For this New Sounds, listen to music that combines elements of minimalism and electronic music. Much of the music in the hour has a very strong electronic component, as with the Dusseldorf-based duo, Grandbrothers, or the new work from the multi-instrumentalist Colleen.
Listen to “Bloodwork” from the forthcoming record by Grandbrothers, who are Lukas Vogel, an engineer and software designer, and Erol Sarp, who plays the piano. Their danceable instrumentals are built upon the clanging percussive sound of prepared piano (a la John Cage, Kelly Moran, or Hauschka) but crafted under the clear influence of electronic dance music. Then, hear music from Brooklyn-based percussion quartet ensemble, at al. from their forthcoming record, The Slow Reveal due in November. Although their setup includes an electric keyboard, there are hints of Steve Reich-like pattern music, gamelan music, and elements of electronic music in this percussion-centric music; the record was produced by John McEntire of Tortoise – so the post-rock comparisons might be intentionally unavoidable.
Listen to music from London's Portico Quartet, which might fall squarely in the indie jazz meets electronic-ambient-minimalism camp, from their new record, Art in the Age of Automation. There’s also shape-shifting new electronic work from Colleen (aka Cecile Schott), who has completely set aside her Renaissance-era instrument treble viola da gamba in favor of synths on her latest record, A flame my love, a frequency. Her tools now include Critter and Guitari synth, the Septavox, and a trusted Moog delay for electronic compositions that might sound more like experimental instrumentals, yet still with a pop glimmer.
Also, hear electroacoustic music by Angélica Negrón for the cellist Nick Photinos (also co-Artistic Director of Eighth Blackbird), from his excellent recent record, Petits Artéfacts. Then, listen to new music from the Canadian chamber band Esmerine (co-founded by Thee Silver Mt. Zion member Rebecca Foon and Godspeed You! Black Emperor alumnus Bruce Cawdron) and their 2017 record, Mechanics Of Dominion, which combines mallet instruments (amplified music box, marimba, glockenspiel, piano) with cello, violin, bass & drums. Plus, more chamber-tronica by Esmerine from their 2015 release, Lost Voices.
PROGRAM #4035, Minimalism Meets Electronics (First Aired: 10/16/2017)
ARTIST: Nick Photinos
WORK: Angélica Negrón: Panorama, excerpt [1:34]
RECORDING: Petits Artefacts
SOURCE: New Amsterdam Records
INFO: newamsterdamrecords.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Grandbrothers
WORK: Bloodflow [5:58]
RECORDING: Open
SOURCE: City Slang | Due out Oct. 20, 2017
INFO: grandbrothers.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: ensemble, at al.
WORK: Ondrejko [8:10]
RECORDING: The Slow Reveal
SOURCE: Imaginator Records | Due out November 17, 2017
INFO: imaginatorrecords.com
ARTIST: Nick Photinos
WORK: Angélica Negrón: Panorama [9:08]
RECORDING: Petits Artefacts
SOURCE: New Amsterdam Records
INFO: newamsterdamrecords.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Colleen
WORK: One Warm Spark [4:49]
RECORDING: A flame my love, a frequency
SOURCE: Thrill Jockey Thrill-449 | Due out 20 October 2017
INFO: thrilljockey.com
ARTIST: Esmerine
WORK: La Lucha Es Una Sola [8:28]
RECORDING: Mechanics Of Dominion
SOURCE: Constellation 128
INFO: cstrecords.com | Due out Oct. 20, 2017
ARTIST: Portico Quartet
WORK: Current History [6:07]
RECORDING: Art In The Age Of Automation
SOURCE: Gondwana Records
INFO: porticoquartet.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Esmerine
WORK: 19/14 [5:55]
RECORDING: Lost Voices
SOURCE: Constellation 116
INFO: cstrecords.com