oranges |cs068

Esta recente edição da Creative Sources Recordings (cs068) capta em estúdio um quarteto formado por Wade Matthews, Ernesto Rodrigues, Bechir Saadé e Guilherme Rodrigues. Em “Oranges” (temas 1 a 9, num total de 42’58’’) Wade Matthews arma teia e trama electrónica focada na criação de texturas, acidentes e rugosidades, por onde amarinham sons animados, pequenos pontos de luz que, vistos à distância, iluminam uma tela de consideráveis dimensões e traduzem a imensa quantidade de eventos sonos que aqui se produzem.
Clarinete baixo (Matthews e Saadé), nay, flauta alto, viola, violoncelo e electrónica estabelecem subtis ligações electroacústicas em cadeia, o sopro como espevitador de um fogo que arde lento, brasas sobre as cordas, alimentado por uma permanente e quase imperceptível variação dinâmica em que detalhes e fragmentos marcam a progressão no terreno, apelando à concentração do ouvinte. No seu constante processo de transmutação, os sons adquirem formas estranhas, uma certa fluidez e imponderabilidade, como gritos surdos e rumores em tensão permanente. Música parente da escrita contemporânea, que dela difere na medida em que os momentos de composição, execução e registo ocorrem simultânea e instantaneamente, fundindo-se numa delicada amálgama de sons e silêncios profundos. Gravação de Janeiro de 2006, realizada no Estúdio Tcha Tcha Tcha, em Lisboa. Eduardo Chagas (Jazz e Arredores)

Label owner Rodrigues in a compatible quartet creating textures of considerable dimensions in a minimal setting of acoustics and electronics. Squidco

[...] The first quartet is Wade Matthews (bass clarinet, alto flute, electronics), Ernesto Rodrigues (viola, and labelboss), Bechir Saade (bass clarinet, nay) and Guilherme Rodrigues (cello). Matthews presented his work before on a solo CD on the same label, and he played three concerts in Lisbon this year. There he met Bechir Saade from Beirut, and together with the two Rodriguez' they end up in a studio, recorded nine short improvisations. The music here is much more interesting: the instruments as objects, recorded with a very close microphone, sometimes electronically sounding and sometimes more conventional, makes this a very intense piece of music and a fine example of improvised music. Frans de Waard (Vital)

On Oranges The Rodrigues duo is back in action against with Bechir Saadé on bass clarinet and nây [an end-blown flute of Persian origin – DW] and Wade Matthews on alto flute, bass clarinet and electronics. The album is divided into nine movements in a kind of suite, if a far from uniform one, opening with beautiful Nikos Veliotis-like regretful string drones accompanied by discreet electronic backgrounds and the light crackle of wood, while Saadé's lingual flutters generate hisses and clicks. Elsewhere, lively microtonal activity is contrasted and enhanced by the strings' preparations and extended techniques, and there are spurts of insurgence from the repressed elastic warp and squelch of Matthews' electronics. The fifth movement is an engrossing juxtaposition of close intervals (and probably the best track in terms of emotional depth) which turns into airy multiphonics and koto icicles courtesy of Ernesto plucking in the red light district of his viola. The granular battle between subtraction and addition takes these daring improvisations into the kind of territory that could leave less seasoned explorers dying of starvation and dehydration within minutes. Massimo Ricci (Paris Transatlantic)

Layers of earthy cloths, loosely woven in continuous reels, individual threads harshly coloured by the variously contrasting elements present in a landscape of dessert ascendancy. The textures are revealed by the slowness of the pace, which magnifies dimensions, offering a close view of occasional languor akin to such climates. Pedro Lopez (Modisti)

Neuf plages de joutes électroacoustiques où règne une grande activité dans un faux calme, un son sec, un brin d'agitation... Dynamique et concentrée. Jerôme Noetinger (Metamkine)

Another electro acoustic display from the outer space, this time the matter is more and more fragmented thus don’t expect it to be a continuum ambient-style where instrumental sounds are assembled so to have a layering ambient style. Certainly in these nine tracks there’s a lot of interaction but is way more fragmented and many times you have every member of this quartet waiting for his turn in order to emit a the beloved sounds/noises. The electro-acoustic pastiches is the usual work you think of when pondering on the label’s catalogue and yes, it has its moments like in the fifth track where they move around a quasi modal type of improvisation and I can’t say I didn’t appreciate when they’ve molded something you could even recognize the shape of. “The shape of electro-acoustic nowadays” has a lot to share with the quality of the recording and this one is well done, consequently everything is located in a specifical context/space and can also be identified for it’s real essence. The last sentence means thanks to the recording every “sshhh””, “sdeeng”, “tuuud” is clearly identifiable and don’t think it happens quite often. Andrea Ferraris Chain DLK)

Nas liner notes deste disco o americano Wade Matthews, residente em Madrid, problematiza a questão da associação de cores à música. E interroga-se porque motivo o laranja é pouco referenciado nos meios musicais (salvando a notória excepção de “Orange Was the Colour of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk” de Charles Mingus). A cor de laranja é então o motivo que juntou a dupla Rodrigues (Ernesto na viola, Guilherme no violoncelo) ao americano Matthews (clarinete baixo, flauta e electrónicas) e ao libanês Bechir Saadé (clarinete baixo) numa sessão de improvisação em Lisboa. Este é mais um registo em que a expansividade de cada instrumentista acaba por ficar reservada, em favor de uma toada plena de quietude. Há certamente momentos em que as difusões individuais são incontornáveis, mas de modo geral a unidade colectiva acaba por prevalecer. Nuno Catarino (Bodyspace)