Category Archives: On record

Switched On: James Heather – Reworks Vol. 2 (Ahead Of Our Time)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

James Heather’s Reworks sequel is another tale of personal connections. The pianist has returned to his contact book and used his musical instincts to invite a bevvy of artists, bands, ensembles and composers to contribute once again, reworking tracks selected from his last album Invisible Forces and the two Modulations EPs.

Because of Heather’s open minded musical approach, these incorporate a wide variety of styles, including classical, jazz and electronic music from ambient right through to rock – and even including the poet Roger Robinson. The selections also act as something of a musical biography, with the choice of Mogwai reflecting a transformative experience Heather experienced at the age of 21.

There are eleven tracks in all, sequenced logically, reflecting not just Heather’s love of the piano but the way he has channelled all sorts of musical thoughts and styles through it.

What’s the music like?

There is a captivating array of styles and approaches on Reworks Vol.2, which becomes the sort of collection you might expect from a label or a DJ. The responses to Heather’s music range so widely in approach that the piano often plays second fiddle to other instruments or styles – but when the instrument does appear it is all the more prominent for it.

As a contrast we get studies in drone from KMRU, a fuzzy reworking of Ancestral Future Now, and an expansive piece of work from Italian composer Abul Mogard as he refashions Balance. Coldcut, too, contribute a lovely piece of ambience with their wispy, intensely calming interpretation of Passing Soul.

There is a particularly beautiful vocal in Nailah Hunter’s take on Oizys, complementing the expressive piano line, while Meant To Be is turned on its head with an acappella version from Voces8, initially restrained but powerfully moving. Meanwhile Roger Robinson’s contribution brings a whole new dimension to Hidden Angel, in the company of Penelope Trappes and Specimens.

At the other end of the energy scale, Ishmael Ensemble bring a percussive workout to their interpretation of Invisible Forces, while Mogwai’s starry-eyed take on In Your Spirit is both woozy and beautifully lit. A violin on the wing raises Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres rework of Ultraviolet to the heights, while the collection ends with a reflective Immortal Beloved from Freya Arde.

Does it all work?

It does. James Heather’s open musical mind has yielded a fascinating set of new approaches that show just how versatile his music is beyond the piano.

Is it recommended?

Very much so. The piano may be James Heather’s first love, but Reworks Vol.2 shows how his music stretches well beyond the keyboard.

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Switched On: Tristan Arp – The Self Elastic (SLINK)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Tristan Arp switches labels for this four-part EP, following his colourful and enigmatic release End of a Line or Part of a Circle? in June.

The Self Elastic is inspired by the writings of Octavia E. Butler and Bo-Young Kim and the fluid approach of jazz master Ornette Coleman – but is described as being ‘designed for freak-time club rapture’.

What’s the music like?

Intriguing – and as fluid as its title suggests. Arp has endless imagination when in the company of a synthesizer, but one of the elements that makes his work so distinctive on this EP is his use of rhythm.

The ‘freak-time club rapture’ is aided by percussive and is found in much more subtle workings on Polymer, a ball of energy with musical material that ricochets backwards and forwards like a form of ping pong. Afterimaging has a similarly active profile, Arp crafting short riffs and melodic cells that weave in and out of intricate yet hyperactive percussion. Soon the reference to Ornette Coleman becomes clear, a saxophone offering an intense counterpoint before the music subsides.

Shrink Wrap offers a contrast, its slower motifs suggesting the workings of a small chemistry lab, before the subtle brush strokes of Liquid bring music that simultaneously moves forward energetically while being suspended in space. Arp’s music has a friendly profile here.

Does it all work?

It does – each of the four tracks linking together in satisfying unity.

Is it recommended?

It is. Another fascinating Tristan Arp EP demanding to be added to your collection.

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On Record: Say She She – Silver (Karma Chief / Colemine)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Silver is the second album from Say She She, the Brooklyn trio escorting their listeners (and dancers) back to the 1970s. Their second album is set up to make the most of disco, soul and funk in the spirit of Chic, after who they are named in the phrase, “C’est chi-chi!: It’s Chic!” But do they deliver beyond mere pastiche?

What’s the music like?

Exactly as the blueprint says it should be. This is so much more than tribute music, for Say She She have absorbed the music of the 1970s and brought it to us as though they are still there. Anyone new to the party in the wake of the band’s triumphant Glastonbury set will be mightily reassured to learn that their much-loved single C’est Si Bon is no one-off – even though there is understandably nothing that quite gets to that level through the album.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t good though. Astral Plane is a treat on several levels, with its soaring vocals and sighing refrain showing just how good the trio are with their voices. Forget Me Not and Bleeding Heart go the other way, surprising with their depth of emotion and meaningful lyrical content.

The jewel in the crown, though, is the magnificent C’est Si Bon, the funkiest treat imaginable with a blend of mischief and good times that are impossible to resist. It is the party anthem of the year.

Does it all work?

Pretty much the whole way through. The only criticism would be that the album is a little too long, the intensity dipping at times in the middle.

Is it recommended?

Very much so. When it hits the highs, Silver is a party treat, music that feels as good as it possibly can. Add emotional depth, and Say She She are a band who deliver on many levels.

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Published post no.2,009 – Tuesday 14 November 2023

Switched On: Mary Lattimore – Goodbye, Hotel Arkada (Ghostly International)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

This is an album about change and the lasting effects it can have on people. Its title bears the name of a beloved hotel in Croatia visited by American harpist Mary Lattimore, and closing for renovation. She takes this as a stimulus for six pieces that explore the theme of change and how nothing can ever be the same again.

The musical material has its roots in improvisation but Lattimore honed the album over two years, both in a solo capacity and in the company of a host of collaborators. To that end she was joined by The Cure’s Lol Tolhurst, Meg Baird, Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell, Ray Montgomery, Samara Lubelski and Walt McClements.

What’s the music like?

Beautiful. It is worth studying some of the stories behind Lattimore’s work, for it reveals something of her sense of humour as well as a softer side to her thinking. And Then He Wrapped His Wings Around Me – featuring Baird and Clements – is about a moment where she got to meet Big Bird with her mum, and he gave her ‘an incredible hug with this scratchy yellow wings’. The resultant track has a similar effect!

Arrivederci, with Tolhurst, is an intensely calming experience – written by Lattimore when she was at a low ebb after being let go from a project. It is styled as a round, a repetitive chord sequence where the harpist adds more and more melodic substance. Blender In A Blender goes on a compelling journey with Montgomery, becoming gradually more distorted and separated from a traditional harp sound and harnessing considerable power.

Lattimore’s titles are always eye-openers – so to speak – and Music For Applying Shimmering Eye Shadow gets music to match in the form of wonky, wobbly lines that falter over a much steadier base. It is as though one hand is faltering, the other an immovable object. There is a different kind of pitch variation in Horses, Glossy On The Hill, the idea of bells jangling together made by the clashing of semitones and microtones on the harp, before the instrument swirls in a gorgeous torrent of sound.

Yesterday’s Parties is a highly effective coda, the vocals of Goswell and Lubelski swooning as the harp plays delicate lines.

Does it all work?

It does. Lattimore’s imagination with the harp is key, producing some extraordinary sounds from the instrument in her manipulations and with studio trickery without ever becoming gimmicky or taking things too far. The underlying power in the music is also most impressive, as the likes of Arrivederci illustrate.

Is it recommended?

Wholeheartedly. This is music of beauty and inner resolve, and a powerfully moving album – arguably Mary Lattimore’s best yet.

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Published post no.1,988 – Tuesday 24 October 2023

On Record – The Hillside Project: The Available Light (The Hillside Project)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

The Available Light is the second album from Josh Hill under his pseudonym The Hillside Project. The title represents a response by Hill to a difficult period in his life, the composer saying, “It was both surprising and incredibly reassuring to find the music I was creating was not morose or dark, but some of the happiest, dynamic, light-filled music I’ve ever made. I didn’t really have a choice about it.”

What he terms as ‘a musical jigsaw’ is scored for piano, synths, percussion and string quintet, with the expert guidance of arranger Sam J. Gale.

What’s the music like?

The title is indeed an accurate reflection of the music within, the dappled textures rather beautifully arranged. Often the effect is akin to that of sitting in a large, airy room with the curtains billowing due to the breeze outside. While the room itself is quite dim, outside is ablaze with promise and bright sunshine, and that continued light seeps in to where the listener is.

Hill uses a ‘felted’ piano, which is to say he uses a felt on his upright piano. This ought to dampen the textures but in fact he plays with more power, bringing a distinctive brightness to the resultant sound. The strings act as an effective counterpoint, creating a glacial coolness with the vibraphone for Silvers and Shards. The piano itself generates a good deal of momentum, too, in rushes of positivity like Adamantine Lustre.

On occasion the influence of film composers such as Thomas Newman or groups such as Radiohead can be discerned, but Hill keeps his own distinctive forms of expression, balancing the strings and piano beautifully. The violin leads a particularly beautiful stream of consciousness on the title track, while Sparkler Dims enjoys an exploration of consonant discords that come when the piano is slightly out of tune.

The arrangements have a sensitively sourced beauty. Dizygotic II uses a rich texture of five cello parts, warming the cockles, while by contrast Dizygotic I has a touching violin solo. Skirmish draws the listener in through its soft intonations, the piano initially resembling a distant bell before the momentum gathers. Finally A Closing provides a moving postlude.

Does it all work?

It does indeed. Hill has that rare ability of being able to use what sounds like simple musical language to lasting effect, lifting his work well above the average. Closer examination reveals that there is a lot more going on than appears to be the case on surface level, with melodic figures dancing this way the that. The Available Light was written in the space of three days, which explains its fresh and instinctive feel.

Is it recommended?

Yes indeed. Josh Hill provides a musical glimpse of spring, even as the leaves fall in the storm-ridden northern hemisphere.

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