise,’ choosing to drift off into the imaginary world of dreams, art, or music creation, or what-have-you, rather than face & embrace the tangible obstacles and hard work of living.
Find “Napping In Paradise” everywhere music is streamed & downloaded, and follow Low Key Trampoline on Instagram at @lowkeytrampoline.
“miles + minutes demos” a Mark Schirmacher album
Releases March 5, 2023
A collection of creative, imaginative demos for songs that eventually would comprise 2021’s “miles + minutes” album. These versions are loose, breathing with possibility, and far from polished. Welcome to the process…
“Stripped down vocals and guitar with percussion are always my favorite. These songs, gently lyric and thoughtful, are also the perfect antidote to my too-fast mind and life.” – Amy Overby