A nice mention of Herbal - Why Not on Richard Pinnell's blog at
http://www.thewatchfulear.com/
and from Vital Weekly
NICK HOFFMAN - STRATAGEM
So far the music by Nick Hoffman has been pure electronic affairs, working with laptops and sine waves. Perhaps I mentioned however he is graduate in music, and on 'Stratagem' are three works for a small chamber orchestra, which includes, although I'm not sure if all at the same time, four piano's, percussion, trumpet, guitar, and electronics. I am sure I mentioned this before but true, modern classical music is one of those I find very hard to review. Of the three pieces here, I think 'Clearing' is great. It has modern classical feel to it, but its also acoustic with pipes being blown and there are small bits of electronics. I must say I liked that a lot, whereas the short opening piece and the title piece were also alright, but perhaps it didn't have the same impact on me. (FdW)
JULIEN SKROBEK & MIGUEL PRADO - AMERICAN NIGHTMARE
A duet of Julien Skrobek on synthesizer and Miguel Prado on prepared cello (first piece) and prepared piano (second piece). Both seem to me new stars on the front of improvised music, department 'soft' and 'silent'. They play their music with 'gaps' in between. A sound, maybe two or even three, and then some silence. Its a method they apply in both tracks here, and it works well, even if perhaps both could have been a bit shorter. Or perhaps just the second, which lasts twenty-five minutes, would have been fine enough, I think. Its music that demands quite a bit from the listener and requires full attention, so even at just under forty minutes, this is still on the long side. But as said, especially the second piece I really liked. (FdW)
cdR for 6 euros, + shipping; FREE SHIPPING for order more then 20euros (total)
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http://www.herbalinternational.tk/
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cheers,
glk / herbal