Amalgamated’s method is telegraphed by its name: improvise, then “finess,” edit all the elements into comprehensive textures.
In essence, the result of regular get-togethers by members of obscure Illinois bands and bedroom projects including Rebekah’s Tape, Homogenized Terrestrials, Gushing Cloud, Dog Hallucination and Headless Ballerinas Underwater (the latter duo recently teaming up as Bob Hallucination for the wonderful, shapeshifting mini-CD Bob Hallucination). Surprising for such smooth pieces, kind of ambient jams, is that there are a lot of instruments crowding the stage, ranging from sampler and turntable to drums, sax and guitars.
Amalgamated’s method is telegraphed by its name: improvise, then “finess,” edit all the elements into comprehensive textures. It’s kind of a cosmic krautrock that has taken God’s advice to “just tone it down a little.”
A collage of sampled voices merges into spacious groove sense on “Invocation of Absence.” “Rot Makor” sounds more like devotional services until a steady rhythm begins bouncing up against it. The centre of focus in “A Wedge of Raging Cygnets” is a stuck-groove, country pedal steel guitar two-step against a distant backdrop strongly reminiscent of one of Brian Eno’s musics for films. And with a soft beat, “Sandiest Lope” percolates gently until the machinery breaks down.
Spark II is slated for release soon and a “full-length multimedia album/book” is due later in the year.
Spark I is available on Intangible Cat.
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