In this “shortlist” section, I will mention some of the albums that I enjoyed listening to, but couldn’t find the time (or the right words) for a “full” review for.
Still, I think they deserve your attention (use the links to find more info and hear previews).
Field Rotation – And Tomorrow I Will Sleep
“After countless nights of work for university suspending my circadian rhythm at last I decided to compose some pieces to set myself on sleeping mode. – Christoph Berg (Field Rotation)
This beautifully calm album was released a few months ago, but somehow slipped through the cracks and was never reviewed here. It should have been, since the album keeps returning to my player to prove it is one of the best releases I have heard this year.
Wil Bolton – Chimes for a Wall Drawing
Remarkably bright-sounding live recording of a 2009 performance at Tate Liverpool, inspired by the gallery’s display of Sol LeWitt’s ‘Wall Drawing #1136’.
“In the spirit of Sol LeWitt’s use of seriality and arbitrary systems, this electro-acoustic composition used the artwork as an inspiration and graphic score, mapping its seven spectrum colours onto the corresponding notes on coloured chime bars. Chimes, handbell and electric guitar were processed live into elongated tones and drones, layered with electronics and field recordings made within the gallery and surrounding area.”
Anna Rose Carter & Pleq – My Piano is Broken
Another beautiful edition from the Rural Colours series (number 41 in line!). Some of the beautifil “Piano Ripples” provided by Anna Rose Carter may sound familiar from her earlier recordings (and possibly because it’s included in the “Invisible Ink” mix), but the electronic glitches and drones provided by Bartosz “Pleq” Dziadosz add a beautiful new mysterious dimension to her playing.
Umber – Morning’s Pass
“Umber is the intricate, multi-instrumental world of just one musician, Alex Steward. His life in a sleepy village in the heart of the English countryside, combined with the cocoon-like studio of his bedroom, imbues Morning’s Pass with its wonderful dreamlike qualities […]
Rather than developing in loudness, Alex subtly encourages then winds down the music – just as dawn signals the arrival of day, but also the gentle recession of the night.
Simon Whetham – Prayers Unheard
“When Simon Whetham was invited to perform at Audio Art in Krakow, he proposed visiting the city for three or four days prior to the performance in order to record the sounds of the place, to compose a site specific piece for the event. Whetham stayed in the old Jewish area that during the Second World War became a ghetto through Nazi persecution. Walking the streets, he felt a certain sadness and longing that was almost tangible. The buildings, the very fabric of the city there, had to bear witness to the atrocities of that time.”