#Jon Hassell Book Atmospherics Due Out This Fall

A collection of the late avant-garde composer Jon Hassell’s writings called Atmospherics is set to be released October 1, 2021. It will be published via Ndeya, the imprint founded in partnership with Warp for Hassell’s catalog. Hassell died at 84 natural causes in June. Check out a preview of the book below. 

Atmospherics comprises diaristic vignettes originally published on website, including essays and notes on the albums Vernal Equinox, Fourth World Vol. 1: Possible Musics, Dream Theory in Malaya: Fourth World Volume Two, and Listening to Pictures (Pentimento Volume One). The first edition is a 68-page 5” x 8” perfect bound volume; the publisher says that all profits will be directed to the GoFundMe meant to pay for Jon’s medical care in the last year of his life.

The publisher shared a statement from Hassell about his writings, which he had been assembling at the time of his death:

“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.”

Read about Hassell’s Vernal Equinox in Pitchfork‘s “50 Best Ambient Albums of All Time” list.