“Flux & Contemplation – Portrait of an Artist in Isolation”
Simon Posford
Twisted Records
The master sonic sculptor Simon Posford has crafted one of his most innovative albums in his 30 years of groundbreaking electronic music production: “Flux & Contemplation – Portrait of an Artist in Isolation,” released July 3.
Acclaimed worldwide for his boundary-defying collaboration Shpongle and iconic dance project Hallucinogen, Posford has used this global time of isolation to go back to early modes of production. Rather than framing his compositions in restrictively structured arrangements on computer, he mixed loops in real time to spontaneously sculpt tracks that reflected his in-the-moment perspective of being in lockdown. Knowing all the parts that he had in his palette under the faders of his mixing desk, he daily produced new versions of tracks until he had best expressed his personal experience in isolation.
The result is a masterpiece of electronic exploration and extrapolation that is magnetic and hypnotic in nature and the artist’s debut solo album.
“Indistinct Conversations”
Land of Talks
Saddle Creek
“Indistinct Conversations” sounds like being set adrift. Beginning with the aptly named “Diaphanous,” singer and guitarist Elizabeth Powell creates a hazy dream world of guitar and murmured, stream-of-consciousness vocals, surrounded by echoes of overheard conversations. It’s the sound of an introvert at a party, withdrawing into the cocoon of their thoughts while the people around them chatter.
Yet, “Indistinct Conversations” is not an album of numbing out. By drawing back into their interior world, Powell was able to emerge with a stronger sense of self — and more willingness to confront the oppressive structures of the world.
With no live music to list, this spot will be filled by news and reviews of new albums, both local and national. Send information about your new releases to Jocelyn Murphy at jmurphy@nwadg. com .