Wouldn’t the United Nations be so much more worthwhile of an organization if each country, instead of electing the most diplomatic and politically aware citizens to serve as ambassador, altered their criteria in order to place a completely irrelevant emphasis on one’s ability to musically improvise? Additionally, in order to overcome those pesky language barriers, each representative would be required to “speak” through the positive or negative tones of their respective instruments. Here’s how that would hypothetically play out: “In response to the continued human rights abuses by the leader of Hullabalooistan, the gentleman from neighboring Republic of Gibberishtania is recognized.” *BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ BRRRRRRRRRR*
For the purpose of a coherent segway, the yearly collaboration between Keiji Haino, Jim O’Rourke, and Oren Ambarchi represents something of a mini-UN in its own respect, with the three patriots of experimentation hailing from Japan, the US, and Australia, respectively. When it comes to how these three individuals came to work together, your guess is as good as mine, but speaking on behalf of free improv enthusiasts everywhere (is that okay?), it’s most definitely a welcome meeting of minds — one which continues with the release of Imikuzushi on February 28 via Black Truffle Records, who previously released the trio’s Tima Formosa (TMT Review and In a flash everything comes together as one there is no need for a subject.
In addition to using all of the appropriate adjectives — “hypnotic,” “pounding,” “intense,” “transcendent” — Melbourne-based songwriter and musician Francis Plagne describes the album as “four unedited excerpts salvaged from an epic show that lasted well over three hours, the sometimes raw nature of the recording only adds to its directness and harshly emotive quality.” Personally, I’d like to see the trio take a subtle cue from Boris and make a pop-inspired album. I realize how implausible that sounds.
• Jim O’Rourke: http://tisue.net/orourke
• Oren Ambarchi: http://www.orenambarchi.com
• Keiji Haino: http://www.fushitsusha.com
• Black Truffle: http://www.blacktrufflerecords.com
