It’s been over 30 years since experimental musician Arthur Russell died, but his vast discography continues to grow. On Friday (June 23rd), Audika Records shared Picture of Bunny Rabbit, the latest posthumous compilation of previously-unreleased music from the New York-based composer and cellist. Listen to the album below.
With nine new tracks, Picture of Bunny Rabbit offers a glimpse into Russell’s creative process during the final period of his life. Recorded in the mid-’80s, right before he was diagnosed with HIV, the songs demonstrate his unique, inventive approach to songwriting and production. Tape scratches and momentary distortions of sound come together to form a beautiful, lo-fi mosaic, demonstrating just how ahead of his time Russell was.
According to Audika Records, the songs on Picture of Bunny Rabbit come from two test pressings, one of which was provided by Russell’s mother and sister. Most of the material was recorded with engineer Eric Liljestrand at Battery Sound Studios, “directly opposite” the World Trade Center in Manhattan. Steve Knutson, a Russell archivist, and Tom Lee, Russell’s former lover, both have producer credits on the new release.
“Music is a very personal thing,” Russell said to Soho Weekly News in 1977 during an interview which Audika Records quotes from for the press material for the new compilation. “How you deal with your music is very closely linked with how you deal with your life. If you misuse your capacities as a musician, you’re misusing your capacities as a human being and you’re taking humanity in the wrong direction.”
Picture of Bunny Rabbit is available on DSPs, as well as on CD, cassette, and vinyl — you can order the album via Bandcamp.
Picture of Bunny Rabbit Artwork:
Picture of Bunny Rabbit Tracklist:
01. Fuzzbuster #10
02. Not Checking Up
03. Telling No One
04. Fuzzbuster #06
05. The Boy With a Smile
06. Fuzzbuster #09
07. Very Reason
08. Picture of Bunny Rabbit
09. In the Light of a Miracle