Album Review: Wombat, The order in which they exist
A wombat is a medium-sized Australian marsupial that has the brawniness of a bear, the face of a weasel, and the temper of an angry toddler. In other words, it’s a rarity that comes with a side of volatility. Not unlike its namesake, Wombat, an Iowa City-based free jazz trio, leans into unpredictability on their newest record, The order in which they exist. Visceral sound … Continue reading Album Review: Wombat, The order in which they exist
February 2020 in Experimental Music
Usually, February is quite the dismal affair: no one goes outside and everyone posts too many things about love or a lack thereof on social media. February gloominess certainly stayed true for the state of American politics, but I’ve been quite lucky to find some solace and, believe it or not, positivity, this past month. As for music, a wide swath of new releases for … Continue reading February 2020 in Experimental Music
Album Review: Ryuichi Sakamoto, The Staggering Girl OST
A steady pulse of swishing static provides an immersive backdrop for Ryuichi Sakamoto’s recent score for Luca Guadadgnino’s short drama, The Staggering Girl. The film, produced in partnership with Valentino’s creative director, tells a story of a woman haunted by her past. It mostly falls flat, save for a few moments of the type of enveloping dreamworlds Guadagnino is known for. Sakamoto’s score turns the … Continue reading Album Review: Ryuichi Sakamoto, The Staggering Girl OST
Album Review: Dan Trueman, Sō Percussion, and JACK Quartet, Songs That Are Hard To Sing
For composer, fiddler, and instrument builder Dan Trueman, tradition and innovation in music-making often coexist. He’s recently worked on projects that explore their meeting place, like bitKlavier, a digital prepared piano, and Olagón – A Cantata In Doublespeak, which amalgamates Irish folk tales, pop, contemporary classical, and fiddling. With his 2019 album, Songs That Are Hard to Sing, he continues in this vein, mixing inspiration … Continue reading Album Review: Dan Trueman, Sō Percussion, and JACK Quartet, Songs That Are Hard To Sing
January 2020 in Experimental Music
Starting in 2020, The Road to Sound will be compiling a list of each month’s experimental releases for your perusal. As always, ample context will be provided for your reading and listening enjoyment. With that said, let’s rewind January 2020. Here’s a smattering of new releases from last month to start listening to. ~ Chromic, lightless Expanding upon a quote from the serene Icelandic indie … Continue reading January 2020 in Experimental Music
Album Review: PRISM Quartet, Animal, Vegetable, Mineral
Bold chords blare underneath agitated glissandos that jump and fall in organized chaos. “Jackass,” the first movement of Steven Mackey’s “Animal, Vegetable, Mineral,” erupts from PRISM Quartet — a saxophone chamber ensemble — with fervor. Mackey, a Grammy award-winning composer and electric guitarist, originally wrote the piece in 2004, but the Quartet’s recording here provides a crisp, fresh perspective with their brash performance. “Animal, Vegetable, … Continue reading Album Review: PRISM Quartet, Animal, Vegetable, Mineral
Album Review: Fay Kueen, A Place Called Home Is Not A Place
“After Sandy” opens Fay Kueen’s debut album A Place Called Home Is Not A Place with whimsical nostalgia. A muted piano tingles like a distant memory as an electronic hiss swirls around it. Kueen’s voice is distant, enveloped in a quiet chaos. She croons, “To believe it never fade away/To pretend it never fall apart,” searching for tangibility and hunting for the truth within a … Continue reading Album Review: Fay Kueen, A Place Called Home Is Not A Place
