BANDCAMP DAILY: Best of Bandcamp Contemporary Classical: June 2018
BANDCAMP DAILY: Best of Bandcamp Contemporary Classical: June 2018
BY PETER MARGASAK
"On their second album, this New York percussion trio further expand their rich palette, exploring and advancing the hypnotic music of Steve Reich through the contemporary influence of Chicago post-rock heroes Tortoise. Amy Garapic and Carson Moody generally hold down propulsive polyrhythms on Strange Paradise’s three extended works, with a mix of meaty drumming and vibraphone, while Matt Evans usually fills out the sound field and adds churning melodies on a variety of keyboards. The opening piece, collectively written by the group, expands the timbre with five guest musicians layering guitars and keyboards, splitting the difference between prog-rock and the hypnosis of Terry Riley’s ’70s output. 'Contrails' uses extended bowing to create an ethereal drone that ripples, glides, and disintegrates like its titular subject, giving the listener respite before the trio rips into 'Quilts,' an epic that fluidly moves through shifting valleys of texture and groove, with Evans holding it together with long organ tones while Garapic and Moody virtually dance on percussion, constantly changing accents and intensity of attack. Many percussion ensembles get bogged down in technical rigor, but Tigue don’t let their chops stand in the way of putting listenability first."