Sanso-Xtro - Fountain Fountain Joyous Mountain[/b] "It's been over five years since we last heard from Melissa Agate aka Sanso-Xtro on her record for Type, "Sentimentalist." In those five years quite a bit has happened. Agate's relocated to her native Australia and the move has treated her well. Fountain Fountain Joyous Mountain takes a lot of the ideas from her first record and dials them in, pushing everything to the next level. This collection of songs is a quiet force, blissfully confident and expertly assembled. Sanso's soundworld is fully immersive environment.
On the opener, "Fountain Fountain," we get a glimpse of everything to come. Slow-moving synthesizer sequences stay in constant motion as the piece slowly builds. Accenting bells and electronics skitter across the aural landscape, everything teasing like it will stop completely before picking back up with even more steam than before. There's this carefully controlled chaos at work that is immediately hypnotizing. Agate sings simple passages toward the end, welcoming listeners into this new world as her voice floats above the fray.
It becomes obvious as the album progresses that Agate is, at heart, a drummer. The staccato rhythms and percussive embellishments bring the album to life. These rapid-fire beats in conjunction with precise, half-speed instrumentation work in perfect harmony. Reminiscent of Blackdance-era Schulze at times, there's an intoxicating dizzyness that is effortlessly present in "The Origin of Birds" and "Wood Owl Wings a Rush Rush." Agate even throws a few nods to free jazz with "Goodnight Thylacine." Her skill as a drummer is matched by her ability as a songwriter, knowing when to push it over the top and when to dial it back. Album closer, "Exit: Joyous Mountain," sounds like a lost Alan Lomax gem with its and melodica/harmonica duet and delicate singing.
"Hello Night Crow" is the literal and figurative center of the album, though. It starts with a ringing synth loop that gives nothing away until the electronic chord changes emerge a minute in. Again it's about the slow-build that raises the tension and anticipation before melting into the sky. It's like when you rub your eyes and get bombarded by geometric shapes swirling on a sea of blackness. The song envelopes you and you're instantly transported until you open your eyes. "You wouldn't recognize that its not there anymore," Agate sings over the bubbling waves of synths. It is beautiful and crushing.
Melissa Agate's second album proves what a force she is to be reckoned with. Everything feels in the right place; the details matter. Fountain Fountain Joyous Mountain is a three-dimensional record. You can hear it. You can see it. But most importantly, you can certainly feel it."
- Digitalis.[/quote] (2011) - Soundcloud
If I'm not mistaken, Kez brought this to my attention over at the other board two years ago. I recently brought out "Valse d'Emile Benoit" when a friend was recording me on mando, and his mouth dropped. The album, like the tune, is simply uplifting.
Stand Before Me, Oh My Soul by Fabio Orsi
Finally cleared out the last of my courtesy credit before it expired and got this. Thanks, Brighternow for the rec some time back. Next week I'm going to buy that Orsi anbd Seaworthy from bandcamp also.
Lost in a Moment by Shrift
Got track three of this as an emusic free daily download ages ago - probably when it came out in 2006. Wasn't exactly what I was into, but it has stuck around in my playlists. Saw that guvera had the album and so finally decided to give it a go. Interesting mix of waif-like female vocal (in several languages), kind of a lounge/world/even sometimes disco musical backdrop, with both then given textural electronic treatment with some found sounds. It works. Very nice.
Comments
Steve Earle' s I'll Never Get Out of this World, streaming on NPR's first listen.
Offthesky - Studies of Lifeform in Transit
Sanso-Xtro - Fountain Fountain Joyous Mountain[/b]
"It's been over five years since we last heard from Melissa Agate aka Sanso-Xtro on her record for Type, "Sentimentalist." In those five years quite a bit has happened. Agate's relocated to her native Australia and the move has treated her well. Fountain Fountain Joyous Mountain takes a lot of the ideas from her first record and dials them in, pushing everything to the next level. This collection of songs is a quiet force, blissfully confident and expertly assembled. Sanso's soundworld is fully immersive environment.
On the opener, "Fountain Fountain," we get a glimpse of everything to come. Slow-moving synthesizer sequences stay in constant motion as the piece slowly builds. Accenting bells and electronics skitter across the aural landscape, everything teasing like it will stop completely before picking back up with even more steam than before. There's this carefully controlled chaos at work that is immediately hypnotizing. Agate sings simple passages toward the end, welcoming listeners into this new world as her voice floats above the fray.
It becomes obvious as the album progresses that Agate is, at heart, a drummer. The staccato rhythms and percussive embellishments bring the album to life. These rapid-fire beats in conjunction with precise, half-speed instrumentation work in perfect harmony. Reminiscent of Blackdance-era Schulze at times, there's an intoxicating dizzyness that is effortlessly present in "The Origin of Birds" and "Wood Owl Wings a Rush Rush." Agate even throws a few nods to free jazz with "Goodnight Thylacine." Her skill as a drummer is matched by her ability as a songwriter, knowing when to push it over the top and when to dial it back. Album closer, "Exit: Joyous Mountain," sounds like a lost Alan Lomax gem with its and melodica/harmonica duet and delicate singing.
"Hello Night Crow" is the literal and figurative center of the album, though. It starts with a ringing synth loop that gives nothing away until the electronic chord changes emerge a minute in. Again it's about the slow-build that raises the tension and anticipation before melting into the sky. It's like when you rub your eyes and get bombarded by geometric shapes swirling on a sea of blackness. The song envelopes you and you're instantly transported until you open your eyes. "You wouldn't recognize that its not there anymore," Agate sings over the bubbling waves of synths. It is beautiful and crushing.
Melissa Agate's second album proves what a force she is to be reckoned with. Everything feels in the right place; the details matter. Fountain Fountain Joyous Mountain is a three-dimensional record. You can hear it. You can see it. But most importantly, you can certainly feel it."
- Digitalis.[/quote] (2011) - Soundcloud
Eliane Radigue @ FMA
Shuffling Jefferson Airplane. Amazing how young and harmless them look on this album cover.
Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra
Dwelling Spells by offthesky
=>zymogen.
Bas van Huizen live at [F]luister
If I'm not mistaken, Kez brought this to my attention over at the other board two years ago. I recently brought out "Valse d'Emile Benoit" when a friend was recording me on mando, and his mouth dropped. The album, like the tune, is simply uplifting.
Great to see Bas van Huizen work, Thanks.
Grouper (Liz Harris) - Live at All Tomorrows Party - NY 2009
The Dirty Three (feat. Nick Cave) - Live at All Tomorrows Party - NY 2009
Papa M - Live at All Tomorrows Party - NY 2010
- (Wauw !)
Victorie - Cathedral City. Composed by Missy Mazzoli. It is like a little Philip Glass mixed with Godspeed! You Black Emperor.
/Edit: I just noticed that Last.FM describes Victorie the same way. I swear I did not plaginate.
Micalavera by Damiak
Pleasant. Some really nice moments.
I don't love this as much as her first, which is why I anxiously await her next.
Stand Before Me, Oh My Soul by Fabio Orsi
Finally cleared out the last of my courtesy credit before it expired and got this. Thanks, Brighternow for the rec some time back. Next week I'm going to buy that Orsi anbd Seaworthy from bandcamp also.
link goes to Amazon, but I got it at Guvera.
I was just thinking I should get this album as the samples sounded great, and now it's $2.99 on Amazon.
Unfairly forgotten.
Lost in a Moment by Shrift
Got track three of this as an emusic free daily download ages ago - probably when it came out in 2006. Wasn't exactly what I was into, but it has stuck around in my playlists. Saw that guvera had the album and so finally decided to give it a go. Interesting mix of waif-like female vocal (in several languages), kind of a lounge/world/even sometimes disco musical backdrop, with both then given textural electronic treatment with some found sounds. It works. Very nice.