Tuesday 12 March 2013

Moji Moji - Toda Esta Naturaleza Es Impredicable album review

Moji_Moji_Toda Esta Naturaleza Es Impredicable

Once in a while one hears an album release that makes an enduring impression on the senses. It may be a release that is of a mood or genre that is pertinent to the listener at that moment or it may be a release that on hearing for the first time makes one consider what frame of mind the artist must have been in to produce such music. Moji Moji‘s “Toda Esta Naturaleza Es Impredicable” falls firmly into the second category. The title track itself sifts gently into the listener’s consciousness, teasing with sound asides before the central motif takes over. The phrasing has a naivety that is almost disarming before the sound of a horse neighing breaks through the mood. Yes, “the sound of a horse neighing”. The momentum gently picks up but that childlike charm never leaves. There is an almost hauntological element to the music that takes the listener back to a memory that is not quite established. ‘El Sapo’, with the sound of crickets chirruping in the mix, is again evocative of a time almost forgotten. The ambiance remains largely unchanged on ‘A 1506 Km De Distancia’ despite the introduction of tenderly repetitive motifs that are reminiscent of the minimalist music of composers such as John Adams and Steve Reich. Guitar, keyboards and subtle percussion keep the music buoyant whilst the tunes themselves simmer organically throughout their duration. Music box samples and an engagingly abrupt “stop technique” to the flow of the music characterises ‘Los Cuentos Del Muelle Del Tigre’ before ‘Grande Finale’ brings the album to a close in a slightly more stirring manner, but not at any time losing that feeling of music that may have been heard many decades ago and is now only being remembered in fragments.

Read the full review here...

Tuesday 5 March 2013

Misery Index - "Live in Munich" review

Misery Index - Live in Munich

Apparently derived from an offer by a German friend to record a show for free, the original “Live in Munich” recordings were a concern to Misery Index as they felt they had not played particularly well that night. On hearing how tight they sounded, and with a little studio help, the decision was made to release what was captured on the night. By their very nature, it could be argued, live recordings may only have a limited appeal, and their content, generally, is familiar to devotees of the artist concerned. There are a number of live album releases that have become immortalised in the “classic live album” hall of fame, Thin Lizzy “Live and Dangerous”, Motorhead “No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith”, Peter Frampton “Frampton Comes Alive!” and The Who “Live at Leeds” amongst those that immediately spring to mind. There exists a parallel debate as to the authenticity of the live document, including the use of overdubs and other studio witchcraft. Whatever the context, the live album review may be approached not so much as “Is this a good quality album?” more as “Is this a good quality LIVE album?” So, is Misery Index “Live in Munich” a good quality LIVE album? For anyone who experiences its brief thirty five minute, the answer must certainly be “yes”. The production is crystal clear, particularly the percussion, giving the listener the opportunity to experience, to some extent, the live Misery Index sound. It may also be worth considering how music of this nature is inherently chaotic in the extreme, with many overlapping dynamics to contend with, and is notoriously difficult to capture on a live recording.

Read the full piece at This Is Not A Scene