Death's Dynamic Shroud (stylized in all lowercase; also known as death's dynamic shroud.wmv under specific releases) is an American electronic and vaporwave trio consisting of James Webster, Tech Honors, and Keith Rankin.[1] The band releases a large amount of music regularly as sample-driven mixtapes under the .wmv moniker, in addition to releasing more standard mainline albums.
The band's conception started with just James Webster and Tech Honors in late 2013, releasing their first mixtape (by James) on January 2, 2014. Keith Rankin joined later in August that same year in the co-creation of the first mainline album 신세기 EVANGELIS with James Webster. However, James Webster and Tech Honors had been creating music together and independently, for several years prior.[2][3] In 2017, with the release of their album Heavy Black Heart, the group used the name, 'death's dynamic shroud' for mainline albums, and 'death's dynamic shroud.wmv' for their NUWRLD mixtape series.
History
Since their teens, Honors and Webster played together in the space rock band, The Sailing, with Honors on vocals and keyboard, and Webster on vocals and guitar.[4]
In early 2011, Rankin founded Orange Milk Records with Seth Graham.[5]
In 2015, the album I'll Try Living Like This, was released digital and CD-R. Unlike previous Death's Dynamic Shroud albums by Rankin or Webster, I'll Try Living Like This was not produced using the Portastudio, in order to complement the CD-R release. It was ranked #15 out of 50 on FACT Magazine's Top 50 Best Albums of 2015.[6]
Modern Conception
In 2017 they released Heavy Black Heart under Orange Milk Records, and marked the group's first album with all three members working together. It also marked a slight departure from vaporwaves' typically lo-fi production while still retaining its sample-heavy roots.[7] The band regards the release as an inflection point that defined their creative structure, and saw more standardization of release names and collaborations.
Honors and Webster would feature together as death's dynamic shroud on the 2018 Neo Gaia Phantasy Tour in Japan, alongside other musicians in the vaporwave scene Equip and R23X. The tour visited Okazaki, Kobe, Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo.[8] The setlist played on the tour would later be re-recorded and mastered as a studio album in 2019, Live From Japan, featuring remade songs from previous albums and mixtapes alongside new material. Webster would return for the second Neo Gaia Phantasy Tour in 2019, although Honors would not be able to attend.
In late 2020 the NUWRLD Mixtape Club, a Bandcamp subscription service which allowed members access to exclusive death's dynamic shroud mixtapes on a monthly basis was opened to the public. For the first year of the mixtape club, mixtapes were produced by Honors and Webster, alternating each month. Rankin would release his first mixtape for the club, Faith In Persona on November 1, 2021, to favorable reviews and marked a turning point in the group's visibility.[9] It would be released on Spotify and Apple Music a month later.
In early 2022 the band announced a new mainline album titled Darklife,[10] again featuring contributions from all three members, which was later released in September to positive reviews.[11][12] The album was praised for being ambitious and unlike most contemporary electronic music releases. A follow-up album, After Angel, was released in 2023 consisting of material recorded in the same sessions as Darklife, eight songs which were available previously on two EPs, and four new tracks.
Discography
NUWRLD Mixtapes (2014)
Title
Date
Details
Producers
シェンムーONLINE
January 2, 2014
Label: Self-released
James Webster
ティーンファンタジー：MYSTIC QUEST
February 18, 2014
Label: Self-released
Tech Honors
D.E.S.I.R.E.私が若い頃
March 1, 2014
Label: Self-released
James Webster
RPGウィンドウズ ビスタ
March 15, 2014
Label: Self-released
James Webster
#NUWRLDの気持ち
April 6, 2014
Label: Ailanthus Recordings (AR080)
James Webster
世界大戦OLYMPICS
April 20, 2014
Label: Self-released
Tech Honors
SEAWRLDハートブレーク
June 8, 2014
Label: Self-released
Tech Honors
DERELICTメガタワー
June 20, 2014
Label: Self-released, Dream Catalogue (DREAM_28)
James Webster
失われた時REGRET
August 1, 2014
Label: Self-released
Notes: First collaborative release
James Webster
Tech Honors
Mainline albums (2014–present)
Title
Date
Details
Producers
신세기 EVANGELIS
August 26, 2014
Label: Self-released
James Webster
Keith Rankin
VIRTUAL UTOPIA EXPERIENCE
November 8, 2014
Label: Self-released
James Webster
I'll Try Living Like This
May 15, 2015
Label: Dream Catalogue (DREAM_98)
James Webster
Keith Rankin
CLASSROOM SEXXTAPE
May 13, 2016
Label: Self-released
Tech Honors
Heavy Black Heart
August 15, 2017
Label: Orange Milk Records
Tech Honors
James Webster
Keith Rankin
Darklife
September 23, 2022
Label: 100% Electronica (147P)
Tech Honors
James Webster
Keith Rankin
After Angel
June 30, 2023
Label: Self-released
Tech Honors
James Webster
Live albums
Title
Date
Details
Performers
Live from Japan
September 6, 2019
Label: Ghost Diamond (GDR010)
James Webster
Tech Honors
Singles
"Judgment Bolt" (2022)
"Neon Memories" (2022)
"Messe de E-102" (2022)
"Fall for Me" (2022)
"You Are Burning Me Up Like This" (2023)
"Phantom You, In Four Parts" (2023)
"The Bleeding of the Sun" (2023)
"Love Heat" (2023)
"What? to be human" (2023)
"Who I Say I Am" (2023)
"Let Them Live" (2023)
"Profane Angelic Function" (2023)
NUWRLD Mixtape Club releases (2020–present)
Title
Date
Details
Producers
SEAWRLD 2
November 2, 2020
Tech Honors
さよならTAISAI
December 1, 2020
James Webster
YELLOW FLOWER LOST
January 1, 2021
Tech Honors
ENDLESSメガタワー I
February 1, 2021
James Webster
おはよう ATHLETICS!
March 1, 2021
Tech Honors
Sleepless
April 1, 2021
James Webster
The Masterflan
May 1, 2021
Compilation
Tech Honors
James Webster
サンシャインMANIA
June 1, 2021
James Webster
POISONの時代に
July 1, 2021
Also released on vinyl
Tech Honors
ENDLESSメガタワー II
August 1, 2021
James Webster
softwrld
September 1, 2021
Tech Honors
Monument to the Architect
October 1, 2021
Also released on vinyl
James Webster
Faith in Persona
November 1, 2021
Also released on streaming platforms and on vinyl
Keith Rankin
A Quiet Reset
December 1, 2021
Tech Honors
ENDLESSメガタワー III
January 1, 2022
James Webster
RIBBON EP
January 6, 2022
EP
James Webster
Crisis パーティ
February 1, 2022
Tech Honors
Keys to the Gate
March 1, 2022
Also released on streaming platforms and on vinyl
James Webster
Kingdom of One
April 2, 2022
Tech Honors
Transcendence Bot
May 1, 2022
Also released on streaming platforms and on vinyl
Keith Rankin
DREAMガーデン
June 1, 2022
James Webster
Midnight Tangerine
July 7, 2022
Also released on streaming platforms and on vinyl
Tech Honors
Reality 2: Archive of Fading Mist (part ii)
August 7, 2022
Keith Rankin
ENDLESSメガタワー IV
September 7, 2022
James Webster
The Lunar Curtain
October 7, 2022
Compilation
Tech Honors
James Webster
Keith Rankin
MYSTIC QUEST REMAKE
November 23, 2022
Tech Honors
Bio System-J
December 7, 2022
Compilation
Tech Honors
James Webster
Keith Rankin
MYSTIC SIDEQUEST EP
December 21, 2022
EP
Tech Honors
Together, Our Thing
January 7, 2023
First collaborative release made for the NUWRLD Mixtape Club
Keith Rankin
Holly Waxwing
Holy Magic Self
February 7, 2023
James Webster
History of Holy Magic
February 15, 2023
Unedited recordings used to create Holy Magic Self
↑ "About/Demo/Return Policy". Orange Milk Records. August 4, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2022. Orange Milk Records is operated by Keith Rankin and Seth Graham.
↑ Ravens, Chal; Wilson, Scott; Lea, Thom; Twells, John; Kelly, Chris; Bowe, Miles. "The 50 Best Albums of 2015". FACT Magazine. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
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