DOGON
Ambient electronic Venezuelan/North American duo (Paul Godwin / Miguel Noya), DOGON, have been making music together since 1981. Though geographically separate, they have consistently created luminous sounds with passion and humor for nearly three decades. Called “the best of progressive ambient” by WIRED Magazine, their 1997 release The Sirius Expeditions was critically acclaimed and nominated for the California Music Awards (Best Electronic/Dance album). Individually, the two have collaborated with artists around the globe inlcluding Tony Kushner, Meredith Monk, Steve Roach, Robert Jürjendal, Kai Eckhardt, David Rothenberg, David Zambrano, Carlos Zerpa, Sammy Cucher, Clara Ponty, Jhno, Zoe Keating, Amee Evans, Tom Brennan, Colin Edwin, Miguel Toro.
SMELLUCINATIONS VOL. II
The second of two albums resulting from the reunion sessions for Dogon after a thirteen year hiatus. This is an album of “Dogon-ized”covers of songs by Radiohead, King Crimson, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Imogen Heap & Pink Floyd.
Recorded at Talking Tree Ranch, CA. 2014
SMELLUCINATIONS VOL. I
The first of two albums resulting from the reunion sessions for Dogon after a thirteen year hiatus. Explorations of post-rock grooves, ethno-ambient interiors, lyrical content and vocals by Paul Godwin including the two-part "The River" and the two-part "The Triggering Town." Magnificent.
Recorded at Talking Tree Ranch, CA. 2013
ALL MY RELATIONS (AT PEACE)
The Venezuelan/North American musical duo, Dogon, came together in 2015 in the Sierra Nevada mountains to explore new sounds, a map of the human heart and coming to ground with our personal interactions. The ancestors were near, the signs pointed inward and the document/portal is ready for your ears and hearts. A computer-animated video to the single “Love Will Break Your Crown” was created by Venezuelan artist Nestor Villasmil and is appearing widely at film festivals.
Recorded at Talking Tree Ranch, CA. 2015
THE SIRIUS EXPEDITIONS
Dogon’s sophomore NEWdOG release finds them exploring further spoken word through shortwave Asian announcers and the US Poet Laureate’s inaugural poem (thrown into the dada blender of course) woven over late 90’s techno of various stripes: drum’n’bass, minimal house beats, psy-chill, ethnoambient. The ambient radio favorite “The Round Buddha Factory” wins most played from this classic disc, featuring drum and vocal work by Persian collaborator Shamu. A cover of Pink Floyd’s elegiac pastoral, “Fat Old Sun”, was Dogon’s first venture in this direction (further explored on 2014’s “Smellucinations, Vol. II”). The centerpiece of these adventures is the title track “The Sirius Expeditions”, rather than a sample-fest, this is a true spoken-word collaboration with colleague, future-scientist Bruce Damer. Damer’s speech explores star-seed futures for software based space explorers. Orchestrations on the piece show masterful arrangement work by Miguel Noya with vocal transmissions interpreted by Godwin “this is the process of turning sphere energy into hyper fields.”
REDUNJUSTA
As NEWdOG signed a manufacturing and distribution deal with World Domination Records/WEA - the out of print “Notdunjusta” was repackaged in a collector’s edition foldout Double CD with a new album of San Francisco/NYC-based electronic artist remixes of the original Dogon release. Includes drum&bass, psy-chill, dark ambient, experimental, acid jazz and more treatments by M’lumbo, Reza Ibrahim, Jhno, The Seer Remix, Unit 33 and others.
NOTDUNJUSTA
AllMusic Review of "Notdunjusta" by Jim Brenholts
Dogon is Miguel Noya and Paul Godwin. Notdunjusta is their classic 1996 release and one of the quirkiest discs of the '90s. Noya and Godwin incorporate many different styles into their sound design. This CD has elements of desert ambience, tribal minimalism, experimental avant-garde, and symphonic synthesizer e-music. The fusion of these styles gives the disc a new and fresh feel. Godwin and Noya have not invented a new style; they have merely forged a unique and infectious sound. Listeners will feel the fun and join the festivities. It is very difficult not to smile when listening to this CD. The atmospheres are large, the samples are offbeat, and the rhythms are warped. Noya and Godwin have created a unique adventure. This CD is a classic and an essential element of any e-music collection.