a r t i s t : Rafael Toral
t i t l e : Space Solo 1
d a t e : 2007
l a b e l : Quecksilber
g e n r e : Avantgarde
r l s. d a t e : Nov/2007
t r a c k s : 05
b i t r a t e : VBRkbps
s i z e : 40,7 MB
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Rafael Toral - Space Solo 1
In 2004, Rafael Toral announced that he was to embark on a
long term project, which was to be a multi-facetted work in
progress representing his new approach to music. With the
release of the first album of the program, the eponymous
"Space" (staubgold 69 cd), he managed to disrupt the notions
of "avantgarde music" even of those who consider themselves
well-versed in this field.
In the past, Toral's work had been based on the guitar and the
myriad possibilities of generating sounds from it. More often
than not, his music exhibited a tendency towards the concept
of the drone. So many people familiar with his oeuvre were
surprised to learn that none of those elements figured in
"Space" (though he might re-introduce the
guitar at a later stage of the "Space Program" û but that is
what is called "artistic license"...).
In the program, Toral focuses on "single sound events". The
sounds are generated by self-devised electronic equipment set
into action by the performance of gestures, by bodily action
(take a look at the video samples of the "Space Study 1" on
his website, where he "plays" glove-controlled computer
sinewaves). Thus, the music is created by
individual decisions in real time û just like in Jazz, as
Toral emphasizes. So basically, this is electronic music
played with a jazz sensibility. Toral brings a performative
aspect to electronic music that it often sorely lacked.
The initial album "Space" is like a roadmap. It is a point of
departure for recordings in the "Space Program". It is
accompanied by three "diversified" series: the performance
series "Space Studies" (which started in 2004), and the record
series "Space Elements" and "Solo Series". The latter are
unaccompanied real-time solo recordings on one
instrument only (as opposed to "Space Elements", where Toral
collaborates with other musicians). The present CD is the
first in that series and the second materialisation of the
program.
Whereas "Space" featured an orchestral approach to composition
(and thus a diversity of elements), "Space Solo 1" presents
the listener with music which is narrowed down almost to a
point. Everything is concentrated on a single element. The key
feature of this music is that it was performed with a degree
of skill, a commitment and a depth of exploration that could
not be found on an orchestral record like "Space". On this
album, Toral appears as a musician who simply plays an
instrument on an individual, human and physical level.
One cannot help but notice that Toral is opening up a new
dimension in music û and maybe also in language. When the
renowned British music magazine The Wire recently ran a large
feature on Toral's new project, the last sentence read thus:
"It seems that mere words are far from able to convey
everything a human being may wish to express." Toral's new
project is just that: A new mode of expression.
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01-Portable Amplifier [21:45]
02-Echo-Feed [04:34]
03-Radio [06:06]
04-Electrode Oscillator [03:57]
05-Portable Amplifier 3 [08:01]
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44:23 min