Wednesday, May 07, 2014

NEW RELEASES: MEREDITH MONK / URSULA OPPENS / BRUCE BRUBAKER - PIANO SONGS; ANUSHKA - DISTORTED AIR EP; CURTIS HARDING - SOUL POWER

MEREDITH MONK / URSULA OPPENS / BRUCE BRUBAKER - PIANO SONGS

Meredith Monk is best known as a composer for voice – and a performer as well – but this wonderful set focuses on her music for piano – an instrumental setting that's every bit as haunting as her singing! The songs are often built around two piano lines – played by Ursula Oppens and Bruce Brubaker – often with one line building a rhythmically melodic progression, similar to the minimalist instrumentation in Monk's vocal works – while the other piano takes off in a more expressive flight that recalls the sublime sound of Meredith when she vocalizes. The music is every bit as haunting as Monk's first few ECM records back in the 80s – albums we still treasure today – and titles include "Ellis Island", "Folkdance", "Urban March", "Window In 7s", "Totentaz", "Phantom Waltz", and "Obsolete Objects". ~ Dusty Groove
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ANUSHKA - DISTORTED AIR EP

A nice little spacey club soul EP on Brownswood – actually the duo of singer/songwriter Victoria Port and producer Max Wheeler – and it's very promising stuff! Brownswood has a been a vital source for burgeoning progressive dancefloor talent for years now, and the depth continues to impress! Speaking of depth, Anushka stands out here thanks to deeper song-based level. The bubbling electro soul vibe is easy enough to get lost on a club or headphones level, but there's just defter, song-based vibe here. It get over even better thanks to Victoria's beautiful voice. Titles include "Broken Circuit", "Atom Bombs", "World In This Room" and "Blessing". (Includes download card.) ~ Dusty Groove


CURTIS HARDING - SOUL POWER

A great debut from Curtis Harding – a singer who's definitely got the soul power promised in the title, but one with a much wider reach as well! The core approach is funky soul, but the music is often inflected with other touches too – putting Curtis in that unique space between styles and genres reserved for a rare few back in the 70s – those singers who could cross easily between rock and soul, and often had followers on both sides of the fence. Some tracks bring up the guitars at a level that's more rock-based, but still mixed with soulful crooning from Harding – and the overall production is a nice change from overdone indie funk styles, further supporting Curtis' unique sound as well. Titles include "Next Time", "Castaway", "Drive My Car", "I Need A Friend", "Cruel World", "Surf", and "I Don't Wanna Go Home". ~ Dusty Groove


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