SCRAWLS FROM THE UNCONSCIOUS
cd. Multi-instrumental improv. ensemble fusing elements of world music, jazz, ambient, experimental, new-age, etc.
Oh, now this is nice stuff. It is very
exotic and mysterious sounding, like an enchanted wood wth fairies and goblins,
but mostly the good kind. It would be
very easy to work out a "Fantasia" style animation for a lot of these works. At
first the improvisation stands out very strongly, but as you loose yourself in
the pleasant lull of the CD, it communi-
cates with you rather than just "acting
out". On the promo sheet the words "adventurous ambience" appear at the
top. I think that is a fairly accurate description. Sometimes this CD gets a
little more down to earth with piano
and jazz tunes, but the overall feel is
very fantastical. Dreamy music.
-- Outsight

MANIFEST cd. Very nice, friendly experimental free jazz and soft rock.
This band uses a trick bag of exotic instruments including: shakuhachi,
Pueblo drum, bodhran, zils, dizi flute, zampona, ocarina, and deer rattles.
(consult some music catalog, I don't
know what a lot of them are.) They
are very adept in creating audio scenery, placing you gently in wonderlands, by
sailing fine aves of music that are
utilized (rather than controlled) for the effect. The artists seem to work jointly
in free flow, letting the mood and
ambience create its own scenario,
guiding their talents for a greater
purpose. Very unconfining and
impractical, Its like being "allowed" to
relax. Very together for this type of
thing, but never rigid or structured
too heavily. Like synchronized
wandering. -- Outsight

Forest Floor was featured in the
soundtrack for the HAVC film,
"TREE SIT: THE ART OF RESISTANCE"
about Julia Butterfly Hill and
others, and their work to save the
ancient Redwoods and old growth
forests.