Posts Tagged ‘Important Records’

Album of the day: Jozef van Wissem – The Joy that Never Ends

Posted on Sunday, August 7th, 2011

Lovingly pinched from Tiny Mix Tapes: Dutch-born and New York-based lutenist Jozef Van Wissem is a rare breed of contemporary musician-composer whose work transcends the perceived boundaries of early music, minimalism, and folk traditions toward something quite unique.

His compositions have subverted fellow practitioners of early European lute music, rearranging and using collage to add his own curious stamp to preexisting musical forms, as well as employing taped field recordings, electro-acoustic devices, overdubs, and working with improvisers (including guitarist Tetuzi Akiyama and visionary figure Keiji Haino).

Whereas his first disc for Important (2010’s Ex Patris) was fairly unadorned, on The Joy that Never Ends he’s joined on six original, layered compositions by vocalist Jeanne Madic and the feedback constructions of Jim Jarmusch (yes, that one). In modern music there are precedents — somewhat, anyway — for van Wissem’s work, like the multivalent and lush minimal anthems of the French duo of guitarists Vincent Le Masne and Bertrand Porquet, who were also quite heavily influenced by the harmonies of early string music.

The opening title track features cyclical motions set against harmonic flecks, giving a decidedly strong beat to van Wissem’s ornate variations. Madic recites the texts of Anglican mystic Julian of Norwich’s Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love in a breathy, slightly seductive alto, which grants the piece an affinity, however slight, for darkwave confection.

Continue reading: Jozef van Wissem – The Joy that Never Ends | Music Review | Tiny Mix Tapes.

Tags: Album of the day, Clifford Allen, Important Records, Jozef Van Wissem, The Joy that Never Ends, Tiny Mix Tapes
Posted in 2011, Album of the Day, Roadburn Recommended | No Comments »

Album of the day: Master Musicians of Bukkake – Totem Three

Posted on Sunday, May 8th, 2011

Praise for Master Musicians of Bukkake‘s Totem Three from San Francisco’s aQuarius Records: Yet another mantric missive from these musical missionaries and cosmic sonic seers, a collective of sorts, its membership drawn from several somewhat similarly likeminded groups, including Earth, Sun City Girls, and Burning Witch among others. And as ...read more

Album of the day: Chord – Progression

Posted on Saturday, April 2nd, 2011

Praise for Chord‘s Progression from San Francisco’s aQuarius Records: The return of high concept ambient dronescapers Chord, a sort-of side project of post metal heavies Pelican. Chord, as their name implies, only ever play a single chord, each track a different one, this time around it’s EbMaj9, Gm11 and D6. ...read more