In recent years, it's not been too unusual to catch Eddie Prévost at the drum kit, reconnecting with his roots as an Art Blakey-worshipping young hard bopper. Here, however, he's very firmly back in the once radical territory he helped to carve out as a pioneer of non-idiomatic improv with AMM. Of course, what was once radical and non-idiomatic is now a well-codified language with a 50-year history. The irony is that you're quite unlikely to encounter many surprises here.
Recorded in a 12th century church in Essex, the four improvisations included on the CD are tectonically drifting textural investigations that paint mental images of alien cityscapes. Prévost concentrates on the bowing of cymbals, letting loose the shriek and shimmer of friction-activated metal. Trombonist Edward Lucas burbles out a monologue of parps and warbles. Daniel Kordík wrests high-pitched whines and low throbs from the analogue synth. When the disc ends, it feels like the doors to the church have simply been closed. Somewhere in eternity, the sounds continue.
— Rating: ★★★★
Author: Daniel Spicer
The Matchless Recordings office will be closed from 26th November to 5th December 2024, orders may take longer to process.