OUR SECOND EP - "THI RX" - OUT NOW!

We really and truly appreciate the patience you have all shown regarding all/any of our changed plans and changed release schedules over the last few years. It’s a long story regarding why we had to go at this pace, but we still plan on following through with everything, and we are happy to announce a big development in those recovery efforts.

Today, we have released another meticulously crafted EP, one that yet-again milks the amount of time allotted to maintain EP status. It’s called the “Thi rx EP.” We are quite proud of it. You can even consider this EP another precursor to our eventual double LP, which we still plan on releasing before long. You can read more about the “Thi rx EP" in the album bio below, or at the attached link to the album on Bandcamp (at the bottom). The album should also be available through most digital distributors over the next two days, for anyone who prefers Spotify or Apple Music or those types of platforms. We hope you enjoy our EP and find it timely.

Bio Description

This brand new EP by The Strato Ensemble, entitled Thi RX, is yet another forerunner to their eventual double LP - A Brief History Of The Sky. They offer it for sale as a gesture to fans, and to take up some slack on the rather extreme delays regarding the aforementioned LP. Similar to the ensemble''s last EP, "Thi rx" is a selection of purely improvised performances spanning roughly a five-year period and covering a variety of instrumental styles. Elements of electronic music, ambient, glitch, jazz, fusion and progressive rock can be heard in this material, as well as spoken word poet B1 (Brian De Benedictis [Dean's brother]) who recites one of his pieces during a concert-excerpt track. “Thi rx” might seem as though it's inferring the word T-Rex, as in the predatory dinosaur, but it's actually the exact spelling for a term that simply means 'waiting' in Siamese Thai. The band found this title appropriate for the occasion, as we continue awaiting the hopefully-soon completion and release of their double LP. The Stratos Ensemble actually condones both meanings that the title "Thi rx" infers, or any other for that matter. The meaning is simply a gesture from the band and their way of showing appreciation and acknowledgment for the patience of any/all fans.

Stratos players featured on the Thi rx EP are:

(Current Members)

Robert Gross - electric bass

Coco Roussel - drums, drum pads, additional synth

Dean De Benedictis - piano, keyboards, electronics (e.g. synths, effects, digital instrumentation), vocals, production

(Past Members)

Brandon McGregor - electric guitar

Rod McDowell - electric bass

David Boswell- guitar & guitar synth

Brian De Benedictis (B1) - spoken word

Brock Bowers - drums Carl Royce - upright bass

Jim Goetsch - soprano sax