Signal Quintet - Yamaguchi

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The line-up of the Signal Quintet presents an interesting, if weighted, balance between electronic and acoustic instruments: Jason Kahn (percussion, analog synthesizer), Tomas Korber (guitar, electronics), Norbert Moslang (cracked everyday electronics), Gunter Muller (percussion, ipod, electronics) and Christian Weber (contrabass). In practice, as heard both here and on the two consecutive nights I recently caught them in performance (augmented by percussionist Tim Barnes and often broken into several sub-units), the electronics tend to dominate although Weber does his darnedest to shift the weight his way. While he’ll entertain a number of extended techniques, his basic love appears to be rich, tonal playing out of both the avant jazz and classical traditions. When Kahn’s impressive percussion work (often consisting of fingers on cymbals or gongs) is left untreated electronically, a fine yin/yang can occur where one forgets about the instrumentation as such and loses oneself in the collective sound.

Three tracks here, recorded in Yamaguchi, Japan in March of 2006. The first strikes me as very typical of the path these musicians tend to follow: one or two of the electronicists generate rhythmic pulses (I think Moslang is often responsible for this, though Muller will often create similar sounds), Korber adds more abstract, “rougher” textures, Kahn generates patterns almost too rapid-fire to call “rhythms” and Weber contributes coloration via, this time, quick arco work. I often find that I could do with less of the overt beat-driven elements but, that being said, the piece coalesces very well into a convincing, solid slab. The second track is the one that expands into more varied territory and is, for me, the most successful one on the disc. An evocatively gaseous, hissing beginning leads into areas reminiscent of radio static, Weber’s bass tolling dolefully. The quintet keeps things at a low simmer for a delicious long while before allowing the mix to boil over in a manner that suggests only a minimum of control, all harshness and spatter. It’s very good to hear from a group where elements are sometimes under too tight a rein; an excellent piece. The final cut recedes back into a lulling, burbling calm that verges on a slightly spiced ambient approach, something they can pull off easily but is less satisfying to this listener.

In sum, a mixed success. Fans of the musicians involved will likely be quite happy and those of us wishing they’d push matters more are given a nice taste of potential in that direction. More music heading out from the territory established in the second piece would be a joy to hear.

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