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A Changed Meaning in The Alcohol Seed

Lovely and thoughtful examination of A Changed Meaning in The Alcohol Seed:

“…no bullshit…”

check out the writeup at the following link or read on below:

https://alcoholseed.com/2018/01/28/like-mountain-air-billy-gombergs-a-changed-meaning/

The prolific electroacoustic artist and Fraufraulein member, Billy Gomberg, had an eventful 2017. A Changed Meaning was one of two tapes to see the light of day throughout the year — the other, Transition, was released by Dinzu Artifacts (just named Experimedia’s favourite label of 2017). You might say that A Changed Meaning is Gomberg sticking to his bread and butter, but, even though the formula is a familiar one, it doesn’t mean it hasn’t been refined. This might be conjecture, but the contemporary stage for minimalist experimental music seems no longer set for improvisation and guitar drone. Much of what’s been coming down the pike sounds more manufactured than played, donning an algorithmic gloss I don’t always care for.

A Changed Meaning is a refreshing rebuttal to these pillowy works, the album possessing a quality of performance much like a handmade ring carries the mark of its silversmith. Like mountain air, Gomberg’s dronescapes are cold, diaphanous, and expansive. The music has a harsh noise physicality to it, where the harsh aspect is replaced with moodiness and foreboding. From these blackened, nebulous compositions we’re given a window into a world of finer textures that exist closer to the core: purposeful and calculable string vibrations brought to life by electromagnetic pulses. Whatever else is going on is hard to say — some electroacoustic wizardry no doubt. What is apparent is that Gomberg can reign in this music at will, and he does so at pivotal moments to keep his pieces on course.

A Changed Meaning doesn’t push boundaries, nor does Gomberg attempt to reinvent drone music here. What we have instead is a another solid release from a dependable musician. I can appreciate a lofty epic as much as the next guy, but the albums that tend to hold the most clout over time are the straightforward, no bullshit ones. Time will inevitably tell, but I think Gomberg has achieved this with A Changed Meaning. Here’s to hoping we see more work from him in 2018.

Heavy Objects in Syg.ma

recent posting on the Russian site Syg.ma, touched up google translation:

The duo Fraufraulein continues to cultivate the territories of the electro-acoustic-field recordings-ambient. Formally, we can refer to their activities in the North American underground, specializing in experimental Improv, intelligent noise electronics and other areas, which widely bloomed in the early teens, but after several very successful (subjectively) releases many musicians did not understand where to go and whether to continue what has already been played. Many took under the wing of Erstwhile Records , sub-label ErstAEU , which publishes this very new American something there.

But here Billy Gomberg and Anne Guthrie – from among those who have decided to develop consistently found at that time. Released last year via Marginal Frequency, this album only confirms the fact that these musicians have found their niche and develop it thoroughly. The students are offered a new portion of field recordings, seasoned with playing instruments and objects. Both tracks on the tape evolve slowly, musicians revel in the sound and try to “incorporate” into the surrounding sound to the maximum, if you do not follow the music, it’s easy to miss or confuse which sounds are Guthrie’s horn, Gomberg’s bass, and where something from the street shows up accidentally. Listening to all this is surprisingly nice, tin this music there are no surprises and sharp twists, capable of expanding the focus of the listener’s attention in another direction.

Musicians only show and pay attention to everyday life, some simple joys, simple sounds and every familiar noise of streets and home life. It seems that all this is done easily and simply, is not it? No not like this. Holding this state is worth a lot, because it’s too tempting to play more than necessary, and thereby pull the blanket over yourself, demonstrating the ego, and not working for a common whole of music. Both can be avoided. It is worth remembering that the music of Guthrie and Gomberg still remains playful / improvised, and not thought out in advance / compiled. And I think that now it’s time to say about Fraufraulein: the sound of this duo has taken shape.

original text here:
https://syg.ma/@musicworm/fraufraulein-heavy-objects-marginal-frequency

A Changed Meaning on AGB’s 2017 list

“Gomberg has an average of about 2 releases a year for the past 10 years and while everything I’ve heard is fantastic, A Changed Meaning is certainly one of the best things he’s done, it’s super soft, light & airy, although not very bright, there’s a pervasive gloom settled just beneath the surface, and I’m amazed at how dynamic this record is without resorting to drastic volume changes.”

drone through the drone list here: http://www.antigravitybunny.com/?p=11317

Fluid Radio explores heavy objects

Nathan Thomas explores ideas of space and environment on Heavy Objects and Giovanni Lami’s Hysteresis work:

“Lami and fraufraulein approach the problem of how to respond musically to environmental sounds in very different ways, but the results are equally intriguing. The differences are pointed to by the titles they use: ‘Hysteresis’, a word denoting a system that incorporates some lag, delay, or history dependence, refers to process; ‘when we evaporate’ names the intention to actually evaporate into the environment, including a time and a voice to place the emphasis on affect. Translating into the language of the visual arts, you could call Lami’s technique a sort of live, instantaneous cut-up or collage, while fraufraulein mobilise the desire, often expressed in the annals of art history, to step through the canvas and into the painting.”

full writeup below:

Giovanni Lami / fraufraulein

 

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