Signal to Noise, Vols. 2 & 3

Signal to Noise, vol. 2
For4ears
CD 1864

The second volume of For4Ears’ ongoing series of collaborative efforts finds Tomas Korber (guitar, electronics) and Christian Weber (contrabass) teamed with saxophonist Katsura Yamauchi. I’d recently heard a couple of solo discs from Yamauchi (“Salmo Sax” and “Patiruma”) which, while technically proficient, I thought were overly indebted to Anthony Braxton in both approach and general sound, so I was a little bit dubious about how well he’d be able to integrate with the other two musicians. Happily, I can report he does an outstanding job, blending in quite well, especially with Korber. In fact, as is often the case on recordings where he appears, it’s Weber whose sound stands out though (again, as usual) his musicality allows an overtness that might normally be intrusive to read as appropriate. His bass tolls, with a tonality that reminds me of Sirone, deep and resilient. Offset with this, there’s a lovely effect where Yamauchi’s low, soft bellow emerges from one of Weber’s plucks almost like an overtone. That’s in the first of two tracks, a fine, somber piece that finds its ground and holds it impressively. The second cut plumbs the depths as well, Weber more often arco, Yamauchi manipulating keys, Korber spraying bitter hisses of steam. It contains more agitated motion than the previous piece, less contemplative, itchier, until acquiescing to the calm in its closing minutes. Both work quite convincingly; a good, serious recording.

Signal to Noise, vol. 3
For4ears
CD 1965

Though recorded in Japan as were the initial two discs in this series, “Signal to Noise, Vol. 3” eschews the guest format instead presenting 3/5 of the Signal Quintet: Jason Kahn (analog synthesizer, percussion), Norbert Möslang (cracked everyday electronics) and Gunter Muller (ipod, percussion, electronics). As is often the case with these musicians in recent years, especially Möslang and Muller, a relatively steady pulse or two is heard prominently among the other electronics. Calling it a “beat” would be overstating the case and it tends to mutate somewhat over the course of a given improvisation, but it’s decidedly there, and is so on three out of the four tracks presented here. Listeners, of course, have their own amount of tolerance or acceptance of elements like this but for myself, it palls very quickly, deadening the proceedings enough to irritate. No matter how imaginatively these rhythmic structures are arrayed with other sounds, their unbudging presence remains awkwardly difficult to get around, a blockage where I want to hear flow. Not that it’s always so cut and dried. On the second cut, the pace of these beats is interestingly slow and they almost manage to lose themselves in the accompaniment, which reminds me of a pared down version of Hancock circa “Sextant”. The last piece also comes to the brink of transcending those strictures, but not quite. Obviously, the trio is well aware of this approach and enjoys utilizing it but this listener would much prefer to hear them “loosen up”.

for4ears