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Danish composer and multi-instrumentalist Robin TAYLOR have been a productive musical persona in the Danish music scene from the early 1990's and onwards, contributing to 30 or so productions by the time of writing (April 2012). "Samplicity" is the fifth CD to be issued under his own name, and was released on Robin's own Marvel of Beauty imprint in 2001.
And as the name implies, samples is indeed an element that is utilized quite a lot on this disc, although I guess that people without a special interest by and large will miss most of them. Some instances are fairly obvious however, and are easily spotted. But when that is said, this isn't a production based around samples as such, at least not as I experience it. Rather I'd say that they have been used and utilized as a musical effect more than anything else, with only a few occasions that see them placed in more of a cinematic context.
The somewhat overly long opener Black Country is perhaps the least intriguing of Taylor's creations on this production. An elegant construction as such, based on a circulating lighter toned motif later replaced by a dampened, dark and brooding guitar motif, backed by steady drums and inventive percussion details and with some nifty organ soloing on top. Rather adventurous too I might add. But also slightly too repetitive to my tastes, which makes me regard this excursion as one that in sum is more of an ordinary on experience wise.
But that is just a bout the only negative remark I can make about this disc, as the remaining sonic journeys keeps me interested and intrigued throughout. Lavender Mist kicks off on the dying echoes of the opening tune, adding a sax solo on top and gradually developing into a refined, dampened, richly textured construction with subdued guitar riffs and textured guitar effects blending in quite nicely, prior to ebbing out again with an end sequence of swirling electronics. A good set up for the following BTI, more of a purebred ambient construction sporting a brooding, slightly unsettling undercurrent that transports this piece of music firmly away from any new age territories one might initially reference mentally when reading the word ambient. Fractalism utilize droning vocal effects as an ever present feature in a construction that opens as a light-toned excursion with a steady backbeat and circulating simplistic instrument motif on top, with a shift into Frippian territories by way of distorted yet melodic guitar solo textures and rhythm surges, evolving into a multitextured, detailed and interwoven arrangement that I think deserves the description Tayloresque.
February Pain returns to ambient territories of a kind, but again a few lightyears and a couple of universes removed from anything new age related, Burnt Forest Island continues with a different take on this approach with it's slow, drawn out light toned keyboard effects, slowly growing richer by way of instrument and sound additions and then broken up by the chaotic visit of Mr. Gillon as referenced in the complete song title. With an end sequence that takes a brief detour to symphonic art rock territories prior to returning to the opening motif. And concluding the disc we find Ambient Isles. An aptly named construction that. despite some occasional Taylor features of the darker tinged undercurrent kind. might actually find favour among fans of artists like Vangelis and Jarre.
All in all "Samplicity" comes across as a good quality production, as I tend to expect to experience by Robin at this point. And while not an electronic production per se, I do think that a key audience for this particular disc might actually be those who have a deep fascination for adventurous electronic music. In particular those fond of artists utilizing dampened effects and subtle developments rather than dramatic shifts and sounds.
My rating: 77/100
Track list:
1. Black Country 5:55
2. Lavender Mist 5:01
3. BTI 6:42
4. Fractalism 6:33
5. February Pain 4:04
6. Burnt Forest Island including A Visit By Mr. Gillon 12:37
7. Ambient Isles 9:17
Romanian ensemble AETERNUM was formed at the tail end of the 1990's, with guitarist and composer Claudiu Contiu as the core member and a fluid cast of members otherwise. They released two albums and one DVD before activities winded down, and currently they are in some sort of hiatus I believe. Although that may of course change. "Ancient Beauty" from 2000 was their first release, and while the original version is no longer available to my knowledge, the reworked version from 2008 can be found at most any digital music retailer you can name. And it is this version I have been sent by a good friend so that I could write about it.
The name of the game here is old music, medieval style. Folk music, but of a particular character. This isn't the tunes the wandering minstrels would perform at the local pubs and taverns for a meal and a drink back in the day. Or rather, while the compositions as such might be just that they were never performed in these arrangements to the public at large back then. Perhaps with the exception being some major fairs, tournaments and other major events. Instead we're dealing with folk music as I would imagine was played and performed by ensembles and groups to the higher class back in the middle ages. Richly arranged, with chamber music qualities, music of a kind I would suspect might be heard on chosen occasions at castles and manors. If at all, that is.
The thing is that medical chamber music most likely is more a fact of medieval fantasy than medieval fact. It is a ploy and sound collage often used in moves and TV-series, but if there ever were actual resources and interest in musical arrangements of this character back in the day I don't know. That's something historians with a special interest in culture will have to answer. But the associations one gets when listening to this music is as described above.
In the case of Aeternum the acoustic guitar have replaced the lute though, and the flute and violin possibly much less used than when the songs covered were written, or in some cases where the compositions inspired by de facto medieval music was constructed. I haven't tracked the origins of these songs, so I don't know if they are all creatures of their time or if some are contemporary cultural fantasies.
Be that as it may be. Acoustic guitar, hand drums, flute and strings are at the core here, in compositions either melancholic or uplifting in spirit, with a slightly timeless feel to them that will transport the mind of the listener back to the days of yore. Music of the kind that the people behind computer games such as Dragon Age and Elder Scrolls, in a perfect world, should have bought and used as soundtracks for their fantasy worlds, as they would have fitted in perfectly.
Medieval chamber music with the heart and soul in folk music rather than classical music is what "Ancient Beauty" is about, and at least partially contemporary rearrangements of ancient material at that. How much of it that is actual medieval music and how much that belong in the realm of medieval fantasy I don't know, but it is a pleasant musical experience, performed excellently by skilled musicians. If you like this type of music this is a band that you should investigate, if you don't then this act won't convince you. But it is a high quality specimen of it's kind.
My rating: 63/100
Track list:
1. Packington's Pound 4:47
2. Bransle de Champaigne, 1552 3:32
3. Allemande 2:54
4. Ballet de Bygot 4:03
5. Bransle de Poictou, 1552 3:59
6. Playfellow (A Jig) 2:14
7. S'amour souspris m'a 3:51
8. Branle Anglais 3:54
Swedish quartet MY BROTHER THE WIND appeared unexpectedly a few years back with their self-titled debut album, a constellation of well established musicians that seemingly out of the blue had decided to form a side project rather different in sound from what they explored in their primary projects. It was a creation well received, and many will eagerly have awaited their second production. "I Wash My Soul In The Stream Of Infinity" is their sophomore album, and was released by Swedish label Transubstans Records in the fall of 2011.
My Brother The Wind is one of many bands exploring instrumental improvised progressive rock, made with an approach and sound that place it within the space rock genre. Floating, often ethereal arrangements, gentle guitar soloing and layered, wandering psychedelic oriented instrumental motifs make up the majority of such excursions , and this foursome is no exception to that.
Opening or concluding with passages featuring arrangements of a more searching and uncertain nature is a part of the package one gets too, and again a feature found on this production. Perhaps a bit too many such sequences, at least for those not already fond of this type of music. It dos take something of a trained ear to appreciate these moments. But it's when the band have found a direction and is exploring it with direction in hand that improvised space rock is an intriguing experience, and this quartet are top of the trade once they have established a pattern to investigate.
The rhythm department is the essential foundation for most bands of this ilk, and My Btother The Wind has a most excellent one. Tight, finely interwoven bass and drums motifs that shift pace and intensity in a fluid manner a strength the other instrumentalists can rely upon. And they do so in an impeccable manner, from the tight, energetic and driven landscapes explored on opening construction "Fire" Fire" to the raga-oriented themes of Pagan Moonbeam, complete with a Bo Hansson oriented organ motif, and the final gentle concluding title track "I Wash My Soul in the Stream of Infinity". Always nicely moving onwards, with a dual set of guitars or guitar and one additional instrument wandering through an initial phase fully formed or not, coming through on the other side either finishing off a journey or reorienting themselves to take on a new one. Personally I found the band to be at their very best on "Torbjörn Abelli" on this occasion, an improvisation I presume was developed as their musical tribute to the late Swedish bassist of the same name who passed away in 2010. Rather fitting that this construction is the one that made a most profound impression I guess.
I doubt if My Brother The Wind will recruit any new fans to the realms of improvised space rock with this production, as their excursions this time around to my ears appear as somewhat more typical of the genre than on their most excellent debut. But those who already enjoy music of this type can note down this CD as another must have creation, the band is excellent and their ideas and improvisations maintain a high quality throughout.
My rating: 83/100
Track list:
1. Fire! Fire!! 13:07
2. Pagan Moonbeam 3:47
3. The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart 5:40
4. Torbjörn Abelli 10:57
5. Under Crimson Skies 10:33
6. I Wash My Soul in the Stream of Infinity 6:19
Swedish band SIENA ROOT has been around in one form or another since the late 1990's, with a few dozen past members and half a dozen or so current ones, but based around a core trio of musicians from my understanding. They released their debut album back in 2004, and since then three more full length studio creations have been released to a, to my understanding, steadily increasing fan base. "Root Jam" is their first live album, and was issued by Swedish label Transubstans Records in the fall of 2011.
Back in February 2012 I had the good fortune of seeing Siena Root performing live in Gothenburg. A splendid live band, preparing their live performance with care and attention to detail so that they can really flaunt their skills on stage later. One can say a lot about studio albums, but a well honed and well prepared band that create music suited to live performances will more often than not be better to experience in such circumstances rather to be investigated through a more polished studio creation documented on shiny plastic. Or good old fashioned vinyl, a format this band has a deep affection for it would seem, as all their productions are available also as LPs. Including this live recording.
Anyhow, this double disc set documents Siena Root's skills as a live band in a very nice manner. From my own experience with them I'd guess that there's little if any amount of doctoring added to this recording, as the vitality of their live performance have been captured quite nicely thank you.
As a band we're dealing with an entity firmly rooted in the 1970's. Black Sabbath tinged stoner rock sit side by side with harmonic inserts many Wishbone Ash fans will find pleasing, gentle organ passages that makes me think about Bo Hansson have their place here, so does more majestic parts closer to the likes of Deep Purple or Atomic Rooster, and there's even a fair few sequences that to my ears sounds like Black Sabbath organ style. Spirited hard rock sequences closer to Led Zeppelin is another rather common feature. An amalgam of the greatest from the 1970's book of sophisticated hard rock assembled into one tight package if you like, but with an overall sound very much their own despite the numerous references. Oh, and let's not forget about the improvisational nature of many songs, where the instrumental parts may veer of into shorter or more elongated instrument runs of the kind that you just don't record on studio albums.
Another aspect of this band's repertoire is the inclusion of elements from the psychedelic realms of course. What appears to be a violin but might as well be a hurdy gurdy makes the occasional appearance, for final track "Reverberations" I suspect it has to be the latter for sure in a raunchy, energetic duel alongside the organ towards the end. And adding even more psychedelic details to the proceedings the rather more widespread use of sitar, most prevalent in the songs whose titles doesn't appear to give much meaning for an English speaking crowd. Smells like India and sounds like Raga, to put it that way. And in a good manner too I might add, the brief "Bhairavi Thumri" one of the distinct highlights of this performance, despite the subdued and acoustic nature of this little gem. Speaking of which, the most sparkling gem of all to my ears is the one track on this performance that is vastly different from all the others, namely "Words". Another acoustic oriented performance, this one taking a deep excursion into jazz territories in a manner that makes me think of good, old Django and the countless artists he inspired.
All in all a high quality live album by Siena Root, well worth purchasing if you enjoy a band that takes pleasure in exploring the refined parts of 70's hard rock, liberally flavouring their music with more or less subtle psychedelic inspired details, and occasionally making detours right into the middle of that particular stylistic universe.
My rating: 83/100
Track list:
Disc 1:
1. Introduction 1:52
2. The Rat 3:25
3. Waitin for the Sun 7:56
4. Bhimpalasi 8:15
5. Into the Woods 8:28
6. Words 12:47
Disc 2:
1. Trippin 4:56
2. Bhairavi Thumri 4:44
3. Dreams of Tomorrow 3:58
4. Long Way From Home 9:57
5. Rasayana 8:55
6. Reverberations 16:44
Swedish band REFORM has been around in one form or another since 1998, sporting a list of past members during those years that's a fairly impressive read in itself. One might get the impression that this is a fluid, organic collective of sorts rather than a firm band unit actually. Be that as it may be, in between what appears to be numerous line-up alterations they have released a fair amount of material over the years, and "Reveries of Reform" from 2011 is their sixth album to date, and the first of their productions to be issued by Swedish label Transubstans Records.
One of the less pleasant tasks about describing any given album is to put it into a context. Not because it is a difficult part of the proceedings in normal cases, but because one tends to repeat oneself while doing so. There's a limited amount of references to be made after all, be it from a stylistic point of view or one that draws in references towards well known artists. In the case of Reform we're dealing with the odd one out however, as for my part I haven't quite managed to find any useful comparisons one way or the other. Jazzrock and fusion are just as much a part of the proceedings as psychedelic rock in this case, and there's also room for a few symphonic oriented escapades. As such, one might describe Reform as a band that will make the dedicated music fan reflect upon just how few alterations that needs to be implemented to switch from one style to the other, and just how closely related the aforementioned types of music really are. For some, this production might be a real eye-opener I'd guess.
But the core foundation of this band's output is placed well inside the jazzrock universe. Wandering piano motifs and elegant guitar soloing the name of the game, with steady but accomplished bass and drums underscoring. Mostly instrumental in nature, vocals are limited to two compositions. The first of the two CDs that makes up this package is the one where the borders between jazzrock and symphonic art rock appears to be explored most profoundly. The majority of pieces purebred jazzrock 70's style in expression, with bass, piano and guitar taking turns being the driving instrument, and with a neat additional level consisting of instrumental details rather than lead motifs occasionally taking over as thematic elements. But also when the lead motifs are more substantial in nature and catered for by one instrument only, the use of subtle fragmented instrument details and sounds are utilized throughout as a manner in which to add variation to the proceedings. Dampened arrangement details that will please many dedicated music fans who really like to listen closely and intently to their music. But the disc also sports a few items where the keyboards gets to have more of a saying, and in a symphonic oriented manner at that. Moments of pastoral, simple beauty to more majestic constructions, first and foremost taken on in the second half of the first CD.
The second disc in this package appears to examine the borders between psychedelic rock and jazzrock closer. Again a disc made up by some purebred jazzrock efforts and others with a style less easy to define, and with what to my ears appears to be a slight emphasis on sequences with an improvisational nature to them. The most profound instance of the jazzrock and psychedelic rock blend is found at the very end, the close to twenty minutes long epic "From the Hilltop and Beyond" showcasing just how little separates the two styles in question in a beautiful and sophisticated manner. And while this nature of their music is explored more intently on this second disc, there's a fair amount of this case to be found on the initial disc too of course. "Reveries of Reform" isn't as divided in sound between the two CDs as one might get the impression of while reading my descriptions, it's more a case of a slight emphasis on the different aspects that marks a subtle difference between them.
A general approach throughout this production is the way in which just about everything has been given a subdued character. Contrasting instrumental motifs are dampened, rougher sounds subdued, the arrangements polished. Those who are in need of dramatic movements and inserts will be left wanting, those who desire raw emotional takes will be disappointed. This is an album where the subtle details rule, set within a polished, refined framework. Music for the sophisticated listener one might say, and while refined in character the music is also fairly accessible throughout. Easy on the ears and the mind, yet with enough advanced features to satisfy the dedicated fans that really enjoy immersing themselves in whatever music they listen to at any given time.
And as admirable as this approach is, this also does leave an impression of this production being ever so slightly one-dimensional, at least on a superficial level. An aspect of this double CD that may limit the band's audience somewhat in progressive rock circles, but which also might pull in a substantially larger crowd from a more mainstream oriented audience.
Overall "Reveries of Reform" is a solid effort, and one that should appeal to art rock fans that appreciates a polished sound and smooth arrangements, compositions with plenty of subtle details to be enjoyed and of a generally accessible nature. With jazzrock as the stylistic foundation, with liberal flavouring of psychedelic rock and occasional excursions to the borders of the symphonic art rock universe.
My rating: 77/100
Track list:
1. Another Happy Landing 8:03
2. Tax Vobiscum 6:24
3. Mitsuhirato 7:05
4. I Furuskogen 8:12
5. Nuclear War 6:22
6. The Faithful 7:50
7. Madame Riot Lajath 10:23
8. Little Vienna 9:14
9. Align 9:49
10. Three Part Dream 7:10
11. Uncle Urri II 6:24
12. From the Hilltop and Beyond 19:45
Danish composer and multi-instrumentalist Robin TAYLOR have been a productive musical persona in the Danish music scene from the early 1990's and onwards, contributing to 30 or so productions by the time of writing (April 2012). "Samplicity" is the fifth CD to be issued under his own name, and was released on Robin's own Marvel of Beauty imprint in 2001.
