a r t i s t : For Barry Ray
t i t l e : New Days
d a t e : 2007
l a b e l : Room 40
c a t : RM423
s o u r c e : CDDA
g e n r e : Avantgarde
r l s. d a t e : Oct/2007
t r a c k s : 09
b i t r a t e : VBRkbps
s i z e : 42,9 MB
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It wasn't long ago when Australia's respected Room 40 label
seemed to be inhabited by people making the most minimal and
polarising of music - of course this wasn't entirely true,
they also released records by Ben Frost and DJ Olive which
were way more accessible than you'd think. However, in the
last few months we've seen the label diversify incredibly,
reaching a pinnacle with the flawless 'Totemo Aimasho' by
Japanese experimental pop act Tenniscoats an act previously at
odds with Room 40's brand of glacial minimalism. The latest
chapter in Room 40's diversification however goes back to one
of the label's founding artists (and co-curators) John
Chantler who launches his brand new project For Barry Ray,
possibly the label's most organic album to date. Accompanied
by musical co-conspirator and wife Carina ThorΘn, the two form
an improv duo of sorts using fuzzy guitar loops, pots 'n pans
percussion, broken keyboards and anything else they can get
their hands on to rustle up some of the most beautiful
psych-tinged dronescapes I've heard for ages. You see this is
a difficult record to put my finger on and suggests that the
two musicians have a far-reaching base of musical interest;
although the record flows beautifully from piece to piece the
sound seems to flip so often, without warning going from
haunting layers of tone one minute to clattering percussion
and distorted guitar the next - coming across like a bastard
child of Sunburned Hand of the Man and Tim Hecker. This isn't
even to mention the influence of modern classical music -
after having your senses blasted by psychedelic excesses the
record will trip and fall into beautiful, restrained and
perfectly sculpted sound reminiscent of Morton Feldman or John
Cage which plays dramatically against the dense noise of
previous pieces. 'New Days' isn't album you can easily
disengage from and let sink into the background, rather
Chantler and ThorΘn have constructed something to lose
yourself in, with or without chemical enhancement. Unique,
bizarre and incredibly rewarding - I urge you to grab this
without delay...
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01-Through Holes, Glass & Stone [04:46]
02-David [03:13]
03-A Dark Blue Heat [06:02]
04-Aurora, Dancing... [04:42]
05-Hummingway [04:24]
06-The Porcelain Horse [01:27]
07-If Mingus Was Your Mother [01:50]
08-Morgonstund [02:42]
09-Blending Light [08:49]
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37:55 min