• Music - Music Documentaries

    Alexei Aigui – 1000 Miles Till The Next Embrace EP

    September 13, 2021 - By 

    Our friend and noted composer Alexeï Aïgui was just featured here recently for his releases, Palimpsest and Alcohol, at the end of July, and it seems that he’s kept himself quite busy as of late, so we’re pleased to announce this EP, a soundtrack to the film 1000 Miles Till The Next Embrace, a documentary on tango directed by Irina Rubia. Alexeï has proven himself to be among the best of this generation of soundtrack composers, but there is one track which utterly stands out for me, the fifth track, titled Freeze.  It has a feeling of a post-rock composition,…

  • Music

    Jonny Martyr – Impossible Space

    August 22, 2021 - By 

    A pleasant surprise out of Edinburgh, Scotland.  Jonny Martyr is a pianist who manages to, “build a world of sound with contemporary classical, electronica, post-rock and serialist influences.”  There is truth in advertising in this release, as each track manages to balance these genres perfectly.  It looks like Martyr has a few albums to his credit, and it’s nice to finally come across his work.  This is quite a warm lake of music to swim in.

  • Music - Spotify

    Alexei Aigui & Ensemble 4’33” – Palimpsest

    July 29, 2021 - By 

    A debt of thanks is owed to Alexei Aigui, a friend of this blog as well as one of Russia’s finest composers and violinists.  He and his troupe, Ensemble 4’33” bring a sweeping cinematic album which will appeal to those who enjoy composers like Steve Reich, Michael Nyman, and also more interesting aspects of progressive rock (think bands like the Penguin Café Orchestra or even a far lighter Samla Mammas Manna, played with joy). I’ve spent a good deal of time these last few days listening to more heavy music, so Palimpsest is something of an indulgence for me.  It’s…

  • Music

    John Tejada & Ulrich Krieger – Silversonic

    July 17, 2021 - By 

    Two legends from rather different backgrounds collaborate on this EP. Austrian-American DJ John Tejada is a legend in electronic music as has thrived in the scene as a sought-after remixer.  I had the pleasure of meeting him several times while working at a record shop in Los Angeles during the 1990s, and it pleases me to no end how far his career has taken off. Ulrich Krieger is a composer, improviser and experimental rock musician from Germany whose work you may have heard either as a composer or interpreter of contemporary classical music with Zeitkratzer/ or as a member of…

  • Music

    Nick Sudnick – Opera Of The Eleventh Hour

    May 26, 2021 - By 

    St. Petersburg, Russia-based composer Nick Sudnick has had a storied career as the main protagonist of the of the art-rock group Zga.  I had the pleasure of working with him for one reissue in another life. He is still very much involved with music, and has been releasing an incredible series of albums recently.  As I understand it, he’s creating operas based on each hour of the day.  The latest installment is for the Eleventh Hour, and base material for this project include motifs derived from pharmacies, medical encyclopedia, online mental health forums and so on. This will appeal heavily…

  • Music - Youtube

    [Youtube] Sofia Gubaidulina – Sieben Worte for cello, bayan and strings

    April 30, 2021 - By 

    No reviews today, as I will be celebrating Easter weekend (for those who are confused, it is because most Eastern Orthodox celebrate Easter using the Julian Calendar) with my friends.  To honor Good Friday, I offer to you Tatar-Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina’s magnum opus, Sieben Worte for cello, bayan and strings.  It is a composition dedicated to the last words of Jesus Christ during His passion. For those who celebrate today, Είθε ο Θεός να μας δείξει έλεος.

  • Music

    Maja S. K. Ratkje – Corona Lockdown Concert For TUSK Festival 2020

    January 29, 2021 - By 

    Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje is perhaps the most important active composer in Norway’s experimental music scene.  The Trondheim native not only works with avant-garde music, but with contemporary classical, choral, experimental, electronic and even rock music. She provides a new release which clocks in about 30 minutes of vocal improvisation which goes from quiet blips and boops to what sounds like harrowing growling and shreiks (yes, it works perfectly within the context of this music), textured with loops and the sorts of soundscapes Ratkje is known for.  The release is a documentation of her virtual performance at the TUSK Virtual…