Tulipomania presents 'Shines On', the latest animated audio-visual exploration from the Philadelphia-based art-rock duo in support of their latest album (their fifth to date) 'Dreaming of Sleep', released via Sursumcorda Records.

As the album's third single, ‘Shines On’ continues the conceptual viewpoint of the album – embracing contradiction while inviting ambiguity. A light from long ago shines on in this paean to ambiguity, memory, and endurance.

Band membersTom Murray andCheryl Gelovercreated, then modified and manipulated their original footage to produce this animated exploration of light and color. The final animation is composed of thousands of individual collages, augmented by bold swipes of pastel on the distressed and reconfigured surfaces of black paper.

"The song introduces ambiguity in its exploration of the energy of light. Who is the teller of the tale?” asksCheryl Gelover. “We’re pretty pleased about that and we’re really happy with the way that the tuned, chorused background vocals resolved in the overall mix.”

Ever a signal of hope, guidance and fortitude, light appears here in many guises, from flashes of sunlight to the glow emitted by the pre-solid state digital age nixie tube numerical display and on everything reflected and refracted in it. Light scatters on images captured then collaged on torn paper fiber – illuminated again once filmed then viewed.

"Light from a great distance dances and reflects a memory of the past. Moving towards the future, carrying the past with it,” saysTom Murray. "We were able to embed a waltz-timed morse code message in the bridge of the song.”

Earlier, Tulipomania released the singles and accompanying videos for 'Then and Only Then', 'You Had to Be There' and a remix created by UK music legend Martyn Ware (Heaven 17, The Human League) and Charles Stooke, as featured on WIRE Magazine’s cover-mounted Wiretapper CD.

Over the years, Tulipomania's music has been dubbed cult synth punks, glam-leaning, post-punk, art-rock and muscular chamber pop, but on this album, the duo was heavily immersed in electronic means of creation.

The new 'Dreaming of Sleep' album features cover artwork by Michael Speed,senior designer at Beggars Group London, and involves Executive Producer Howard Thompson, a record industry executive (Elektra, Island, Almo Sounds), renowned for discovering and working with such artists as Adam and the Ants, Billy Bragg, MC5, Mötorhead, PiL, Psychedelic Furs, Robyn Hitchcock, The Sugarcubes and Suicide, among others.

"The music and the animations of this album explore outrage, powerlessness and the knowing kind of sorrow that emerges from those states of mind – often in bursts of absurdity. Being aware of the ridiculous often feels like salvation," says Cheryl Gelover.

Artistic, inventive and gorgeous, Tulipomania's animated music videos have been featured in film festivals worldwide, with several showcasing their latest few videos as an official selection, including the Leeds International Film Festival (UK), StopTrik (Croatia, Poland), AniFilm (Czech Republic), Insomnia (Russia), Malatesta (Italy) and CutOut animation festival (Mexico), as well as earning an Honorable Mention at the Montreal International Animation Film Festival - Animaze and named as finalist af the Amarcort Film Festival in Fellini's hometown.

Tulipomania also created animated music videos - 'Hush' and 'Shock To The Body' - for Cabaret Voltaire founder / frontman Stephen Mallinder in support of his solo album 'tick, tick, tick' (out now via Dais Records).

The 'Dream of Sleep’ album is out now, available digitally from fine music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where it can also be obtained on CD and vinyl.

'Dreaming of Sleep' LP https://tulipomania.bandcamp.com/album/dreaming-of-sleep
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/20ohNBN27ArtlUx9KA5AE1
'Shines On' single https://youtu.be/q0v0MIIU9o4
‘Then and Only Then’ single https://youtu.be/muCX0LtfebU
'You Had To Be There (Martyn Ware & Charles Stooke Remix)’ https://youtu.be/WijPS9hVEwk
'You Had To Be There' https://youtu.be/C0cSaWm9YV4

CREDITS
Music and lyrics written by Tulipomania
Cheryl Gelover - keyboards and vocals
Tom Murray - bass, drums, keyboards and lead vocals
Produced and recorded by Tulipomania and Richard Hartline
Howard Thompson - Executive Producer
Film directors / animators - Cheryl Gelover and Tom Murray
Cover artwork created by Michael Speed
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

"Tulipomania’s unique take on post-punk boasts gritty guitars underpinned by a brooding rhythm section to provide a backdrop for compelling and atmospheric vocals" ~ Louder Than War

"All the hallmarks of fine Cold War electronica: a brain-searing synth line, and an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia and bubbling anxiety" ~ Electronic Sound

"Like a good Lynch film, Tulipomania serves up a dystopian atmosphere that is drifting and cavernous, igniting one’s imagination, while the accompanying video is a fantastic shadowplay" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Between post-punk influenced synth pop and lush chamber pop... with visually distinctive videos" ~ WIRE Magazine

"Reverberating, rippling riffs are more soothing and spacious, replicating deep-sea sonar devices and lulling lap steels... mystery-laced lyrics"~Big Takeover Magazine

Philadelphia-based art-rock duoTulipomaniapresents'Then and Only Then', the latest single from their fifth album'Dreaming of Sleep'(out November 17 viaSursumcorda Records).

Alternately categorized as cult synth punks, glam-leaning, post-punk, art-rock and muscular chamber pop, Tulipomania isTom Murray(lead vocals, synthesizer, electronic percussion) andCheryl Gelover (synthesizer, background vocals), who first began their collaboration through projects for experimental film and animation classes. The duo now known as Tulipomania has evolved from those experiences.

"Memory is malleable – the song explores mutability. Lyrically, it's an internal struggle – sonically it projects that energy into the external world.Catharsis. Of course, the effectiveness of that strategy is debatable – that's the fun of it for those who can appreciate the irony – "knock yourself out". We do however believe the ultimate failure is apathy – never give up – the stakes are too high," saysCheryl Gelover.

Tom Murrayadds, "It’s about wearing yourself out trying to answer the unanswerable. Dealing with endless, groundless self-serving tales. Deciding to keep moving in the absence of a clear destination. Meditative frustration. Finding a groove to loop into – not answering is the answer."

'Dream of Sleep' album order https://tulipomania.bandcamp.com/album/dreaming-of-sleep
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/4I9L2NiYfLv84gRbbJ66oT
'You Had To Be There (Martyn Ware & Charles Stooke Remix)’ https://youtu.be/WijPS9hVEwk
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/6hgkfpNN76OpYSu0ShCT6I
'You Had To Be There' https://youtu.be/C0cSaWm9YV4
Bandcamp https://tulipomania.bandcamp.com/track/you-had-to-be-there
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/2SmdCdwdWHSD5aItTG9pEL

Earlier, the duo released the album's lead track 'You Had to Be There', followed by a remix by UK music legend Martyn Ware (Heaven 17, The Human League) and Charles Stooke, which is featured on WIRE Magazine’s cover-mounted Wiretapper CD compilation for October.

Its animated music video, featuring lip sync, original and vintage footage shot frame by frame, collaged on sheets of black paper - is an official selection at the CutOut Fest International festival of animation and digital art this November in Mexico. The ‘Dreaming of Sleep’ album sees the duo heavily immersed in electronic means of creation. With cover artwork by Michael Speed, senior designer at Beggars Group London, this record involves Executive Producer Howard Thompson, renowned for his contributions as a record industry executive (Elektra, Island, Almo Sounds), having discovered and/or worked with Adam and the Ants, Billy Bragg, MC5, Mötorhead, PiL, Psychedelic Furs, Robyn Hitchcock, The Sugarcubes, Suicide, among others.

Described as ‘artistic and inventive’ and ‘gorgeous', Tulipomania's animated music videos have been featured in film festivals worldwide. Numerous such festivals have already showcased this new video as an official selection, including the Leeds International Film Festival (UK), StopTrik (Croatia, Poland), AniFilm (Czech Republic), Insomnia (Russia) and Malatesta (Italy) with the Montreal International Animation Film Festival - Animaze awarding it an Honorable Mention.

Tulipomania also created animated music videos - 'Hush' and 'Shock To The Body' - for Cabaret Voltaire founder / frontman Stephen Mallinder in support of his solo album 'tick, tick, tick' (out now via Dais Records).

As of October 26, 'Then and Only Then’ is available everywhere, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. On November 17, the full 'Dreaming of Sleep' album will be released on CD, vinyl and digitally. It can be pre-ordered via Bandcamp.

CREDITS
Music and lyrics written by Tulipomania
Cheryl Gelover - keyboards and vocals
Tom Murray - bass, drums, keyboards and lead vocals
Produced and recorded by Tulipomania and Richard Hartline
Howard Thompson - Executive Producer
Film directors / animators - Cheryl Gelover and Tom Murray
Cover artwork created by Michael Speed
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

'Shines On' from Philadelphia's Tulipomania explores themes of light, showcasing their fifth album 'Dreaming of Sleep'

Philadelphia art-rock duo Tulipomania presents new single 'Then and Only Then', an anthem of mutability and catharsis