Monday, April 12, 2010

Jazkamer - Self Portrait CD (review)


Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA017
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: April 2010

We’ve come to the April edition of Jakamers monthly, and of the previous being quite electronic, "Self Portrait" is the complete opposite. A pure acoustic Jazkamer release must be of the rare kind.

This album consists of three untitled tracks, the two first almost 11 minutes each and the last just over 16 minutes. The first impression of the album makes me think of some kind of metal furniture being pushed around at random, and microphones recording whatever happens in the room. Whatever pieces of equipment they use, it certainly comes out deep and multilayered, and feedback-like, dark ambient sounds are still evident. The first track seems to be highly improvised, making the track not going anywhere, but clarely the performers seem to be exploring the sounds that appear as they “move the instruments” about.

The second track starts out sounding almost exactly the same, but after a while it is clear that we have some rhythm. Rhythm being slow moving, but still it is kind of looping going on, same patterns being repeated over and over again. The third and last track is completely different, as Jazkamer moves to some kind of strings. Again slowly moving patterns creating a track that is very relaxing and soothing. So, a very ambient sounding track completes the release of quiet acoustic noise, if ever there is such a thing. All in all a very ambient record.

Sound sample here.

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