A collection of essays written by the late Jon Hassell about his own work are due to be published this October.
Titled Atmospherics, the 68-page book contains notes on records like Vernal Equinox, Earthquake Island, Possible Musics and Dream Theory In Malaya, among others. In the year leading up to his death earlier this summer, Hassell worked with his Ndeya imprint to create a print publication of the essays, which span 30 years.
This is the first edition of essays, with a second instalment planned for the future if there’s enough demand. It can be pre-ordered via Bleep, with all proceeds from sales going towards the Jon Hassell Fund, a crowdfunder launched by family and friends to cover Hassell’s medical care expenses.
Speaking before his death, Hassell explained the book’s title thusly: "In trying to fully understand anyone or anything, I’ve always wanted to get a feel for the physical and psychic landscape of the time: what kind of light was in the room or in the forest, what sounds and smells were in the air, what families and friends looked like, whether there were animals and children around, what were they eating, what was funny, what was sexy, what was sad—in other words, the ‘atmospherics’ of a situation."
Hassell, a pioneer of the "fourth world" musical aesthetic, passed away in June, aged 84, of natural causes.
Ndeya will publish Atmospherics on October 1, 2021.
