First Terrace deliver another instalment of their split series, following on from the meditative trip supplied by Chihei Hatakeyama and Vida Vojic on FTS002 & the blissful first edition from K. Leimer & Like A Villain.
On the ‘line’ side of FTS003 we hear the meeting of three veteran improvisors - Anna Homler (Breadwoman/Pharmacia Poetica), Adrian Northover (Remote Viewers) and Dave Tucker (The Fall). Born from the fertile creative friction of the London Improvisers Orchestra, they incantate together to deliver a clutch of winding, curious, mesmeric compositions.
On the ‘circle’ side we present a recording from Pierre Bastien - an artist of startling singularity and endless, joyful creativity. Recorded at Arts Santa Mònica in Barcelona with Catalonian group Cabo San Roque, Pierre takes the helm of their monumental mechanical sound sculpture - the Orquestra Mecànica de la França Xica - and guides the vast array of cogs and pistons through three movements. The orchestra was made up of thirty or forty machines, all linked to Pierre’s casio keyboard.
Vastly different from his previous relelease Specimens has created a more traditionally ambient released, whilst eschewing most of the more cliched elements of the genre.
The overall feel is sombre; the tonality shaped by long, droning notes that either rub against aural counterpoints - creating a sense of conflict or tension, or echo against the surrounding silence.
Not so much a progression as a change of direction, and a very rewarding one. Michael Mueller
A genius of modern music and a true innovator. He was always deserving of more attention than he got. New and beautiful worlds were unlocked by this dream catcher. John Fenton