North Satellite - Past Life Half-Lived (2023)

Past Life Half-Lived, is the debut full-length under M. Eugene Lemcio’s (aka Eugene Tambourine) North Satellite moniker. The album revels in the human touch, of fingers playing on metal, wood, strings and skins. Peek inside Eugene’s Brooklyn home studio, and you’ll find an embarrassment of percussion (congas, shakers, bells, claves, guiros, a glockenspiel… the list is long!) as well as Slavic stringed instruments and a single keyboard. The bounty of sounds at Lemcio’s disposal underscores his judicious arranging. “You don’t record the whole room,” he reasons. “My choices are very intentional.”

While North Satellite is one individual’s musical vision, fellow travelers such as Darshan Jesrani (Metro Area) have assisted Lemcio on the journey, mixing Past Life Half-Lived and releasing North Satellite’s A Rising Sign (2020) and Core Discord (2021) EPs on his Startree imprint. The final product is one of the debut releases on El Triángulo, a new label operated by Quinn Lamont Luke (Bing Ji Ling, Phenomenal Handclap Band).

If you require a reference point in our earthly realm, think Compass Point Studios in Nassau, birthplace of Tom Tom Club, Thompson Twins, and Grace Jones masterpieces. Arranger and keyboard player Wally Badarou, featured on many Compass Points classics, is one of Eugene’s favorites. Live instruments and a wide array of tone colors animate Past Life Half-Lived, yielding an experience that makes for sublime headphone listening yet also provides new possibilities for the dance floor.