Immerse your earholes in musical landscapes from electroacoustic composer Kirsten Volness, California pedal steel guitarist Chuck Johnson, Minnesota band IE, and from Laraaji for zither and piano.
There’s music by Kirsten Volness (currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Reed College), from her River Rising record, where a violin is the acoustic source for “atmospheres inspired by nature, myth, spirituality, nd environmental and sociopolitical issues," (Bandcamp liner notes.) Then, listen to a soundscape featuring violin by Bosnia-American Svjetlana Bukvich which may be a meeting ground between nature, technology, and movement of the dance world.
Hear the latest by Oakland-based guitarist and composer Chuck Johnson, from his The Cinder Grove, a collaborative record of atmospheric soundscapes. Much of the music is built around pedal steel guitar and is also a memorial to the California landscape in the wake of recent fire seasons.
Also, sample music from Loscil and Seabuckthorn, (aka producer Scott Morgan and guitarist Andy Cartwright) which uses acoustic guitar, treated in an electronic soundworld. There’s also a desert soundscape of hypnotic minimalism by Minnesota band IE and some pastoral psychedelia in the ambient country music by New York quartet Suss. Plus, music by zither player, pianist, and collaborator Laraaji.- Caryn Havlik
Program #4461, Musical Landscapes (First Aired 2/16/2021)
ARTIST: Chuck Johnson
WORK: The Laurel [1:00]
RECORDING: The Cinder Grove
SOURCE: Vin du Select Qualitite
INFO: chuckjohnson.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Lilit Hartunian, violin
WORK: Kirsten Volness: Alone Together [7:02]
RECORDING: Kirsten Volness: River Rising
SOURCE: New Focus Recordings
INFO: kirstenvolness.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Svjetlana Bukvich
WORK: The Beginning [7:02]
RECORDING: Extension
SOURCE: Navona Records
INFO: navonarecords.com
ARTIST: Chuck Johnson
WORK: The Laurel [9:26]
RECORDING: The Cinder Grove
SOURCE: Vin du Select Qualitite
INFO: chuckjohnson.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Loscil & Seabuckthorn
WORK: As if I already knew [4:59]
RECORDING: THESIS 02
SOURCE/INFO: thesisproject.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: IE
WORK: Gloam [8:12]
RECORDING: Pome
SOURCE: Moon Glyp
INFO: iesounds.bandcamp.com/album/pome
ARTIST:SUSS
WORK: Home [5:38]
RECORDING: Promise
SOURCE: Northern Spy Records
INFO: suss.bandcamp.com/album/promise
ARTIST: Laraaji
WORK: Through Luminous Eyes 1 [4:37]
RECORDING: Through Luminous Eyes
SOURCE: All Saints Records
INFO: laraajimusic.bandcamp.com