After America is the first solo album by Simon Crab - most well-known as the founder and front-man of the group Bourbonese Qualk (1979-2003). The album contains 20 new tracks recorded from 2010-2014 at various locations in the UK and featuring contributions from Geoff Leigh (Henry Cow, ExWiseHeads) and Dave Smith (Guapo).
"An audio tapestry, After America is a tonal epic poem of moods and texture that narrates an intense emotional journey. Instrumental melodies from horn, wind, drum kits, acoustic and electric guitar and even Gamelan percussive arrangements verge on orchestral as they relate tumultuous tales and respite in oasis' of calm. At moments, the instrumentals are pierced by Industrial-strength synths and machine drums; other moments are cocooned in shimmering electronics that echo Basic Channel at their most sublime; and still others are haunted by misty ambientdrone. Instrumental bard, Simon Crab seamlessly blends otherwise disparate textures into a cohesive narrative while dragging the music (and listener) through a "hall of mirrors" that flirt with psychedelics. Rather than push his sounds through exaggerations, Crab accentuates and emphasizes using real-time audio synthesis, Supercollider, to instill a distinctly 'other' quality. What might have passed as improvised, minimal folk, or traditional/ethno/postjazz is actually a kind of 'cyborgmusic,' a surprisingly harmonious blend of natural and synthetic. After America heralds the end of a colonial Empire that flails in a Brave New World where ideas and change fire across the globe and the speed of thought. In the way that a masterfully woven tapestry depicts tales, so too does After America, taking you on an Odyssey with each listen.
Simon Crab has been a music maker since the late '70s, where he founded Bourbonese Qualk, as well as Sunseaster, an experimental/improvised/electroacoustic noise project. Crab also learned traditional African and Middle Eastern music and is a member of London's Gamelan orchestra."
-Ibrahim Khider, Toronto, 2014
More information can be found here and here.
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