Tag: Black Truffle

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Ricochet Lady by Alvin Lucier

Darren McClure

Alvin Lucier | Ricochet LadyBlack Truffle (CD) Alvin Lucier’s I am Sitting in a Room is one of his most associated works, the concept of which uses the room itself to process and reform sounds.  The notion of different spaces impacting on the quality of the sounds inside has been explored often in the world of experimental composition since that piece, for example in Jacob Kirkegaard’s 4 Rooms, where he fed audio into abandoned spaces in Chernobyl’s “Zone of Alienation”. Here we find Lucier, the idea’s originator, again using various environments as aesthetic qualifiers on a composition for glockenspiel. Ricochet … Continue reading Ricochet Lady by Alvin Lucier

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Bandcamp, Cassette, CD, Download/MP3, LP, MP3/FLAC, TJ Norris, Toneshift, VinylLeave a comment

Toneshift presents Top Three of 2018

TJ Norris

THE TONESHIFT TOP THREE: Though we managed to crank out more than four-hundred reviews in 2018, there were certain releases that broke the highest of expectations, or came in from left field here at Toneshift headquarters. Instead of another boring Top 10 list we decided to be extremely shrewd in our curation and pare down to those rare records that hit us in that sweet spot between the ears. All of our contributors, including our newest member, have offered their very Top Three choice recordings of 2018, and it turns out to be a truly diverse selection of unexpected earcandy. … Continue reading Toneshift presents Top Three of 2018

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So You… by Alvin Lucier

Daniel Alexander Hignell-Tully

Alvin Lucier | So You… (Hermes, Orpheus, Eurydice)Black Truffle (CD) Alvin Lucier is the de facto experimental composer. I am not always convinced that his work overwhelmingly succeeds on a compositional level but rather, like his signature ‘I am sitting in a room’, demonstrates a specific effect or area of experimentation, more often than not with surprising aplomb. Whilst Lucier clearly cares about the quality of the aesthetic outcome, it is at least arguable that the concept, rather than the sonic, is the force that ultimately drives his work.  – LISTEN – So you…(Hermes, Orpheus, Eurydice) is an hour-long operatic … Continue reading So You… by Alvin Lucier

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Il Museo Selvatico by Massimo Toniutti

TJ Norris

Massimo Toniutti | Il Museo Selvatico Black Truffle (2xLP comes w/DL) Italian experimental sound designer, Massimo Toniutti, released this little known haunting, underground gem twenty seven years ago and Black Truffle was kind enough to unearth this collection of seven interesting tracks in a lavish double vinyl set in a gatefold printed inner sleeve. Il Museo Selvatico which translates to ‘the wild museum’ is likely referencing Mother Nature herself. Toniutti began recording via cassette only in 1984 and have released seven full length records up until 2016. “Existing in a private world apart from the noise and dark industrial tropes … Continue reading Il Museo Selvatico by Massimo Toniutti

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Ichida by Eiko Ishibashi & Darin Gray

TJ Norris

Eiko Ishibashi & Darin Gray Ichida (Black Truffle; LP + Streaming) This record hits shelves on July 27th, and brings together a debut by a duo of two diverse multi-instrumentalists, Eiko Ishibashi & Darin Gray, who are regular collaborators with fellow soundmakers from Merzbow to Loren Connors and from Jim O’Rourke (who also did the cover art) to Bill Horist. What you hear on Ichida (Part 1 & 2) is a 2013 full 39 minute live set performed at Tokyo’s Super Deluxe. It opens with the sweet harmony of the players with Ishibashi’s open flute and Gray’s signature upright bass strum. … Continue reading Ichida by Eiko Ishibashi & Darin Gray

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Two Words by Francis Plagne x crys cole

TJ Norris

Francis Plagne & crys cole Two Words (Black Truffle; LP) This debut 33 + a third runs at just about 33 minutes, featuring the duo of Australian songwriter Francis Plagne and Canadian sound artist crys cole. There are no ‘songs’ here. The single track, Two Words, is broken over two sides and at first is the barebones of open ocean waves, or is it static? The im/plausibility either/or creates an initial infectious tension. A high frequency, low output tone enters and fades. And the quirky coverart (courtesy of painter Anne Wallace) gives us no further in, only leading us to … Continue reading Two Words by Francis Plagne x crys cole

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