It’s been a busy two years since Conor Barnes and Peter Sanfilippo started their ambient techno project Left-Handed Archer. Longtime friends and musical collaborators, the duo wanted to produce and explore the kinds of music they connected with the most: dark, atmospheric electronic music in the style of European and American artists like Trent Reznor, Andy Stott, and Vatican Shadow.

"Our music is a bit different from what we typically think of as Kingston music," related Sanfilippo. "But we think there's an audience in town for what we make. So far, most of our listeners have been in Germany and the UK, but we'd love to better connect with our own community, too."

In 2023, Barnes and Sanfilippo produced two releases: their debut full-length record, These are the President’s Weapons, and the experimental EP, Be You A Mere Instrument. The pair spent 2024 exploring new ideas for their follow-up.

They found that inspiration in Kenya’s Mount Elgon National Park. Kitum Cave, near the Ugandan border, is one of five “elephant caves” on the face of Mount Elgon. Drawn to the cavern’s salt-rich walls. Kitum has hosted generations of elephants, whose tusk marks on the walls tell only part of the cave’s rich story. Kitum is host to all manner of life, from bats and hyenas to buffalo.

The Animal Vector is the result of their exploration. Across nine tracks, The Animal Vector crosses genre and style lines, combining found audio samples and techno beats to elicit a sense of exploration and disorientation, like a climber delving deeper and deeper into an unexplored cave, unaware of what may be lurking inside.

"The Animal Vector delves into the cave’s murky depths," explained the release notes. "[The album] explores humanity’s tenuous relationship to nature, and the consequences of our endless expansion of industry through immersive ambient soundscapes, limitless texture, and industrial techno rhythms."

So far a recording-only project, The Left-Handed Archer aren't planning any live performances, "But we do have plans for a lot more music in the coming months," remarked Sanfilippo.

Released January 31, 2025, The Animal Vector will be available via digital download or online streaming. Posted: Jan 29, 2025