We finished last week with a flurry of great music from a variety of sources, all of which leaned more towards the dance floor. Therefore we thought we’d kick off a new week with something a little deeper, cinematic and for want of a better word ethereal…
First up is the contemplative Aussie Mark Pritchard with his ‘Under the Sun’ album teaser Sad Alron. At just 2mins & 40 seconds in length Sad Alron is a compact, emotional and affecting experience. Its mournful other wordly tones create a conflicting sense of loss and hope as fatalistic strings and pads broad beneath a fleetingly fragile shard of melodic hope. Second is the equally cinematic piece from Guy Andrews & Masatoshi Fujita. Needle Six is a 27 minute long live improvisation recorded as part of BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction at Maida Vale Studios.
What is curious about these live improvisations is that you rarely get an upbeat four to the floor effort, they are nearly always melancholy and unhurried. Whether this is because of the types of artists who tend to engage in such compositions, Nils Frahm, Olafur Arnalds and the like, or if its because deep down we all have this contemplative disposition that tends to reveal itself when recording live is open for debate? What ever the reason both these pieces, despite their lack of urgency, are still deeply engaging and deserving of your attention.
Sad Alron is available via iTunes with the accompanying album ‘Under Sun’ due May 13th on Warp Records, whilst Needle Six is a little more tricky to get hold of, with its full resplendent 27 minutes only available via Record Store Day – April 16th.
Mark Pritchard – Sad Alron (Out Now)
Guy Andrews & Masatoshi Fujita – Needle Six (Out April 16th)
