Patient Records host label launch and performances as part of this year’s Shifty Bits Circus.

Patient Records will celebrate their official label launch this week as part of the 2016 Shifty Bits Circus. Founded by Fredericton musician Eric Hill, Patient Records is a perfect complement to his well-established love for obscure compositions and soundscapes and his interest in making the inaccessible, accessible.

“I think I’ve always had a little bit of a curator in me,” said Hill, “and I get a kick out of framing and presenting good work to the world, or at least my small corner of the world. I’ve had the idea of starting a label that goes along with my podcast, Surgery Radio, for quite some time and now with Bandcamp and the possibility of cost effective physical media in small quantities, it seemed like the moment.”

Back in May, Hill hosted a soft launch and performance of his own project Counting on Downstairs. Carleton, Patient Records’ first official release, serves as both an introduction to the type of sonic territory Hill plans to present through this project, and a fine example of the creative approach planned for future releases. The packaging is simple, hand assembled and limited in quantity. There’s also a little piece on New Brunswick packaged inside.

“The Counting on Downstairs album was called Carleton after a sea-side town near where I grew up,” said Hill, “so I thought it would be fun to include a bit of sand from the shore with the package. I’m leaving it up to each artist what they’d like to include, but I hope this will be a regular feature of the label.”

“Both albums are striking in their emotional and intellectual heft, and both are very poetic, and yet they approach their themes from slightly different angles.”

This week’s launch will see the label releasing two new recordings, both from Fredericton artists and both previously available in digital format only. By making these recordings available in CD form, Hill hopes to help prolong the life of both recordings and help them reach new audiences. This week’s new releases feature music by Union Suit (Tate LeJeune) and Dennis Goodwin.

“I had several different ideas about how, who and what I’d be presenting for the first few releases, and these two from Union Suit (Tate Lejeune), called Fulfillment Works and Dennis Goodwin, called Sans Solace, eventually made the most sense for a variety of reasons,” said Hill. “Both albums are striking in their emotional and intellectual heft, and both are very poetic, and yet they approach their themes from slightly different angles. And while both were previously released, Tate’s as a download with a ‘zine and Dennis’ as a digital-only release, I hoped that giving them a limited edition physical form would help to get them into more hands.”

Patient Records’ launch will feature performances by Counting on Downstairs, Union Suit and CNUS, a recording project featuring LeJeune and Cedric Noel.

“We’ll have copies of all three Patient Records releases for sale, including Dennis’ which, though he was unable to perform, will hopefully feature as between sets music.”

Patient Records Label Launch | August 5, 2016 | Doors a 6pm | Red Rover Cider House | View Event