Friday, September 14, 2018

Javier Piñango & Juan Antonio Nieto | AFTERGLOW PTLP001(2018)

OUT NOW !!! on PLUS TIMBRE
Javier Piñango & Juan Antonio Nieto | AFTERGLOW
PTLP001(2018)
http://www.plustimbre.com/releases/LP0012018.html
All tracks composed and produced by
Javier Piñango and Juan Antonio Nieto
Photos by Almudena Villar
Recorded in Madrid summer 2017
Layout by Nick Petavrides (neta)

 PTLP001

Monday, August 20, 2018

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Monday, July 23, 2018

Toneshift.net review Choke by Salis / Sanna / Pili PT078(2018)

Since 2014 Greek net-based imprint Plus Timbre has been releasing experimental, improvisational music. On Choke the Italian duo of Giacomo Salis + Paolo Sanna work with Sardinian artist Stanislas Pili to form a percussive trio for the first time. The recording consists of four pieces numbered 1 through 4. At first they scrape metal and contort cymbals and other objects – creating a sound that mimics monkeys in cages, it’s mysterious and slightly disturbing. It’s a whirring, sawing sound that breaks with hollow silences. Together they form a factory sound, dragging and action-painting with metal objects/instruments. The first act ends in an echo-y drone that’s quite chilling.
Part two comes on like an unyielding wind, as they build layers of clang and thick whisps of suction and flowing force. It grows into a generous crescendo, with scratching, screetching all the way. Into a ripping sound that punctuates the piece with what sounds like bare open wires and a low rattling, like a creaking ship belly.
This is a rocky ride, an uncertain collected chaos that could potentially go in any direction. The trio of talented percussionists perform as modern day fluxus acrobats on Choke. As the third part opens there’s hardly a break, if any. The all-out noise has been replaced with crunchy fodder and micro abrasions. It’s not quite a full ‘time-out’ – more of an inversion to the prior antics, and a nice break to the overall deep listening experience. It’s oh so quiet, like you turned off the tea kettle and it exudes it’s final breath of steam, only to end in what sound faintly like a car blinker. That is until a tuba-like sound emits like a dull alarm. Here their sound is a quirky off-brand experimental out jazz. After re-cranking the machine, a low hum and jangle like glass bottles on a washing machine in mid-rotation, they set out to to balance highs and lows with a master touch. Improvisation at it’s most peculiar and sensitive.
Finally a squawk emerges, made by scratching the underside with drumsticks perhaps, but sounding like the second coming of モスラ (Mothra). The tin din generated by three men sounds like a mile-long factory at full throttle. If music could raise the dead, these gents have braced us in their wake. As a unit they wrangle and sculpt a three-way noise palette like impressionist triplets with super powers. Their sound has form, a multi-directional disharmony, guts and style. This is likely a soundtrack for haunted houses, especially at the very end where weird howling seeps through the crevices as awkward silences put this to bed. Sleep in heavenly peace.
https://toneshift.net/2018/07/23/choke-by-salis-sanna-pili/ 

Saturday, June 30, 2018

Magliocchi|Boss|Rolfini|Grassi – “Four points in the black sun” (AVANT SCENA REVIEW)

“Four points in the black sun” is the newest release of “Plus Timbre” records. Album was recorded by Marcello Magliocchi (drums, percussion), Matthias Boss (violin), Mauro Rolfini (bass clarinet, alto saxophone) and Alen Grassi (acoustic bass). Four musicians are dedicated to create interesting and extraordinary sound. Their music is filled with evocative and interesting musical experiments, innovative musical decisions, colorful and unusual timbres and has a rich musical language. Musicians are extracting new timbres and using huge range of different playing techniques, expressions and other elements of musical language. The music is based on avant-garde jazz and free improvisations – spontaneous and passionate solos, expressive and vivacious melodies, marvelous and virtuosic passages, special effects, vibrant and energetic blow outs are the main elements of their improvisations. Each musician has original and interesting playing style, unique sound and specific playing manner.
“Four points in the black sun” has evocative, fresh and interesting sound. Musicians are improvising free, expressively and creatively. Their music is filled with spontaneous solos, unpredictable stylistic changes, eclectic combinations and different moods. Compositions have difficult, colorful and expressive musical language. It consists from numerous of different expressions, extended playing techniques, special effects and unusual sounds. The pattern is constructed by many different layers, which are highly contrasting with each other. Each musician is improvising differently from the others – their melodies are solid, independent and bright. It makes a gorgeous, strong and effective melodic pattern. All kinds of rhythms are used silmunateously in these compositions – musicians are changing them dynamically. The rhythms of bebop, post bop, hard bop and other modern jazz styles are fused together with free, spontaneous and energetic improvisations. Even though, the music is based on avant-garde jazz, free improvisation and various styles of experimental jazz, it also has some elements from modern and contemporary jazz styles, experimental music, academic avant-garde and contemporary academical music. These intonations are very soft and mild – it’s integrated all together in one musical pattern. Dynamic, rapid and sharp modern jazz rhythms bring life and energy to the compositions. Bass clarinet and alto saxophone improvisations by Mauro Rolfini are expressive and vivacious. It’s filled with passionate solos, dynamic and light melodies, joyful and playful episodes which are put against vibrant, sharp and aggressive episodes. The music is based on contrasts and has an abstract musical pattern. Separate melodic and rhythmic elements are used monotonously and silmunateously one after each other. Reeds melodies bring bright, joyful, vivacious and expressive sound to the compositions. Matthias Boss violin improvisations are based on free improvisation, but also have some relations with academical music. Free and abstract form, colorful musical pattern, dynamic rhythmic, sharp harmony – all these elements are very important in the compositions of this improviser. Unusual sounds, colorful and weird timbres, effective and inventive instrumentation decisions – improviser really shows his creativity in forming a independent, colorful and sparkling instrumentation. He fuses together hiw own ways of playing, specific and experimental playing techniques with usual and very well-known methods of playing. The marvelous synthesis of all these elements makes an effort to colorful, effective and expressive sound. Alen Grassi acoustic bass improvisations are subtle and silent for the most of the time. Deep and dark bass line, repetitive and monotonic tunes, calm and peaceful melodies – these elements suddenly grow to the culminations: bright, passionate, effective and powerful solos with marvelous passages, interesting timbres and special effects. The music is contrasting and dynamic, has many different sides and colors. Musical experiments, intense melodies and brilliant solos arfe the most effective episodes of his improvisations. Marcello Magliocchi drums and percussion section is colorful and dynamic, based on modern instrumentation. Drummer tries out all kinds of different rhythms and organically blends together sharp and rapid modern jazz rhythms, calm and relaxing cool jazz and spontaneous, turbulent and bright free improvisations. Dozens of different exstended playing techniques are mixed together with colorful and gorgeous percussion timbres. All four musicians are using inventive ways of playing – they create interesting, fresh, innovative and evocative sound.

https://avantscena.wordpress.com/2018/06/26/magliocchibossrolfinigrassi-four-points-in-the-black-sun-plus-timbre-2018/

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Magliocchi / Boss / Rolfini / Grassi FOUR POINTS IN THE BLACK SUN (distorsioni.net review)

Nell’area di confine tra Creative Music e Free Jazz di prima generazione (storicamente intervallati di circa un decennio, casomai valessero le etichette, peraltro in parziale condivisione di stilemi ed attori) possiamo considerarne un’attualissima incarnazione nel quartetto condotto dal batterista e percussionista pugliese Marcello Magliocchi, in contitolarità di fatto con sodali altrettanto sperimentati entro un ampio range stilistico primariamente votato alla sperimentazione e alla forma estemporanea. Elaborati in estrema sintesi, i titoli fanno stringatissimo riferimento alle iniziali nella combinazione individuale nel corso delle sei tracks, di variabile estensione, protratta nell’introduttiva ed intricata MBRG part 1, il cui carattere e le cui tensioni permangono stilisticamente coerenti nell’estensione dell’album.
Clima brulicante ed improvvisazione fisica, codesti posti in campo dalla pulsazione baritonale e la mimesi elettrica del trasparente contrabbasso di Alen Grassi, dalle frenesie d’ancia di Mauro Rolfini, dalla fitta grandine percussiva di Marcello Magliocchi e dalle asprezze d’arco al violino dello svizzero Matthias senza-titolo-3Boss (da sinistra a destra nella foto), tutti a proprio agio nell’espressione interrogativa e nella centrifuga polifonia d’insieme. Consistente il peso specifico dell’ardimento condiviso, e quanto a reminiscenze di soundscape non ci asterremmo dal riconoscere ascendenti quali gli storici Revolutionary Ensemble o Creative Construction Company: da una label solida per progettualità e nient’affatto banale per parterre, la Plus Timbre, uno stimolante punto d’incontro espressivo e interattivo, effimero per vocazione, incisivo nelle sue tattiche espressive, attestante il grado d’intesa di quattro sperimentati alfieri della perigliosa arena della forma libera, idiosincratici testimoni del sempre vitale stato comunicativo del performing istantaneo.
http://www.distorsioni.net/canali/dischi/marcellomagliocchi 

Sunday, May 13, 2018

once gravity trio – “hidden river” Avant Scena

“hidden river” was released on April 29, 2018 by “Plus Timbre”. Album was recorded by “one gravity trio” – it’s Stefabo Toschi (electric guitar), Luca Borsetti (drums, selected objects) and Alen Grassi (electric bass). The music of “one gravity trio” is full of dynamic and energetic sounds. Their music is based on avant-garde jazz, rock, modern and contemporary jazz styles synthesis. Musicians like to experiment in all ways of musical language – they are trying out new playing techniques, instruments compilations, forms, extended playing techniques and inventive musical decisions. Huge variety of playing techniques, original and interesting musical pattern, unusual timbres, weird sounds, colorful tones, expressive melodic elements and fascinating spontaneous solos – all these elements are the most important part of their music. Each musician has its own way of playing, specific playing manner and unique sound. Their music is always full of interesting sounds, stylistic waves, sudden turns, dynamic changes of various music elements.
The music of this album has interesting and innovative sound. The synthesis of avant-garde jazz, various rock and avant-rock elements, bebop, post-bop and other compilatiobns of contemporary and modern jazz styles are gently combined together in one place. Album compositions have intensive, vibrant and evocative musical pattern, which is based on dozens of different musical language elements. Individual and independent melodies by each improviser, evocative, effective and vibrant solos, original and sidden stylistic waves, dynamic turns and extended playing techniques – all these elements are the main basics of the compositions. All music is based on free improvisations which are masterfully blended together with creative and innovative musical experiments, search of unusual sounds and spontaneous solos. Stefabo Toschi electric guitar melodies have interesting and expressive sound. Vivacious, touching and passionate playing blends together avant-garde jazz, especially emotional and expressive free improvisations and the elements of various rock styles. Musician masterfully tries out different expressions and combines together traditional and extended playing techniques with experimental ways of playing. The sound of his improvisations is especially expressive, energetic, active and effective. Alen Grassi electric bass melodies gently fit together with electric guitar. His music is filled with virtuosic, vibrant and striking solos, expressive and vivacious melodies, vibrant, effective and strange timbres, original musical decisions and subtle and silent excerpts. Improviser masterfully fuses together different and contrasting moods, characters, extended playing techniques and expressions. His music is totally based on main elements of avant-garde jazz and free improvisations. The melodies are vivacious and vibrant – it’s highly contrasting with electric guitar. Dynamic and constantly changing rhythmic, separate and repetitive tones, deep and static bass line create solid rhythmic section. Luca Borsetti drums section has rich and bright sound. Musician combine together traditional and unusual percussion instruments. The unusual timbres, colorful and gorgeous sounds, fascinating musical experiments, original and inventive musical decisions, loud drum rolls, turbulent and bright free improvisations, special effects and many other elements are masterfully fused together in one place. This music has expressive, innovative and interesting sound.
https://avantscena.wordpress.com/2018/05/08/once-gravity-trio-hidden-river-plus-timbre-2018/ 

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Poche note sull'improvvisazione italiana: sulla rarità tecnica ed espressiva

Jack D'Amico | awaiting the great collapse PLUS TIMBRE 033 (2016)
Del pianista Jack D'Amico potete avere riscontri in questo sito grazie a due mie recensioni (vedi qui e qui); la rarità del napoletano, oramai da tempo nel giro degli improvvisatori romani, si nutre di fattori tecnici ed espressivi, che tendono a prendere/insinuare una posizione estetica nell'universo fornito da pianisti, musicisti e compositori del novecento. Non si tratta solo di tecniche estensive o di espansioni della capacità sonora, ma di occupare un posto nella gamma complessa dei sentimenti rinvenibili dalla musica. Il pianoforte è strumento che ha già rivelato le sue possibilità armoniche o timbriche, ha un'esposizione secolare in quanto a metodologia di approccio (il suonar dentro gli interni o la percussività delle sue parti esterne) ma D'Amico cerca particolari combinazioni che gli sono care e gli garantiscono una splendida e degna abitazione della sua ricerca; così dicasi per i rhodes, strumenti su cui si pensa di conoscere tutto specie dopo che Miles Davis ha inaugurato un tipo di intervento, ma laconicamente nessuno crede ad ulteriori approcci come quello di D'Amico, che usa una pedaliera che sconfina in una particolare sezione del mistero. L'improvvisazione di D'Amico fa un figurone nel solismo di Awaiting the great collapse, che a qualcuno lascerebbe intendere una sensibilità post-rock, fin dalla copertina dell'album correlato, pubblicato nel 2016 per la greca Plus Timbre; questo progetto, supportato anche da una validissima sorgente video aggiuntiva, di regola affidata a Simone Memè (vedi qui un'esibizione), è pensato per una continua distrazione del pensiero immaginativo, dove D'Amico accoglie tra i suoi comandamenti quello scelsiano di "...non pensare, lasciare pensare coloro che hanno bisogno di pensare...". Il gioco dell'ottagono si apprezza grazie ad una manovra di compenetrazione che usa benissimo gli scampoli stilistici che il novecento ha partorito, lasciandoli intendere ma mai appropriandosene troppo (l'idioma Satie, l'atonalità della scuola viennese, il modern classical, il jazz di Taylor, il Cage elettroacustico). Oltre al pianoforte, che ha una veste continuamente cangiante per via di preparazioni, risonanze ad hoc e battitura degli interni, D'Amico usa le tecniche dell'hyperpiano di Maroney, smistando occasionalmente la voce in un megafono. Quello che si presenta nei 47 minuti della suite è dunque un conglomerato sonoro assolutamente libero, una marea sensazionale a cui è difficile resistere.

http://ettoregarzia.blogspot.gr/2018/05/poche-note-sullimprovvisazione-italiana.html

Thursday, March 29, 2018

AMN Reviews: Mauro Sambo & Matilde Sambo – …sibilava tra i denti… [Plus Timbre PT066]

…sibilava tra i denti…–“hissed between the teeth”—is the work of two generations of Venetian experimentalists. Multi-instrumentalist Mauro Sambo, here on electronics, double bass, kalimba, gong and other percussion, is joined by his daughter Matilde, who provides field recordings and plays electric guitar and electronics. Both bring sensibilities formed at the crossings of sound and various other media—videography for Matilde, and the plastic arts for Mauro. As might be expected, their collaboration shows a sensitivity to the ways sound can imply and simulate action projected into a three-dimensional space—implication being the soul of their musical wit.
The single, nearly twenty-nine minute track is permeated by an atmosphere of acousmatic mysteriousness, as the sources of Sambos’ sounds seem reluctant to reveal themselves. Until they do, in the form of clearly-shaped guitar arpeggios, a struck gong reverberating in a void, or the skittering of a hyperactive kalimba. Throughout its changes of texture and timbre, the track gives rise to an almost cinematic sense of obscure but purposeful actions performed with the help of unknown means, and all of it taking place just at the threshold of comprehension.
THANK YOU Daniel Barbiero & AMN
https://avantmusicnews.com/2018/03/29/amn-reviews-mauro-sambo-matilde-sambo-sibilava-tra-i-denti-plus-timbre-pt066/

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Ciuta / Kwi / Simpson / Whitehead | An Attempt For Balance (PT074)

Tony Whitehead | Shoreline (PT073)

Dallas Simpson | Railway Footbridge Improvisation For One Adult and Two Children (PT072)

Slavek Kwi | Uchat C (PT071)

Darius Ciuta | grt_p (PT070)

An Attempt For Balance Ciuta / Kwi / Simpson / Whitehead

 PT074

Shoreline Tony Whitehead

 PT073

Railway Footbridge Improvisation For One Adult and Two Children Dallas Simpson

 PT072

Uchat C Slavek Kwi

 PT071

grt_p Darius Ciuta

 PT070

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

AMN Reviews: KURUNDU (Zigo & Camila Dos Santos) – Yvykua Ipuva [Plus Timbre PT068]


Much experimental/electronic sound art can be austere and even severely cerebral; Kurundu’s five-movement suite Yvykua Ipuva, by contrast, revels in the polymorphous sensuality of sound.
Kurundu, named for South American ritual amulets, is a binational duo of Paraguayan cellist Camila Dos Santos and Argentinian electronics artist Zigo Rayopineal. Their collaboration has produced a set of richly atmospheric, layered musical constructions built in real time. Dos Santos and Rayopineal are particularly good at creating the illusion of spatial depth with sound, partly through a close attention to the stratification of texture and partly through the reverberant voices they tend to favor. The foundation is Dos Santos’ cello, suitably looped and processed. Her playing here is more about ambience than melody, although a melodic line does unfold slowly at the heart of the long second movement; her use of chords and drones, glissandi and extended techniques complements Rayopineal’s shimmering electronic settings. The latter dominate the fourth movement, which seems to allude to early electronic music’s sonic imaginings of outer space; the final movement puts the focus on Dos Santos’ cello—strummed, overpressured and bowed for harmonics and multiphonics, it sketches its self-portrait in a concave mirror.

https://avantmusicnews.com/2018/02/05/amn-reviews-kurundu-zigo-camila-dos-santos-yvykua-ipuva-plus-timbre-pt068/