Minimum Wage Immanence Unit

Banishing the polka band image despite being an accordion, clarinet and guitar trio, Manchester, UK-based Minimum Wage Immanence Unit present six improvisations that alternately emphasize drone, dissonance and discourse. Distinct and probably presented as it was recorded, the joint program fortifies as it develops, though it’s slightly lacking in final sharpening.

Guitarist David Birchall moves between Rock and Improv and has worked with Maggie Nicols; accordionist Adam Fairhall usually plays piano and keyboards with the likes of Corey Mwamba; while bass clarinetist Michael Perrett plays with other local groups. Sticking mostly to the chalumeau register, the clarinetist’s outflow usually combines with the accordion’s tremolo squeezes and jitters to create a consistent drone with the guitarist’s intermittent picking as enhancements.

Seemingly more confident as the session evolves, by mid-point Perrett varies his in-and-out respirations with reed growls and more vocalizing within the horn’s body. Intensity accelerates by the midpoint with “A Map and Not a Tracing” and “Rhizome” as the underlying drone is enlivened with interruptions from amp-projected string flanges, clarinet split tones and jittery accordion key stops.

Although shaking string frails, bellows vibrations and reed slurs gradually fade into a recurring echo by the end of the program, “Rhizome” outlines how the performance could have been strengthened. Emerging from a near-silent introduction timbral interaction gradually widens to encompass more individuality. Broken-chord confluence among trembling accordion pressure, squeaky reed trill and reed squeezes augment just enough to suggest heightened intensity and invention before fragmenting back to horizontal rumbles.

Proficient in what it’s accomplished this time, the Minimum Wage Immanence Unit could in future expand its exclusive existence at least musically by interpolating more descriptive pauses and sharper edges into its horizontal arrangements.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1.  Terrain 2. Between Mountains 3. All of Tree Logic is a Logic of Tracing 4. A Map and Not a Tracing 5. Rhizome 6. Clonal Colony

Personnel: Michael Perrett (bass clarinet); Adam Fairhall (accordion) and David Birchall (guitar)