SILENCE BLOSSOMS – Silence
Blossoms
Efpi Records
Sam Andreae: clarinet, electronics, guitar, saxophone, voice; Hanna Olivegren Wessblad: electronics, voice; Gus Loxbo: double bass, electronics, guitar, saw, voice.
Neither the cover sleeve nor the disc have any information with them, so I assumed that the press release in which they were wrapped did indeed refer to the music within. Should this not be the case, it doesn't affect the music which I heard – so here goes. In the event I have omitted all references to just about anything at all except the music.
Composed words and music are integrated into spontaneous improvisation scenarios and this configuration seems to enhance the responsiveness of inventive thinking and playing, like a tent and its guy-lines holding each other firmly together in spite of the tug of the wind. The texts reflect contemporaneous poetry, the instruments provide textural variations and there is no doubt that here is a background of folk interpretation of commonly popular themes of loss and love re-presented as hurt and ecstasy with intense unconventionality.
Hanna Olivegren Wessblad's voice moves between poignant and mesmeric, the mood perceptive to acerbic, yet always these contrasts are in harmony.
Silence Blossoms is an extraordinary album from three very uncommon talents.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
Efpi Records
Sam Andreae: clarinet, electronics, guitar, saxophone, voice; Hanna Olivegren Wessblad: electronics, voice; Gus Loxbo: double bass, electronics, guitar, saw, voice.
Neither the cover sleeve nor the disc have any information with them, so I assumed that the press release in which they were wrapped did indeed refer to the music within. Should this not be the case, it doesn't affect the music which I heard – so here goes. In the event I have omitted all references to just about anything at all except the music.
Composed words and music are integrated into spontaneous improvisation scenarios and this configuration seems to enhance the responsiveness of inventive thinking and playing, like a tent and its guy-lines holding each other firmly together in spite of the tug of the wind. The texts reflect contemporaneous poetry, the instruments provide textural variations and there is no doubt that here is a background of folk interpretation of commonly popular themes of loss and love re-presented as hurt and ecstasy with intense unconventionality.
Hanna Olivegren Wessblad's voice moves between poignant and mesmeric, the mood perceptive to acerbic, yet always these contrasts are in harmony.
Silence Blossoms is an extraordinary album from three very uncommon talents.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham
