more sounds

Speaking of 'sound', I'm currently listening to Jon Balke's Batagraf album, Statements. Although it's essentially a percussion-based album (four percussionists plus Balke), it features numerous voices and vocalisations, in various languages including English and Wolof plus 'unknown media announcers' and the talk of a baby. It works, it's not as twinky as it sounds, being meaty and beaty in parts, and sometimes more airy, playing constantly between musical rhythm and language, both in a meaning and a material sense. It's not easy listening but neither is it hard to listen to. If you go with it, it's pretty neat. I think there's some sound samples on the Universal Records distribution site, but it's best to listen to it as a whole.

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