new music reviews authored by paul khimasia morgan

Wednesday, 22 April 2015

Ampism / Spicer Duo


Ampism / Spicer Duo
Leaving The Halo Dark
UK  White Lodge  WL009  CD-R  (2014)

Two members of Brighton’s crazed free-jazz improvising cabal Bolide moonlighting here with a nocturnal session in a tower block in the centre of town, probably.  This is top quality late-night psych-drone for yr fevered fontanelle.  Gongs, sitar loops, baritone groaning, occasional dings on a cracked bell; miscellaneous wind instruments and electronics outside in some dark corner of the Sussex countryside.  Or Ampism / Spicer’s back garden on a Wednesday night.
Titles set off at a tangent; Frog Lane, Yaffle, (was that the name of the woodpecker from the BBC’s 1970s stop-animation childrens’ show Bagpuss?), Purusha and Twitches, Twigs And Treasure.  “In early Vedas, Purusha meant a cosmic man whose sacrifice by the gods created all life.  This was one of many creation theories discussed in the Vedas.  The idea parallels Norse Ymir, with the myth's origin in Proto-Indo-European religion” is what that great modern technological sage Wikipedia has to tell me.  From what little I know about this Duo, this goes some way to illustrate the personal philosophies of at least one of the participants.
White Lodge is the home of Bolide themselves; other items from this imprint have not disappointed.
Highly recommended for those interested in free music of any stripe.  Presented to us in a plain white cd-r and typed insert in a dvd case with full colour wraparound sleeve designed I suspect by F. Ampism if not both parties.

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