Review: French multi-instrumentalist and electronic dabbler Ariel Kalma has been turning our heads and reaching our ears ever since Rvng Intl. put out a series of compilations by him over the past two years. This time, we have a series of 'Strange Mixes & Other Goodies' from the year 1978, the peak of Kalma's creativity and productivity, and generally a fine year for experimental jazz music. Any B-side lover and crate digger will surely lap this up for "Drum Machinery" alone, a Roland-made tune that could have easily been made yesterday by a techno or leftfield artist but, in essence, all of these thirteen songs are pretty mindblowing. "Kosmik Traffic" is pure field recording noise and didgeridoos, "Oui Ah" is a jarring ambient/drone masterpiece, "Delirium Grm" must have sounded like alien music back in 1978, and we have to say that everything else on this album is just as great and cutting-edge. What a sublime piece of long-lost music, and how perfectly it fits in with today's multi-palleted audience!
Review: Rvng Intl's FRKWYS sublabel is focused on collaborations that bridge a generational divide, which has been marvelously demonstrated in the past with the crossover between M, Geddes Gengras, Sun Araw and The Congos. For the twelfth release in the series, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe of Om and other such highly regarded concerns travelled to the East coast of Australia to work with veteran ambient musician Ariel Kalma, which has resulted in this enchanting, organic album steeped in natural field recordings and harmonious melodic tones. From synthesiser pulses to cooing saxophone, Lowe and Kalma flow together in an incredibly natural way and the resulting record is a marvel from start to finish.
Les Mots De Tous Les Jours (Reves Etranges) - (3:37) 74 BPM
Rainy Day - (4:05) 76 BPM
Montparnasse Morocco - (4:15) 54 BPM
Sazz Tabla (edit - bonus track) - (3:36) 72 BPM
Review: RVNG Intl's reissue series has been the jewel in the label's crown this year, with K Leimer's A Period of Review and Craig Leon's Nommos both offering killer retrospectives that put many other labels to shame. The third and final subject for this year is Ariel Kalma, a French-born musician who found inspiration in India's sacred music traditions on a trip to the country in the '70s. An artist whose minimalistic style is comparable to Terry Riley, La Monte Young, and Charlemagne Palestine, An Evolutionary Music (Original Recordings 1972 - 1979) collects unheard material from the artist's archives, and is essential listening for fans of psychedelic floatation tank sounds.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.