"Under Tangled Silence ultimately can seem as the complete integration of a central feature of Manuel’s compositional process, piano, into his wider oeuvre."
As with much of Felix Manuel’s discography, ‘Under Tangled Silence’ on Houndstooth transcends any attempt to pigeonhole its sound into any singular genre, style or methodology. Instead, the project embarks on an expansive voyage through sonic fields often worlds apart, woven into a vivid and intricate tapestry of colour and movement.
Manuel sews these threads through seemingly impossible openings, creating a lattice not dissimilar to that of Naum Gabo or Barbara Hepworth’s tightly strung sculptures. These tensions are bound together primarily by the presence of Manuel’s piano playing, an aspect of his work prevalent in prior releases, but arguably not yet fully realised. Under Tangled Silence ultimately can seem as the complete integration of a central feature of Manuel’s compositional process, piano, into his wider oeuvre.
There is an unexpected versatility to the use of the instrument throughout the project. Beyond the anticipated role as merely a moment of respite during Manuel’s often hectic arrangements, it often compliments or even acts as a catalyst for this energetic character. Despite being an eclectic foray into the electronic world, Under Tangled Silence is potentially more of a personal exploration into Manuel’s relationship with, and study of, the instrument.
Alongside the piano, Manuel plays various other percussion instruments, many of which feature on the album. Namely the Irish lap harp, heard perhaps most clearly during the Phrygian Bakcheia of ‘L’Ancienne‘. Yet, acoustic percussive performance makes many more disguised appearances throughout the project – often indecipherable from their electronic counterparts.
This merging of the acoustic and electronic encapsulates the essence of Under Tangled Silence, exploring and mapping the expanse of this no-man’s land found in contemporary musical composition. In comparison to previous releases, the holistic experience of Under Tangled Silence seems far more revealing of Manuel’s personal experience during everyday life as a musician.
Possibly a twist of fate so to speak, due to a hard drive meltdown in 2020 resulting in the loss of all original sketches for the project, perhaps providing the impetus for Manuel to develop more improvisational material on tracks like ‘A Tune For Us‘ and ‘Unweaving‘.
The shift between such varying moods and paces throughout the project provides a much more subtle and nuanced picture of the environment that creates the music and identity of Djrum. Whilst never deserting the foundations of Manuel’s electronic musical influences, the project transitions effortlessly from silken, fluid arrangements of piano and cello, to complex and meticulously crafted rhythmic sequences.
Alongside the practically flawless execution of post-production work, Djrum features elements from a wide array of club and electronic scenes, from his distinct IDM-esque processing of sampled breaks to more loosely defined dubstep and garage patterns.
Perhaps best depicted in the use of overtones in the acoustic-electronic transition in the track ‘L’Ancienne‘, or the translation of motifs heard in ‘Galaxy of Silence’. Manuel not only effortlessly glides between, but seems (perhaps more importantly) to entangle these dimensions with a deft touch, portraying true aptitude for both the field of spontaneous acoustic improvisation and diligent intentional design.
‘Under Tangled Silence’ is out now via Houndstooth. Order a copy from Bandcamp.
TRACKLIST
1. A Tune For Us
2. Waxcap
3. Unweaving
4. L’Ancienne
5. Hold
6. Galaxy In Silence
7. Reprise
8. Three Foxes Chasing Each Other
9. Let Me
10. Out Of Dust
11. Sycamore