Artist: Irmin Schmidt & Kumo
Title: Axolotl Eyes
Label: Mute
Genre: Electronic
Bitrate: 192kbit av.
Time: 00:47:16
Size: 68.18 mb
Rip Date: 2008-05-19
Str Date: 2008-00-00
1. Kicks On The Flood 7:44
2. Drifting Days, Crime Pays 3:28
3. Umbilicus Clear 7:43
4. Raketenstadt 7:05
5. Axolotl Eyes 8:08
6. Meteor Infected 5:56
7. Etrurian 7:12
Release Notes:
Most know Irmin Schmidt as the grumpy uncle-looking keyboard
player from krautrock legends, Can. Of course, of all the
members of that venerable institution it's probably Holger
Czukay and Jaki Leibzeit who have been most visible in flying
the flag for CologneÆs finest. But Schmidt hasnÆt been slack.
HeÆs worked on many film projects and even written an opera
based on Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast. And now Axolotl Eyes is
the follow-up to his other collaboration with drum 'n' bass
technician, Jono Podmore aka Jumo: Masters Of Confusion.
Mastersàwas basically the record of the duo's live work,
subsequently tinkered with in the studio. Axolotlàis a wholly
studio confection. Its roots lie in the polyrhythmic
experiments detailed in the album's liner notes by Jumo. Maybe
one reason why this album represents some of the best work by
Schmidt for some time is that his muse needs to be tickled by
people who understand rhythm. Can's Leibzeit as we all know
was a funky, motorik powerhpouse. Jumo is a much more
squiggly, digital beast, but along with contributions from
trumpeter Ian Dixon and vocalist, Paul J Fredericks, he really
gels with SchmidtÆs rippling piano and some very subtle
electronics.
Opener Kick On The Floods could actually come from CanÆs Soon
Over Babaluma days, with its eastern shuffle and whispered
vocals. This hypnotic if oddly-metered approach is the general
rule here, broken only by the freeform twittering and warbling
of Umbilicus Clear. It's a winning, warming blend that finally
arrives at Schmidt's wonderfully skewed piano on Etrurian
Waltz.
Only on Raketenstradt do the pair fall down. The track's Miles
Davis funk and growling guitars seems too off the cuff at
times, though it does get wonderfully messy about halfway
through.