Phono_phono

Phono_phono: phono_phono

by John Eyles
October 15, 2007

phono_phono is both the album title and the name of this new guitar-flute-piano-plus-electronics trio, seemingly led by Michael Renkel. Certainly, the music here is recognizably Renkel, with its mix of slower reflective passages and rapid-fire improvisation. The album has a clear structure: four extended tracks separated by three much shorter interludes. These interludes are not filler, though; each is a substantial piece in its own right. For instance, without becoming mere program music, “Interlude III" brilliantly simulates the sounds of ...