Oslo-based record label Dugnad Rec release a mystical work of modified piano segments from Stian Balducci and Kjetil Jerve, named ‘Tokyo Tapes: Piano Recycle‘.
Both Balducci and Jerve are prominent figures in the Norwegian musical landscape: Jerve is known for his explorations of modern jazz, with three solo albums under his belt, whilst Balducci, hailing from an electronic background, has collaborated with AtomTM and Warp-alumni Mira Calix.
The 18-track masterwork the pair have made for Dugnad is deeply cyclical in nature: drawing from the same pool of thought as the likes of Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto’s famed collaborative material, or Jan Jelinek’s legendary ‘Loop Finding Jazz Records‘, Balducci uses electronic methodologies to warp and reshape Jerve’s piano recordings into beautiful disarray.
Using partially destructive methods to reshape the sound landscape into something far from the origin, at times ‘Tokyo Tapes…‘ bears fleeting resemblance to moments of euphoric dance music, but most often lands far closer to avant-garde sound design and acoustic-based ambient albums. The 18 brief friezes on the album morph into an arresting whole on listening in full, uninterrupted listening, each static hum and delay-drenched keystroke blending into the next.
For ‘3.2 MIN”s video accompaniment, Jonas Magnussen and Simen Løvgren wield abstract shapes to draw ever-reshaping art for the quietly beautiful piece. Like phosphorescent tape reels spiralling into a messy chaos, the lines reverberate in tandem with the gentle shuddering of the music. The grainy aspect of the video reflects that of the music, culminating in a harmonious work that supports the music without distracting too heavily from the beauty of it.
‘Tokyo Tapes: Piano Recycle’ is out 30 April via Dugnad Rec. Order a copy from Bandcamp.
Video Credits
Video by Jonas Magnussen
Edited by Simen Løvgren
