Warping the old into the future

Strange Music in Small Doses

Listenability Rating: Moderately advanced - if you can get past the abrasive violins, the random assemblage there awaits a funky orchestra at the end. In a modern classical mood we have The Kronos Quartet playing the first movement from composer George Crumb's "Black Angels," a vivdly descriptiive work inspired by the Vietnam war. Composed in 1970 it pushes the limits of the staunchy string quartet, and does it with a bit of humor too. Crumb describes this work as "a kind of parable on our troubled contemporary world." Sometimes the links between these pieces only become apparent to me as I am forced to verbalize a descriptive rational behind my motives. So what I see is this fusing of the old, recognizable sounds of the orchestra and the string quartet and the more extended, modern, electric, out there sounds of the now. Since this filters thru me I find myself, Inkxpotter, mixing together both in my own piece, "Visual Clues." There is the ever present neutral flavors of noise along with the classical guitar, the synth squeeks and blips alongside my own nylon string imaginings. The sounds of Jimi Tenor bring us the " Night in Loimaa" from his 2000 release "Out of nowhere". For this album he's joins with the Orchestra of the Great Theatre of Lodz in Poland. The result is an orchestra with a distinctive soulful groove. Tenor says his greatest talent is faking, making people believe he has a talent even if he doesn't. Well, whatever he says, he makes great music, cleverly combining elements from jazz, funk, soul and techno into an enjoyable experience.