High Fructose Repast

From Patricka

High Fructose Repast is Patrick Aei's twenty-eighth album, recorded in February 2012. The album is the final album in a trilogy with Ambient Guitar Solos and Benji and Mei. The title is a statement about the album's content: Aei's revisit to Ambient music, though with often upbeat sounds.

With Ambient Guitar Solos, Aei chose to record what would be his last Ambient album until High Fructose Repast. When he recorded Serial, Aei hinted at doing more Ambient work, but the album was mixed in terms of genre. Atonal Crap had no Ambient influences at all, and Patrick believed he could not longer record Ambient. The Ambient Trilogy was easy to record, but two years later, Aei did not listen to much Ambient, and certainly did not want to take a step backwards.

To give the album an initial upbeat feeling, Aei used his Rickenbacker 620/12 to record the first three songs. The twelve string guitar was used for grim material on After Twelve and other later albums, but these new songs were easily recorded with such a bright instrument. "Don't Know What To Feel" is somber in tone, but continued the guitar-solo orientation of Benji and Mei. "Not So Happy" features slowed down tracks, akin to Chester. "Hey This Is Cool" utilizes heavy, strange delay to create a sonic vibration.

Recording took four days, with Aei not intending to make an album, or record one so quickly.

"...I mean, I did all that Ambient stuff in highschool. Ambient Guitar Solos was done after a year of planning. The difference between then and now is that I already have the Ambient wilderness patch, and it's a bit like trying to do what you've already done, but sound different. I think Repast is like a two way mirror for me, because I did revisit Aerial Coil, I did use some of the same things from Ambient Guitar Solos. The biggest difference is that I'm a better player."

"I'm excited about this album, because it's my best. I know to not expect much attention for it, but I love every second of it anyway." - 3/23/12

Track List

1. Matter of Fact

2. Lost Repast

3. Frontal

4. Don't Know What To Feel

5. Flamenco Neck

6. Dialtone

7. Not So Happy

8. Hey This Is Cool