Mike Watt (Independent artist/The Minutemen/fIREHOSE/The Stooges): "Your new music is great!"
Eric Corton (Kink FM): "Wow (...) Looks and sounds very beautiful!"
It’s Psychedelic Baby: “A captivating fusion of multi-instrumental talent and thoughtful songwriting (…) ‘Shun’ offers listeners a poignant exploration of human experiences. Each track is a tapestry of emotions, woven together with intricate melodies and evocative lyrics. Holkenborg’s musical prowess shines through on every track, showcasing his versatility as a songwriter and performer (…) Truly fantastic!”
Stoner Hive: "As you continue along the Shun story line you feel the album becomes increasingly more like a classic study of alienation, creativity and the outsider mind (...) There is no shortage of beauty on this album - 5/5 stars"
Nevermind The Hype: "'Shun' is quite a striking and extremely interesting record (...) A unique Sound of Niche-Gesamtkunstwerk."
BIO
Kintsugi Empire is the alter ego of Pieter Holkenborg (1981), a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter based in Arnhem. He was a former member of adventurous guitar bands Automatic Sam, Shaking Godspeed, and Woost. In addition to Kintsugi Empire, Holkenborg is active in the jamband ATLANTA, the lo-fi punk rock sextet Geishas Of Doom, the experimental guitar duo Tatabánya, and the American improvisation collective Ten East, led by Yawning Man guitarist Gary Arce.
SHUN
'to shun: persistently avoid, ignore, or reject (someone or something) through antipathy or caution’
The common theme of 'Shun' revolves around various encounters with individuals who have, consciously or not, chosen a life on the margins of society. Conversations during these encounters ranged from intense and open-hearted to dark, incomprehensible, and sometimes (tragi)comic. Holkenborg reflects, "I often contemplate the idea that not much needs to happen in a person's life to lose control over existence. In the past, I have found myself at such a point. When I meet people who have lost control of their lives, there is a bizarre combination of recognition, curiosity, compassion, and voyeurism that prompts me to initiate a conversation. Although I'm generally not interested in 'small talk’, I am rarely disappointed during such encounters. 'Shun' is my small ode and an unsolicited word of encouragement to everyone who is feeling lost, wandering the world or their mind, and to everyone forging their own path, regardless of the destination.”
On the seven tracks of 'Shun', Holkenborg takes on almost all the instruments. The album features two guest musicians: Urban Dance Squad vocalist Patrick Tilon (better known as Rudeboy) on 'Charlatans' and pedal steel guitarist Johan Jansen (Ilse DeLange/Derek Trucks) on 'Memories Of A Guardian Hitchhiker’.
For the physical release of 'Shun,' Désirée Hanssen of Sound Of Niche/Lay Bare Recordings enlisted photographer Maaike Ronhaar. Maaike created a specific work for each individual track, enhancing the atmosphere and theme of the album.
CONTACT / MORE INFO / BOOKINGS:
Kintsugi Empire:
kintsugiempire.bandcamp.com
Bookings/press: Pieter Holkenborg |
pholkenborg@hotmail.com
Label: Désirée Hanssen:
info@laybarerecordings.com |
www.soundofniche.com |
www.laybarerecordings.com
Maaike Ronhaar:
www.maaikeronhaar.com