Label: Flying Nun Records – FN085, Flying Nun Records – FN 085 Format: Vinyl, LP, Stereo Country: New Zealand Released: 1988 Genre: Classical, Folk, World, & Country Style: Contemporary, Experimental
Mesmerisingly fluid, propulsive percussive polyrhythms from down-under via Kiwi experimental trio From Scratch.
The catalogue of the iconic New Zealand / Aotearoa label Flying Nun is as diverse and labyrinthe any, home to the full spectrum of independent music from their remote country. Performance group From Scratch have been active from 1974 to the present day, growing initially from Cornelius Cardew's original London-based Scratch Orchestra to explore a more structured, rhythm-based format from the wild improv sessions happening in the UK. Given the unit’s geographical location, they take influence from traditional Polynesian and Melanesian music, exploring a vast spectrum of strictly acoustic timbres, textures and rhythmic patterns. Many of the instruments were made specifically for the group; favourites here include the ‘whizzer’ (essentially a symbol attached to a pole that is whirled like a mace) and the ‘rattle-jacket’ which as per the beautiful illustrations included looks like a waistcoat made of wind-chimes. There’s also growlers, warblers and whistlers.
On each piece the group are rhythmically interlocked mechanically-tight to the point of astonishment, demonstrating a unique blend of dynamic minimalism / maximalism that’s certainly of huge interest to fans of Steve Reich, Mikel Rouse’s linndrum meltdown LP Quorum, the Lobi recordings on Ocora or more contemporary works of Don’t DJ. We only discovered this last week but it’s fully blowing minds here. (NM/VG+ - with insert)
