CD – Herbal

This release features Klaus Janek playing a digitally-processed double bass and Claudio Rocchetti manipulating field recordings and calibrated modulating environmental feedback. Hosting sounds by Li Zeng Hui, Yan Jun, Stephen Roach, Feng Hao, Liu Xin Yu, Torturing Nurse and SIN: NED, the album was recorded in August 2011 in China, Hong Kong and Malaysia. The set of sounds – including over 35 minutes of audio captures – was mastered by Mauro Martinuz following a tour made possible with support from the Department of Cultural Affairs in Berlin. Many different soundscapes and audio elements were collected during a number of “psychogeographical” trips. Rocchetti used these to process other musical passages before dividing the results into eight different compositions that are full of announcements, babbling, city traffic noise and electroacoustica – all mixed together with a bricoleur attitude. The collages are very intense and are the result of a musical reworking; one that feels very personal and imbued with the various contexts explored. These are then “interpretations”, just one of many ways to approach the immense domain of possibility surrounding field recordings. The travel notes are a pretext for new inspiration and many other musicians have contributed to this musical horizon, annexing lo-fi cuts, random combinations and conversations, natural sounds and synthetic processing: audio data captured and taken to the limit of distinguishability. The release is sweetened by an elegant and contemporary design by Burbulla – a six-panel digipak CD – and is yet another successful entry into the already extensive catalog of Herbal International.

 

Miji Concert 1, Klaus Janek + Claudio Rocchetti