Aging
Infrequent Seams, 2021
9/10
The performers and composers Lucie Vítková and James Ilgenfritz take on a daring project here, where 7 works of contrabass and electronics were laid down from one loudspeaker placed next to the performer, in order to create an equal partner. Additionally, the various metal, wood and rubber on the bass help cultivate the very distinct and unique sonic adventure that is Aging.
“I” starts the listen with no shortage of atmosphere as the low contrabass is manipulated with mystery alongside subtle electronics, and “II” follows with a louder experience of ominous sounds that mix the acoustic with the electronic in fascinating ways.
The middle tracks offer us the inviting droning of “III”, while “V” mixes mechanical songs with drawn out bowed strings that add much impact to the atypical landscape. “IV” then builds into a textured, cinematic climate that’s both haunting and mesmerizing in its profoundly technical delivery.
The last two tracks, “VI” and “VII”, continue the creativeness, where the former quivers with jarring string playing amid hazy electronics, and the latter exits the listen with a blurry, nearly sci-fi execution.
A very iconoclastic and admirable exercise in the area of electroacoustic sounds, even at 75 minutes this never out welcomes its stay as the pair tweak jazz, avant-garde, classical and electronic ideas in artistic and exciting ways.
Travels well with: String Noise- Alien Stories; Colin Cannon- McGolrick