Aar & Dag

A realized experiment in aleatoric creativity, the Danish Aar & Dag collective has produced a brief (35 minute) essay in melding diverse improvised and compositional methods. Built around a self-built wooden clock-wheel sequencer which produces patterns of sound when cranked, the 10 players add organic response to that stimulus.
Percussion affiliated through the strokes from Victor Dybbroe. Anders Vestergaard, Oliver Laumann and Mads Pind Forsby, the eight tracks aren’t overly percussive since the selections are pliable enough to work in textures from Michael Mørkholt and Andreas Pallisgaard self-built synthesizers, Anders Lauge Meldgaard synthesizers and EWI plus Jakob Munck’s trombone, sousaphone and pocket trumpet, Magnus Bak’s trombone and Lars Greve‘s clarinets and soprano saxophone. One unexpected byproduct of this meshing is that string inferences materialize and disappear during the performances. Still these faux strokes and plinks become part of the layered expositions without breaches.
What is constant are the cogwheel-created buzzing and vibrations. Depending on random cranks the resulting tempo can be speedy or slow, with the drones affiliated and expanded with bongo-like slaps, massed percussion ruffs, plunger wallows and shrill or circular breathed trills from the reeds. “Uiftedb” is an episode of unaccompanied brass triplets and clarinet bites. Its programmed impulses and the junkeroo-style percussion layers confirm the singularity of the disc.
Eventually the collective works its way to the extended concluding “Rytsfsd” with its polytonal and polyrhythmic shudders and shakes that mold the preceding synthesized washes, metal patterning and horn harmonies into a distinctive climax. Even before that, various sections of the ensemble have created comprehensive identities which includes melded horn canons, harpsichord-like plucks, heavy and light drum-like beats and dog-whistle elevated peeps and smears.
Through the realization of chance, improvisation and technique Aar & Dag have created an innate and singular work. One wonder how it would deal with an extended musical project.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Ctsopas 2. Imtlirt 3. Ruekloo 4. Ksmelgr 5. Uiftedb 6. Lkootaa 7. Aesrgagn 8. Rytsfsd

Personnel: Magnus Bak (trombone); Jakob Munck (trombone, sousaphone, pocket trumpet); Lars Greve (clarinets, soprano saxophone); Victor Dybbroe. Anders Vestergaard, Oliver Laumann (percussion); Mads Pind Forsby (gong wheel, percussion); Anders Lauge Meldgaard (clock wheel sequencer, synthesizers, EWI); Michael Mørkholt, Andreas Pallisgaard (clock wheel sequencer, synthesizers)