In between takes from the critically acclaimed Aloha album Some Echoes, Cale Parks recorded the songs that would eventually become Illuminated Manuscript. Parks has played full time in Aloha (Polyvinyl), and has been a touring member of CEX (TigerBeat6|Record Label), Joan of Arc (Perishable|Polyvinyl), Love of Everything (Record Label), and Georgie James (ex-Q and Not U). In addition he has lent his hands to a number of projects, Pit Er Pat (Thrill Jockey), Chin Up Chin Up (Suicide Squeeze), and Owen (Polyvinyl), among others.

The US version will be released on Polyvinyl Record Co. on Sept 26th, 2006. It features four new songs not originally included on the Japanese version of Illuminated Manuscript that was released in June of 2006. The stateside release also features new artwork, and was remastered by Aloha bandmate T.J. Lipple at Silver Sonya studios.

Illuminated Manuscript has an intimate but intricate bedroom ambient electronic sound. All keyboards, and mallet instruments, the TV is on in the background, the cat walks through the room meowing occasionally. Relax, and wait for the coda. In the last year, Parks split his time between several cities where he wrote all of the songs on the album. Recorded on borrowed four-tracks and computers, as he slept in borrowed beds, somehow, all of the songs feel comfortable, at home.