Tag Archives: jean-pierre mercier

Spaceful of Astronauts… The lost album from Handful of Snowdrops’ alter ego is out!

SoA_full

In 1993, after the demise of Handful of Snowdrops Jean-Pierre Mercier, writer and composer of the band, began a new journey into instrumental electronic music under the new moniker Spaceful of Astronauts. After a couple of performances in rave events at the beginning of the 90s, he redirected his focus toward a more open and ambient sound that would culminate a few years later.

Nanomusique is the title of the long forgotten Spaceful of Astonauts’ album. Originally recorder in 1995, but never release for lack of resources, it has been completely remastered for the occasion of its official release as well as extended with two bonus tracks from the same era, namely Orion and Big Black Bubble.

You can now stream excerpts of every track of this mesmerizing electronic and instrumental work from the new SoA Mypace profile.

The 1 hour, 19 minutes and 11 seconds ambient epic is ONLY available as a DOWNLOADABLE DIGITAL ALBUM directly from the Handful of Snowdrops website shop and the Spaceful of Astronauts official Myspace profile.

BUY Nanomusique NOW ›››

Monsieur Seb’s Daily Music Suggestion: As the Phoenix…

LotD_Full

Legendary 80’s band Handful of Snowdrops make a surprise comeback!

It’s true! It’s confirmed! To mark its 20th anniversary, Handful of Snowdrops have launched the expanded and remastered reissue of their legendary first album Land of the Damned, just over 16 years after their eloquent final release, Mort en Direct.

In addition to its superior sound quality, the album has been expanded with the track Gabrielle MMIX, a totally new version of their seminal smash hit, Gabrielle.

This reissue will be available in a deluxe package that will see the CD arrive to your door accompanied by a T-Shirt and 11″x17″ poster.

But furthermore, each CD copy — deluxe or regular — of this very limited reissue will allow collectors to download a compilation of 12 early demos titled Groundwork for Fundamentals Vol. 1, literally a sonic history of the band’s formative years, from 1984 to 1986.

“For years, I thought that Land of the Damned went practically unheard of, especially outside Canada and the U.S.

“And then, along came the Internet: I began getting tons of emails from people around the world — especially Mexico and South America — telling me how much they loved that record.

“Still, it took me many, many years to be able to accept such praise and to finally come to terms with the fact that a 20th anniversary re-edition would not be such a bad idea, after all.”

That’s how Jean-Pierre Mercier, founder and leader of the band, recalls the genesis of this project — which most fans had given up on.

Yet, the band’s MySpace player has garnered over 26 000 plays in just over a year, digits that have no doubt helped convinced Jean-Pierre that this project was well worthwhile!

Land of the Damned (Expanded & Remastered) will only available online from HOS’ website (handfulofsnowdrops.com) and on their MySpace profile (myspace.com/handfulofsnowdrops) but exceptionally and for a very limited time, it will be availble from these two retailers:

Platine
155, chemin Ste-Foy
Québec, QC, Canada
G1R 1T1
Tél.: 418.529.4222

and

Mecanica
Av. Insurgentes Sur # 277 – 2
Col. Roma, Mexico DF
Tel. 91499967
mecanica.com.mx

Click here for the complete press kit (French and English press release and album cover art)