Category Archives: Experimental
ICMC ~ Best of the Listening Rooms
Happy golden anniversary to the International Computer Music Conference! This special album honors founder David Wessel (1942–2014). The full title of the 2025 theme: Curiosity, Play, Innovation—A 50th Anniversary Celebration of Creativity in Music, Science and Technology. This generous collection
ICMC ~ Best of the Listening Rooms
Happy golden anniversary to the International Computer Music Conference! This special album honors founder David Wessel (1942–2014). The full title of the 2025 theme: Curiosity, Play, Innovation—A 50th Anniversary Celebration of Creativity in Music, Science and Technology. This generous collection
Leonardo Barbierato ~ ]ex(s)it(u)[
The title gives it away. ]ex(s)it(u)[ is a “concept album.” The cover photograph might initially suggest a bucolic collection of field recordings, but Leonardo Barbierato has other ideas. Birdsong is indeed one of the first sounds we hear, accompanied by
Leonardo Barbierato ~ ]ex(s)it(u)[
The title gives it away. ]ex(s)it(u)[ is a “concept album.” The cover photograph might initially suggest a bucolic collection of field recordings, but Leonardo Barbierato has other ideas. Birdsong is indeed one of the first sounds we hear, accompanied by
Mala Fama ~ NXDLLI / Río Cayápas + Remixes
Mala Fama‘s Río Cayápas and NXDLLI offer two complementary readings of the same journey. Both emerged from Esteban Farinango’s time in the Afro-Ecuadorian community of Telembí in Esmeraldas and were developed simultaneously, before OTONO label head Luis Clériga suggested presenting
Mala Fama ~ NXDLLI / Río Cayápas + Remixes
Mala Fama‘s Río Cayápas and NXDLLI offer two complementary readings of the same journey. Both emerged from Esteban Farinango’s time in the Afro-Ecuadorian community of Telembí in Esmeraldas and were developed simultaneously, before OTONO label head Luis Clériga suggested presenting
Rosso Polare ~ Cacciamali
One has to admire the boldness of the opening of Cacciamali. It doesn’t try to dazzle; instead, it opts for understated playfulness. A faltering folk wind instrument sets the tone as if the player were testing it rather than performing
Rosso Polare ~ Cacciamali
One has to admire the boldness of the opening of Cacciamali. It doesn’t try to dazzle; instead, it opts for understated playfulness. A faltering folk wind instrument sets the tone as if the player were testing it rather than performing
Fall Music Preview ~ Experimental
We are extremely excited about the Experimental segment of our Fall Music Preview, as it contains all manner of treasures! This fall’s releases include an album that concentrates on the metallic aspects of percussion and other works inspired by biomes,
Fall Music Preview ~ Experimental
We are extremely excited about the Experimental segment of our Fall Music Preview, as it contains all manner of treasures! This fall’s releases include an album that concentrates on the metallic aspects of percussion and other works inspired by biomes,
Vladislav Delay Quintet ~ vd5
One of my hobbyhorses I love to beat—likely familiar to longtime readers—is that percussionists often make the most interesting composers: Steve Reich, Egisto Macchi, Iannis Xenakis, Edgar Varése, John Cage, Lou Harrison, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Paul Motian,
Vladislav Delay Quintet ~ vd5
One of my hobbyhorses I love to beat—likely familiar to longtime readers—is that percussionists often make the most interesting composers: Steve Reich, Egisto Macchi, Iannis Xenakis, Edgar Varése, John Cage, Lou Harrison, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Paul Motian,
Музична Шкатулка [Muzychna Shkatulka] ~ Donbas in Memoriam
“The silence of the Donetsk steppe is deceptive. Amid complete stillness, you begin to hear a powerful symphony rising from deep beneath the earth.” One should be careful not to romanticise the Donbas. It has never been an easy place
Музична Шкатулка [Muzychna Shkatulka] ~ Donbas in Memoriam
“The silence of the Donetsk steppe is deceptive. Amid complete stillness, you begin to hear a powerful symphony rising from deep beneath the earth.” One should be careful not to romanticise the Donbas. It has never been an easy place
Maryam Rahmani & David Esser ~ Santur & Kamancheh for Electronics
It would be easy to describe Santur & Kamancheh for Electronics as an encounter between Iranian classical instruments and electroacoustic music. Fortunately, that is not what this album is about. Rather than treating tradition and experimentation as opposing worlds, Maryam
Maryam Rahmani & David Esser ~ Santur & Kamancheh for Electronics
It would be easy to describe Santur & Kamancheh for Electronics as an encounter between Iranian classical instruments and electroacoustic music. Fortunately, that is not what this album is about. Rather than treating tradition and experimentation as opposing worlds, Maryam
a closer listen 