Kning Disk
KD019
Not really a solo percussion album, Ingar Zach has crafted another excellent recording to compliment his “Percussion Music” released on Sofa earlier this year. Here, in addition to various bowed and struck objects, he makes use of a sruti box, an instrument previously unknown to me but relatively common in Southern India, a kind of harmonium operated via bellows. It’s responsible for the burred, wooly drone toward the middle of the single, 26-minute track and, certainly as used here, it’s a delightful sound.
The piece is of perfect length, constructed flawlessly, a drone-type work that shifts its textures at the “right” moments and in always fascinating ways so that it hurtles by almost before you know it. Beginning with a series of long metal bowings that fluctuate from delicate to harsh, Zach soon adds some gentle metallic clattering, possibly derived from items being jiggled inside vibrating bowls, a delicious sonic combination. As the bowing subsides, I believe the sruti box enters the proceedings with a low, soft growl plus there’s an additional, equally low but differently-timbred rumble, perhaps a bass drum being worried. About midway through, that sruti box becomes the dominant element. It looks like this, by the way:
Its bellows-oriented operation imparts a strong, in and out respiratory quality to its sound which hovers between the organ-y tones you get from a harmonium and more breathy aspects. It also, in context, lends a ritual air to the jangling that’s been occurring all the while. This section serves as the climax, as it were, of the piece, after which the music returns to a similar matrix as had been previously established, using the gentle bowings and tremulous clatter to wind things down to a satisfying conclusion. “In” is a lovely work and a heartening reminder how much beautiful music remains to be wrung out by the hands of intrepid percussionists.
Posted by Brian Olewnick on December 1, 2006 7:48 AMIngar informs me that what is actually used on this recording is an electric sruti box (pics can be found here, laying waste to my notion of the bellows being responsible for certain sound activities, though perhaps their effect is also captured in the plugged-in version.
*sigh* If only these guys would stick to guitar/bass/drums, it'd make a writer's life so much easier....
Whatever the source, the music remains exceptional.
Posted by: Brian Olewnick at December 1, 2006 9:34 AMI saw a really really good concert with Ingar at the start of november, if I remember correctly. He was using a set-up with a large bass drum in the middle with objects placed on it (bowls with various items in it, ping pong balls, etc.) set in motion by hand-held fans. He also had a tam-tam, some bells and two snare drums, one upside down, and one the right way (which he placed the electric sruti box on. He played standing up.
Enough of the percussion geekyness for now, but needless to say, it was a really good concert. He's become quite a master of timing.
Posted by: Kyrre Laastad at December 2, 2006 9:21 AMMakes a lot more sense to know it was an electric sruti box. Because I play the bellows kind and was strugging to hear it in the mix. Beatiful piece regardless but I'm going to have to listen again with that clarification in mind.
Posted by: RFKorp at December 6, 2006 10:33 PM.................................................. © 2003 - 2006 bagatellen ..................................................