Live at the LU
(Erstwhile - ERST043) CD $14.50 (Out-of-stock)
Rowe and Fennesz are two of the most prominent and influential musicians in experimental music; their commercially released work, despite their joint participation in the 12-person MIMEO collective, rarely intersects, which is why this document of their first duo show together is so revealing. Their sound world is jagged yet bright, stark and jarring, but in the end, somehow still soothing.
Wrapped Islands
(Erstwhile - ERST023) CD $14.50 (Out-of-stock)
A fully improvised first meeting of two driving forces of contemporary music. The predominantly Viennese quartet Polwechsel have explored the grey areas between composition and improvisation, electronic and acoustic, jazz and classical for much of the past decade. Austrian Christian Fennesz, while initially a guitarist, is primarily known for his abrasive yet melodic laptop explorations on labels such as Mego and Touch. Warm, deep, seemingly simple, with different details and passages emerging to the surface with each listen. “The music is slow, extremely minimal, stretched to the point of disappearing,” says All Music Guide. “The attentive listener will be completely absorbed, holding his or her breath in expectation of the next move -- yes, Wrapped Islands has something to do with watching a game of chess.”