A Closer Listen
The theme of David Stubbs’ book Fear of Music: Why People Get Rothko But Don’t Get Stockhausen is less an explanation than an observation: the general public is more willing to embrace experimentation in modern art than in modern music. We suspect that most of the artists listed below have accepted that fact; they are not pursuing mainstream recognition as much as they are exploring the porous boundaries of sound. Fans of such music often discover unique recordings unlike any they have ever heard: a treasure chest, available to all but opened by only a few.
Our cover image is taken from Laetitia Sonami / Éliane Radigue’s A Song for Two Mothers / Occam IX on Black Truffle, covered below.
Electro-Acoustic
Düsseldorf’s TAL has three pre-orders up and running. The first to appear will be Razen‘s Rain Without Rain, which starts with a storm (naturally) and proceeds to transfer the timbres of rain to a wide range of organic and electronic instruments (September 6). The self-titled LP Permanent Parts unites the synthesists with a trio of guests, expanding their roster while posing questions about the nature of their own name (September 20). On October 18, So Sner fuses bass clarinet and electronics into a field of forest green.
Gianluca Ceccarini, Alessandro Ciccarelli and Tetsuroh Konishi present Yugen, a tonal work for brass, wind instruments and percussion, plus cello on a bonus track available only on the CD. The album sounds like a haiku, which is only fitting as a series of Konishi’s poems accompany the release (Disaster by Choice, October 14). Jessie Kleemann & Søren Gemmer collaborate on Lone Wolf Runner, the score to a performance piece. The album includes spoken word, poetry and syllabic fragments, delivered in three different languages (October 2). Allan Gilbert Baron‘s The Magnesia Suite begins with organ and choral voice before branching out, while never losing its essential sweetness. The deluxe box set includes a terracotta sculpture, an exclusive Blu-Ray film and a graphic score (Recital, September 13). Anthony Vine‘s Sound Spring expands on the score to the film of the same name (itself a series of films), replete with dialogue and field recordings from Yellow Springs, Ohio. The musicians interact with the natural sounds as if performing harmonic duets (kuyin, September 20).
Jos Smolders has very Cage-like instructions for the listener. Although Textur a [number 1-9} seems to have a fixed order, it’s adaptable: “Listeners are invited to design their own permutation or permutation of the permutation.” These tonal experiments – samples and samples of samples – results in intriguing play (Moving Furniture, September 13). Both Eventless Plot and Yiorgis Dimitriadis are percussionists, but Entanglements is not a drum album. Instead, it’s a deep dive into texture, tape and sample. This is the premiere release from Innovo Editions (September 1).
The Spring Spyre and ARP 2500 are showcased on Laetitia Sonami / Éliane Radigue‘s A Song for Two Mothers / Occam X, pairing two long compositions on a single record. The Spring Spyre is Sonami’s second major invention, and follows the Lady’s Glove, which she retired in 2016 (Black Truffle, September 5). Bruno Duplant experiments with heavy textures on Écouter les fantômes, an attempt to “transcribe a phantasmagorical, ancestral and secret universe” (Crónica, September 3). The label’s next release will be Matilde Meireles‘ Loop, And Again …, which amplifies the sounds of electrical fields and wires (October 8).
Heli Hartikainen‘s Chronovariations is a five-part suite for “tenor saxophone, live electronics, resonating metal objects, and a space with magnificent acoustics.” The artist is keenly interested not only in the physical, but the psychological dimensions of sound (September 6). Brass, cello, turntable and live electronics make Marconi’s Drift sound like a conversation in the midst of a murmuration. The name Transatlantic Trance Map is well chosen (False Walls, September 13). A conversation between the “human and the algrorhythmic,” Relatum blurs the lines between man and machine. Zeno van den Broek, HIIIT, Gagi Petrovic and Machines get the billing, although the A.I. may be miffed at being listed last (Moving Furniture, September 13).
Cape Canaveral‘s Ghost Rips delves into sound and silence, interval and repetition. While existing in electronic form, these cuts are more for clocks than clubs (Machine, October 4). Paradise Complete‘s Just an Umbra of Sympathy (pictured right) may start with the annoying sound of a supermarket self-check scanner, but stick with it; this collection of found sound takes some humorous and unexpected turns (Amalgam, September 13). With firecrackers and alarms, balanced by opera, organ and electronics, Christopher Chaplin‘s Door 1 Door 2 is an uneasy listen, the very definition of experimental (Fabrique, September 20).
Liminal Spaces
The field recording highlight of the season is a three-disc, 33-track, 4 hour CD set featuring a who’s who of field recordists and sound artists including Izabela Dłużyk, Diane Barbé, Pablo Diserens, even KMRU. Each artist contributes a recording of a harkening critters, a photograph and a short text. This is bound to be one of the releases of the year: a boon for fans and a perfect entry point for newcomers (forms of minutiae, September 20). Amazingly, it’s not the only triple-disc that will appear this fall, as Craig Shepard‘s On Foot: Aubervilliers traces three weeks of Parisian walks in the halcyon summer of 2019 (Infrequent Seams, October 11). Later this fall, forms of minutiae presents the return of Diane Barbé, whose musiques tourbes will include “a mixture of wetlands soundscapes and biomimicking synthesis” (November 22).
Meanwhile, fall’s single-artist field recording gem is Izabela Dłużyk‘s The Amazon – Where the Moon Wept. Long-time readers will recall the artist’s Soundscapes of Spring and Soundscapes of Summer, as well as her lifelong dream to record in the Amazon – which has now come true (LOM, September 9). Incorporating sonification data from the Hudson River, Greenland, the Arctic and Antarctic, MF Clarke creates soundscapes of field recordings, music and voice; Arrays is her first release (Oxtail Recordings, September 20).
Duo Extempore is a piano and bass duo that operates as a trio, using field recordings as their “third partner.” On Ordinary Places, the locations include coffee shop, subway, kitchen and car (September 26). crys cole is Making Conversation on an album that sounds like field recordings, while containing none. These pieces were inspired by the nighttime sounds of Bali and recorded from memory in the studio (Black Truffle, September 19). With “woodchips, farming equipment, sticks, stones and rubbish as instruments,” Nicholas Maloney and Yama Yuki use the physical field as recording. On Live at Parking Lots, one hears the passing traffic and the wind on the asphalt, producing a haunted tone (Flaming Pines, 4 October). Felicia Atkinson‘s Space As An Instrument is ambient in timbre, but experimental in tone. Inspired by the night sky, the quiet album blends field recordings, piano, whisper and spoken word (Shelter Press, October 25).
harte echtzeit uses “recordings of gravitational waves as if they were field recordings,” a unique approach that results in an abstract electronic sound. Fittingly, ji kū kan is released September 14 on Call It Anything Records. The first live video from Beaux Timbres demonstrates Sam Underwood & Graham Dunning having fun with pinball knobs, ping-pong balls and reel-to-reel tape, a grown-up kid’s dream. We’re especially excited to hear “Biscuit and Milk” (Accidental, September 20). A radio play encased in a 48-page hardback book, Robin Mackay‘s By the North Sea manages to straddle the historical and speculative, incorporating field recordings, spoken word and an array of instrumentation (Flatlines, September 13).
Isak Hedtjärn may be a solo clarinetist, but on Kvarpan he often performs as his own quartet. The timbre borders on drone, with a tonal spirit (fönstret, September 6). Ueno Takashi (half of Tenniscoats) plays guitar in ways that don’t sound like guitar, expanding the tonal palette of the instrument and fooling the ear. ARMS is released October 18 on Room40. With three acoustic guitars and one percussionist, Machtelinckx/Badenhorst/Cools/Gouband makes a lovely and surprisingly accessible sound. Porous Structures II, the sequel to an album with a slightly different lineup, is out September 27 on Aspen Edities.
It’s probably safe to say that Timothy Archambault‘s Onimikìg (Thunder) is the only album on the fall slate to include the sounds of otter penis. But the real story is the Algonquin flute inspired by “indigenous brontomancy (divination by thunder)” (Ideologic Organ, September 6). An only slightly more popular instrument is the telescopic aulos, mastered by Lukas De Clerck on The Telescopic Aulos of Atlas. The sound of this classic Greek instrument spans multiple centuries, and is resurrected by the artist and given a 21st century spin (Ideologic Organ, September 6). In like manner, Etienne Nillesen uses an array of techniques to coax a wider variety of sounds from the snare drum than we’d ever thought possible. The results appear on en (SOFA, September 6).
Keir Cooper + Eleanor Westbrook‘s Star Quality – Speculations for Guitar and Voice is a pretty descriptive title, and these soprano explorations go down the rabbit hole without using a single actual word (Discus Music, September 27). For words – plus a really wild delivery – go to DOPPELMOPPEL – Poems by Kurt Schwitters, from Anna Clementi & Thomas Stern. The short, punchy tracks are guaranteed to catch listeners off guard, even after the warning (Corvo, October 19). otay:onii‘s expressive voice carves paths around piano notes on True Faith Ain’t Blind, sometimes melodic and other times dissonant (N0-Gold, September 20).
Jazz and Improvisation
We can’t help but smile when seeing that Righteous Rooster is releasing an album called Fowl Play, with a cover to match. This infectious sense of fun transfers to the jazz grooves, which are lively, engaging and accessible (Shifting Paradigm, October 25). Also on the label, trumpet/flugelhorn player Michael Serian joins a number of his contemporaries on Live at Cliff Bell’s, recorded in Detroit and including a selection of tunes both new and old (September 13); Twin Talk Live presents the Chicago trio at home and at their best (September 27); Brad Shepak, who plays guitar, Bulgarian tambura, saz and banjo, leads a quintet on Human Activity: Dream of the Possible, addressing climate change with hope (October 11); and guitarist Zacc Harris also leads a quintet on Chasing Shadows, inspired by the natural world (November 15).
Also suitable for all audiences is the Sandy Evans Trio, anchored by Evans’ sax, who produce t0e-tapping music on The Running Tide (September 27). Joel Lyssarides & Giorgios Prokopiou team up for Arcs & Rivers while combining their talents on piano and bouzouki, resulting in a trio of pairs that bridges cultures and timbres (Challenge, September 27). Vibraphonist Simon Moullier enlists the aid of Gerald Clayton on Elements of Light, the title track of his upcoming “postbox” album on Candid (September 20). Niwel Tsumbo offers accessible, yet intricate solo guitar work on Milimo, which soothes and challenges in equal measure (Diatribe, October 4). Dal:um is “the sound of 21st century Seoul,” and Coexistence offers a virtuoso duo performance on the gayageum and geomungo (Glitterbeat, October 4).
Odyssey to Self is the debut for modern jazz pianist Orson Claeys, who makes the most of the EP format on a punchy set that invites percussion and saxophone to flesh out the recordings (Sdban Ultra, September 27). On the other side of the spectrum, pianist Chucho Valdés has already won seven Grammies; teamed with the Royal Quartet, the 60-year veteran introduces Cuba & Beyond on September 20, preceded by Tatomania, which includes some amazing bongos. The second album of flutist Elsa Nilson‘s Atlas of Sound project, Quila Quina -40°17’38.21”N, -71°45’68.48”S, is a collaboration with pianist Santiago Leibson and will be available on ears&eyes October 11.
One of the wild things we’ve learned about 577 Records is that there is always another album on the way.. This season is no exception, as the already announced recordings include Shine Hear Vol. 2 from Daniel Carter, Leo Genovese, William Parker, Francesco Mela, a who’s who of the roster (September 6); Nichunimu‘s outside-the-box Calados, in which radio is a primary instrument (September 20); Leo Geonovese‘s own Forward, a work for solo piano (October 4); Pat Thomas‘ This Is Trick Stop, an abstract hip-hop album that is unusual for the label, but a welcome expansion of their sound (October 18); and Eunhye Jong‘s End of Time / KM-53 Project, Vol. 2, an elegy to an Asiatic black bear who would not stay in his human-designated location (October 25).
Pyroclastic‘s fall slate begins with the Patricia Brennan Septet, whose colorful album Breaking Stretch showcases the composer’s vibraphone, marimba and Mexican roots (September 6), This will be followed in turn by Kris Davis‘ Run the Gauntlet, which pays tribute to six influential female pianists. The album is Davis’ first with a new trio (September 27). Then on October 18, Brandon Seabrook layers an array of guitars and banjos to produce an exciting hybrid sound. Guitarist Wendy Eisenburg works with a host of guest improvisors on Viewfinder, along with visual engineer Richard Lenz (what a great name for this profession!). The impetus was Lasik surgery and the artist’s personal meditation on perception and blindness. In keeping with the theme, every slice of vinyl is unique (American Dreams, September 13).
Earshift Music has announced four albums for fall. The Melbourne improvisational ensemble of cellist Peggy Lee, saxophonist Julien Wilson, guitarist Theo Carbo, and drummer Dylan van der Schyff kicks things off with Open Thread on September 10, chased three days later by bassist Ross McHenry‘s ensemble-based Waves. Glenn Doig leads a trio on Trio (November 1); one week later, Vazesh returns with the global sounds of Tapestry, featuring Jeremy Rose on saxophone and bass clarinet, Hamed Sadeghi on tar and Lloyd Swanton on bass.
Tenor saxophonist Ben Solomon will release two albums in rapid succession this month. The first is Echolocation, on which Solomon leads a quartet; the second, Chromatophores Book II is a set of solo etudes (Giant Step Arts, September 20). Bass clarinetist Jason Stein forms a quartet on Anchors, which suggests water with its sense of improvisational fluidity (TAO Forms, September 13). Bassist Farida Amadou rocks out on When It Rains It Pours, demonstrating the power of the instrument and the solo player (Week-End, September 6). Bassist Anna Buttress leads an ensemble on Mighty Vertebrae, conducting multiple experiments with the instrument, including “making a song where the bass doesn’t function as a bass” (International Anthem, October 4).
Live improvisational quartet Tulpas presents Atisbo, recorded live in Mexico City and showcasing an array of vibrant saxophones (Astral Spirits, September 13). The Rich Halley 4 offer Dusk and Dawn on October 25, showcasing the sound of their leader’s expressive tenor saxophone. Spherical Aberration is the first taste (Pine Eagle). David Weiss Sextet is led by the trumpeter but comes across as a true group effort. Auteur is out September 20 on Origin. Bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten leads a septet on Breezy, which at times sounds more like a tropical storm. The first synaesthetic video can be viewed here (Sonic Transmissions, September 27). Arun Ramamurthy Trio investigates the interesection of American jazz and Indian classical on New Moon, released September 20 on Greenleaf Music.
Drum, guitar and pipe organ is an unusual combo, brought to life by Bill Friselle-Andrew Cyrille-Kit Downes on Breaking the Shell. Lucy Railton contributes cello to one track (Red Hook, September 27). Influenced by sci-fi B-movies, Scarla O’Horror presents their Semiconductor Taxidermy for the Masses. Special attention has been showered on the internal art, which is rife with experimental mice (Not Applicable, September 20). Percussionist Max Jaffe offers a “solo album with an ensemble” on Reduction of Man, which makes use of the Sensory Production drum set and ends up being an ode to New York City (Whited Sepulchre, September 13). Recorded live in Tokyo, Liberski/Yoshida swap the shark for a whale on 水、滾る, but retain their intense mania. The album is released September 20 on Totalism.
Catherine Chester Hennix‘s Further Selections from the Electric Harpsichord is likely self-explanatory; the title makes it easy! (Black Forms, fall). Circum-Disc has previewed two albums for September 27: Keshural Neg Pineg‘s The Book of Pig is wild and wooly, with trumpet, drums and electronics. Toc & Paulina Owczarik‘s Psychedelic Jelly matches its name with a trippy and trance-like sound. Jazz drummer Peter Gall works with an ensemble on Love Avatar, happy to stay in the groove (Compost, September 27). Forq may not dance particularly well, but they sure know how to play. Va! is the first taste of their funky Big Party (GroundUP, September 13).
Richard Allen
Wed Sep 04 00:01:09 GMT 2024