Alien Stories
Infrequent Seams, 2021
8/10
A fascinating chamber duo consisting of Conrad Harris and Pauline Kim Harris, as String Noise the pair bring violins to 5 pieces here by African American composers/performers, where the ideas span classical, experimental, jazz even folk in their inimitable formula.
Jesse Cox’s “Alien Stories” leads the listen with plenty of ambience as carefully plucked, bowed and manipulated violin prowess unfolds with mystery that can get jarringly screechy as well as bare and pretty, and Lester St. Louis’ “ARCHIVE01 [Absolute Recoil]” continues the unpredictable setting with quivering strings that are often firm and cinematic.
Occupying the middle, “La Púyala Muntá”, by Anais Marviel, flows with warm melody in an initially more straightforward classical delivery that segues into experimental techniques amid plenty of rhythm, while Charles Overton’s “Only Time Will Tell” emits an emotive quality that dances with captivating string acrobatics that are full of energy and awe. “Yet To Be” then exits the listen with sublime interplay between the violins that’s both swift and gentle and even embraces bebop tendencies.
Sometimes minimal and other times quite hectic, String Noise place a very artistic and iconoclastic emphasis on their craft, and it’s one that few others could or would be able to replicate. Amazingly, this is just one of three albums they released March 26, and I’d be willing to bet that the other two are just as mesmerizing.
Travels well with: Ty Citerman- Bop Kabbalah + Voices: When You Speak Of Times To Come; Colin Cannon- McGolrick