Holger Czukay - Gvoon - Brennung 1 - VINYL LP

Upon examining the eventful life of Can bassist Holger Czukay, one might come to the conclusion that this intrepid musician was a loner. His turbulent career exuded an enduring eccentricity governed by a boundless free spirit. Yet Czukay, who passed away unexpectedly in 2017 at the age of 79, constantly emphasized that his creativity was always contingent upon a musical partner, whether that was a skin-and-bones counterpart or an anonymous manifestation that interacted with him through radio waves or, as happened later, the internet. Nonetheless, most of his partners were of flesh and blood. His post-Can career comprised a string of solo albums as well as collaborations on albums, singles and remixes. 1984's Der Osten Ist Rot and 1987's Rome Remains Rome both continued Czukay's fascination with tape loops, short wave radios, dictaphones, dub reggae, and early sampling technology to create delightfully warped, cut-up compositions imbued with mystery, sentimentality, and humor.

Holger Czukay - Der Osten 1st Rot / Rome Remains [VINYL LP] 10Inch date 07/15/2014

The work of BIG BRAVE is ever-expanding. The trio's singular masterful sculpting of sonics into songcraft tucks layers of vulnerability into frenetic storms. In grief or in hope is an innovative vision of electro-acoustic sound and emotive storytelling, an endless bounty of overwhelming distortions and devastating beauty. In grief or in hope marks a shift for BIG BRAVE towards denser guitar-oriented compositions. With longtime touring bassist Liam Andrews (MY DISCO, Aicher) joining guitarist/vocalist Robin Wattie and guitarist Mathieu Ball in the studio for the first time, the pieces are keenly layered with a rich tapestry of harmonics and tonal intricacies. The trio's instinctual progressions made more vivid through live recording, harnessing the gargantuan and storied sound of their performances. Wattie writes Inch All that I could reflect on was grief and hope; death and life; cause and effect; shared experiences of being a human person.InchThe tenth album for the ensemble, in grief or in hope pays homage to their past while looking into their future. Standout Inchthe ineptitude for mutual discernmentInch expands on lyrical themes first explored on 2015's Au de la where InchverdureInch echoes melodies from the title track of 2014's Feral Verdure. These references to their past serve as potent reflections on BIG BRAVE's evolution as artists. A sonic whirlpool of string instruments surround Wattie's commanding vocals as she shifts from spectral undulations on pieces like Inchwhat may be the kindest way to leaveInch to the direct, spare declarations of the title track. The ambiguity of mountainous chords on Inchan uttering of antipathyInch are coupled with autotuned phrases emphasizing the protagonists' isolation inside the fray. Together the trio shift deliver emotional momentum that vividly describes the complex and deep feelings of struggle, pain, and transcendenc