Misere et Cordes: Au Ni Kita

This ‘guitar’ quartet record combines all aspects of a guitar sound, save energy thrashing. It approaches improvised sound from an almost minimal philosophy, defaulting to a “less is more attitude.” The combination of instruments allows for a variation of thoughts, such as a fuzzy electric onslaught, countered by some freeform classical guitar.

Rarely do all four musicians have at it at once, except on “Analog,” a fifteen plus minute track, where a series of tension filled passages are processed electronically. One might even go so far as to say the track “rocks–out” with a thumping progression and a bit of wordless vocals.

But mostly Au Ni Kita comes from a European free tradition of finding sounds, working and reworking them for listeners to consider or more importantly for the other members of the quartet to consider. Restful passages are countered with pops, clicks, and electronic hum. It goes without saying that the deconstruction of music performed by this quartet has a definate flow effect. Although randomness is present, it neither limits nor distracts from the sound construction.

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