Castanets (band)
Ray Raposa | |
|---|---|
| Born | Raymond Byron Magic Raposa 22 January 1981 Michigan City, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | 30 July 2022 (aged 41) |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, instrumentalist |
| Years active | Early 2000s–2022 |
| Known for | Castanets (musical project) |
Castanets represented the musical endeavor of Ray Raposa, who remained affiliated with Asthmatic Kitty Records from 2004 until his passing in 2022. Drawing inspiration from country, folk, and avant-garde rock genres, Castanets produced seven albums, among them Decimation Blues released in 2014. Raposa was the project's only permanent member, while various musicians participated in studio recordings and live performances. Originally hailing from San Diego, he later resided in Brooklyn and Portland, Oregon.
Biography
Raymond Byron Magic Raposa (January 22, 1981 – July 30, 2022) was an American singer-songwriter and instrumentalist. Although born in Michigan City, Indiana, his family relocated to San Diego when he was two years old. At age thirteen, he moved to Baja California where he was homeschooled for a year before leaving formal education at fifteen to travel throughout North America and the U.S. Virgin Islands, taking on various roles including surf instructor. During his late teens, Raposa became involved with the free-jazz ensemble Womb, which released a self-titled album in 2004. He also contributed to Liz Janes' live EP Liz Janes and the Three Hour Choir in 2003.
While engaging in collaborative efforts, Raposa developed solo material. Together with Nathan Delffs, he produced several CD-Rs such as What Kind of Cure (2002). Touring with Howard Hello led to connections with Liz Janes and Asthmatic Kitty Records. After Sufjan Stevens heard What Kind of Cure, he signed Raposa to the label. Instead of re-recording that album, Raposa created fresh compositions for Cathedral (2004). That same year, he relocated to Brooklyn alongside Stevens and took a job at a record store.
The follow-up album First Light's Freeze (2005) was primarily crafted by Raposa with contributions from Stevens and engineer Rafter Roberts. In 2007, In the Vines was released and categorized as indie folk by Pitchfork. Also in 2007, City of Refuge was partially recorded in Overton, Nevada before being completed in San Diego with input from Jason Crane, Pall Jenkins, Andy Robillard, and DM Stith. Prior to recording Texas Rose, the Thaw, and the Beasts, Raposa moved to Portland and embarked on extensive European tours.
Raposa’s touring ensemble included prominent musicians such as Annie Clark (St. Vincent), Matthew Houck (Phosphorescent), Jana Hunter and Red Hunter (Peter and the Wolf), as well as John McCauley (Deer Tick). He shared stages with acts like The Black Heart Procession, Deer Tick, Dirty Projectors, Michael Gira, Jana Hunter, Scout Niblett, Phosphorescent, and Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson among others.
The last Castanets release was Decimation Blues in 2014 through Asthmatic Kitty.
Raposa passed away on July 29, 2022 at age 41 due to undisclosed reasons. Sufjan Stevens commemorated him on Tumblr: “Raymond Raposa passed away yesterday... a bright star, a good friend, and a great musician... May perpetual light shine upon you.”
Style
Castanets played a significant role within the early 2000s American freak folk movement—also identified as psychedelic folk or New Weird America. In 2008, Raposa told Paste magazine that this scene was less unified than often portrayed, highlighting personal relationships over collective identity. While he had ambivalent views about the genre label itself, he valued the media attention it brought alongside his peers.
Concerning live shows, Raposa noted that both the number of participating musicians and the style of presentation shifted depending on his mood and circumstances.
Name
The origin of the band's name was coincidental and bore no connection to Raposa's Hispanic background. It emerged prior to a tour alongside Howard Hello and Lazarus, at a time when no official designation had been established. Raposa has mentioned that the suggestion might have come from Nathan Delffs' mother.
Side projects
In 2011, Raposa joined forces with Sufjan Stevens to compose the soundtrack for Kaleo La Belle's documentary Beyond This Place, also performing live during four separate screenings. They later provided the score for La Belle's 2017 film Fell in Love with a Girl. The title song from Beyond This Place featured the artist Vesper.
September 2012 saw the release of Little Death Shaker, issued under the name Raymond Byron and the White Freighter through Asthmatic Kitty. This album delved into themes familiar to Castanets' repertoire and included contributions from both new and previous collaborators.
The Castanets track "You are the Blood" was featured in the closing credits of the video game Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. Additionally, Sufjan Stevens covered this piece on the first disc of the 2009 charity album Dark Was the Night, which also contained a remix by DJ Buck 65 and rapper Serengeti on its second disc. This compilation was created to benefit the Red Hot Organization, an entity focused on HIV/AIDS education and fundraising efforts.
Discography
Albums
- Cathedral (2004, Asthmatic Kitty)
- First Light's Freeze (2005, Asthmatic Kitty)
- In the Vines (2007, Asthmatic Kitty)
- City of Refuge (2008, Asthmatic Kitty)
- Texas Rose, the Thaw, and the Beasts (2009, Asthmatic Kitty)
- Little Death Shaker (credited to Raymond Byron and the White Freighter) (2012, Asthmatic Kitty)
- Decimation Blues (2014, Asthmatic Kitty)
- Bond Wire Cur (credited to Castanets and Raymond Byron) (2022, ESP-DISK)
EPs
- Self-titled 12-inch (with I Heart Lung) (2005, Sounds Are Active)
- Unusual Animals, Vol. 2 10-inch (with Dirty Projectors) (2006, Asthmatic Kitty)
- Tour EP (with Shapes and Sizes) (2007, Asthmatic Kitty)
Singles
- Insound 7-inch Box Series, Vol. 4 (with Wooden Wand) (2006, Insound)
- "Strong Animal" 7-inch (2008, Asthmatic Kitty)
- "I'm No Stranger to the Rain" 7-inch (2012, Wool Recordings)