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Illuha, "Interstices"
Acting as its title would indicate as a bridge between their debut work, Shizuku, and an upcoming second effort, Interstices is a mix of improvisations, sketches, and experimentation that was all captured live. It does not come across as a taut, conceptual album focused on composition, nor is it consistently random or unfocused. Instead it is a slow drift through experimentation and improvisation that at times feels a bit random, but comes together quite well.
One of the underlying concepts for Illuha's work is the use and misuse of various tools, musical and otherwise, into a free improvisation type context.Unlike many who work with these methods, everything is kept at a close, hushed level and never becomes boisterous or aggressive.These pieces have a distinctly intimate sensibility—as I listen it sounds as if I was in the same room as it was being performed.
"Interstices I (Seiya)" comes across as the most basic of the three long performances that make up the album.Initially it is rather bleak, dark, and sparse.Bits of feedback and occasional piano or twinkling sounds break up the tension, and the oddly spoken word segment seems out of place.However, the lighter, uplifting transition toward the middle and the guitar-centric closing helps keep some sense of composure.
Somewhere in the middle is the simultaneously chaotic and relaxed "Interstices II".While everything is kept at that quiet, intimate volume, a world of clinking sounds, strings, and droning electronics are scattered about in free form improvisation.Amidst the acoustic guitar plucks and the wet, synthetic drips, there is a relaxed, calm sense maintained, like a slow drift down a lazy river on a hot summer’s day.
The longer closer "Interstices III" feels, of the three, the most focused and composed piece.Starting from a basic palette of drawn out elongated noises, a sense of development emerges rather quickly in the performance. A lot of variation and structuring continues without losing a sense of Illuha improvisation. As a result, it becomes a tighter, more focused work that would not be out of place in an album context.
As an intermediary work (such as it is intended), Interstices accomplishes its job admirably, especially considering this is live material.While at times it does seem to lack the focus and structure I would expect to hear on a fully realized album from the duo, it never feels overwrought or unnecessary.While disjointed and tentative at times, this is not something that would only appeal to the most ardent of fans and thus acts as a great teaser for their 2014 release.
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