Ten Ka: Sonic Geometry: Structures, Patterns And Forms

Latvian saxophonist and composer Deniss Paškevičs normally has his feet firmly planted in the jazz domain. He has recorded excellent covers of hard bop classics and even reinterpreted John Coltrane's A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965). But he also has the inclination to explore different sounds from funk to folk, free improvisation, reggae, and modal musics. With Sonic Geometry: Structures, Patterns And Forms he takes on the nom de plume Ten Ka, in Japanese 天火, "meaning "fire from the sky." Here he weaves various acoustic elements with some old and some new electronic modular soundscapes.

The oscillating energy of "Meelaa Tokh" builds a hypnotic electronic landscape which Paškevičs blows his flute over, trading his anthropoid energy with that of an electric current. This human/galvanic relationship is present throughout the recording whether it be the wash of electrons heard as a prepared piano is explored "Daawaa" or old school computer generated sounds (blips, blops, and drum machine) fill the stage "Renj'e" before Paškevičs puts his lips to his tenor saxophone. The album explores the intersection of improvised sound with that of electronics without allowing the loops and circuit board pulses to control the affair. The heartbeat of "Innerstructures," with electric synapse snaps, acts as the topography for his gorgeous long saxophone tones. Same for the flute heard over the classic sci-fi beeps of "Generative Circuit" with Paškevičs pulling notes from his piano's insides. Sonic Geometry: Structures, Patterns And Forms is aural poetry delivered on 180 gram vinyl.

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