Without oversimplifying,
Trapist
's
Highway My Friend
is in immediate continuity with
SSSD
Home
. In both albums, Viennese guitarist
Martin Siewert
pursues a form of
post-improv folk
, of improvised instrumental songs informed by the Free culture (from
Caspar Broetzmann Massaker
's rage-on blows to the restraint of Berlin reductionism) but hammered into something more structured and -- dare it be said -- more palatable. On this album
Siewert
also integrates lessons from
experimental electronica
. Accompanied by drummer
Martin Brandlmayr
and bassist
Joe Williamson
,
lays down contemplative riffs and cutting-edge noise-making. Tracks like
"Impex"
and
"Mine Was the Shoulder You Cried On That Day"
could almost be mistaken for
the Necks
tunes (minus the duration, of course).
Williamson
locks himself up in a smooth ostinato,
Brandlmayr
sticks to decorative brushing and hitting, while the guitarist walks in circles around a simple motif. It's all done delicately, with an effort to push the music into new territories while keeping it grounded into an atavistic form of song-making. Other pieces like
"FM"
"Fenrus"
remain in the realm of
electro-acoustic
free improv
, developing slowly over a limited amount of sonic material, yet captivating the listener. A tension is established between the two musical forms, giving
its distinct personality.
comes out of this session a tightly knit unit, and
's ongoing musical journey produces yet another fascinating postcard. Recommended. ~ Francois Couture