![]() ![]() These moments, these obscure but oddly everyday and mundane moments, are when Cendre works best, filling your void with beauty the way Sakamoto’s piano fills up the ample spaces created by Fennesz’s guitar textures. Or that moment when your mind disconnects from your body before falling asleep, the brain still racing with thoughts, assimilating the music but your body is still, unable to respond physically. When you return from a hard day at work – that twilight period between popping your collar/getting on with your evening and reflecting on the shit you’ve had to put up with from The Man. I’ve been listening continuously for the past two weeks and each time prompts a new feeling within me, a different shade of wistful romance which typifies the music. It’s hard to articulate just how near transcendental Cendre is, especially its first half. Yet they perfectly compliment each other and conspire to produce music which is (paradoxically) at once intimate and awe-inspiring. The process of collaboration between these two artists was, by all accounts, a long distance one. What Cendre does, in essence, is marry the heavily processed guitar soundscapes of Fennesz with the minimal, Satie styled, piano improvisations of Sakamoto. This is their second collaboration and a work of sublime beauty it is. ![]() Lawrence amongst many other musical endeavors. Sakamoto was one third of J-Pop synth trio, Yellow Magic Orchestra and scored the soundtrack to Merry Christmas Mr. When his Mego released Endless Summer album dropped at the turn of the new millennium, all hailed the way in which his digitally refracted pop warmth bathed in the perpetual sun of Brian Wilson-esque melody. The former is esteemed star of Austrian electronica. Some history then? Not that it’ll impact upon your enjoyment of this music but the names might suddenly appear more familiar if I tell you about the two gentlemen involved, Christian Fennesz and Ryuichi Sakamoto. The second collaboration between these two celebrated artists, Cendre sounds – even within it’s stripped down sonic palette – like the world is existing, living, breathing amidst its wordless sonic poetry. In a time wherein petty tight trousers, the Kooks and I-Pods hold sway, this is real rebel music. Together they have combined to create 11 tracks of satisfying and challenging possibilities…Ĭendre was one of the 2007 Albums of the Year in Kulturflash (UK) Sakamoto’s piano, his style reminiscent of Debussy and Satie, perfectly complements Fennesz with his powerful blend of shimmering guitar and passionate electronics. Ryuichi Sakamoto and Christian Fennesz blend the unstructured and imaginative qualities of improvisation with the satisfying sculpture of composition. Meanwhile they met for live shows, or communicated via digital means to compare notes, swop ideas and develop themes… And the cyclical process continued right up until the final mix. This process was also reversed – Sakamoto initiating the track with a piano composition and Fennesz responding. Fennesz would send Sakamoto a guitar or electronic track and Sakamoto would compose his piano piece. They came together for the mix in New York City in February of that year. So now we have ‘Cendre’… Cendre was recorded between 20 in New York City by Ryuichi Sakamoto and in Vienna by Christian Fennesz. Bill Meyer in Magnet (US) wrote: “Cross-generational encounters are never a sure thing, but this one strikes sparks” and Max Scaefer in Cyclic Defrost (USA): ” a moment of much beauty, not to mention anticipation for the promised full-length effort to come.” Tom Sekowski adds in Gaz-eta (USA): “We can only hope this astonishing collaboration will turn into something more tangible, more permanent.” ![]() Their first, ‘Sala Santa Cecilia’, was a 19 minute overture from their live performance in Rome in November 2004. This release features a duet between Christian Fennesz and Ryuichi Sakamoto – a continuing collaboration between two highly regarded composers. Artwork and photography by Jon Wozencroft ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |