|
GREG DAVIS / OF |
|
|
Track Listing |
|
|
Pressed
|
|
While straying far from vocabulary such as “accessible” or “easy”, this is Div/orce at its least abrasive. Pairing up two reflections of pictorial solitude and subtle melodic deep woods groan, we have Greg Davis and a member of the Jeweled Antler Collective (Blithe Sons, Skygreen Leopards, etc.), Loren Chasse, AKA, Of. Both camps find sturdy route in field recording acousticism, and these tracks illustrate the meditative nature of these artists. Water trickles, harps swell, and winds howl, while traditional instruments contemplate their natural surroundings. The two pieces are so well matched for each other that one could be a continuation of the other, yet they are polar opposite in posture. Greg Davis’ piece, Fennel & Tangerine is open and airy, bounding through its own free space, while Of’s track, Ferns Will Crumble, is noticeably murkier and claustrophobic, with a profound sense of dramatic tension. More info on the Div/orce Series
"Fifth installment of this odd series of split singles. Of is Jewelled Antler/Thuja member Loren Chasse, performing live and in reclusive mode, his track “Ferns Will Crumble” giving off a sedate, soundtracky feel, with drone and Eastern stringed instrument elements falling together in a spacious slumbertime vibe. It’s minimal, careful, and altogether a sublimating experience. Greg Davis’ side, “Fennel & Tangerine,” seems to swim out of the murky expanse created on the other side, jingling and splashing through gloriously before settling into a contemplative acoustic guitar elegy." - Dusted "The fifth installment in Ache's 7-inch ‘Div/orce' series pairs an endearingly placid outing by Greg Davis with a darker soundscape by Of (Loren Chasse). Sounding as if it was recorded in a nearby forest, “Fennel & Tangerine” is one of Davis 's prettier pieces, a bucolic vignette that's over far too quickly. Despite its brevity, the piece still manages to weave billowing harp strums, delicate acoustic picking, and field elements (outdoor sounds, splashing water) into an invitingly serene setting. “Ferns Will Crumble” is considerably murkier and unsettling by comparison; if Davis's relaxes, Of's disturbs with its churning clouds of noise, meditative drone ambiance, and Eastern-styled string plucks. Despite such dramatic differences, the pieces still seem complementary, much like identical twins whose personalities subtly refract into lighter and darker dispositions." - Grooves "The Of
side is typically abstract and dark - the first time I bought an Of album
was at Aquarius Records. I took it back to my girlfriend's house, put it on,
fell asleep, and woke up from a nightmare to this creepy music still
playing. It was then I decided that Jewelled Antler were not simply the
peace-loving forest free-folk San Francisco hippy sound artists I originally
thought them to be. This record is a beautiful, creepy, strangely short
statement from Chasse. I'm so used to these kinds of records being very long
that it's nice to hear what the artist sounds like in the limitation of a
7-inch record. |
|
