Cyclic Defrost Magazine

Daruin / Grkzgl – Drain (Neus-318)
Gerry Hemingway Quintet – Demon Chaser (Hatology)
Timwarrenmusic – Under_score: A Collection of Ambient Pieces (Square Root Records)

Posted: 08 Oct 2009 04:20 PM PDT

Long nasty drones is what we get here – one each from Osaka’s Daruin (Kazuya Ishigami) and Grkzgl, on Ishigami’s own Neus-318 label. Both seem to take the title as a starting point and attempt to replicate, with artistic license, the sound of things going down the ‘Drain’. Sharp high-pitched sine-swipes dance like fireflies over a muffled air-conditioning hum in Daruin’s ‘Senno Sareta No Ka?’. This is all rather pleasant until the heavy machinery is switched on, a blunt two-stroke chopping the sine tones to shreds before winding down to a restrained purr. Grkzgl’s ‘Hatsugensho’ is a ceaseless modulated bass buzz, fluttering like a digital didgeridoo, with moments of flying saucer tones poured in. Otherwise, there’s little development, or indeed little that is ear-catching.

Joshua Meggitt

Daruin / Grkzgl – Drain (Neus-318) is a post from: Cyclic Defrost Magazine.

Gerry Hemingway Quintet – Demon Chaser (Hatology)

Posted: 08 Oct 2009 04:16 PM PDT

Recorded live in 1993, Gerry Hemingway’s Demon Chaser offers a magnificent vision of straight bebop jazz viewed through contemporary deconstructivist goggles. Hemingway was a percussionist for Anthony Braxton for 11 years and this recording comes from the tail-end of that tenure, taking a more traditional approach than that of Braxton. Here he leads a quintet on drums and steel drums, with Michael Moore on reeds, Wolter Wierbos on trombone, Mark Dresser on double bass and Ernst Reijseger on cello – an unusual ensemble, but one that yields unfailingly inspired results.

Those who love that sixties period of jazz where the rhythmic and harmonic structures of bebop began to unravel in perceptibly unified ways will find much to enjoy here. Aptly titled opener ‘Slamadam’ offers a fiery introduction with horns weaving like feisty featherweights, pushed callously aside by Hemingway’s scattershot rhythms. ‘Buoys’ and ‘A Night in Tunisia’ (the only non-Hemingway tune here) cut closest to the reductionist improv of today, slow-moving bows from Dresser and Reijseger sit against sparingly deployed horn bleets. Wierbos in particular is stunning on the latter – his mute crafting duck calls are fitting but almost comedic; as far-out as they are evocative of the pioneering sound of Kid Ory.

‘Holler Up’ offers a jazzy take on compositional minimalism, repeating basic melodic cells recalling John Adams, before splintering into shards. The title track starts similarly, with Moore leading with eastern-tinged runs reminiscent of Eric Dolphy and spurred on by Hemingway’s steady, ruthless pulse. It too, collapses in spits and rattles. With a title straight from prime bebop, ‘More Struttin’ with Mutton’ is the straightest thing here, and best: Hemingway swings the whole way through, down the line like Blakey but never pausing for breath.

The rest of the ensemble all put in crazed, inspired solos, particularly Dresser and Reijsegers’ slippery dialogues, rambunctious jazz of the finest, Mingus-inspired sort. As always with Hatology the liner notes are excellent, with The Wire’s Brian Morton discussing the vital role of the rhythm section in jazz. This recording puts Hemingway in ‘the Big Book’.

Joshua Meggitt

Gerry Hemingway Quintet – Demon Chaser (Hatology) is a post from: Cyclic Defrost Magazine.

Timwarrenmusic – Under_score: A Collection of Ambient Pieces (Square Root Records)

Posted: 08 Oct 2009 01:40 AM PDT

Straight outta downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, comes an EP of beatless vignettes that wears its heritage with pride. Think Eno, circa Music for Films, City Centre Offices releases, and the holy trinity of IDM; Aphex, Boards of Canada and Autechre. Indeed, the second track, Short sounds uncannily like mid-period AFX, although Tim's not the only chap tinkering with a sequencer to end up with such a sound. Maybe it is this ambient collection's reliance on softsyths and Reason for the predominant sounds contained within. About ten years ago, I was experimenting in much the same way with similar equipment on the other side of the Atlantic. Could it be the confluence of self-taught musicianship (in my case at least, I dare not presume the same for Mr Warren), a steady diet of soundscapes, poignant melodies and technology? There are moments of glacial beauty contained within under_score, but like the view from the porthole of an Antarctic sightseeing cruise ship, one would be hard-pressed to relate these vistas in vivid detail once the journey was complete. Maybe the English language simply does not have enough words to describe snow, ice or softsynth textures.

You can even download for free via the Square Root netlabel!

Oliver Laing

Timwarrenmusic – Under_score: A Collection of Ambient Pieces (Square Root Records) is a post from: Cyclic Defrost Magazine.