Greg Fenton reviews Grand River – Tuning The Wind – Umor Rex
Complex yet bold beauty in simplicity is the key here as accumulating samples of the wind blow hot and cold across an expansive 36-plus minutes and have been accompanying a series of live installations that are now released as music in its own right. Transforming the movement of air particles into plucks from a seemingly unreal guitar to a wealth of overlapping motifs and evoking atmospheres has produced a wonderfully crafted piece of explorative music by the composer Aimée Portioli.
As the minutes pass you will at first feel a sense of longing reach out to you peppered by an increasing warmth. But by mid-point senses get twisted as uncertainty breathes into the configuration adding the contest of human confusion to the altercation. Things then alter course for happier climes as brighter arpeggios and exhilarating viola-like drones take prominence becoming more reassuring in the wonderful process.
The architecture of how the sounds were constructed does not lessen the resilient power of the music created. It lends the sounds extra depth and dimension while retaining and capturing a beautifully emotional experience. Try, Tuning The Wind for yourself.
Release: March 7
Download/Stream on Bandcamp
Grand River
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