Marches of the New World, de David Maranha (Osso Exótico), na Grain of Sound. Maranha toca órgão Hammond, violino, dobro-resophonic guitar; João Milagre, baixo; António Forte, bateria; Tiago Miranda, percussão; e Helena Espvall, violoncelo. Ainda não ouvi, mas apetece.
'Marches of the New World, new record by legendary Portuguese underground figure David Maranha, who has also been putting out music with the mythical Osso Exótico unit for almost 20 years (his previous release was with Patrícia Machás and drone duo Minit as Organ Eye, who put out a self-titled album on the Staubgold label), is his more recent study & advancement in exploring, witnessing and generating new slices of blissful, savaged drone music. Coming from the higher education of minimalist pioneer Yves Klein, with his "Monotone Symphony" from the late forties, while also being informed by the Tony Conrad-Theatre of Eternal Music-Terry Riley axis, he mainly works with Hammond organ going through various tone & texture altering devices, until he reaches the raw keyboard sound put on tape here. In this record his continuous sound science is given wider possibilities, with the aid of a backing band and collaborators he's invited for the release. Besides the Hammond, Maranha also uses violin and his dobro-resophonic guitar. His rhythm section of João Milagre (bass) and António Forte (drums) is augmented by contributions from cello virtuoso Helena Espvall (free improviser of merit, member of Philadelphia's most celebrated folk troupe in the last few years, the Espers) and Tiago Miranda (member of Lisbon's own current free expression kings, the Loosers, and owner of the awesome Ruby Red Label) on various minimal percussions. The result is a grandiose sound ensemble, intermingled with more sparse numbers, yet another travel into the infinite oscillation trip of pure drone, the admiration of its sound and ritual. With the rhythmic components able to draw up some lyricism that is seldom found in these molds, metrics and dynamics are opened up with some wonderfully disjointed gravitational balance. The keys and strings keep you gliding around the eternal line of infinity with perfect equilibrium and freedom, in these "Marches" to which Mr. Maranha found the right pace for walking. Fists up, with a direct line to the cosmos, rooted below, forward as always'. - Pedro Gomes
