Plaistow is the reason I love netlabels, netlabels may be abundant on the net and very easy fo an artist to set up, good ones present some of the best and honest music you'll find anywhere. Case in point, insubordinations.net, a netlabel devoted to improvised music, their new release is a 2009 recording by Geneva's very own Plaistow. Plaistow is a trio comprised of:
Johann Bourquenez: piano
Raphaël Ortis: bass
Cyril Bondi: drums
Plaistow's music is at times very minimal and other times very bombastic, composed and/or improvised, melodic vs. noise. Cyril Bondi is definitely one of the most underrated drummers playing in music today. His playing can be light when playing little flourishes on the cymbals as in "Doppleganger" or full on as in "Full CSS". "Boomerang" is my favorite track on "The Crow", for it's a song hard to describe. Space and silence are two instruments that really should be added to their musicians list, they play as an important part to Plaistow's music as each of the other individual performers, best heard on this track. Johann Bourquenez channels John Cage in his piano work and at times offers up some bizarre Turkish melody. CB's drums creates a certain tension with his sparse drumming that I found myself cringing at every cymbal hit, awaiting the next. Raphael Ortis' bass is a great low end compliment to the music, like in "Mairie des Lilas".
At times one feels like this album isn't finished, like they didn't know where to end and ultimately cut some thoughts short of being completed until you listen to the album more than once and its entirety. It's good played in parts or on shuffle but is better played as a whole.
It's simple, if you like improvised music, free jazz, minimalism, or rock download this or any other Plaistow album. Also, check out all the other releases on insubordinations.net.
Nicely done. Now, what about the Badu?
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