Electroacoustic/Ethnic Ambient/Tribal

Tracklist:

01 Winding waters
02 Melting point
03 Coil
04 Kettle
05 Where wave meets shore
06 Forge
07 Melting point pt 2
08 Surge
09 White forest, black road
10 Steam
11 Nevermore
12 Melting point pt 3
13 Critical mass
 

This is a split collaboration between Kyron & David Molina.

Improvisation plays a fundamental role as basic source for inspired ideas, out of hand events, unexpected turns and general speculation, by getting rid of the fixed norm the author may be able to find the more appropriate sounds to form his own idea, or to get the uncommon compositional way to articulate a plot, a figure, an action or a sentiment. In many cases this may result in a fiasco that is only interesting for the artist, some other times he may find a way to communicate heart to heart with his public and to surprise them with an uncanny innovation. When improvisation is contextualized inside music the results may be truly genuine and unique just like a psychological game of “free associations”. This is the case for “Melting point” a release issued by the Ethnic experimental ambient and shamanistic electronica promoter Black Note Music managed by JC Mendizabal Aka “Kyron”. David Molina & Kyron were invited in 2007 to a performance in San francisco located in the Melting Point Gallery. David a multi instrumentalist expert brought an arsenal of instruments for the performance including conventional instruments to be played in unconventional ways like Flutes, Cello, Bells, Water phone, Water kalimba, a mini tabla and other alien instruments entirely created by him. JC brought the electronic compost, amongst other items the sacred sampler machine and rhythmic boxes. In front of each artist a screen projecting an experimental film score by Susana Aragon called “Personal lugagge” and then the improvisation commence. David starts by playing the instruments and constructing the message, creating the soundtrack as it comes and Kyron readapts everything adding an outworldly touch and fragmentary finality coming from his electronic mediums. A year later and after multiple magical additions and remixes the work we have in here took its definitive form. “Melting point” is a very demonstrative episode of transient experimentalism with an extremely spiritual touch in it.

“Melting point” mix the magical contours we can find in Electro acoustic music with eerie rhythms from ritual music. Strange instrumental formations take hold during the whole transition often presenting an irregular and alien sonority, sometimes not even associated with the functionality of the very instrument. A constant rhythm is transmitted through the percussive cadence given to the string instruments, like for example the stunned broken harp delicately hammered or twanged during the first track (later converging as soundtrack theme and becomes a constant return reworked and morphed) and slowly introducing a subtle rhythm that gets the form of a mellow tribal dirge. The sound of the instruments is often eerie, unrecognizable but magnificently pleasant. This tribal cadence introduced is never monotonic or boring but grabbing, enthusiastically calling the listener in adherence with its trance like rhythm, and while it does drones other instrument applications gets morphed in other extravagant organic atmospherics of progressive colouring. An example of this lies on “Coil”. But not everything is tribal mesmerisms and organic drone usage applied in incredible amplitude and most suggestive appeal. “Kettle” brings a set of bizarre glitchs and quasi breaks constructed with bells and other instrumental sources all of them floating over a sub bass undulation that results both intriguing and meditative. “White forest, black road” brings a Western like feel with an atonal guitar chord that brings psychedelic vibes amidst a mystic atmosphere of sandy textures and arid flutes opaqued by winds and the unfathomable profundity of a deserted landscape. Or the dissimilar and more heavy constituted “Steam” that grants a strange equivalent of a Hip-Hop like rhythm appropriated in a tribal logic, introducing in a very deep mental journey of aural stimulation and eerie instrumental atmosphere as background. The general ambience is heavily marked by a set of percussive arrangements that bring an attractive tribal ritualised atmosphere and this is one of the aces from the work, the right use of percussions like tabla, or the string instruments giving this percussive tone aside innumerable other elements and effects joined by right guessed drones, electronic additions and morphing gives to the work an strange aura that results always intriguing and hypnotic. All tracks are interconnected interweaving a narrative that is both prosaic and magical and while the story is told each track remains as a particular element that becomes a fundamental piece for the appreciation of the wholeness.

“Melting point” is an extraordinary example of modern Tribal music aided by electronics and thus not resulting an eminently sociologic study reserved for the versed but a piece of art at within the reach from anyone who wants to experience it. It could be lectured as a world in its own without being necessarily linked with the performance that initiated its creation. Its simple yet utterly versatile creation creates proximity with the listener, its narrative results visionary, manifesting hypnotic states of mystic beauty and magical scenes of natural presence. Cheers for the brotherhood of Shamans established by this duo, hope they bring new experimentations for us to experience. Recommended!