TRIPLE BILL: Included here are three September 2019 releases, all by female artists. All truly interesting, to say the least. But, then, there are different levels of ‘interesting’ and how the listener may interpret it.
Floating Spectrum is actually Taiwan-born, Berlin based, Mei-Fang Liau, and A Point Between (Temporary Residence) is her debut album. Liau’s starting point is various synths, but then she throws in mutated household objects and software synthesizers she has developed herself, one of those being “Polypylla” which is supposed to “simulate the way in which nature creates very complex and organic forms just by repeating slight variations of a simple form.”
Quite a lofty prospect, but on the evidence of this album Liau has the dual talents to succeed both as a composer and software developer. The sounds she produces range from ethereal Rising tide nourished soil, to upbeat ambient Inner island, to a combination of both Falling apart on a dreary field. The titles actually give you the sense of what you are about to hear. Very promising debut.
Propan are two Norwegian vocalists, Natali Garner and Ina Sagstuen. The listener would probably enter Trending (Black Truffle), their second album, assuming it is a purely vocal album. But, then, what do you assume vocal music represents?
For Garner and Sagstuen, it is a combination of vocal improvisation and studio electronics, that includes vocal modulation and any musical form they feel fit at the moment – be it modern classical, ambient, jazz or pop. Tracks like Berlin Clubbing or the opener Førstegir range in mood, inspiration, and length from less than two minutes to eight that is Meditation Tape/New Beat.
The one thing that doesn’t change throughout the album is the inventiveness and sheer quality Propan come up with, as if the duo has decided to take experimentation of Juliana Barwick’s experimentation one step further. Actually, quite a brilliant album.
Sarah Hennies is an American composer/percussionist, that, as her label explains, “explores a variety of musical sociopolitical and psychological issues”. Reservoir 1’ Preservation is part of three pieces, all running for about an hour that explores “the relationship between the conscious and unconscious human mind,” and is performed by pianist Philip Bush and a percussion trio Meridian, that includes Hennies, Tim Feeney and Greg Stuart.
Listening to it, the first word that comes to mind is – impenetrable. Well, at least personally, it just didn’t come across as a piece of music that I can understand. It could be brilliant, or completely unlistenable, I simply can’t tell you, you would simply have to venture yourself and see/hear what you make of it.
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