I can only think of the release of CDs like these as the ultimate altruistic gestures. Lets face it, most independent releases have a limited potential market, but this is ridiculous!
Even in today’s African-drum-circle-jam-band happy climate, your most musically adventuresome colleagues would probably balk at a two CD set of nothing but unaccompanied percussion recordings. Luckily for the folks at Fever Pitch, ALARM’s got a reviewer who is both a percussionist and a fan of such “extreme” recordings.
Upon listening to these CDs, you’re either reminded or shown on a first hand basis how expansive the world of percussion actually is and what a mammoth array of timbres can be generated by any number of percussive instruments.
As to the purpose of the compiling of these recordings, you’re invited by the CD booklet to check out Fever Pitch Magazine (#9), but the individual artists’ explanations range from duos with insects, to expositions of custom-made instruments and techniques, to experiments with electronic drum loops, to found sounds, to pieces both fully composed or fully improvised.
As previously noted, the probable audience for this CD is more than slim, but as far as music is concerned, you really cannot get much more pure than this. Music that is created without even the slightest hint of commerciality is, in and of itself, worth supporting for art’s sake, but more often than not even the most conservative listener will find themselves amazed at just how “listenable” much of this stuff is.
People already accustom to such listening will be treated to many brilliant percussionists and exposed to many unique and organic soundscapes.
Highly recommended.
– Tom Youth
V/A (Fever Pitch)