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organum, "sphyx"
Sit down, make yourself comfortable, this album is far from both the post-industrial noise nor the minimalistic drone stuff David Jackman is usually known for his releases as Organum. Recorded between 1990 and 1993 (originally released in 1994), the album opens with the stunning epic 16¬Ω-minute, "Aurora," which is probably the closest Organum got to Taj Mahal Tavelers. "Aurora" features fantastic guitar sounds, exotic wind instruments, and unidentifiable shining and piercing other sounds by Dinah Jane Rowe, Christoph Heemann and Jim O'Rourke.
This is all accompanied by a driving improvised drum contribution by AMM's Eddie Prevost, providing an even more trecherous, ominous feel, almsot like the dust clouds whipping into whirlwinds as the prelude to a magnificent storm. The title track continues the feel with more drones, bowed cymbals and beautiful wind instrument sounds. Absent of the drum set, "Sphyx" is only the work of Jackman and O'Rourke. "Multa" by Heemann and Jackman closes the original LP with less intense drones, but piercing sounds and a heavily delayed percussive sound keeping the tempo. Two bonus tracks, "Æo" (short for Aeolian) and "Shining Star" appear on CD for the first time. These subtle, gorgeous tracks, which further exploit Jackman's obsession with beautiful wind instruments, are also originally from 1994 but only appeared on a small 7" single run. After years of being unavailable and appropriately highly sought after, Robot has released a small number of these CDs. The original three tracks are undeniably regarded as some of Organum's finest moments and the bonus addition makes this release even more irresistable. With a limited to 700 copies, this can easily be cleaned off the shelves before Christmas time.
 
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