PIANO INTERRUPTED – THE UNIFIED FIELD RECONSTRUCTED
Full album remixes are not always enhancing quality of the origial, and the risk is even greater when the original album sounds as fresh as this particular one (“The Unified Field“, from 2014) .
But since reconstructing their own work is part of Piano Interrupted‘s creative process, it was an obvious decision for them to ask other artists to “reinvent” some of the original tracks.
And when you listen to the seven reworks back to back with the original tracks, you’ll know it was a wise decision.
It’s not that the tracks got better compared to the original (they were great then and they still are now), but they are different – every track retains Tom Hodge and Franz Kirmann‘s original ideas but seems repainted with new colours added by no less than Hidden Orchestra, Origamibiro, John Lemke, Saffronkeira, Second Moon of Winter (with a vocal remix of “Camera Obscura”) and Floex.
Quite a nice way to spend the time waiting for Piano Interrupted‘s new album which is scheduled for later this year!
PIANO INTERRUPTED – CROSS HANDS
(HIDDEN ORCHESTRA REMIX)
CASSIE/KEARLY – YOUR INSIDE VOICINGS
Combine the album title with the cover image and you might think that we’re venturing into new age territory here, but we aren’t! And I strongly advise to check out this album because this too is a refreshing kind of ‘new jazz’ created from “treated acoustic pianos, textural ambience, explorative harmony”.
Both Dan Kearley and Daryn Cassie bring a remarkable musical history to this collaboration: Kearly has worked with bands like Nickelback, Strapping Young Lad, Lamb of God and Front Line Assembly (but now focuses on releasing his own electronic-based material), while Cassie – besides being a keyboard player in various bands – also produced experimental sond art installations and community projects.
BILL SEAMAN – F (NOIR)
Previous releases were mostly collaborations, with artists like Craig Tattersall, The Humble Bee, The Boats, etc. This is Bill Seaman‘s first real solo album. Although that ‘solo’ is a relative thing since he is accompanied by quite a large ensemble including voice, bass, trumpet, strings, and assorted samples.
Combined with Seaman‘s “structured piano improvisations and sample selections” the mysterious and dreamlike atmosphere of this music is immediately recognisable.
This music touches on many levels: Bill Seaman has the gift of making his music sound organized and improvised at the same time. He does not polish it too much or edit out the rough spots, which makes his music even more intense.
The sad news: Eilean Records releases always come in very limited editions.. this means the run of 130 for “F (Noir)” has sold out already…. unless you can get Bill to sell you one of his very last copies. After that, there’s only digital copies left (which are rewarding enough too, of course).
JUXTA PHONA – WE WILL NOT BE SILENCE
I expected a “D” at the end of this title but the omission is obviously intended.
Juxta Phona is one of the projects of Jason Corder, also known as Offthesky and many other constellations – “a relentless producer who feels that sleep is best done when one is dead.”
Juxta Phona is not a solo project, but an “ongoing communal collaboration with a slew of open minded cameos” – in this particular case people like Ian Hawgood, Gurun Gurun, Colin Campbell, Morgan Packard (among others). Juxta Phone “tight-rope walks the intermittent lines between crafty beat action and washy melody, all tangled up with a wonderful playful spirit”
JUXTA PHONA – WE ARE THE SHAKERS OF THE WORLD
YAMAOKA – A BAOA Q
Frantic electronic rhythm patterns cán have a hypnotic effect and ambient feel – that’s the first thing this Yamaoka album proves!
Yamaoka used to be a duo from the start in 1991, but since 2007 it is Kenichi Oka‘s solo project.
The rhythmic tracks, inspired by Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra, are created in real time using all kinds of analog machinery.
Works best if played loud!
Á Bao A Qu, by the way, is the name of a legendary creature from J.L. Borges’ “Book of Imaginary Beings”:
“[….] it gives a small cry, so soft that it sounds similar to the rustling of silk. When touched, it feels like the fuzz on the skin of a peach.”