Today, Albany, NY label Equal Vision Records have released Safe & Sound: An Isolation Compilation as a way to give back to their artists. The compilation features re-imagined and exclusive versions of songs from bands on the label including long-time staples like Saves The Day, Armor For Sleep, and I The Mighty, and newer acts like Young Culture, Sleep On It, and Vagrants. Released digitally via Bandcamp, Equal Vision Records will be giving 100% of the sale proceeds to bands who contributed to the compilation, many of whom’s tour schedules were canceled due to the ongoing pandemic.
On the release, Equal Vision Records label manager Dan Sandshaw stated:
“When the pandemic hit, we quickly identified a couple of goals. First, we wanted to find a way to give our bands some direct relief while all tours were grounded. Second, we set out to create a compilation to document the unprecedented times we are all living in. Both goals were accomplished and I’m proud of what our bands and team were able to create.”
The compilation kicks off with Hail The Sun providing an acoustic version of “The Stranger In Our Pictures”, a long-time fan favorite of the band’s stripped-down performances now recorded for the first time. Armor For Sleep unleash a haunting version of 2005’s “Basement Ghost Singing”, while emo mathcore act Kaonashi change things up on an acoustic rendition of “Coffee & Conversation” with August Axcelson (bass) and Alex Hallquist (guitar) taking over vocal duties. Not every song on the 12 track compilation brings a stripped-down approach, however. Bars Of Gold (members of Bear Vs. Shark) take an eclectic, tropical-infused manner on “Blue Lightning”, originally appearing on the band’s 2013 album, Wheels. Rounding out the compilation is Saves The Day who turned three songs from their 2013 self-titled album – “Remember”, “Verona”, and “Ring Pop” – into a totally new, yet still recognizable ten-minute medley featuring contributions from hip-hop artist Lloyd Vines. In celebration, the band has also released a music video for the medley which you can view here now.
You can purchase Safe & Sound now on Bandcamp or MerchNow and find the full tracklisting below.
Safe & Sound Tracklisting:
1. Hail The Sun – The Stranger in Our Pictures (Re-imagined)
2. Armor For Sleep – Basement Ghost Singing (Re-imagined)
3. Young Culture – Theme from This is Heaven
4. Kaonashi – Coffee & Conversation (Re-imagined)
5. I the Mighty – Sleepwalker (Re-imagined)
6. Sleep On It – Take Me Back (Re-imagined)
7. Calling All Captains – Chasing Ghosts (Re-imagined)
8. Vagrants – Clarity (Re-imagined)
9. Nova Charisma – Misleading the Story (Re-imagined)
10. Bars of Gold – Blue Lightning (Re-imagined)
11. As Cities Burn – Live Convinced (Re-Imagined)
12. Saves the Day – Remember/Verona/Ring Pop (Ft. Lloyd Vines)