Orchid Mantis

This buried gem of the late 90s Atlanta DIY scene marks a very special release for the Orchid Mantis label. Recorded in '96 by reclusive lo-fi artist Blue Noon, 'i only remember the good parts' is a collection of muted, introspective lullabies assembled and delicately restored from their original master tapes. This is a remarkable discovery considering most of Blue Noon's catalogue had been lost in the aftermath of a foreclosure on the artist's residence due to their infamous disappearance in '97.

Fortunately, the artist's former home was recently sold by its subsequent owners, resulting in an auction which miraculously included a large cardboard box marked only by the cryptic phrase "two weeks left" scrawled hastily in black sharpie. An unnamed music journalist who attended the auction quickly realized its significance, knowing the residence's previous history. Sure enough, the box had been pulled from a shelf in the attic, untouched for over 15 years. The additional presence of a Tascam 4-track tape machine and condenser mic suggested this attic had been the recording space where much of Blue Noon's catalogue was recorded.

The conspiratorial types attracted by this enigmatic artist will no doubt find further lyrical material to support the strange and far-fetched theories that have circulated regarding Blue Noon's disappearance, which include debt evasion, a desperate PR hoax, or even the involvement of an esoteric procedure from obscure early-internet forums called the "Possession Pact." Audio restoration hobbyist Thomas Howard, who mixed and mastered the release, can attest that there is a haunting aura embedded within the original tapes.

Howard asserts that the audio began to affect his dreams, among other bizarre claims. In his own words, "I spent about 6 hours straight one night mixing the album, and after a while, I could swear the lyrics changed entirely, almost as if they'd been reversed. I couldn't make anything out, but as crazy as it sounds, it started to feel as if they were responding to my thoughts." Curiously, Howard cut ties with the label shortly after conveying this to our staff, and has been unreachable since.

We're delighted to share that in loving tribute to Blue Noon's legacy, a selection of notable indie musicians have built upon three unfinished instrumentals from the era to bring them into 2024, almost as if the anonymous artist had never left.