Iancu Dumitrescu 'Medium II / Cogito' LP
'Medium II', contrabass solo. 'Cogito' two contrabasses, prepared piano, Javanese gong, crystals and metal objects.
Fantastic work. The potential of basses and objects are utilized to the maximum by bowing, scraping, banging, etc. No traditional plucking. Amazingly rich harmonic resonances, screeches etc. with more sudden types of sonorities. There is no show-offism or hectically "expressive" art gestures, but the work proceeds with a nice pace that lets every element breathe and contribute to the whole. Just the right balance between sound and silence. Very dynamic! The recording quality is quite nice and the sound being very "tactile" and raw, the details of the instruments' materiality come through wonderfully. No obvious effects whatsoever, just some natural reverb. Recommended!
V/A 'Dedication' LP
The New Blockaders, Entre Vifs, Freudwerk, Hanatarash, Hijokaidan, Solmania, Masonna, Incapacitants, AOR
Enough said... Just a really good compilation.