Frank Hadlich
This is fricking awesome. Just blend the unique Switzerland-based temporary music of Sonar, Akku Quintet, Blaer, Stephan Thelen's current works, with Karl Jenkins' Soft Machine and some minimalistic approach in King Crimson.
nederlanditis
Might be patronising but in my ears this sounds like a fresh and welcomed moody, ambient-ish, flowing and multi-rhythmical promenading down a path The Necks started years ago. But I am love The Necks. So this is rather a compliment than a reprimand.
The word loom has two distinct meanings. It can mean a machine that weaves individual threads together to form a fabric. As a verb, it describes the action of something appearing threatening, distorted or large in scale. By calling their ambitious, sprawling sophomore album LOOM, Swiss post-genre band KALI Trio simultaneously invoke intention, process and atmosphere.
LOOM consists of only four compositions, but clocks in at a few seconds short of the 45 minute mark! It's a beast in scope, but airy (literally) in feel, hence easy to inhale. Each piece plays like the equivalent of a time-lapse of a looming cloud formation – a liquid progression of shifting shapes, changing density as well as shadow and light play. By the virtue of working with subtle iterations of form and using extended swaths of time as the equivalent of a large-scale canvas, the material evokes the mechanics of trance music. The creative use of sound design and general choice of spartan aesthetics, albeit executed using acoustic instruments, emphasise styles club-inclined and tasteful. The overall effect is cinematic and mesmeric; a sonic documentation of a daydream unraveling.
The record took three years to develop and only six days to record. It started with twenty five sketches which were developed to varying degrees and, eventually, pared–down to a final four. The recordings took place in a small underground vault, air-tight and intimate, like the final result. Although, the music is emotionally gripping – defined by a dance-floor drive and a thick cinematic atmosphere – it's hard not to notice the craftsmanship and the skill level involved in bringing these songs to life. The song Folding Space, for example, is based on a pattern in 19/8 that turns around on the offbeat against the quarter note. Transitoriness, feels like a standard four-to-the-floor, but it's actually based on an interlocking four against five against three rhythm! Shipol, on the other hand, is predicated on constantly shifting piano, snare and bass drum accents, which make the song feel as if it were performed in 7/16, and not the standard 4/4 that it is. The only composition that is somewhat stand-alone, in that it's slower than the rest, is Dry Soul. It's also the only piece that doesn't utilise a fully prepared piano. The group refers to it as their Coltrane doom-ballad. In many ways, this is the spiritual anchor for the record, giving it extra weight and providing necessary contrast.
When asked to describe their music, the band came up with: "it falls somewhere between T.C. Boyle's prose and Tarkovsky's dream-like images." It makes sense! Because the point isn't to wow listeners with technique, but to create an experience via deep affect.
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KALI Trio are a Swiss post-genre band. They are: Raphael Loher (piano), Urs Müller (guitar) and Nicolas Stocker (drums). They function as a collective, with every member contributing equally to the writing and creative processes. Their latest record is titled LOOM. Their original score for Thomas Imbach's movie NEMESIS will arrive in 2021.
credits
released March 19, 2021
Raphael Loher - Piano
Urs Müller - Guitar
Nicolas Stocker - Drums
Engineered and Recorded by Manuel Egger
Mixed by Manuel Egger and KALI Trio
Mixed and Recorded at Suburban Sound Recording Studio, Winterthur
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound NYC
Produced by KALI Trio and Manuel Egger
Executive Producer Nik Bärtsch
Artwork by Bureau Mia
Typeface Fanco by Bureau Mia and Akzidenz Grotesk by H. Berthold AG
Photography by Simon Habegger
All Music Written and Arranged by KALI Trio
Thank You:
Nik Bärtsch and Ronin Rhythm Records
Manuel Egger
Martina Meier
Hannah Gottschalk
Ayumi Kagitani
Lukasz Polowczyk,
Andrea Barsnes Undset
Cornelia Gassler
Kathrin Rölli
Leon Schwitter
Michael Eigenmann
Tatjana Rüegsegger
Simon Habegger
Accomplished masterpiece of contemporary "post-jazz" and neoclassical. I was speechless and completely stunned when I heard it first time. Frank Hadlich
My god, what an absolutely incredible Suite. I'll admit, I've struggled to get into Pharoah Sanders due to diving headfirst into some of his most challenging catalogue and that never worked. This is the perfect place to restart. Floating Points is new for me and I can honestly say I've never heard synthesizer music this lush and organic before. the LSO is just perfect. This is one of those albums that any serious music fan needs in their life. The perfect swan song for the great Pharaoh! 5/5 ClassyMusicSnob
Beautiful minimalism from Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin, the songs on “Awase” consist of small pinpricks of sound; it’s both moody & moving. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 28, 2018
At first listen, the juxtaposition of Sonar's rhythmic constructions and Torn's soaring, furious/tender voice would by themselves be enough of a pull. But digging beyond the surface will reward the listener greatly. There is great depth, emotional nuance, intrigue and change, rewarding repeated listening. Ref: Miles/80's Crim/Tibbetts, but this is truly new music. grate ape