BLAAST
from one
coordinate to uncoordination
CANADA Caduc CA08
CD (2015)
Here, we have another fine release from Mathieu
Ruhlmann’s Caduc label, this time a duo of Lali Barrière and Alfredo Costa
Monteiro. I previously enjoyed Ruhlmann’s
Concert For Charles Cros with Lance
Austin Olsen and Daniel Jones on Caduc. Monteiro
I know from his project Atolón with Ruth Barberán and Ferran Fages, whose excellent
2013 album Concret I reviewed here: http://www.thesoundprojector.com/?s=atolon. He also works with Fages under the name
Cremaster, with Barberán under the name i treni inerti, (literally translated; Inert
Trains), and in duos with Pascal Battus and Tim Olive as well as solo. Lali Barrière is a Barcelona-based musician
who has also worked with Ruth Barberán and Ferran Fages, along with many other
notable improvisers such as Tom Chant, Xavier Lopez, Tom Soloveitzik, Dafne
Vicente-Sandoval and Artur Vidal and sound artist Nuno Rebelo. She teaches mathematics as a Professor
at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and also creative music. The scene in Barcelona seems to be
particularly close-knit; Ferran Fages mastered from one coordinate to uncoordination.
Monteiro produced the sleeve artwork himself.
The work itself is one piece of deep, expansive music
based around unhurried movement and tonal interplay, performed on two
synthesisers over a good, long duration of 73 minutes. Actually, as an admirer of long-duration
improvisation, I could happily listen to much more than that; this is great
stuff – immersive, subtle and enigmatic.
In fact, when on the first listen, as the music finished, I immediately
pressed play again and listened to the whole thing straight through for a
second time. Demonstrating considerable restraint
and purity of intention, from one
coordinate to uncoordination keeps a fairly uniform dynamic until about
halfway where Barrière and Costa Monteiro break it down into gossamer
components. All the way they maintain a
linearity in their interplay. Later, at 50
minutes, both synthesisers take on the timbre of church organs as if heard from
outside; filtered by the stone walls of a church.
I am aware that there has been a recent resurgence of
interest in all things analogue in the world of synthesis, and it is not stated
on the sleeve whether the equipment being used here is digital or analogue, (however
there is a video of BLAAST in performance and it looks like they are using modern
desktop synthesisers, but it’s too dark to make out much more than that). Purists may (and probably will) argue over
this until the cows come home, but I don’t really think about it either way –
the music speaks for itself and, could feasibly be adapted for different
instrumentation. Furthermore, those
familiar with either of the musician’s previous output may be surprised to hear
synthesisers used at all. Both Monteiro
and Barrière are normally firmly ensconced in the EAI area of music making with
acoustic instruments, unconventional strategies, extended technique and so
forth. Displaying steady development, from one coordinate to uncoordination avoids
stagnation or unnecessary busyness. I
had an emotional response to it at once, hence my urge to listen through it
again straightaway.
Again with Caduc, the production values on the disc are
high – full colour professional printing on a heavy card stock fold-over sleeve,
with the thoughtful addition of a bookmark included.
