Experimental
-
Field recordings can be a tricky business. When they capture the experiences of people not credited – or for that matter, asked for permission – they raise important questions about the right to privacy and ownership of our image and voice. At the same time, they deliver a line of sight into worlds many of…
-
With baselines worthy of a Jah Wobble mixtape, Audiokern’s new eight-track EP scores top marks for both production value and unconventionality. There are multiple nods here to more common electronic music styles, dark ambient among them. But there are too many surprises along the way – good ones, I’m pleased to report – for this…
-
Listening to this expansive new work from collaborators John Tilbury, Keith Rowe and Kjell Bjørgeengen without the benefit of context, you’re likely to be struck by its eloquence and depth. The 48-plus-minute work is clearly the product of experienced, accomplished hands. When you learn, however, that this improvisation was recorded just weeks after the passing…
-
As much as we love electronic music, oftentimes it works most effectively when paired with acoustic sounds. New York duo SPIRIT RADIO is the latest in a long line of acts who’ve confirmed this for us. Tamalyn Miller’s divine vocals and handmade horsehair fiddle serve as both a complement and contrast to Stephen Spera’s keyboards,…
-
Nhung Nguyen has assembled a collection of Vietnamese avant-garde artists to document her country’s remarkable music scene. But unlike a lot of compilations focused on a particular geography, Emergence is less a travel showcase than it is a polished and enjoyable 67 minutes of new music. The 10 artists showcased here are at various stages…
-
Matthew Swiezynski’s stark new disc is a collaborative project that features contributions from Tarrl Lightowler, Johannes D’église, Arthur de Eriomém “plus other artists on invisible birds.” That last reference is to the terrific 10-year-old New York City label behind this release and Adrian Dziewanski’s hypnotic The Trail Looks Back. Both titles are co-released with The…
The Moderns 