| $13.44
back in stock as of
january 4th, 2012
first in stock on
october 7th, 2009
threads:
free-improvisation
modern-composition
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| | | intransitive (usa) #int 035 cd nmperign “ommatidia” compact disc - glass (6:42)
- variation ii (5:54)
- prey (6:42)
- fault (4:37)
- variation v (6:33)
- dalton (7:33)
| october 2009 release ; ... was surprised to learn that, after a decade of recorded music (ranging from their selektion-label set, to two “live” discs on twisted village, to their american tapes “cover” of “salt peanuts”) that this, effectively bhob rainey & greg kelley’s swan-song (bhob up & moved to new orleans a few months back) also does double-duty as their debut “studio” album ...
there’s a bit of dissent as to who birthed the contemporary “reductionism” movement in improvised music ; that’s ultimately neither here nor there, save for the fact that these guys were my personal entry-point into the spectrum of near-silent, gestural improv ... their concerts here in town over the years have certainly forced me to re-think how to listen to music ; the exhilaration not only of the micro-volumes at which they play (far more terrifying than any jet-engine noise or rock/metal concerts i’ve been to ; even a stray cough or shuffle could be many decibels-fold above their playing, causing a near-complete inversion of performer-audience relations) but also the clean break from idiomatic “free improv” and/or “modern classical” modes is always palpable ...
the language they’ve jointly developed over the years, comprised both of modern-composition-lineage “extended techniques” and timbres lifted straight from early electronic music, is unquestionably theirs & theirs alone (despite the hordes of acolytes and straight biters) ; here they finally display it all in impeccably-captured detail in an anechoic chamber-like setting ... frankly bhob’s knee-muted multiphonics & greg’s trumpet-barrel scrapings have never sounded better, and the interplay between the two has, after so many years spent honing their collective craft, reached a third-mind zenith, resulting in an uncanny amount of “happy accident” style moments across the album’s six “song-length” pieces ...
this intransitive releases comes as a high-detail digipack, coated in a set of bee close-ups (by irene moon, no less) that perfectly articulate the music’s often microscopic inflections ... improv album of the year, hands down ; highly recommended !!! |
| | intransitive press release... |
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int035 nmperign “ommatidia” cd
nmperign are one of the most celebrated and influential bands in contemporary improvised music. yet surprisingly, more than a decade after their debut, greg kelley (trumpet) and bhob rainey (soprano sax) have never recorded a studio album as an unaccompanied duo … until now!
the music is spare and peerlessly inventive as always, but the mood remains light and joyful, with a subtle undercurrent of absurd humor. while improvised music can sometimes seem airless and precious, ommatidia opens the window on a sunny afternoon… the album’s gusts of breath, percussive splatter, and controlled explosions form six succinct pieces that feel alive and vital, while still speaking in nmperign’s utterly unique sonic language. a perfect way in for newcomers and a revelation for long-time fans, ommatidia is the essential nmperign.
previous nmperign albums have employed guest musicians – notably close collaborator and tape loop saboteur jason lescalleet, but also luminaries such as gunter mueller, axel doerner, andrea neumann, and burkhard beins – and subversive or dodgy recording techniques; their 2 x lp on siwa was recorded entirely to micro-cassette and cassette walkman, while an early cd on selektion was edited from live mini-disc recordings. intransitive is proud to present the nmperign album that fans have been waiting for: the core duo, beautifully recorded in an actual studio with excellent microphones.
when not making nmperign music, greg kelley performs with the aggressively psychedelic noise unit heathen shame (along with wayne rogers & kate village of major stars), minimalist chamber group the undr quartet, and raucous rock band life partners. rainey regularly tours with folk/pop duo damon & naomi and leads the bsc, an eight-piece electro-acoustic improvising ensemble. they live in boston and new orleans, respectively.
limited edition cd comes in full-color digipack designed by mike shiflet.orded in an actual studio with excellent microphones.
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